Pecos
Southwestern river name
Pecos is a river in the American Southwest, flowing from New Mexico through Texas to the Rio Grande.
The name appears in Pecos Bill, the legendary cowboy of tall tales, and historically marked a frontier boundary—to cross the Pecos meant entering lawless territory.
West of the Pecos evokes the rugged, untamed character of the Old West.
Major southwestern waterway
- tributaryStream entering larger river
- TexasSecond-largest American state
- New MexicoSouthwestern U.S. state
- watershedDrainage area boundary
canyon · arroyo · desert river · irrigation · cattle crossing · riverbed · drought · flooding
Lone Star's arid southwest
- desertTo leave behind completely
- oil townSettlement centered on drilling
- railroadPermanent track for trains
- ranchingOperating a livestock farm
arid climate · small town · highway · cantaloupe · agriculture · dusty · isolated · plains
America's lawless frontier era
- outlawFugitive from justice
- cowboyMounted cattle herder
- lawlessNot bound by rules
- Texas RangersTexas state law enforcement
gunfighter · frontier justice · saloon · cattle rustling · desperado · shootout · vigilante · stagecoach
Wildly exaggerated story
- American folkloreTraditional tales of America
- lassoLooped rope for catching
- tornadoViolent rotating windstorm
- coyoteWild North American canid
legend · exaggeration · campfire story · Paul Bunyan · mythical · rattlesnake · bucking bronco · whirlwind
Rio Grande
Major southwestern waterway
- tributaryStream entering larger river
- TexasSecond-largest American state
- New MexicoSouthwestern U.S. state
watershed · canyon · arroyo · desert river · irrigation · cattle crossing · riverbed · drought · flooding · Carlsbad
West Texas
Lone Star's arid southwest
- desertTo leave behind completely
- oil townSettlement centered on drilling
- railroadPermanent track for trains
ranching · arid climate · small town · highway · cantaloupe · agriculture · dusty · isolated · plains · mesa
Wild West
America's lawless frontier era
Texas Rangers · gunfighter · frontier justice · saloon · cattle rustling · desperado · shootout · vigilante · stagecoach · frontier town
tall tale
Wildly exaggerated story
- American folkloreTraditional tales of America
- lassoLooped rope for catching
- tornadoViolent rotating windstorm
coyote · legend · exaggeration · campfire story · Paul Bunyan · mythical · rattlesnake · bucking bronco · whirlwind · storytelling
PecosColorado River
Major southwestern American waterway
Rio Grande · Mississippi River · Missouri River · Hudson River · Potomac River
PecosEast Coast
America's eastern shoreline
civilization · Eastern Seaboard · Boston · Philadelphia · New England