Authentic Texas 2017 Spring by Authentic Texas

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HISTORIC

MENGER HOTEL TEXAS

RODEO TYLER’S

AZALEAS AUTHENTIC PERSO N

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BOSS Rancher STEVE MURRIN, the unofficial mayor of the Fort Worth Stockyards

CYCLING the

PALO ALTO BATTLEFIELD ODESSA’S

JACKRABBITS

FROM THE TEXAS HERITAGE TRAILS LLC

SPRING IS one of the best times to travel

through Texas — a special time when brilliant wildflowers adorn our roadways, trees are in blossom and spring-breakers and winter Texans make pilgrimages to our beautiful beaches. In a state with a story as big as Texas, it’s humbling to realize these epic natural vistas have awed and delighted visitors through thousands of years of our state’s history. Whatever the nature of a traveler’s journey through Texas, chances are they will encounter some of that fantastic heritage along the way. As chairman of the Texas Historical Commission, I enjoy helping communities develop and promote their own unique heritage attractions. That includes worldrenowned gems like San Antonio’s Mission Trail and lesser known highlights like Goldthwaite’s Legacy Plaza, both of which are featured in this issue. While we do a lot to help, our efforts pale in comparison to the work of individuals whose love for these places keep their history alive — people like Steve Murrin and Larry Gatlin, whose work you can learn more about in this issue, too. The efforts of people like them are magnified and organized by a group of folks who make a big impact in communities large and small across the state. The THC is fortunate to partner with the Texas Heritage Trail Regions, the only statewide program that celebrates Texas heritage while building the state’s economy. Through a number of outlets -— including this remarkable magazine — the Trails are the primary source of heritage tourism information for the traveling public. This issue marks the first full year of publication for Authentic Texas. I look forward to many more issues filled with the best that Texas heritage has to offer, brought to us by the people who know and love that heritage the best. We’ve just passed the midpoint of the current Texas legislative session, and I’m hopeful our legislators will recognize the Trail Regions’ importance to communities across the Lone Star State. If you love Texas history and the places that celebrate it, now is a good time to let your elected officials know. Congratulations to Authentic Texas on its first year, and thank you for showcasing our wonderful state. I’ll see you on the Trails! John L. Nau III

Chairman, Texas Historical Commission

BLUEBONNETS,

Indian paintbrush, Mexican hat, Texas thistle … just the mention of these wildflower names evokes spring in Texas. In this fifth issue of Authentic Texas, we hit the roads and roll down the windows to celebrate the history and heritage of the Lone Star State. Authentic Texas is produced by five Heritage Trail Regions, and as you travel the state highways and byways you’ve probably seen the historic and iconic signs of the Forts, Tropical, Lakes, Plains and Mountain Trails. The Texas Heritage Trails will celebrate their 50th Anniversary in 2018, and we’re excited to showcase heritage tourism opportunities throughout the state leading up to this milestone. Speaking of trails: in this issue you can hitch a ride on the historic Chisholm Trail with images, maps and insights. After the Civil War, cowhands herded more than six million cattle out of Texas up to northern markets. Running from South Texas to Abilene, Kan., the Chisholm Trail was one of the great cattle drive routes. We commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Chisholm Trail with historian Doug Harman, who explores the legacy and folklore associated with the legendary route. The Texas Quilt Trail is a totally different kind of destination, showcasing folk art and craft. In this issue, we’ll look at quilt trails in Terry County and Fannin County, as well as the Texas Quilt Museum in La Grange and the International Quilt Festival in Houston. And in this spring edition, not even the sky’s the limit, as we take a ride on the Aerial Tramway in the Franklin Mountains of El Paso. Back on the ground, if you want to kick off the season with the luck of the Irish, what better place to visit than Shamrock, which has been holding a St. Patrick’s Day parade since 1938 and in 2011 was designated the official St. Patrick’s Day Celebration for the State of Texas by the state legislature? Wherever you travel in Texas, take along Authentic Texas as your guide. You’ll find plenty of great ideas in this issue, and back issues are available online at AuthenticTexas.com. Thanks and Happy Trails,

Kay Ellington Plains Trail Manager, Texas Heritage Trails LLC

AU THENTIC TEX AS

Contents SPRING 2017

AUTHENTIC PERSON

AUTHENTIC THING

AUTHENTIC PLACE

Known as the unofficial Mayor of the Stockyards, Steve Murrin, a fourthgeneration Texan, has been instrumental in preserving the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District — or, as the locals call it, Cowtown.

No state is more synonymous with rodeo than Texas. In fact, Texas hosts almost twice as many Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association events as any other state. But rodeo in Texas is much more important than just sanctioned events.

Once called the finest hotel west of the Mississippi, the Menger Hotel in San Antonio — on Alamo Drive — has grown from a two-story, 50-room limestone inn into a five-story hotel of rooms and suites — and, perhaps, a ghost or two.

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GLEN E. ELLMAN

FEATURES

Contents Irving Lyric Stage Theatre

The world premiere of Larry Gatlin’s musical, Quanah, about the Comanche chief, takes place April 28–May 7.

