FORT STOCKTON, Texas — Many people think Fort Stockton was founded when the U.S. Army built a post here in 1859 to fight the fierce Comanches.
However, there was already a town in the area named St. Gall, which was predominantly Mexican American. According to the 1870 census, out of a population of 429 in St. Gall, 261 of them were Mexican American.
The Spanish Conquistadores had first come here in 1683 when Juan Dominguez Mendoza led an expedition to Comanche Springs. When Pecos County was organized, Cesario and Bernado Torres were the largest landowners and early elected officials. In 1881, the town's name was changed from St. Gall to Fort Stockton.
"So the barrio really is composed of with adobe buildings that have been passed on by generations to generations in the family," said Andres Madrid, a volunteer for the festival. "The other thing about the barrios is that little tienditas like Fidel grocery store in Fort Stockton. But we also have Wallace Lumber Company that was built in the late 1930s. This is what el barrio Fort Stockton is composed of."
On Sept. 14-17, the Fort Stockton Community Theatre will be celebrating its 2nd annual Barrio Fest highlighting the neighborhood that once thrived here.
"During Barrio Fest, especially during the education part, which is on Friday, we are going to be teaching third graders, 180 of them, that will be coming in, a few at a time, how to make tamales," said J.B. Gallegos, the owner of the Comanche Tortilla Factory. "We have our lady here who has been with us for over 25 years, and she is going to be teaching them the art of making tamales."
By the 1900s, Anglo settlers started streaming in, and the Mexican American citizens became concentrated in neighborhood or barrio in Fort Stockton. Several businesses were started to serve the Mexican American population. The Fort Stockton developed its own economy and culture.
"The activities that are planned for Barrios Fest are a 5K run relay, a baseball that is going to be packed with students and older members of the community who used to play on teams like the Sonics, the Red Sox, and they are actually going to be playing in vintage uniforms," Madrid said. "We also have a car show sponsored by the Stakita's Car Club with El Paso's Tejano Mix Radio Station hosting the entertainment, Ballet Folklorico from St. Edward's University from Austin they are coming down to perform throughout the weekend, and at the end of the day, we will have a weekend full of family fun with pinata presentations, adobe making. We also have a Quinceanera art installation here in the art studio that is right here in the barrio."
"Barrio Fest is very important to us because we have always been in the barrio, the heart of the barrio, now that the Fort Stockton Community Theatre is here," Gallegos said. " I thought it was very important to get involved and to represent our heritage, which is very important and needs to be documented."
The entire festival is free for people who plan on attending. For more information, click here.