A century ago, most archeologists believed human beings had only occupied the Americas for about 3,000 years. Then, a series of finds on the Llano Estacado changed that view.

One of the most significant finds occurred just 6 miles southwest of Midland. The discovery – called the Midland Site – included ancient human remains. It opened a window into the Ice Age world.

In June 1953, Keith Glasscock, an amateur archeologist, was collecting artifacts on the Scharbauer Ranch, near Monahans Draw, when he spotted a human skull among the sand dunes. Glasscock knew he had something important. He contacted Dr. Fred Wendorf, a leading archeologist.

In 1955, Wendorf published The Midland Di...

The land lies parched. The prairie grasses are brittle. After months of dry winter weather, wind is blowing away the dusty soil of West Texas.

Then, on a warm February day – a song, piercing and sweet. Long before the cactus blooms, the Cassin's sparrow announces the coming spring in West Texas.

First described in 1852, from a specimen in San Antonio, the Cassin's sparrow is a creature of the prairies and desert grasslands. Its range extends from western Nebraska to central Mexico. It's a year-round resident in West Texas, from Midland County to the foothills of the Davis and Chisos mountains. Populations here swell during the mating season in spring and summer.

The...