65 LIVE SHOWS

Houston Stock Show Star-Spangled Sports Cars

67 HAPPENINGS

LEGACY NACOGDOCHES AZALEA TRAIL P. 22

74 HISTORIES

LOCAL

TEXAS ICON

Bluebonnets

Texans know how to spot bluebonnets, but the Lone Star State actually has five state flowers, more or less, and they’re all bluebonnets.

YONDER

Shamrock, Texas

If you want to get in the Shamrock spirit, go during the third weekend of March for the St. Patrick’s celebration.

Odessa’s Jackrabbits

Legacy Plaza

Goldthwaite’s Texas Botanical Gardens and Native American Interpretive Center are a window to the past.

CITY LIGHTS

San Antonio Missions

EATS & DRINKS

Scholz Garten, Austin

Wyler Aerial Tramway

Koffee Kup Family Restaurant, Hico

The tramway in El Paso’s Franklin Mountains provides breathtaking views of the Rio Grande Valley.

LIFE

46 TRAIL DRIVES

On the Quilt Trail

Texas Azaleas

Dell City/Hudspeth County

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52 Lamesa’s Chicken Fried Steak Festival

Texas’ quilt trails link varied and vibrant places on the map to celebrate a living folk tradition.

History comes to life in Brownsville.

The missions are much more than quaint old religious buildings.

Six-foot-tall rabbits? That’s not a tall tale — at least in Odessa, where jackrabbit sculptures dot the city.

Tyler’s devotion to ornamental horticulture, especially azaleas, has helped give the city its reputation for beauty.

Bicycling the Palo Alto Battlefield

Salt flats are just one highlight of this remote area in Far West Texas. The people are another.

58 DEEP IN THE ART

Texas Quilt Museum, La Grange

Celebrating quilts and quilt making yearround in La Grange.

Green Apple Art Center

A set of decrepit buildings in Eden has been transformed into a much-needed live music venue.

78 TEXAS ORIGINALS

Michael R. Moore

The historian has turned his attention to the longneglected colony of San Felipe de Austin.

Trails in This Issue Brazos 56 Forest 22 Forts 24, 60 Hill Country 26 Independence 26, 58, 65, 78

Lakes 40, 46, 62 Mountain 28, 48 Pecos 20 Plains 18, 46, 54 Tropical 50

ODESSA’S JACKRABBITS P. 20

FROM TOP: BRUCE PARTAIN; COURTESY OF ODESSA CVB

Departments

Chisholm Trail

The 150th anniversary of the legendary trail invites an opportunity to explore its history, folklore and legacy.

TRAILS MAP THE TEXAS HERITAGE TRAILS program is based on 10 scenic driving trails created in 1968

by Gov. John Connally and the Texas Highway Department (now the Texas Department of Transportation) as a tool for visitors to explore the Lone Star State. The trails were established in conjunction with HemisFair, an international expo that commemorated the 250th anniversary of the founding of San Antonio. In 1997, the State Legislature charged the Texas Historical Commission with creating a statewide heritage tourism program. The THC responded with a program based on local, regional, and state partnerships, centered on the 10 scenic driving trails. Today, each trail region is a nonprofit organization governed by a regional board of directors that supports educational and preservation efforts and facilitates community development through heritage tourism.

PUBLISHER

Stewart Ramser EDITOR

Tom Buckley COPY EDITORS

Julie Seaford, Michael Marchio

ART DIRECTOR

Martha Gazella-Taylor, Gazella Design ADVERTISING DESIGN & PRODUCTION

Lisa Reiley PLAINS TRAIL REGION

CONTRIBUTORS

Mike Carlisle, Megan Forgey, Trey Gutierrez, Doug Harman, Elizabeth Hogue, Billy Huckaby, Beth Nobles, Case Potter, Elizabeth Teare LAKES TRAIL REGION FORTS TRAIL REGION

MOUNTAIN TRAIL REGION

PECOS TRAIL REGION

BRAZOS TRAIL REGION

EDITORIAL BOARD

FOREST TRAIL REGION

Jeff Salmon, Texas Forts Trail Region Patty Bushart, Texas Lakes Trail Region Ron Sanders, Texas Mountain Trail Region Kay Ellington, Texas Plains Trail Region Rick Stryker, Texas Tropical Trail Region

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS OF PARTICIPATING TEXAS HERITAGE TRAIL REGIONS

HILL COUNTRY TRAIL REGION

INDEPENDENCE TRAIL REGION

Margaret Hoogstra, Texas Forts Trail Region Jill Campbell Jordan, Texas Lakes Trail Region Wendy Little, Texas Mountain Trail Region Barbara Brannon, Texas Plains Trail Region Nancy Deviney, Texas Tropical Trail Region

