Farm to Market Road 669
Encyclopedia
Farm to Market Road 669 (FM 669) is a Farm to Market Road
in West Texas
. It extends in a northerly direction for 68.8 miles (111 km) from Big Spring
in Howard County to Post
in Garza County
.
Beginning at a complex junction with Farm to Market Road 700 and Texas State Highway 350
on the north side of Big Spring
, Farm to Market Road 669 initially runs for 15 miles (24 km) in a northerly direction across the level plains of the Llano Estacado
, passing numerous cotton
fields and rural farm homes. Near the intersection of FM 1785, FM 669 drops off the Caprock
and enters the rolling ranch and oil country of Borden County
. The undulating, broken land of Borden County was carved by numerous ephemeral tributaries of the upper Colorado River
that typically originate as springs along the Caprock Escarpment
to the west and generally flow across the county in an easterly direction.
After crossing the Colorado River
, about 5 miles (8 km) north of the Howard-Borden county line, FM 669 continues north toward Gail
, the county seat of Borden County
. Near Gail, one passes two prominent erosional remnants of the Llano Estacado
. To the south of Gail, one can see a conspicuous landmark known as Mushaway Peak (also known as Muchakooaga, Muchaque Peak or Cordova Peak); this small butte
stands on high ground between Grape Creek and Bull Creek, two tributaries of the upper Colorado River. A much larger mesa
, called Gail Mountain, stands on the western edge of Gail and provides a scenic backdrop for this small town.
In Gail
, FM 669 crosses U.S. Highway 180
, which runs west-east from Lamesa
to Snyder
and beyond. Continuing north, FM 669 draws closer to the edge of the Llano Estacado
, which can be seen 5 miles (8 km) to the west. Approximately 6 miles (10 km) north of Gail is a junction with FM 2350, which leads to Fluvanna
and the Brazos Wind Ranch
, to the east.
Farther north, near the Borden-Garza county line, FM 669 reaches a high point that divides the drainage of the upper Brazos
and Colorado
rivers. Along this drainage divide, the land is highly denuded with many small buttes
and hoodoos
. Less than a mile north of the county line is a historical marker that describes an archaeological site where the “Garza Point” was first identified. These distinctive arrowheads were constructed from local flint
, chert
, and obsidian
by Native Americans
living and hunting in this area around A.D.
1440 to 1500.
Around 5 miles (8 km) north of the Borden-Garza county line, FM 669 crosses the Double Mountain Fork
, a major tributary of the upper Brazos River
. From the colorful sandy bed of the Double Mountain Fork, FM 669 climbs 450 feet (137 m) over a distance of 6 miles (10 km) as it ascends the Caprock
to the high plains of the Llano Estacado
. FM 669 remains on the level plains for a short distance of only 3 miles (5 km) before suddenly dropping off the Caprock and descending 200 feet (61 m) back to the rolling plains and to the town of Post
, the county seat of Garza County
. Within the city limits of Post
, FM 669 terminates at a junction with U.S. Route 380
.
Farm to Market Road
In the United States, a farm-to-market road or ranch-to-market road is a state road or county road which serves to connect rural or agricultural areas to market towns...
in West Texas
West Texas
West Texas is a vernacular term applied to a region in the southwestern quadrant of the United States that primarily encompasses the arid and semi-arid lands in the western portion of the state of Texas....
. It extends in a northerly direction for 68.8 miles (111 km) from Big Spring
Big Spring, Texas
Big Spring is a city in and the county seat of Howard County, Texas, United States, at the crossroads of U.S. Highway 87 and Interstate 20. With a population of 25,233 at the 2000 census, it is the largest city between Midland to the west, Abilene to the east, Lubbock to the north, and San Angelo...
in Howard County to Post
Post, Texas
Post is a city in and the county seat of Garza County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,708 at the 2000 census.There are many ranchers and civic boosters in Garza County, among them Giles McCrary, a former mayor who operates the OS Museum, a hybrid of exhibits from both the American West...
in Garza County
Garza County, Texas
Garza County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas southeast of Lubbock. In 2000, its population was 4,872. Its county seat is Post. Garza is named for a pioneer Bexar County family, as it was once a part of that county....
.
Beginning at a complex junction with Farm to Market Road 700 and Texas State Highway 350
Texas State Highway 350
State Highway 350 or SH 350 is a state highway that runs from Big Spring in western Texas near Midland northeast to Snyder.-Route description:...
on the north side of Big Spring
Big Spring, Texas
Big Spring is a city in and the county seat of Howard County, Texas, United States, at the crossroads of U.S. Highway 87 and Interstate 20. With a population of 25,233 at the 2000 census, it is the largest city between Midland to the west, Abilene to the east, Lubbock to the north, and San Angelo...
, Farm to Market Road 669 initially runs for 15 miles (24 km) in a northerly direction across the level plains of the Llano Estacado
Llano Estacado
Llano Estacado , commonly known as the Staked Plains, is a region in the Southwestern United States that encompasses parts of eastern New Mexico and northwestern Texas, including the South Plains and parts of the Texas Panhandle...
