Sign Up  /  Login

The Tex-Mex LbNA #52254

Owner:Boots Tex
Plant date:Mar 6, 2010
Location:
City:Ottine
County:Gonzales
State:Texas
Boxes:1
Found by: Party Mouse
Last found:Oct 9, 2010
Status:FFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Last edited:Mar 6, 2010
Chartered in March, 1875, the Corpus Christi, San Diego and Rio Grande Narrow Gauge Railroad built a 3-foot gauge line from Corpus Christi, Texas to Rancho Banquette, Texas, between 1875 and 1877, and then on to San Diego, Texas by 1879. This 52-mile line's main purpose was to take domestic sheep from Texas ranches to the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, and received some funding from Richard King and Mifflin Kenedy of the King Ranch. In 1881, the line was sold to a syndicate and it was given a new charter as the Texas Mexican Railway. In train schedules published in the newspapers of the 1800’s the names of railroads were abbreviated. For instance, the Missouri Pacific was called the Mo-Pac. Following this convention, the new Texas Mexican Railway was called the Tex-Mex, and a new term entered the English language. Under this document, the line was built an additional 110 miles to Laredo. While the charter also allowed for other lines which would have made a 1,400 mile network, including one line from San Diego to the Sabine River with branch lines to Tyler, Galvestion, San Antonio, and Sabine Pass, these expansions were never constructed. The small Galveston, Brazos and Colorado was purchased in 1881 for a connection to Galveston, but a line was never built between the two railroads. In 1883 a bridge was built across the Rio Grande River to Nuevo Laredo, making the Tex-Mex the first Mexican-American rail connection. In 1938, the Tex-Mex purchased seven diesel engines and retired all of its steam engines. It is generally considered to the first railroad in the world to completely “dieselize”. The Tex-Mex remains in operation today, running generally in Texas from Beaumont through Houston to Rosenberg, up to Columbus, west to Flatonia, then south through Cuero to Victoria, with a connection to Corpus Chrisit, then west to Laredo, where it crosses the Rio Grande into Mexico. Also look for A-Maze-ing’s box “All Aboard!” For more about this historic railway.

Directions:
This letterbox is located at Palmetto State Park in Ottine, Texas. To reach the park, travel 10 miles northwest of Gonzales on US 183 to FM 1586, then west on FM 1586 for two miles to Ottine, then south on Park Road 11; or go six miles southeast of Luling on US 183, then southwest on Park Road 11 for two miles. Stop at the park headquarters to pay your entry fee. Continue straight ahead over the lake, over the river, then look for Park Road 11 on the left that goes into the trailer parking area. You’ll see the Palmetto Trail on the right and the tall pump building. Park at the pavilion and walk back up the road to the entrance.

To the box:
You’ll pass the pump building, then start looking for a trail to your right. Take that trail to a man-made water crossing with two galvanized steel culverts. Turn around and look for a large, low stump on the left. That’s where the Tex-Mex box is hiding. Be sure to cover it back up the way you found it. Thanks!