23-foot arrows on Comanche trail

23-foot arrows point to area's Comanche history, legacy

By Russell AnglinSculpture artist Charles A. Smith hopes to preserve a fragment of Native American history with each 23-foot Comanche arrow he sets in place to mark the Quanah Parker Trail.

“That is the main reason for developing this Quanah Parker Trail, is not to let (Comanche history) die and just fade away like so much of our history in the Texas Panhandle has,” said Ada Lester, Texas Plains Trail regional director. “They need to be remembered as being a part of this.”

The arrow sculptures link cities and counties with a connection to the famous Comanche chief who roamed the Panhandle and South Plains and fought commercial buffalo hunters and other settlers until finally surrendering and being relocated to a reservation in 1875.

A few dozen people gathered Thursday to watch Smith and other volunteers place his 27th arrow Thursday at Boot Hill Cemetery in Boys Ranch. The sculpture’s arrowhead pierces the ground as if had been shot from a bow.Comment:  The arrow is somewhat stereotypical, of course. But I'm not sure what else would work for this endeavor.

For more on Native tourism, see Maya Excluded From "2012" Tourism and Navajos Split on Grand Canyon Flights.