CSAW Papers and Research Presentations

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The subjects included in this collection are art, theatre, dance, communication, english, philosophy, modern languages, history, music, general studies, science engineering, and, agriculture,

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    Environmental crisis in the Panhandle of Texas: The tale of Buffalo Lake
    (Center for the Study of the American West, 2022-05-22) Erasme da Cruz
    Buffalo Lake, once an artificial oasis in the semi-arid region of the Panhandle of Texas enjoyed by a multitude of people and animals alike, has been a dry lakebed filled by weeds instead of water for several decades. Nowadays known as Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge, this area represents a nearly forgotten reminder of the negative impact that unchecked human activity can have on the environment. My research revealed that few papers tackled and raised enough awareness about this issue, serving as a cautionary tale. The demise of Buffalo Lake is not an isolated event. Throughout the world, several bodies of water continue to be affected by anthropogenic factors. Therefore, I use a series of newspaper clips and scientific papers spanning from 1939 to 2013 to bring attention to the matter. I argue that the history of Buffalo Lake represents the perfect storm of pollution, lack of accountability, the economy versus the environment debate, overconsumption of water as a resource, and climate change. These aforementioned factors ultimately led to the loss of what could have remained a vibrant and essential recreational facility in West Texas but now lays bare.
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    Thinking a Ranch Backwards: The History of the Barrel and Indian Creek Ranch
    (Center for the Study of the American West, 2023-05-27) Marin Bullock; Alex Hunt
    The Barrel and Indian Creek Ranch (BICR), as it exists today, has about 150 years of history as ranching country, but did not always exist in its current form. Instead, the ranch’s history partakes of the larger trend, having been first part of a massive, ill-defined range and then subject to breakups and patchwork ownership over the years. In fact, Barrel and Indian Creek began as part of the great JA Ranch, product of the 1877 partnership between John George Adair and Charles Goodnight. But while we will come to this legendary partnership, we took the approach of moving backward, historically, in tracking the shifting terrain of ownership of what has come to be known as Barrel and Indian Creek Ranch. Therefore, this reverse-history will begin with the contemporary scene.