, passing numerous cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
fields and rural farm homes. Near the intersection of FM 1785, FM 669 drops off the Caprock
Caprock Escarpment
The Caprock Escarpment is a term used in Texas and Eastern New Mexico to describe the geographical transition point between the level elevated plains of the Llano Estacado and the surrounding rolling terrain. In Texas, the escarpment stretches around 320 km south-southwest from the northeast...
and enters the rolling ranch and oil country of Borden County
Borden County, Texas
Borden County is a rural county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 729. Its county seat is Gail. Gail and Borden County are named for Gail Borden, Jr., businessman, publisher, surveyor, and inventor of condensed milk...
. The undulating, broken land of Borden County was carved by numerous ephemeral tributaries of the upper Colorado River
Colorado River (Texas)
The Colorado River is a river that runs through the U.S. state of Texas; it should not be confused with the much longer Colorado River which flows from Colorado into the Gulf of California....
that typically originate as springs along the Caprock Escarpment
Caprock Escarpment
The Caprock Escarpment is a term used in Texas and Eastern New Mexico to describe the geographical transition point between the level elevated plains of the Llano Estacado and the surrounding rolling terrain. In Texas, the escarpment stretches around 320 km south-southwest from the northeast...
to the west and generally flow across the county in an easterly direction.
After crossing the Colorado River
Colorado River (Texas)
The Colorado River is a river that runs through the U.S. state of Texas; it should not be confused with the much longer Colorado River which flows from Colorado into the Gulf of California....
, about 5 miles (8 km) north of the Howard-Borden county line, FM 669 continues north toward Gail
Gail, Texas
Gail is a Census Designated Place in Borden County, Texas, United States. Located at the junction of U.S. Highway 180 and Farm to Market Road 669, it is the county seat of Borden County. The town and county are named for Gail Borden, Jr., of Houston, the inventor of condensed milk...
, the county seat of Borden County
Borden County, Texas
Borden County is a rural county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 729. Its county seat is Gail. Gail and Borden County are named for Gail Borden, Jr., businessman, publisher, surveyor, and inventor of condensed milk...
. Near Gail, one passes two prominent erosional remnants of the Llano Estacado
Llano Estacado
Llano Estacado , commonly known as the Staked Plains, is a region in the Southwestern United States that encompasses parts of eastern New Mexico and northwestern Texas, including the South Plains and parts of the Texas Panhandle...
. To the south of Gail, one can see a conspicuous landmark known as Mushaway Peak (also known as Muchakooaga, Muchaque Peak or Cordova Peak); this small butte
Butte
A butte is a conspicuous isolated hill with steep, often vertical sides and a small, relatively flat top; it is smaller than mesas, plateaus, and table landform tables. In some regions, such as the north central and northwestern United States, the word is used for any hill...
stands on high ground between Grape Creek and Bull Creek, two tributaries of the upper Colorado River. A much larger mesa
Mesa
A mesa or table mountain is an elevated area of land with a flat top and sides that are usually steep cliffs. It takes its name from its characteristic table-top shape....
, called Gail Mountain, stands on the western edge of Gail and provides a scenic backdrop for this small town.
In Gail
Gail, Texas
Gail is a Census Designated Place in Borden County, Texas, United States. Located at the junction of U.S. Highway 180 and Farm to Market Road 669, it is the county seat of Borden County. The town and county are named for Gail Borden, Jr., of Houston, the inventor of condensed milk...
, FM 669 crosses U.S. Highway 180
U.S. Route 180
U.S. Route 180 is an east–west United States highway. Like many three-digit routes, US 180 no longer meets its "parent", US 80. US 80 was decommissioned west of Mesquite, Texas, and was replaced in Texas by Interstate 20 and Interstate 10. The highway's eastern terminus is in Hudson Oaks,...
, which runs west-east from Lamesa
Lamesa, Texas
Lamesa is a city in and the county seat of Dawson County, Texas, United States. The population was 9,952 at the 2000 census. Located south of Lubbock on the Llano Estacado, Lamesa was founded in 1903. Most of the economy is based on cattle ranching and cotton farming. The Preston E...
to Snyder
Snyder, Texas
Snyder is a city in and the county seat of Scurry County, Texas, United States. The population was 10,653 at the 2010 census. It is located on Deep Creek, a minor tributary of the Colorado River of Texas. Snyder is approximately 150 km southeast of Lubbock.Located in Snyder is the Scurry County...
and beyond. Continuing north, FM 669 draws closer to the edge of the Llano Estacado
Llano Estacado
Llano Estacado , commonly known as the Staked Plains, is a region in the Southwestern United States that encompasses parts of eastern New Mexico and northwestern Texas, including the South Plains and parts of the Texas Panhandle...
, which can be seen 5 miles (8 km) to the west. Approximately 6 miles (10 km) north of Gail is a junction with FM 2350, which leads to Fluvanna
Fluvanna, Texas
Fluvanna is located in Scurry County, just south of the Llano Estacado high atop the caprock in West Texas, where Farm-to-Market Road 1269 and Ranch Road 612 intersect. Fluvanna is named for a surveyor's home county — Fluvanna County, Virginia. Fluvanna was established by realty promoters who...
and the Brazos Wind Ranch
Brazos Wind Farm
The Brazos Wind Farm, also known as the Green Mountain Energy Wind Farm at Brazos, is located in Borden and Scurry counties in Texas. It has 160 wind turbines, each rated at one megawatt and supplied by Mitsubishi, and was completed in December 2003...
