Historic Midland

ing the Scharbauer site, which lay along
Monahans Draw, an intermittent waterway
which authorities say would have been in existence
even during “Midland Minnie’s” day.
Notably, relics found at the Scharbauer site in
addition to “Midland Minnie” included projectile
points called “Folsom” and “Midland.”
While both are lanceolate in shape, only the
“Folsom” is fluted. Also found at sites in
Midland County are points called “Plainview”
and “Firstview.”
In addition to the Scharbauer site, early man
points have also been found at the Salt Lake
south of Midland, at Peck’s Lake, the R.D. Jones
farm, and Stephenson’s Lake.
During the Archaic Period, ranging from
5,000 B.C. to A.D. 900, the climate in the
Midland region was becoming drier and the
mammoth and large bison (Bison antiquus) had
become extinct. Hunters hunted the modern
buffalo (Bison bison), deer, antelope and other
small game.
Although no Archaic period sites have been
found in Midland County, isolated Archaic dart
points have been found, indicating that hunters
and traders were moving
through Midland County
during the Archaic period.
Several sites dated to
the Late Prehistoric period
(A.D. 900-A.D. 1500)
have been found in
Midland County and in
the City of Midland proper,
indicating that Indians
were both moving through
Midland County and
camping here for a time.
During the Early
Historic period, it’s clear
that Indians—definitely
Comanche and possibly
Apache—were active in
Midland County. In fact,
the Comanche War Trail
began in Indian Territory, now the State of
Oklahoma, proceeded southward past the Big
Spring where it turned sharply southwestward,
came past Mustang Springs and on to the
Monahans Sandhills from where it turned
toward present-day Fort Stockton, where permanent
water was available at Comanche
Springs. From there, the trail took the
Comanche southward to the Big Bend country,
across the Rio Grande and into Mexico.
Numerous sites containing burned rocks,
stone artifacts and debris have been found at Big
Spring, Mustang Springs and Comanche
Springs, attesting to their use both by the
Comanche and by prehistoric peoples.
The final raid by Comanche into Texas
occurred in late June or early July 1879, and,
❖
Above, left: Mrs. John P. McKinley
displays original artifacts of the
Midland Man Discovery, the oldest
human skeletal remains ever found on
the North American continent, housed
for a number of years in the Midland
County Historical Museum. The
original materials are now at SMU. A
replica of the skull and the full story
of the discovery are still in the
museum.
Above, right: Official Texas Historical
Grave marker for Texas Ranger W. B.
Anglin, killed here in the last
Comanche raid into this part of Texas
in July 1879.
Bottom: Memorial grave marker for
Texas Ranger W. B. Anglin placed in
the veteran section of historic
Fairview Cemetery.
Midland: Land of Cowboys | 15