City Spotlight: Pecos
In the far reaches of West Texas near the edge of the Chihuahuan Desert, the little town of Pecos sits at the heart of the Pecos River valley, from which it gets its name. Like many settlements established in the late 19th century, Pecos was developed as a frontier train depot along important cattle trails and wagon routes. When the Texas and Pacific Railway arrived in 1881, Pecos quickly grew into a busy cow town and commercial hub for ranching and agriculture.
What Put Pecos on the Map?
Over the years, the cattle outpost quickly became known for its agriculture — specifically its local variety of sweet cantaloupes, which are especially sweet because of the region’s potassium-rich soil and abundant sunshine. Local rumors have it that President Dwight Eisenhower and President Lyndon B. Johnson loved Pecos cantaloupes so much that they had them shipped more than 1,700 miles to the White House. At its peak, Pecos farmers were running some 1,800 acres of cantaloupe farms, and many melon enthusiasts claim the cantaloupe put Pecos on the map in the 20th century.
But long before the cantaloupe took center stage, Pecos was globally renowned as the home of the world’s first rodeo, a claim that the town still proudly maintains to this day. The first Pecos rodeo was held July 4, 1883, when cowboys from local ranches gathered to see who could rope a steer the fastest, competing mainly for bragging rights. Well over a century later, it’s now dubbed the West of the Pecos Rodeo, and it stands as one of the most popular rodeos in Texas, attracting spectators and competitors from around the world who come to experience authentic Western culture and celebrate the cowboy spirit that defines the region.
Stop by the Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame in town if you doubt Pecos’ claims to hosting the world’s first rodeo. Beyond honoring the legendary cowboys and cowgirls who’ve competed here, the museum also tells the long, elaborate story of how the Texas rodeo got its start right here.
Before You Go
There are more traces of Old West heritage throughout Pecos, of course. Check out the West of the Pecos Museum, which preserves stories and artifacts from the region’s frontier days, from a brief history of the Pecos cantaloupe to a replica of the original Judge Roy Bean Courthouse and Jail.
And if you didn’t come to Pecos for the rodeo, you probably came for Pody’s BBQ. The little local joint has only been around since 2011, but with the crowds of locals and tourists who flock there, it might seem like an established piece of Pecos history as the rodeo. Pitmaster Israel “Pody” Campos uses cherry wood to sweeten his ribs, a trick that helped Pody’s get recognized by Texas Monthly.
Explore more of Texas’ diamond-in-the-rough towns.
