“This is how I feel about Cibolo Rock. It hurts to experience erasure.

On historic military maps, this rock formation was called Cibolo (Buffalo) Rock on Cibolo Creek on the Cibolo Ranch.

The rock began to be called "Elephant Rock" during the paving of the highway. Around that same time, plans were made to erase 9/10th of my family cemetery- Aguliar Cemetery (Cementerio del Barrio de los Lipanes) to turn into residential city lots. The connection of these two events, which occurred twenty miles from each other, is not lost on me. These decisions represent the erasure of my family and my ancestors.

I grew up with an affinity for Elephants for many years and, like many, a love of this rock formation. I also had no idea that this formation held a deeper meaning and what the consequences were of it being renamed. So many individuals in La Junta, Presidio, Presidio County, Texas have lost the linkage to the past- to our roots- roots that are older than the explorers that came to the area. We've forgotten. Generations have not been told -that we are La Junta.

Helping me reclaim this name is a step towards helping those in the region remember what has been lost."

- Christina Hernandez, Founder, People of La Junta for Preservation