E. Hamblen

The Rim to Rim Road: Will Hamblen and the Crossing of Texas' Palo Duro Canyon E. Hamblen

William Henry Hamblen was a man with a dream. He was a pioneer with a purpose, a trail blazer, a man of action and persistence. With no formal training in road building, at a time when resources and funds were slim, he left a monument to his dream: an automobile road across America's second largest canyon, connecting remote communities, boosting trade, and opening the way for the Texas state highway to come. In 1969, his daughter-in-law Eutha set out to tell the story of this remarkable man, his life and times in the Texas Panhandle, and the family he raised there in the small town of Wayside, in Armstrong County. She published Will's story as Rim to Rim, a slim, illustrated book that went into a second printing and eventually out of print. Today yet another Hamblen descendant has brought this important chapter of Texas history back, amplified with never-before-published photographs, an index, and a new hsitorical introduction. A new generation will appreciate the adventures and acquaintances of this Panhandle pioneer as they traverse Texas State Highway 207 across Palo Duro Canyon, widely known as one of the most scenic drives in the Lone Star State.