How Is Lubbock Life Shaped By Our Place On The Caprock?

I recently saw a person pose an interesting question: "I was wondering what or where is “The Caprock?” Hopefully someone can educate a newbie here in Lubbock." Of course, this question can be interpreted narrowly, as in, we are on the caprock, but I do think it's valuable to take a broader view, and explain our caprock and how it affects our lives more fully.

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Exploring The  Llano Estacado

Lubbock is part of the Llano Estacado, a large area of land that is at a higher elevation than surrounding areas: "The key feature that sets this region apart from its surroundings is its exceptionally flat and featureless surface bounded on three sides by "Caprock" escarpments."

If you travel out of the area, you probably have to adjust the pressure in your ears after you come off the Caprock.  It was formed, as a "tableland remnant from the apron of outwash that stretched eastward following uplift of the Rocky Mountains 65 million years ago," according to Dr. Meredith McClain.

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Historically, the area was inhabited by the Apache and Comanche Native American tribes. Lubbock County was established in the 1870s, while the City of Lubbock was incorporated in 1909.

An Elevated Experience

Geography shapes not only the land, but also the weather. The Caprock is the source of our many high wind days and the reason we get such spectacular thunderstorms. If you are baking, you may need to adjust your methods to accommodate the elevation. The soil formed by the caprock, combined with the elevation, and big temperature changes, makes the Caprock a miracle for growing wine grapes, which is why we have wineries named Caprock and Llano Estacado in homage. Cheers to that!

And while newcomers may get a nosebleed, the folks who have grown deep prairie roots on the Caprock thrive here: there is nothing quite so heartbreakingly beautiful than a sunset set against a limitless horizon. Nothing so pretty as puffy clouds against the marble blue and endless sky. It's our heaven, and I'm not sure what I did to deserve it, but I'll appreciate it for as long as I'm here.