A giant steel Comanche arrow lands at the Wildcat Bluff Nature Center west of Amarillo on Saturday morning.
The large sculpture is part of a larger project in which identical arrows have already been planted at various historical sites throughout the Texas Panhandle region. The arrows and their locations represent the historical range and serve as a physical reminder of the nomadic Comanches of the 19th century.Arrows are installed in 52 counties, a region often called The Last Frontier because it was the original homeland of many American Indians where the last roamed freely before being removed to reservations.
The giant arrow sculptures stand 22-feet in height, created courtesy of sculptor and cotton farmer Charles A. Smith of New Home, Texas. The arrows have stylized markings in red, yellow and blue, signifying the colors of the Comanche Nations war shield. The steel wires forming the upper feathers of the sculpture are known to produce a whistle in the wind.
The locations of the arrow represent the Quanah Parker Trail, an educational initiative of the Texas Plains Trail Region, a cultural heritage trail program of the Texas Historical Commission.
The conceptual trail initiative is named in honor of Quanah Parker, the last chief of the Comanche people.
Wildcat Bluff Nature Center is located in an area chosen for the arrow planting due to its mirroring of the natural environment once frequented by Comanches and other American Indians in the region.
The event takes place Saturday, November 2 at 10:30am at the Wildcat Bluff Nature Center, 2301 North Soncy Road near Amarillo.
Listen as Mike Fuller interviews regarding the Quanah Parker Trail project on High Plains Morning on Friday, or find a recording of the computer online here.
