Make a crossing of the storied Pecos River. The arid Pecos River Country of Texas is rich with stories, the crooked path of its alkaline waters defining the lives of any who dared venture here. Native peoples, Spanish explorers, soldiers, travelers, cattlemen, wildcatters, and just plain folks, passed by, struggled, sojourned, and perished. From the oldest book in North America to the great rock of the Jumano, their traces remain in the ruins, the records and the earth itself. Native West Texan James Collett catalogues architectural masterpieces, lonely gravestones, fanciful cowboy tales and other bits of history caught in the currents of a legendary river.
James (Jim) Collett is a native West Texan who lives in Midland, Texas. He has a BA in history from Angelo State University and an MA in history from the University of Texas-Austin. As a retired public school educator, he worked to share his love of history with teenagers. Jim is the author of five photo history books with Arcadia Publishing and has written several history articles for different publications. Jim is active in the collection, preservation and sharing of local history in Midland, including working actively in the development of the Midland County History Museum. In addition to his love of history, he is an amateur archaeologist who has spent many enjoyable hours wandering the West Texas landscape along the Pecos River and beyond. Jim is also a member of the Texas Rivers Protection Association.