Day 2 – Van Horn, TX – Gulf Coast / Rio Grande Trip

Day's Travel mileage 191 total to date 461 miles

New Mexico State Bird – Road Runner - No Rattle Snakes Here

Las Cruces 03" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj35qm1ILugHA-Xw5s_Jo89lGnWlctuzMVFS8rDv0D_FezOTKI5x0vGHxmiVPYAw72fp9GYcplfI_A-rpV3Zyr5ovxq2B5q5ddjpPt4wRtgOXAUVSGIZwgiGUoKGB3r6wyd0Z8vKDwl1wE/?imgmax=800" border="0" width="244" height="164"> Las Cruces, NM

We traveled farther than planned today. We intended to spend the night at the Flying J east of El Paso but it turned out not to be a very good place. We refueled, topped off the propane tank and had lunch and then continued east on I-10. The two rest stops between El Paso and Van Horn were not much better so we continued on to Van Horn, TX.

Mesa Near Van Horn

Van Horn was settled in the late 1850s and early 1860s supportive of the San Antonio-El Paso Overland Mail route. Although U.S. Army Major Jefferson Van Horne is believed to have passed near the area in 1849 on his way to take command of what would later become Fort Bliss, the town is instead named for Lt. James Judson Van Horn who commanded an army garrison at the Van Horn Wells beginning in 1859. Lt. Van Horn's command was relatively short-lived as the post was seized by Confederate forces in 1861 and Lt. Van Horn taken prisoner. Settlement was further stimulated by the construction of the Texas and Pacific Railway in 1881.