TROPICAL TRAIL REGION

Legend BRAZOS TRAIL TexasBrazosTrail.com

INDEPENDENCE TRAIL TexasIndependenceTrail.com

FORTS TRAIL TexasFortsTrail.com

MOUNTAIN TRAIL TexasMountainTrail.com

FOREST TRAIL TexasForestTrail.com

PECOS TRAIL TexasPecosTrail.com

HILL COUNTRY TRAIL TxHillCountryTrail.com

PLAINS TRAIL TexasPlainsTrail.com

LAKES TRAIL TexasLakesTrail.com

TROPICAL TRAIL TexasTropicalTrail.com

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Texas Heritage Trails LLC 3702 Loop 322 Abilene, TX 79602 AuthenticTexas.com (325) 660-6774 Texas Heritage Trails LLC is owned and operated by five nonprofit heritage trails organizations. Texas Heritage Trails LLC member organizations are participants of the nationally award-winning Texas Heritage Trails Program of the Texas Historical Commission. Texas Heritage Trails, LLC dba Authentic Texas is a member of the Texas Travel Industry Association and is a Go Texan partner.

LOCAL

TEXAS ICON p. 16 H YONDER p. 18 H CITY LIGHTS p. 26 H FEATURES p. 30

TEXAS

DAVID R. TRIBBLE/PICASA

FLOWERS Lupinus texensis, Texasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; most commonly seen bluebonnet

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LOCAL TEXAS ICON

JEFF P./FLICKR

BLUEBONNE

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ETS

WENDY LITTLE

ALL HANDS ON DECK: Now docked along the Houston Ship Channel, Battleship Texas is available for individual exploration or guided tours.

TEXANS REVERE wildflowers, but we hold in our hearts none as high as the Texas bluebonnet. Who hasn’t been to a bluebonnet festival, done a family portrait by a scenic spot or been to a business with “Bluebonnet” in its name? Every Texan knows how to identify the beloved bluebonnet, but Texas actually has five state flowers, more or less, and they’re all bluebonnets. In 1901, when the Texas legislature was pinning down the official state mascots, a flower war ensued as three different speakers each nominated a different bloom and argued passionately in support of his or her choice. According to Texas A&M, the cotton boll was nominated because it was an economic “king” at the time, but because cotton really isn’t much to look at, it was shot down. Next, a fellow named John Nance “Cactus Jack” Garner, who later became vice president of the United States, nominated the prickly pear cactus for its hardiness and exquisite beauty. But the Texas chapter of the National Society of Colonial Dames of America won the day. Their choice was Lupinus subcarnosus (“generally known as buffalo clover or bluebonnet”), and it was passed into law on March 7 without any recorded opposition. Lupinus subcarnosus is a dainty little plant that paints the sandy, rolling hills of coastal and southern Texas. But some folks thought it was less attractive than Lupinus texensis, the showier, bolder blue beauty that covers most of Texas and The Five State Flowers gives inspiration to many artists. of Texas: So off and on for 70 years, the legislaH Lupinus subcarnosus, the ture was encouraged to correct its oversight. original champion and still But Capitol Hill wasn’t about to get caught co-holder of the title, grows in another botanical trap. They solved the naturally in deep sandy loams problem with typical political maneuverfrom Leon County southwest to ing. In 1971, the Legislature added the two LaSalle County and down to the species together, plus “any other variety of northern part of Hidalgo County bluebonnet not heretofore recorded,” and in the Valley. lumped them into one state flower. Little did they know that Texas is home to three H Lupinus texensis, the favorite other species of lupines, and the umbrella of tourists and artists, provides the blue spring carpet of Central clause makes all five of them the state flower. Texas. It is widely known as the And if any new species are discovered, they Texas bluebonnet. automatically assume the title of state flower as well. H Lupinus havardii, known as Just when you think there can’t be the Big Bend or Chisos bluebonany other types of bluebonnets … wrong. net, is the most majestic of the Bluebonnets are blue and white flowers, corTexas bluebonnet tribe, with rect? Well, most bluebonnets are blue and flowering spikes up to three feet. white, but the flowers actually come in pink, purple and white as well. Botanists have even H Lupinus concinnus is an inconspicuous little lupine, from created “Aggie Maroon” and “Barbara Bush two to seven inches in height. Lavender” blooms. Commonly known as the annual “It’s not only the state flower but also a lupine, it’s found in the Transkind of floral trademark,” says historian Jack Pecos region. Maguire, “almost as well known to outsiders as cowboy boots and the Stetson hat. The H Lupinus plattensis blooms bluebonnet is to Texas what the shamrock is from the north into the Texas to Ireland, the cherry blossom to Japan, the Panhandle’s sandy dunes. It’s lily to France, the rose to England and the the only perennial species in the tulip to Holland.” state and grows to about two feet tall. Yep, we’ll tip our hat to that.

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LOCAL YONDER

LUCKY CHARM! The U-Drop Inn on Route 66 serves as a hub for the weekend’s festivities.

