We also visited the Terlingua Ghost Town. The place owes its existence to mining, mostly quicksilver, or mercury. In the early 1900s, the discovery of cinnabar turned it into a boomtown of more than 2,000 people, at one point ranking among the top mercury producers in the world. By the mid-1900s, though, demand dried up, the mines closed, and the town emptied out, leaving behind the crumbling remains of what was once a thriving desert community.

Life here must have been tough, but for many it was still better than what they left behind. A lot of the early settlers were Mexican immigrants escaping civil war, poverty, and political unrest. In Terlingua they found steady work, running water, a commissary, and the security of regular wages. All things considered, not bad.

Before getting into San Antonio, we stopped in Boerne, a small town about 30 miles west of the city. It was founded by German immigrants in the 1800s, and you can still see that heritage in the architecture, the food, and the festivals. Boerne also happens to sit right in the path of Monday’s solar eclipse. I haven’t decided where I’ll watch it yet, but I wanted to check out the town before making the call.