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"A
pretty view showing the Canadian River in the Background."
1920s vintage
photo courtesy Ken
Sharpe |
The Naming of
Canadian RiverWhere
did the name for the Canadian River originate? Take your pick. Some believe
it came from early French traders from Canada on a hunting expedition. One historian
wrote in 1929 that, later, French explorers named it while camped where the river
runs into the Arkansas River.
Other believe the word is of Spanish origin,
derived from the word "canada," meaning canyon. This is because much of the river
runs through deep canyons. - From "Bits,
pieces on odds, ends" by Delbert Trew |
 |
Photographer's
Note:
Subject:
Canadian River
These shots are of the Canadian River valley traveling from Dumas,
Texas to Amarillo. You
can see Amarillo on the far
horizon (to the South). The river has carved its way through the otherwise flat
plains in a million different channels. The road is U.S. 287/87 which is
the main road from Texas through the Panhandle
to Denver and other points North.
The Canadian River today is often
just a small stream thanks to the many dams on the river and its tributaries in
New Mexico, but even a short rainstorm can fill its banks.
The Canadian
River is now an important recreation area for off-roaders, hikers, and hunters.
To the east of these views, the river flows into Lake
Meredith, which is an important source of drinking water and recreation. -
Tom
Jones, December 24, 2007 |
| | Constructed
in 1916. Restored in 2000 |
More
About The Canadian RiverCanadian
River was watery trap
by Delbert Trew
Almost every early day description, narrative and historical
note written about the Canadian River uses the words "dangerous," "treacherous,"
"quicksand" and "death." Whether man, beast or wagon was involved, the river often
took its toll...
Head-rises
wiped out frontier towns
by Delbert Trew
A head-rise is a wall of water, either small or large, brought
on by a heavy downpour of rain upstream. A head-rise may occur on a down-sloping
cow trail, ranch road, arroyo, canyon, creek or river. A head-rise can even occur
down a wide flat draw if enough rain falls quickly...
Our ranch bordering
the Canadian River continually suffered from erosion and damage caused by head-rises
and flooding.
Miles of fences were destroyed and acres of riverbanks lands
were washed away down the river.
We prowled the river banks after each
flooding looking for posts, telephone and REA poles washed down by the water.
Once we found a nice wooden bridge which we took apart and used to build
new corals.
Always, we had to watch for tangles of barbed wire, mad, wet
rattlesnakes and quicksand in the bayous.
Almost overnight after a head-rise,
the wet muddy river bottoms became dry again and the red sands began sifting with
the winds.
It was a never-changing pattern.
more
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