To commemorate the anniversary of Bob Wirt's birth  on October 7, 2013
we present a slide show of six photographs provided by Scarlett Wirt to show
Bob's life and family away from the ruins.
Saturday February 19, 2011
Trip to the Franco and Valenzuela Ruins
The following photos were taken by Antonio S. Franco February 2011
click on photos below to enlarge them
Breakfast before starting out to visit the Valenzuela and Franco ranches.
Ken Barnes, waitress, Cinta Narvaez, Celestina V. Amatulli, Steven Franco, Bob Wirt ([clockwise from the lefty]
Bob Wirt approaching the Paz Molinar ruins with Terlingua Creek dry bed below.
The cars (to the right) were left in the Terlingua Creek bed by the Molinar School.
Bob and Big Bend archeologist Tom Alex at the Paz Molinar ruins.

Ken Barnes and Celestina Amatulli at the San Ysidro ranch house ruins telling of their experiences living there in different decades.

Bob Wirt and Cynta Narvaez back at Terlingua Ghost Town after the visits to the ranches.

Sunday February 20, 2011
Trip to La Coyota in the Big Bend National Park
Castellán Peak near Castolón
Old gas pump at Castolón.
Ron and Jane Payne with Bob at Castolón.

Bob's research showed that when Santa Elena was granted a US post office the government did not accept the name Santa Elena, Texas because it was already taken; so they had to select a new name.  It is believed that they came up with the name Castolón because Castellán Peak is prominent there.
Bob researching the names of the people who received mail at Castolón
Bob going to La Coyota's cemetery.
You can see Santa Elena Canyon from La Coyota Cemetery.
click on photos to enlarge them

Bob in front of the ruins of Severiano Chavarría's home.  The Rio Grande is immediately behind this hill just a few feet away.  Bob's research revealed that Ruperto Chavarría, Severiano's oldest child built his home just around the corner from here.  A flood of the Rio Grande in the early 1930's destroyed Ruperto's home so he rebuilt atop this small mesa.  Today the traces of the foundations of two houses are visible on top of the small mesa.  According to Bob it is not known which but one of those was Ruperto's second home.  Bob was researching this settlement which grew large and lasted into the 1940's.  Today it is "The Forgotten Ghost Settlement."  To see more on La Coyota based on Bob's research go to La Coyota in Familias de Terlingua.
Bob on his way to the top of the small mesa at La Coyota.

video and still shot from the top of the small mesa at La Coyota
Castellán Peak seen in the distance from La Coyota.
There are two videos below that may not appear in computers running Apple operating systems
View from atop La Coyota  mesa with the wind blowing.
Appreciating what Bob did for me -- Antonio S. Franco