GetSt.Your Green On Patrick’s Day in Shamrock

BARBARA BRANNON

ANY DAY in Shamrock, a Panhandle city of fewer

than 2,000, you can charge your Tesla electric car at a legendary Route 66 icon that was the inspiration for the gas station in Disney’s Cars. You can gaze up at the tallest historic water tower in Texas. And you can even kiss a slab from Ireland’s original Blarney Stone. But if you really want to get in the Shamrock spirit, come during the third weekend in March. That’s when thousands of revelers roll in for the state’s official St. Patrick’s Day Celebration, a multi-day gala of green that honors the city’s namesake lucky charm. The tradition goes back to 1938, when Shamrock bandmaster Glenn Truax conceived a way to capitalize on the city’s name, which had its roots in the county’s first post office application by Irish immigrant sheep rancher George Nickel of Wheeler County in 1890. That year the Shamrock Boosters Club put on a one-day parade and party that attracted a few thousand people

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and 12 bands. It’s been held annually ever since, except for a few interruptions during wartime. Shamrock native Bobbie Crowley, now in her late eighties, was among a wagonload of her O’Gorman siblings in that first parade — at age 8. “We rode in a horse-drawn wagon led by Marion Reynolds,” she recalls. “The crowd was enormous.” Shamrock businessman Harry Garrison, also of Irish descent, remembers that back in the day “every school for miles around, and every band” took part in the parade. “There were crowds everywhere, on top of buildings, anyplace you could find a place to stand.” Mead’s Fine Bread of Amarillo, he recalls, threw out miniature loaves to eager watchers. These days the multi-day event draws more than 20,000 visitors, according to Shamrock spokesman Larry Clonts. In 2013, the 83rd Texas legislature designated it the state’s official celebration.

• SHAMROCK

PLAINS TRAIL REGION

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: BARBARA BRANNON/TEXAS PLANIS TRAIL; COURTESY SHAMROCK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE; BETH FULBRIGHT

GOD’S GREEN EARTH: For one weekend in March each year, Shamrock entertains upwards of 20,000 revelers.

Texas’ Official St. Patrick’s Day Celebration “Deep in the Heart of Shamrock” Thurs.–Sun., March 16–19 Shamrock, TX 79079 (806) 256-2501

Parade and other downtown events free; paid admission required for dances shamrocktexas.net

Pioneer West Museum (Reynolds Hotel, 1925)

204 N. Madden St. (806) 256-3941 Open Mon.–Fri. 9 am –5 pm (closed for lunch noon–1 pm) Admission: Free; donations appreciated

TY NIGH/FLICKR

Tower Conoco Station and U-Drop Inn (1936)

There are plenty of shenanigans for revelers of all ages. Official festivities kick off with a Friday evening banquet and country club dance. Parade day this year is Saturday, March 18, starting at 10:30 a.m. in the 800 block of North Main Street and proceeding south to the plaza beneath the city’s iconic water tower. Other Saturday events include a 5K Fun Run, a carnival, street vendors, a motorcycle rally and an Old Settlers’ Reunion. The U-Drop Inn on Route 66 hosts an antique classic car, truck and motorcycle

show beginning at 1 p.m. A dance takes place that evening. A carnival and an arts and crafts show run both Saturday and Sunday. The Miss Irish Rose pageant will crown its queen at 3 p.m. on Saturday; a Lad ’n’ Lassie Beauty Pageant will take place Sunday afternoon. One competition lends a distinctively Irish flair to Shamrock’s populace — the adult male portion, at least: a contest to see who sports the best Donegal beard yields a $100 prize.

1242 N Main St. (Corner of Historic Route 66 and US 83) Open daily 9 am–5 pm (806) 256-2501

The Blarney Stone

200 N. Main Street in Blarney Stone Plaza

Texas Theater (1930)

217 N Main St. (806) 256-1212 Showtimes Fri, Sat., Sun., 8 pm texastheater.info

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OIL PAINTING: The Texas-themed “Gusher the Hare,” by artist Susie Watkins, is located at Aghorn Energy, 4840 E. University Blvd.

Presidential Museum and Leadership Library 4919 E. University Dr. Odessa TX 79762 (432) 363-7737

Stonehenge

University of Texas of the Permian Basin 4901 E. University Blvd. Odessa TX 79762

Ellen Nöel Art Museum 4909 E. University Blvd. Odessa TX 79762 (432) 550-9696 noelartmuseum.org

HOURS Open Tues.-Sat., 10 am–5 pm Sun. 2–5 pm free admission

Globe Theatre

Odessa College 2308 Shakespeare Rd. Odessa TX 79761 odessashakespeare.org

YONDER

Jackrabbit Jamboree

An Art Project That Jumps Out at You in Odessa KAY ELLINGTON

IF YOU meet someone from Odessa, and they tell you they have six-foot-tall jackrabbits on their streets, it’s not a tall tale. Historically, Odessans have always had a curious relationship with these cottontailed creatures. After all, the jackrabbit’s quickness, agility and uncanny ability to adapt to harsh environments reflect the characteristics of West Texans and Odessans. This association with jackrabbits began in

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1932 at the very first Odessa Jackrabbit Roping Contest — as a “hare-brained” publicity stunt during that year’s annual Odessa Rodeo. The contest is no longer held, and a more humane tribute can be found throughout the city today. The Jackrabbit Jamboree, launched in 2004 by a large, collaborative group of civil servants, commissioned local artists to paint 37 distinctive jackrabbit sculptures standing six feet tall that were then strategically placed around the city.

