CATARINA

NAME: Catarina COUNTY: Dimmit ROADS: 2WD GRID: 5 CLIMATE: Very Hot Summer BEST TIME TO VISIT: Winter or Spring. Summer can be Extremely Hot.

COMMENTS: Partial Ghost Town. There Are About Two or Three Dozen Residents Left As Of 2008. REMAINS: Old Hotel, High School, A Few Other Buildings

Located halfway between Laredo and Uvalde, Texas, in Dimmit County, lies the boom-and-bust-town of Catarina. From a few dozen residents in the early 1920's, Catarina grew to a thousand people by 1930, and was sold to prospective residents for its abundant water supply and long crop-growing season, in a dusty, cactus-choked land that became known as the "Winter Garden". A planned community for tens of thousands was laid out, with paved streets, a new school, electricity and telephone service, a grand hotel, and more. But as the Great Depression hit hard and the artesian wells dried up, the town quickly died off - today it is just a wide spot on the road with a several dozen residents, and the ruins of the still-magnificent hotel, shattered-husk of a high school and a few other buildings. For much more information about Catarina and more photos, visit the following web-sites: http://matthigh.livejournal.com/332893.html http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthigh/sets/72157609337500991/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catarina,_Texas Submitted by: Marc Boulware

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