Mark
12/7/2017 6:29 PM
I found this 1967 book in the main Brazoria County library. Justice Douglas wrote about the need to conserve Texas and discussed The Big Thicket, The Big Bend, Canyons of the Rio Grande, The Davis Mountains, Capote Falls, The Guadalupe Mountains and the Hill Country. The canyons of the Rio Grande that Douglas personally went down were the Santa Elena, Mariscal and Boquillas. He quoted a Dallas Morning News writer about a trip from Stillwell Crossing to just upstream from Langtry done by several lawyer types. One of them was then state representative Neil Caldwell. The canoe that Caldwell was in lost most of its food and movie camera in spills in the rapids. Neil Caldwell later became judge of the 23rd District Court (Brazoria, Matagorda and Wharton circuit) and also was honored as the Texas State artist from 1987-88. The newspaper writer must have got either the length or timing of the trip wrong because he said it was a 4 day trip when the distance would probably take 14 days. If I had noticed the book years earlier I could have asked Judge Caldwell about it. He is still alive but last I heard he is not doing well. I will try to bring the book to the Christmas party.