When you think of Big Bend, do you envision camels? Probably not, but at one time there were in fact camels in the park, or at least what would later become the park. They were brought to Texas in 1856 at the behest of the Secretary of War, one Senator Jefferson Davis, to determine their use for military and other purposes. Two expeditions, one in 1859 and one in 1860 proved the worthiness of these “ships of the desert” in hauling men and freight under the most grueling conditions imaginable. Visit this wayside to find out the rest of the story.