• ODESSA

PECOS TRAIL REGION

COURTEST OF ODESSA CVB

Thirteen years later, the Jackrabbit Jamboree still offers a cultural immersion into the lives of Odessans and offers a unique attraction for visitors. Each brightly decorated jackrabbit is unique to its host location. The designs reflect the locations’ background and are representative of the people who created them and the artists’ concep-

tions of Odessa at the time. The main goal of the project, made possible by the collaborative effort of several organizations, including the Odessa Council for the Arts & Humanities (OCA&H) and the Odessa Chamber of Commerce, was to increase cultural tourism and to provide art to the public.

DOWN THE (JACK) RABBIT HOLE: (from left) “Big Sky Bunny,” by Sireesha Amaram, located at Medical Center Hospital off 5th Street in the courtyard of the new outpatient center; “Fiesta Hare,” by Christie Lee Ray, located at Burnet Elementary School, 3700 Permian Dr.; “Symphony de Bunny,” by Wesley Haynie, located at Odessa College on the northwest corner of 23rd Street and Andrews Highway.

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GARDEN VARIETY: East Texas bursts forth in spring blooms that can be appreciated from curbside or sidewalk at any time, or during special events in communities like Tyler and Nacogdoches.

YONDER

Texas Azaleas

Tyler’s reputation for beauty rests with homeowners

RICK STRYKER

Tyler

nificent and varied structures and neighborhoods, but the devotion to ornamental horticulture, espedistricts is worth experiencing any time of the year. cially roses and azaleas, has given Tyler its signaThe Brick Streets Historic District encompasses ture reputation for beauty. It’s remarkable that this reputation has been earned through the individual 29 blocks of mid-19th-century efforts of homeowners since the to mid-20th-century residential, Azalea & Spring 1930s. In fact, the Chamber of commercial and institutional Garden Trail Commerce recognized this phedevelopment. The Charnwood March 24-April 9 nomena by establishing a marked Residential Historic District visittyler.com/azaleatrail five-mile route initially featuring 60 encompasses 12 blocks of late 19thTyler Convention homes. century and early 20th-century and Visitors Bureau In 2017 the 58th Annual residential development. And the 315 N. Broadway Azalea & Spring Flower Trail feaAzalea District is Tyler’s largest (800) 235-5712 tures many miles of gardens and residential concentration of earlyvisittyler.com a plethora of community events. to mid-20th-century dwellings. The official greeters of the Azalea In the spring, when the Azalea & Spring Flower Trail partially goes through these Trail are Azalea Belles, young women who dress districts, the experience is exceptional. The region’s in antebellum gowns and are chosen from high oil booms have provided resources to build mag- school and home school families.

THE CHARM OF TYLER’S historic residential

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TYLER • •

FOREST TRAIL REGION

COURTESY RONALD RANG

NACOGDOCHES

Nacogdoches

Azalea Trail and the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden

Nacogdoches is located in an area inhabited by Caddo Indians as early as A.D. 1250 and is the site of the earliest European settlement in Texas. In 1779 Don Antonio Gil Y’Barbo established the community near the site of an abandoned mission, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de los Nacogdoches, built by the Franciscan Antonio Margil de Jesús in 1716. Nacogdoches is designated the Garden Nacogdoches Capital of Texas, Azalea Trail with 15 noteworthy March 15–April 15, 2017 nacogdochesazaleas.com gardens among its local offerings. Of particular note, the Nacogdoches eight-acre Ruby M. Convention and Mize Azalea Garden Visitors Bureau 200 E. Main St. is the largest such (888) 564-7351 garden in the state. visitnacogdoches.org Located on the campus of Stephen F. Austin University, the public garden, built between 1997 and 2001, features 7,000 azaleas and 300 camellias, hundreds of varieties of Japanese maples and hydrangeas, and 400 rare ornamental trees and shrubs. The project, headed by the university’s Mast Arboretum, receives assistance from the Azalea Society of America, the City of Nacogdoches and nurserymen across the South. Each spring the devotion of local homeowners to the Garden Capital of Texas designation is reflected by the Nacogdoches Azalea Trail. Three self-guided driving routes cover 25 miles of residential streets and are divided into trails named for the azaleas they feature, including the Southern Inca Trail, the Evergreen Azalea Trail and the Fashion Azalea Trail. Each trail begins at the

BRIGHT SPOT: Visitors stroll through the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden.

Charles Bright Visitor Center located at 200 E. Main St. in the heart of the charming Downtown Historic District. Along with the Nacogdoches Azalea Trail,

guided tours of the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden are offered every Saturday afternoon along with a variety of special events during the Azalea Trail season.

