The Guadalupe Mountains No one knows exactly when the first people came to the Guadalupe Mountains in far west Texas, but archaeological evidence dates back over 10,000 years ago. The earliest inhabitants were hunter-gatherers who followed available game and ripening vegetation. They lived in and among the many caves and alcoves common throughout the range. Scattered evidence of their existence, including projectile points, baskets, pottery, and rock art has been found throughout the mountain range.
Since then, many different groups have moved in and out of the area, including the Spanish who arrived by the mid 1500s. There is little evidence of any attempts on their part to penetrate the Guadalupes. No large-scale settlements have been located. Their influence was significant, though, because they introduced horses into the area. For the bands of Apaches who roamed freely over much of the southwest, horses quickly became an asset to their nomadic lifestyle. The Mescalero Apaches followed game, much as the earlier peoples had done, and they also harvested the agave (or mescal) for food and fiber. Mescalero is the name given to them by the Spanish. It means mescal-maker. Agave roasting pits and other remains of Mescalero campsites are common in the mountains.
Prior to the mid 1800's, the Guadalupes remained an unchallenged sanctuary for the Mescalero Apaches. But newly established transportation routes, and the end of the Civil War, encouraged droves of pioneers, homesteaders, miners, and numerous others to head west. In the mid 1800s, explorers were commissioned to look for possible emigrant routes to the west. The proposed transcontinental railroad expected to follow one of these routes. Although these surveying expeditions would never lead to a railroad through Guadalupe Pass, they did provide the first extensive studies of the Guadalupe region.
In 1858, a horse-changing station was constructed near Pine Springs for the Butterfield Overland Mail. To protect their investments, the stage line and settlers in the area demanded protection from the military. Several cavalry troops were ordered in and out of the area to halt Indian raids and secure settlements along the stage route. In the winter of 1869, troops lead by Lt. H. B. Cushing penetrated the Guadalupes and destroyed two primary Apache camps. These aggressive actions were devastating to the Mescaleros who were already facing food shortages within their increasingly limited land base. They were eventually driven out of the Guadalupes. By the late 1800's, nearly all of the surviving Mescalero Apaches in the United States were living on reservations.
Permanent settlements in the Guadalupes were not common though, even after the final displacement of the Mescaleros. The Butterfield stage route through the Guadalupes was abandoned in less than a year for a more favorable course along a string of army forts to the south. Most settlers found the range (and its limited water sources) too rugged and inhospitable. The first permanent ranch house was constructed in 1876 by the Rader brothers. Now called Frijole Ranch, it served as residence for several families through the years. And, as the only major building complex in the region (for several decades), it served as a community center and regional post office from 1916-1942. Today, the Frijole Ranch House has been restored and operates as a cultural museum.