On Special Assignment in Marfa, Texas

Marfa 1940-Only the cars and people have changed

For the past few days this week, my posts have been brief. That's because I took a few days off to visit my cousin in Marfa, Texas. Marfa is a small town of about 2,000 located three hours outside of El Paso. It was the site of the movies "No Country for Old Men" and "Giant". At first glance, it is just a small Southwestern Texas town located in the middle of the desert. In reality, it is what you would call an artist colony full of transplants from other parts of the country-like my cousin, who is a movie producer by profession. Many others are artists and art galleries are aplenty.


Courthouse

The place also has a history. Twenty-some miles away is the Fort Davis museum, the remains of an old cavalry fort named after Secretary of War Jefferson Davis (pre-Civil War), which was built in the 19th century to protect travelers heading West from Indian attackers. It was also regimental hqs for all four regiments of the all-black Buffalo Soldiers.

Another place of interest in Marfa itself is Building 98, which was part of the old pre-World War 1 Ft. D.A. Russell. Notable soldiers once stationed at Fort Russell were Generals John J. Pershing and then Lt. Col. George S Patton. The buildings were once officers quarters. The bedrooms are maintained as well as is the officers club bar. Patton himself used to hold court at the corner of the bar with his dog, Daisy, who would lay quietly at his side until she would start whimpering to tell him he had had enough.

Fousesquawk stands where Patton once stood.


In the field across from the building complex, Patton would play polo. The horses were stabled next to the complex, and hitching posts still remain.

Once of the most interesting aspects of old Ft Russell is that it was a place of internment for German soldiers captured in the North Africa campaign of World War 2. There were a total of 186 of them. They were treated well, and the camp commander identified two of them who were artists and put them to work painting murals in a few of the rooms. Those murals, mostly of the surrounding desert and mountains, are still there. The painters were Hans Juergen Press and Robert Hampel. After the war, Press returned to Hamburg and became a noted children's story writer and illustrator. In later years, his son, Julian, visited Marfa and was received as a dignitary. Hampel is not so easy to trace, but it is believed he hailed from Bavaria since one of his murals portrayed the Bavarian mountains.




While confined at Ft Russell, there was really no security to speak of since there was nowhere to run to. Periodically, the German officer-in-charge of the prisoners would march his men through town and the local town girls would stand on the side of the road and wave their handkerchiefs at them. To maintain the image of the Aryan Germans, the commander had his brown-haired troops dye their hair blond to impress the townsfolk. It is not known if any of the prisoners ever "scored" with the local gals.

Today, the building is used as a retreat for artists and is run by Mona Blocker Garcia, who gave us the grand tour. She is the daughter of Dan Blocker, who was instrumental in reviving the Republican party in Texas in opposition to Lyndon B Johnson. (Not the Dan "Hoss" Blocker of Bonanza fame, who was also from Texas and was a cousin.)

Another landmark is the old Paisano Hotel, which was used as the base for the cast of Giant while the movie was being filmed in the 1950s. Its bar is not to be missed, and they have a good draft beer called Rio Blanco Ale.

One last place in Marfa I would like to mention is the local USO. On the walls are photos of hundreds of military personnel from  Marfa dating back to WW 1. One is struck by the large number of those who were Mexican-American. Three other photos are enshrined in the lobby in larger size. They are the three natives of Marfa who were killed in Vietnam-all Mexican-American.

To get to Marfa, drive east from El Paso on Interstate 10 one and half hours to Van Horn, where you proceed east on Highway 90. Take 90 75 miles to Marfa.

Incidentally, if you are spending any time in El Paso, my cousin recommended a great little old Mexican restaurant and bar. L and J Cafe on Missouri just off the Copia exit west of the airport and next to the cemetary. It was great. Tell'em Fousesquawk sent you. They won't know who the hell you are talking about, but they'll serve you anyway.