, to the east.
Farther north, near the Borden-Garza county line, FM 669 reaches a high point that divides the drainage of the upper Brazos
Brazos River
The Brazos River, called the Rio de los Brazos de Dios by early Spanish explorers , is the longest river in Texas and the 11th longest river in the United States at from its source at the head of Blackwater Draw, Curry County, New Mexico to its mouth at the Gulf of Mexico with a drainage...
and Colorado
Colorado River (Texas)
The Colorado River is a river that runs through the U.S. state of Texas; it should not be confused with the much longer Colorado River which flows from Colorado into the Gulf of California....
rivers. Along this drainage divide, the land is highly denuded with many small buttes
Butte
A butte is a conspicuous isolated hill with steep, often vertical sides and a small, relatively flat top; it is smaller than mesas, plateaus, and table landform tables. In some regions, such as the north central and northwestern United States, the word is used for any hill...
and hoodoos
Hoodoo (geology)
A hoodoo is a tall, thin spire of rock that protrudes from the bottom of an arid drainage basin or badland. Hoodoos consist of relatively soft rock topped by harder, less easily eroded stone that protects each column from the elements...
. Less than a mile north of the county line is a historical marker that describes an archaeological site where the “Garza Point” was first identified. These distinctive arrowheads were constructed from local flint
Flint
Flint is a hard, sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as a variety of chert. It occurs chiefly as nodules and masses in sedimentary rocks, such as chalks and limestones. Inside the nodule, flint is usually dark grey, black, green, white, or brown in colour, and...
, chert
Chert
Chert is a fine-grained silica-rich microcrystalline, cryptocrystalline or microfibrous sedimentary rock that may contain small fossils. It varies greatly in color , but most often manifests as gray, brown, grayish brown and light green to rusty red; its color is an expression of trace elements...
, and obsidian
Obsidian
Obsidian is a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed as an extrusive igneous rock.It is produced when felsic lava extruded from a volcano cools rapidly with minimum crystal growth...
by Native Americans
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
living and hunting in this area around A.D.
Anno Domini
and Before Christ are designations used to label or number years used with the Julian and Gregorian calendars....
1440 to 1500.
Around 5 miles (8 km) north of the Borden-Garza county line, FM 669 crosses the Double Mountain Fork
Double Mountain Fork Brazos River
The Double Mountain Fork Brazos River is an ephemeral, sandy-braided stream about long, heading on the Llano Estacado of West Texas about southeast of Tahoka, Texas, flowing east-northeast across the western Rolling Plains to join the Salt Fork, forming the Brazos River about west-northwest of...
, a major tributary of the upper Brazos River
Brazos River
The Brazos River, called the Rio de los Brazos de Dios by early Spanish explorers , is the longest river in Texas and the 11th longest river in the United States at from its source at the head of Blackwater Draw, Curry County, New Mexico to its mouth at the Gulf of Mexico with a drainage...
. From the colorful sandy bed of the Double Mountain Fork, FM 669 climbs 450 feet (137 m) over a distance of 6 miles (10 km) as it ascends the Caprock
Caprock Escarpment
The Caprock Escarpment is a term used in Texas and Eastern New Mexico to describe the geographical transition point between the level elevated plains of the Llano Estacado and the surrounding rolling terrain. In Texas, the escarpment stretches around 320 km south-southwest from the northeast...
to the high plains of the Llano Estacado
Llano Estacado
Llano Estacado , commonly known as the Staked Plains, is a region in the Southwestern United States that encompasses parts of eastern New Mexico and northwestern Texas, including the South Plains and parts of the Texas Panhandle...
. FM 669 remains on the level plains for a short distance of only 3 miles (5 km) before suddenly dropping off the Caprock and descending 200 feet (61 m) back to the rolling plains and to the town of Post
Post, Texas
Post is a city in and the county seat of Garza County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,708 at the 2000 census.There are many ranchers and civic boosters in Garza County, among them Giles McCrary, a former mayor who operates the OS Museum, a hybrid of exhibits from both the American West...
, the county seat of Garza County
Garza County, Texas
Garza County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas southeast of Lubbock. In 2000, its population was 4,872. Its county seat is Post. Garza is named for a pioneer Bexar County family, as it was once a part of that county....
. Within the city limits of Post
Post, Texas
Post is a city in and the county seat of Garza County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,708 at the 2000 census.There are many ranchers and civic boosters in Garza County, among them Giles McCrary, a former mayor who operates the OS Museum, a hybrid of exhibits from both the American West...
, FM 669 terminates at a junction with U.S. Route 380
U.S. Route 380
U.S. Route 380 is an east–west United States highway. The highway's eastern terminus is in Greenville, Texas at an intersection with Interstate 30, of which the easternmost 3–4 miles are co-located with US 69 in a loop around the west and south sides of Greenville. Its western terminus is at...
.