Potrillo Maar

A maar is an interesting type of volcanic formation. Hot molten rock within the earth reaches near the surface, but instead of forming a volcano what happens is that as it gets near the surface it reaches ground water. This ground water turns to steam explosively and blows a big hole in the ground.

Much of the dirt falls right back in the hole, but some is blown away as ash or to form walls around the hole. Probably the most famous maars in the world are in the Eifel mountains of Germany, and in southern New Mexico near to El Paso, Texas. Both are really neat areas that have lots of recent volcanic activity.

Here is what wikipedia has to say about the subject: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maar

I’ve been to the Eifel region of Germany many times, and also over the last 45 years many times to Kilbourne’s hole (and Hunts & Phillips holes).

My grandparents were telegraphers on the transcontinental railroad. They were stationed various places over the years including Redding, California. In late 1916 Columbus, New Mexico (including camp personnel) had the largest population of any city in the State of New Mexico. My grandparents were stationed at Columbus, New Mexico on March 9, 1916 when Pancho Villa attacked from Mexico at 4:12 a.m. My Grandmother had a new baby in arms (my unborn Mother’s big sister), and she ran out in the desert with the baby so that the drunken Mexicans would not kill or rape her. The Mexicans broke into practically every business in town and looted them all. They apparently were more interested in looting than killing, and so only 18 Americans died in the raid.

In the 1950’s and 60’s my Mother ran her own business and was very tied up with this. So in many ways this Grandmother raised me (Florence May Barlow Barnwell). Many times after she and my Grandfather got their first car, she and her husband Ora Barnwell drove around the desert looking for the “meteor crater” that they had heard so much about. Shortly after she died I visited Kilbourne’s Hole for the first time. And of course it isn’t a meteor crater at all, but a volcanic sink hole or a Maar.

In addition to the 3 well know Maars there is a fourth nice one nearby called Potrillo Maar. It is due south of Kilbourne’s and straddles the Mexican border. Forty years ago this was a really wild area where you very rarely saw another soul. But now in the era of worrying about drugs, illegal aliens, and terrorism this part of the Mexican border is well patrolled by the Department of Homeland Security. Better know as the Border Patrol or by some as La Pinchi Migra.

Yesterday I took the dog and the 4 wheel drive car, and we went out to see Potrillo Maar. It is very nice indeed. I’m glad to finally see it. Afterwards we drove west to Guzman’s Lookout Mountain. Really a treat. This is an old volcano that has been mined for the black and brown lava rock. It is remarkable and well worth going out of your way to see. Since we were already roughly half way, we continued on west to Columbus, New Mexico.

The Columbus Historical Society has really done a good job of documenting Pancho Villa’s raid on the town and the punitive expedition trying to capture him. I am a life member of this group. This point in time was just before WWI, and it was the first time that both trucks and airplanes were ever used in warfare. General John J. (Blackjack) Pershing entered Mexico with several thousand troops. They chased Pancho Villa around northern Mexico for eleven months, but were never able to capture him. While they were not successful in getting Villa they did sharpen their skills and get a great deal of practice with the new technologies, which helped prepare our troops for entry into WWI.

At the old railroad depot in Columbus the Historical Society has built a really nice museum. If you are in the area you shouldn’t miss this.