OTHER SPRING TRAILS:

79th Annual Dogwood Trails Festival Davey Dogwood Park Palestine, TX 75803 (800) 659-3484

Last two weekends in March and the first weekend in April visitpalestine.com

COURTESY BIG BRUCE PARTAIN

82nd Azalea Trail

River Oaks Garden Club 2503 Westheimer Rd. Houston, TX 77098 (713) 523-2483 March 10–12 This year’s tour includes six locations in the River Oaks neighborhood, including four private homes and gardens, Bayou Bend and Rienzi. Tickets for the whole tour are $25, or $20 if purchased before March 1. S PR I N G 2 0 1 7

YONDER

Legacy Plaza

An out-of-doors education in Goldthwaite CASE POTTER

AT A TIME when many Texans are more likely

to make a trip to the local drive-thru than cook their own meal — let alone gather their own ingredients — it becomes easy to forget where we came from. At one time, all humans were hunters and gatherers, tracking their food across countries and continents, and struggling to survive off the land. It’s this forgotten time that the Texas Botanical Gardens and Native American Interpretive Center at Legacy Plaza in Goldthwaite encourages Texans to remember. The center provides a window into the environment and ways of life of the hunter-gatherers who first traversed Texas’ unique landscape thousands of years ago, and the Native American tribes who followed. First conceived in 2004 by executive director Janice Fischer, phase one of this grass-roots project, the Botanical Gardens, was opened in October 2014. The gardens are made up of plant life historically native to the region, and the geography is representative of the ridgeline running along the Colorado River, bordering the western edge of Mills County. Ethnobotanist Scooter Cheatham provided guidance to ensure this peaceful depic-

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tion of prehistoric flora was accurate to the time period of more than 3,000 years ago, and elder Rita Coosewoon of Oklahoma’s Comanche Nation has helped teach the Comanches’ medicinal and cultural use of these plants over generations, providing visitors with another lens to view the gardens through. The center’s primary focus is on meeting the urgent need for accessible outdoor educational and cultural enrichment activities in Central Texas. It provides free classes for children under 17, giving them the rare opportunity to learn outside the classroom and cultivate their appreciation for the natural world. Right now, visitors can explore live exhibits to learn about the Monarch butterflies that migrate across Texas every year. With the assistance of former first lady Laura Bush’s environmental organization, Texan by Nature, the center has recently installed two Monarch gardens in Goldthwaite’s elementary and middle schools, with two more in the works. In addition to onsite classes, the center takes visitors out to private ranches to look at the embedded archaeology. “In Texas most of the interesting things people would want to see are on private land,”

Texas Botanical Gardens and Native American Interpretive Center at Legacy Plaza 1288 Fisher St. Goldthwaite, TX 76844

HOURS Monday-Saturday, 9 am-4pm Sunday, 1 pm-5pm LegacyPlaza.org

GOLDTHWAITE •

FORTS TRAIL REGION

PHOTOS COURTESY LEGACY PLAZA

OUTSIDE THE BOX: An overview of the plaza’s amphitheatre (top left), which seats about 65 children and is used for classes and workshops. Texan by Nature, an environmental organization founded by Laura Bush (above), has installed two Monarch butterfly gardens in Goldthwaite’s schools.

Fischer says, “so we’re bringing people to sites that are normally inaccessible.” In the past year alone, 1,700 children have taken advantage of these free resources, and the center is only just getting started. On the books for 2017 is an ambitious phase two: the realization of the Native American Interpretive Center, a museum to teach Texans about Native American culture and botany through interactive exhibits and hands-on classes like gathering and preparing seeds, crafting cooking utensils and baskets, and baking in earth ovens. The plan is to become a Smithsonian affiliate museum, but the center is already collaborating with the National Museum of the American Indian, part of the Smithsonian Institution. Through its partnership with the Comanche Nation, the center has already been able to bring in Comanche representatives, including Coosewoon, several times a year, and at an annual fundraiser in October these representatives share their culture through song and dance. Whether you’re in Austin, San Antonio or Dallas, Goldthwaite and its expanding Legacy Plaza is an educational day trip through the beautiful, lesser-publicized northern Hill Country, and if you stop to get some of Goldthwaite’s famous pecans on your way in, you can make it a tasty trip, too.

NATIVE SOIL: (from top) A partial view of the Welcome Center and Town Green area, which is open to the public; members of the Comanche Nation of Oklahoma looking at native grasses on the center’s ridgeline (left to right, Gaylon Pahdocony, Tiffany Turney, Morgan Tosse and Beth Giles).

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LOCAL CITY LIGHTS

ON A MISSION: A tour guide at Mission San Jose, named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015.

