Comanchero Rendezvous 2025
Written by Marisue Potts
Dining underneath the awning of Comanchero Canyons Museum in Quitaque last Saturday, a visitor was heard to say, "This is just like a big family reunion!"
2025 Raffle Painting by Kayla White
Indeed, the gathering known as the Rendezvous drew old friends, history buffs, archeologists, farmers and ranchers to learn from displays, reenactors, interpreters and museum volunteers.
Jerry Leatherman and Rick Day
CCM president Jerry Leatherman was presented a certificate of appreciation for his leadership since 2014. Instrumental in design, research, documentation, and pride of pushing the broom, Leatherman represents volunteerism to the nth degree. He is responsible for the freshness and variety of many displays because he is always looking to improve the visibility of history to the casual observer. Leatherman has participated in many explorations of military camps that has produced a plethora of artifacts that he then researches.
Rick and Susan Day
Rick's presentation
After the delicious hamburger grilled by Anthony Kingery, served by the able kitchen crew of Kim White, guests were treated by the John Deere ice cream machine of Mike and Barbara Pigg, Jan Carpenter and Kay Calvert greeted visitors, accepted donations and sold raffle tickets. A large painting of a bison calf by Kayla White dominated the large selection of raffle prizes including jewelry, caps, art and photos.
In the packed lobby, young and old eagerly heard Rick Day give a slide presentation on a real-life adventure that he and his wife Susan experienced in the nearby Caprock Canyons State Park. Educated as a geologist, a teacher by trade, and a steward for the Texas Archeological Society Network, Day serves as president of the Canyonlands Archeological Society and an advisory board member of CCM.
Chris Larson, Reenactor
On this day of discovery, Rick and Susan were hiking in the park anticipating bringing their students from Lockney and looking for systems of possible interest. Susan spotted a big white rock on a precarious bluff that led the pair to further explore the shelf. Their curiosity led them to clues that indicated bison had been run off a land bridge into ravines where they died or their carcasses were processed.
Sam Montandon
Day speculates that there may be other similar sites along the Caprock or in ravines that haven't been discovered. Erosion may have taken out or covered up the evidence of the Native American kill sites where hundreds may have been killed for processing meat. A Texas Tech University crew has since excavated the site, preserved the bones to be studied in the lab, and documented the lithic tools found nearby.
Outdoor activities dominated the museum yard, led by reenactors and a park interpreter, and including blacksmithing by Cotton Elliott, assisted by Rusty Etheredge. Sam Montandon, a youthful knapper we have watched grow into an accomplished one, erected his own tipi with the help of his father, Todd. A Canyon High School graduate, Sam looks forward to a future in anthropology.