Marathon

Albion E. Shepard, a former sea captain surveying for the railroad, bought land here on March 10, 1882, and set up the Iron Mountain Ranch north of the townsite. Applying for a post office that September, he put the population at about 130 and "increasing rapidly"; the office opened February 13, 1883. In 1884 Jim P. Wilson shipped a whole trainload of cattle here and hired fourteen Mexican hands to drive the herd on foot sixty-five miles to his Green Valley ranch. In 1887 Marathon became seat of Buchel County, which was never organized.

What the plaque says

Marathon Fort Pena Colorada, the last active fort in this area, on the old Comanche Trail, about 4 miles to the southwest was established in 1879. Marathon was founded in 1881. Named by an old sea captain, A.E. Shepard, for the Plain of Marathon, in Greece, of which the hills here reminded him. Cradle of West Texas cattle industry. Among the first noted ranchers here were Mayer M. Halff and brother, owners of the famous Circle Dot brand. Original gateway to the Big Bend National Park. (1964)

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Museum of the Big Bend — 27 mi
  The museum of the Big Bend region and northern Mexico on the Sul Ross State University campus in Alpine, back since 2007 in its native-stone building of 1937.

More markers nearby

• Colonel Lewis Given Harman — 1.8 mi
• Fort Peña Colorada (Red Rock) — 5.1 mi
• Los Caballos (in core of the Ouachita Structural Belt) — 10 mi
• Denuded Ouachita Rock Belt — 14 mi