San Antonio Missions

Four frontier outposts show the Spanish influence in Texas

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park 2202 Roosevelt Ave. San Antonio, TX 78210 (210) 932-1001 nps.gov/saan

HOURS

states along the southwestern border of the United States is worthy of special consideration. There’s a big difference between the wellknown 19th-century narrative of European/American emigrants from the East Coast displacing the surviving Native American populations in a westward movement and the 18th-century story of northward expansion by Spain through a strategy of conversion and enculturation. In the late 1600s Spain began sending out Franciscan missionar-

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RICK STRYKER

ies to establish mission-based com- operated by the Catholic Church munities and presidios in Texas and and continue in service to Catholic populating them largely with the parishes. This is a much different Native peoples who already lived model from the northernmost San Antonio River mission, the Alamo there. In the 21st century, per(San Antonio de Valero), which is haps one of the best places owned and managed by the to experience this story State of Texas as a shrine is the San Antonio SAN Missions National ANTONIO to the Texas Revolution. Visiting the San Historical Park, which • Antonio Missions National consists of a trail of four Historical Park is much more missions along the San Antonio than touring a series of quaint River. The property surrounding the missions is managed by the old buildings filled with religious National Park Service, while the icons. A good place to begin a visit missions themselves are owned and is at the Mission San José Visitor

Mission Concepción 807 Mission Rd. San Antonio, TX 78210 (210) 533-8955

Mission San José and Visitor Center 6701 San Jose Dr. San Antonio, TX 78214 (210) 932-1001

Mission San Juan Capistrano 9101 Graf Rd. San Antonio, TX 78214 (210) 534-3161

Mission Espada

10040 Espada Rd. San Antonio, TX 78214 (210) 932-1001

RICK STRYKER

THE CULTURAL STORY of the

Open daily 9 am–5 pm Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day No admission charge

RICK STRYKER

HOLY RELIC: Established in 1690 near present-day Augusta, Mission San Francisco del Los Tejas was moved to San Antonio in 1931 and renamed San Francisco de la Espada.

Center. Mission San José y San Miguel de Aguayo was founded by Fray Antonio Margil de Jesús in 1720. The introductory movie at the Visitor Center tells the story of Tejano culture, that hy-

brid of Spanish and Native American culture for which Texas is best known. From these roots Texas ranches, farms, Mexican cuisine and the other components of Hispanic cultural heritage emanate. The Coahuiltecan people who lived in

Texas for thousands of years before the Spanish arrived were actually many small clusters of diverse peoples. The movie explores the factors that motivated them to give up their traditional nomadic, subsistence lifestyle from their point of view. The missions offered them a new lifestyle based on raising farm crops, herding domesticated livestock, taking up European trades and, more important, providing relative safety from raids of horse-mounted Lipan Apaches — all with an overlay of a new religion. Today, the missions are surrounded by neighborhoods that might seem to intrude on the historical nature of the park. But it’s the other way around. Those neighborhoods grew out of the missions as Native people were acculturated through an ambitious and ultimately effective process designed to grow the Spanish empire. The descendants of those same people who were recruited by the missionaries and adapted to the Catholic religion live in these neighborhoods and continue to attend the churches built by their ancestors. Visitors can take a variety of guided tours that include the National Historical Park; drive the Mission Trail from downtown San Antonio; walk along the San Antonio Riverwalk from downtown; or follow a bike route along city streets (20.1 miles out and back).

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CITY LIGHTS

Wyler Aerial Tramway Experience stunning views while hanging from a single steel thread.

fills the dream of philanthropist Karl O. Wyler, who strongly believed that the lofty views from atop Ranger Peak, just north of downtown El Paso, should be available to the public. He included this wish in his final will. The story begins, however, in 1959 when NBC affiliate KTSM Radio built the tramway to aid the construction of a transmitter antenna and service platform. A real workhorse in its early days, the tiny tram hauled concrete, water, heavy equipment, workers — even sections of the antenna itself — to the

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WENDY LITTLE

mountain summit. Wyler directed this ambitious construction project and, in the process, fell in love with Ranger Peak and its top-ofthe-world view. Privately owned and operated first as El Paso Aerial Tramway, • EL PASO the facility allowed public access from 1960 to 1986. Although it continued to provide access for maintenance of telecommunications equipment, high liability insurance costs caused the tramway to close to the public. Wyler would later buy the tramway,

then willed it to Texas Parks and Wildlife upon his death in 1997. Texas Parks and Wildlife reopened the tramway to the public in 2001 following extensive renovation. The tramway operates on a 2,400-foot-long singlespan cable system, meaning there are no support towers along its nearly half-mile length. From bottom to top, visitors are lifted some 940 vertical feet as they glide high above the rugged terrain below. Swiss-made gondolas carry tramway passengers. A haul rope pulls each gondola on a track

Wyler Aerial Tramway HOURS

Friday and Saturday Noon–7 pm Sunday 10 am–5 pm except in the case of inclement weather Admission is $8 for adults and $4 for children. The awesome view of El Paso from the parking lot of the lower tramway station is free and often accessible even when the tramway isn’t operating. For information, call (915) 566-6622 or go to tpwd.state.tx.us.

VISIT EL PASO visitelpaso.com

COURTESY WYLER AERIAL TRAMWAY

WYLER AERIAL TRAMWAY ful-

FROM ON HIGH: The Wyler Aerial Tramway is operated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and is located in El Paso’s Franklin Mountains State Park. The tramway complex covers 196 acres on the east side of the Franklin Mountains. The gondolas travel along two 2,400-foot steel cables to Ranger Peak, 5,632 feet above sea level.

