Sutton County

The Handbook of Texas points to the Next Week Site, a burned-rock midden excavated in 1975 with tools for processing plant foods. Tonkawa peoples roamed the plateau until Lipan Apaches moved in during the seventeenth century, and Comanches (Numunuu) later hemmed the Lipans onto it; the Handbook says state forts, disease and Comanche pressure drove the Lipans from Texas by the end of the Civil War. By 1878 it was known as Cattleman's Paradise, later Stockman's Paradise. In 1882 the Birtrong Ranch, watered by Wall's Well, was the only ranch; by 1898 nearly all of 120 ranches were fenced.

What the plaque says

Has traces of culture at least 20,000 years old, occupied by Apache Indians up to founding of Fort Terrett, 1852. Anglo-Texan settlement began 1879 at Sonora, a trading post on San Antonio-El Paso Road. Created April 1, 1887, from land then in Crockett County; organized November 4, 1890, with Sonora as the county seat. Named in honor of John S. Sutton (1821-1862), a member of Santa Fe Expedition, Texas Ranger and Indian fighter, soldier in Mexican War and colonel of Mounted Volunteers, who died of wounds received in Civil War Battle of Val Verde. 1936/1965

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Caverns of Sonora — 13 mi
  A show cave on a Sutton County ranch, opened in 1960 by cavers who wanted to stop the damage, and dense with helictites that grow sideways in every direction.

More markers nearby

• Colonel John S. Sutton — 3.4 mi
• Site of Sonora Town Well — 3.4 mi
• Wentworth — 6.0 mi
• First Baptist Church of Eldorado — 20 mi