On the western outskirts of Big Bend National Park, Lajitas, Texas, and its Mexican counterpart, Paso Lajitas, Chihuahua, perch on hills above the Rio Grande. In the 1800s, the Comanches used this area as a passage for their tribal life, including herding horses. During this era, the discovery of mercury ("quick silver") brought more people to the Lajitas area. The town also became a trading post for cowboys, miners, and the local settlers. - RG