In 1541, Francisco Vázquez de Coronado led his expedition into Palo Duro Canyon during their search for Quivira. Here, they found shelter from the Plains winter, abundant water, and herds of bison — a godsend after months of hardship on the Llano Estacado. Spanish journals describe roasting buffalo meat, sharing meals, and encountering the Apache and other Plains peoples who moved through the canyon. Historians believe this gathering represents one of the earliest cross-cultural ‘Thanksgiving-st