Concho: Rivers, Reservoir, and History

The O. H. Ivie Reservoir also extends into Concho County. The Concho River flows 29 miles through the county and joins the Colorado River 12 miles northeast of Paint Rock. The two distances answer different questions about orientation: the first describes the river’s course through the county, while the second indicates the confluence’s location in relation to Paint Rock.

Water and Access

The Concho Recreation Area has a concrete boat ramp. It is 14 miles east of US 83 on RR 1929; turn north at the sign for the recreation area. The Padgitt Recreation Area is 10 miles south of US 67 on FM 503; turn east at its sign. The turnoffs are easy to distinguish: at Concho, turn north at the sign; at Padgitt, turn east.

Exhibits and Events

The Concho County Safety Rest Area features exhibits about local highlights, including reproductions of rock paintings found along the banks of the Concho River. O. H. Ivie Reservoir is listed as the venue for several local fishing events. The Concho County Fair is held annually in August and September. If an event date will determine your trip, check the specific dates before you travel.

Courthouse and Mission History

The Concho County Courthouse was built in 1886 as the county’s first permanent courthouse and is designed in the French Second Empire style. At this one building, you can encounter both an important milestone in county history and a clearly identified architectural style.

The history of Mission San Clemente is tied to a specific geographic point: its site was at the confluence of the Concho River and the Colorado River. The Mendoza Expedition founded the mission on March 16, 1684. Its purpose was to “civilize” and Christianize the region’s Indigenous population. The river confluence and the founding date each provide a distinct geographic and chronological reference point for the mission’s history.

The Paint Rock Pictographs

The Paint Rock pictographs include more than 1,500 images and extend for almost half a mile along a limestone cliff face. On the high rock ledge, Indigenous artists painted animals such as bison and deer, human figures, and geometric patterns. The colors used were red, orange, yellow, white, and black.

The chronology also adds context to Paint Rock: the site was used at least from the Toyah period, approximately 1300 to 1650 AD. The cliff face conveys a sense of the breadth of this cultural subject through its length, the number of images, and the variety of motifs.

More Traces of County History

The Western Trail ran north through the center of Concho County. Unlike a single named place, this historic trail describes a route through the county, complementing the local connections provided by the rivers and the courthouse.

The Trinity Lutheran Church congregation began with about 44 members. Migration is another aspect of local history: several German Lutheran families moved from Mills County to Concho County shortly after the turn of the 20th century. Together, these details offer different ways to explore the county’s history: through a congregation, migration, and a historic route.

Discover more destinations: Paint Rock, Eola, Henderson County, Medina County, Cameron, Caldwell County, Crosby County, Bowie

For the main travel overview: Texas.