Texas couple got $55,000 for national park land

In 1913, Walter Glover acquired a large plot of land near Pine Springs, which he later entrusted to his wife Bertha to develop into a tourist destination. The property featured a gas station, store, café, and guesthouses with cabins meant for overnight stays, catering to travelers heading between El Paso and Carlsbad. However, the Glovers' plans were hampered when they discovered their land could be incorporated into the proposed Guadalupe Mountains National Park.

The couple vehemently opposed this idea, arguing that the government's acquisition of their property would infringe upon their home and business.

The National Park Service argued that approximately 80 acres of the property were necessary for access to Pine Spring Canyon and to protect the ruins of the historic Butterfield stage station. The glovers, nonetheless, refused to sell their land to the government. When a park advocate visited them in 1964, he was met with hostility, and the couple's refusal to negotiate further intensified the dispute.

Two years later, in 1969, park negotiators visited the Glover's once more, hoping to conduct an appraisal of their land. However, Bertha Glover demanded a minimum of $1 million for the property and refused to allow federal appraisers onto the land. Even when the government's initial valuation put the land's worth at around $50,000 to $75,000, the Glovers still refused to sell for less than their demanded amount.

The government, undeterred by the Glover's rejection, offered $35,000 in April 1970, along with a life estate for the property, allowing the couple to continue their business or stay on the land as long as they desired. The offer was also turned down, and condemnation proceedings ensued. The final judgment in 1972 awarded the Glovers $55,000 for their property, along with the right to occupy and use the land until the death of the surviving spouse.

The property was officially incorporated into the Guadalupe Mountains National Park on September 30, 1972. Eventually, the Glover family's daughter, Mary Glover Hinson, was granted permission to remain at the property, with the Pine Springs Store closing its doors in 1992 and the deteriorating structures being removed in 1994.