A Texas oil geologist first saw McKittrick Canyon in 1921, later bought the land for a private retreat

In 1921, Texas oil geologist Wallace Pratt travelled into a remote, wind-swept oasis in West Texas and fell in love with its tall limestone walls and bright autumn colours. Thirty-eight years later, his long love for McKittrick Canyon helped change the future of Texas conservation. Pratt gave his home and thousands of acres to the federal government, creating the core of what would become Guadalupe Mountains National Park.First encounter with a hidden oasisPratt was working as an oil geologist for Humble Oil Company when he first visited the region. He was on a business trip in 1921 when an associate, Judge Drane, introduced him to the Guadalupe Mountains. Pratt was soon given a chance to see McKittrick Canyon, which was described to him as “the most beautiful spot in Texas.” According to National Park Service history records, he was deeply impressed by both the scenery and the geology. The canyon cuts through part of the ancient Capitan Reef, a huge fossil reef formed about 265 million years ago. The reef developed when this part of Texas was covered by a tropical sea. For Pratt, who spent his career studying rocks and underground formations, the canyon was both a scientific treas...