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Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos and three passengers react to the historic launch aboard the New Shepard.
The whole world tuned in on Tuesday to watch the world’s richest man, Jeff Bezos, make his way to space aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket. The trip was remarkable to watch, followed by the thrilling celebration after landing.
But where did it all happen?
A small town located between the beautiful mountains of Guadalupe called Van Horn, Texas.
Looking east on Broadway Street in downtown Van Horn, Texas on September 17, 2019. There is only one doctor in town, but another doctor will soon have full privileges at the local hospital. Dr. Ed Garner is the only physician in 11,000 square miles of land in West Texas. He practices at Culberson Hospital, the only hospital available to serve three counties in and around Van Horn, Texas. The hospital and staff can handle mild to medium emergencies, but for more serious incidents, locals must travel 120 miles to El Paso, Texas. | Getty Images
Bezos celebrated the quaint town by saying, “I also want to thank the town of Van Horn. It is a small and amazing little town. And you know, we are making a dent in it. And we thank you for allowing us to. be part of your city, ”Bezos said after completing his 10-minute trip to space aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket.
Bezos’ Blue Origin flight had been in the works for over a decade, which makes us wonder why he chose Van Horn, Texas?
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The city is located in West Texas, just off Interstate 10, with a population of just over 2,000. It is 458 miles from Austin Texas, the capital of the lonely state, and about 30 miles from the Mexican border.
In the mid-2000s, Bezos actually purchased over 150,000 acres of land just 25 miles from Van Horn, believing the land to be perfect for designing and testing rocket engines, according to NewsWest9.
Bezos also interviewed a local newspaper in 2005, where he expressed his desire to have land in West Texas. He mentioned that as a young boy he spent his summers in South Texas at his grandfather’s ranch.
As for Van Horn, he felt it was isolated and remote from heavily populated areas, making it the perfect place to test rockets.
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Just a short drive from Guadalupe Mountains National Park, the city’s economy relies heavily on tourism. A little further, about 60 miles north are Big Bend and Carlsbad Caverns, as well as an ancient barrier reef that includes the four highest peaks in Texas, which also frequents tourists.
According to the Texas State Historical Association, approximately 10,000 vehicles pass through the city on Interstate Highway 10, stopping at hotels, restaurants, convenience stores, and truck stops in the city, as they make their way to other destinations.
Interestingly, a famous visitor who frequented the town was football commentator John Madden, who mentioned in Time magazine a favorite Mexican restaurant in Van Horn, according to TSHA.
Van Horn Mayor Rebecca Brewster said “our biggest driving force is the tourism dollar. We often find ourselves at the crossroads of the Texas Mountain Trail,” Brewster continued. “[Van Horn] can be your hub for all of your Far West Texas adventures. “
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Besides tourism, the townspeople are also known to work in ranching, mining and irrigated agriculture. The petroleum industry also plays an important role in the economy.
A member of Culberson County, Van Horn sits in the Permian Basin, known as the premier crude producing region in North America, making it a favorite location for companies involved in the petroleum industry including Chevron Corp ., Apache Corp and Conocophillips, according to Bloomberg.
Now that Jeff Bezos has left his mark on the city, it will be interesting to see the resulting economic stimulus from Blue Origin, if any.
Van Horn is lacking accommodation and Blue Origin has not solved the problem.
The median value of homes in Van Horn is estimated at just over $ 247,000, according to Zillow, but much of the available housing has been rented out to Blue Origin employees in recent years. Although the employees try to coexist with the locals, this has posed a problem for the townspeople who now lack housing options.
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Blue Origin employees have struggled to integrate into the small community, with many joining the local school board and city council, as well as becoming volunteer firefighters, but most of these people are still seen as foreigners in Van Horn.
Blue Origin, itself, said it has helped bring more than a million to the Van Horn community, through grants to benefit the school district, food bank and city infrastructure, according to Bloomberg. He also expressed his intention to support the financing of higher education and professional skills.
Despite this, Mayor Brewster said there was virtually no input from townspeople on whether they approved of the launch site in their home country, NewsWest9 reported.
In 2005, when Bezos came to Van Horn to discuss the FAA clearance process, residents did not show much resistance to Bezos’ plans, NewsWest9 continued, and soon after, Spaceport at Blue Origin was built.
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Few of the jobs at the spaceport have gone to local residents, and many say they have no idea what’s going on even at the launch site. Additionally, some believe that Blue Origin has in fact harmed the city, rendering them ineligible for state and federal grants due to the influx of Blue Origin workers, Bloomberg declared.
Historically a quaint town, born on the Texas and Pacific Railway, Van Horn has now gained international fame for better or for worse. It will be interesting to see if space tourism is in the cards for the economy and the future of this small town.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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