In the year 2000 the people living in Edwards County, Texas , decided to start the new millennium off with the creation of something that would give our rural area an economic boost.  We invited a panel of helpful people from Austin who specialize in helping the poorer areas of the state recognize and develop their resources.  Our county has 2,120 square miles with an average of one person per square mile.  There are three population centers.  Carta Valley once was a ranching community of about 200 people in the far western part of Edwards County (elev. 1850 ft.).  Now only two families live there, a total of 12.  Barksdale is in the farthest southeast  extremity of the county, is on the Nueces River, and has a population of about 422 (elev. 1,640 ft.).  Up on the plateau Rocksprings, the county seat, is near the center of the county and has a population of 1,285 (elev. 2,410 ft.). The Balcones Escarpment runs diagonally through the county (NE—SW) with a drop off of about 1,000 feet.  The average rainfall is about 21 inches a year.  There is little topsoil and what there is is quite alkaline.  Limestone is  the prevalent bedrock, providing a natural filtering system for the ground water.

 

In 2000 we had dozens of meetings with 80 to 500 people attending, exchanging ideas, examining the pros and cons of possible projects, and sharing specialized knowledge of distinct areas of the county.    Just 8 miles from Rocksprings there is a 1,860 acre Nationally Registered Natural Landmark known to the locals as The Devil’s Sinkhole.  It is the largest single-chambered cavern in the state of Texas and the third deepest, measuring over 361 feet deep.  This State Natural Area is home for three to four million bats that migrate to Texas every summer.  Texas Parks and Wildlife, who manage the area, was willing to allow controlled access to the Sinkhole provided some strict rules were maintained. 

 

Project 2000, as we named our economic search, rejected bottling our delicious water that comes from the Trinity aquifer (too difficult to obtain all of the permissions, inspections, training for a small community such as ours), rejected promoting music concerts (our sewage treatment would be inadequate and very, very expensive to upgrade), rejected building a television station (too expensive even though there were generous grants available.) and rejected about 25 other concepts (some as too hare-brained, some as not ambitious enough , etc.).  Finally we decided that we could offer guided tours to the Sinkhole.  About 45 people formed a non-profit corporation, naming it  the Devil’s Sinkhole Society. 

 

When it became obvious that the Texas Parks and Wildlife was interested in having increased controlled public access to the Sinkhole, a private support group was formed to orchestrate the creation of guided tours.  This group named itself the Devil’s Sinkhole Society. 

 

The tours begin at the Rocksprings Visitor Center that is only eight miles from the Sinkhole.  The Society and the Rocksprings Visitor Center is funded by tour income, the sale of merchandise, fundraisers, donations, grants and  membership dues.  There is a partnership with Texas Parks and Wildlife that makes available the expertise of that Department and is also a source of material and financial support.  Bat Conservation International has been very supportive and will continue to be involved, especially with educational activities.  The Edwards County Road Department helped establish an access road to the Sinkhole.  Later TxDOT paved this road.

 

There are nearly 150 members and many volunteers.  All workers at the Visitor Center, the tour guides and tour bus drivers are volunteers.  The Society has no salaried employees.

 

The tours begin at the Rocksprings Visitors Center that is only eight miles from the Sinkhole.  The Society and the Rocksprings Visitor Center is funded by tour income, the sale of merchandise, fundraisers, donations, grants and membership dues.  There is a partnership with Texas Parks and Wildlife that makes available the expertise of that Department and is also a source of material and financial support.  Bat Conservation International has been very supportive and will continue to be involved, especially with educational activities.