Approximately a million miles from anywhere (my estimate) lies the Terlingua ghost town. It’s a relic of long-gone quicksilver mines. But it also has the Starlight Theater, hosts the Terlingua International Chili Championship, and was referenced in the title of Jerry Jeff Walker’s famous album ¡Viva Terlingua!, which was released in 1973.

That’s kind of a lot, for a ghost town.

It also has a cemetery, where most of the markers – the ones that are still legible, anyway – date back to the town’s mining days in the early part of the last century. Most of the graves have jars or bottles that hold candles; I had a sense that ghostly visitors come at night, moving from grave to grave, lighting candles as they go. I would like to see it on a starry night – maybe the ghosts will be there, too.

Terlingua, Texas

photographed 1.20.2013

Note 1: See the people in the photo on the Starlight Theater link? I think almost the very same people were there the day I was….
Note 2: Seriously, 1973? How old am I that I actually bought a copy. When it came out. On vinyl. In 1973.