COURTESY WYLER AERIAL TRAMWAY

rope along its lofty route. These “ropes” are actually the same type of super strong cables used in the construction of suspension bridges. To maintain tension, the track cable is anchored at the top of the mountain and tied to a massive 29-ton counterweight at the base station. The Tramway climbs to offer a breathtaking view of the Rio Grande Valley. From the top of Ranger Peak, a bird’s-eye view of humanity butting up against rugged desert mountains unfolds at your feet. Two countries and three states can be seen from this vantage point. If you prefer to hike up (and/or down), it’s a two-mile round-trip trek along a rocky ridge. Each four-minute ride to the top is guided by a park employee, who points out landmarks. From 5,632 feet above sea level, the visitor has a 360degree view of 7,000 square miles on a clear day. Without the aid of a telescope, the town Sierra Blanca, 88 miles to the east, and the Samalayuca Sand Dunes to the south in Mexico come into view. From up here, as the evening darkens the El Paso/Juarez basin, the lights of the city twinkle like stars reflected off the desert. Ranger Peak is a hidden hubbub of activity. Located in the southern part of the Franklin Mountains Range, it features the only publicaccessible aerial tram in Texas, a B-36 crash site, two massive telecommunications towers, a visitor center and a hiking trail — all just minutes from downtown El Paso.

VIEW FROM THE SUMMIT: From Ranger Peak, visitors can see three states and two countries on a clear day. The trip takes about four minutes and lifts riders up 940 vertical feet above the boarding area.

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AUTHENTIC PERSON

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G I F

T H

FOR THE

KYARDS

For STEVE MURRIN, Fort Worth’s historic district represents history worth preserving — “right up there with the Alamo.”

by TREY GUTIERREZ photographs by GLEN E.

ELLMAN

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IF YOU WERE TO ASK “Most of these buildings have been around for more than a century, and, for the most part, are locally owned,” says Steve Murrin, a whitehaired mustachioed fellow known unofficially as Mayor of the Stockyards. “That’s the kind of self-authenticating atmosphere you have out here — it ain’t fake. Visitors always tell me, ‘Now this is the Texas we expected to see.’”

TRADING ON THE CHISHOLM TRAIL

Long before becoming a tourist destination, the Stockyards were known as the final stop of the historic Chisholm cattle-driving trail, where a weary cattleman could stock up on rest and supplies before crossing the Red River into Indian country. When a newly built railway system streamlined livestock transportation in 1876, the Stockyards became one of the country’s busiest livestock markets. To keep up with the booming economy, the city in 1907 commissioned the construction of Cowtown Coliseum — home to

the world’s first indoor rodeo. Given the area’s rich history, it’s no wonder Murrin takes pride in the Stockyards’ continuing authenticity. For Murrin, the story of the Stockyards is a story of the hard-working, cando spirit that brought Texas prosperity in the early 20th century. “As far as I’m concerned, the Stockyards are right up there with the Alamo,” he says. “That’s a history worth preserving.” Despite this rich past, however, the Stockyards have had a turbulent history with the Fort Worth City Council. In fact, without the persistent intervention of folks like Murrin, the Stockyards would have been leveled years ago — for economic reasons. By the mid-20th century, the Yards had fallen on hard times. At the end of World War II, the once booming livestock industry was fading. The Stockyards fell into rapid decline; crime was on the rise. As the major meatpacking plants left town, the cattlemen who once roamed the streets were replaced by loiterers and vagrants. “By the ’70s, all the old historic cafes and restaurants had pretty much turned into

COURTESY Fort Worth CVB/fortworth.com

a native Texan, “What’s the best way to spend an afternoon in Texas?” chances are you might be directed toward the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District — or, as it’s known to the locals, Cowtown. The Stockyards have just about everything you’d expect from a popular Texas tourist destination: smoky steakhouses, old-fashioned honky-tonks, an indoor rodeo and, to top it all off, daily cattle drives parading a majestic herd of Texas longhorn through the streets — a fitting tribute to the Stockyards’ once-booming livestock industry. For over 30 years, tourists seeking the quintessential Texas experience have set their sights on the Stockyards — and for good reason: in the Stockyards, authenticity is king. Local business owners have taken great care to ensure that a visitor’s Stockyard experience is genuine. “Down here we believe that if you’re doing something that’s supposed to be authentic, you’d better make damn sure it’s authentic,” says local businessman Hub Baker. “Real Texans are gonna find out in a minute if it’s not.”

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wino joints,” Murrin sighs. “The ol’ Cowtown Coliseum that once held the rodeo now hosted Monday night wrestling. At that point, all they had to do was bulldoze.” “The Yards were too important to the history of Fort Worth to have shootings and rowdy drunks,” recalls Roberta “Bert” Walters, a businesswoman and third-generation Fort Worthian. “They needed to be restored.” Though concerned citizens knew immediate action was necessary to save the Stockyards, the restoration cause would

remain static without a leader to rally behind. “We needed someone who could come in and be political on our behalf,” Walters adds. “That was Steve.”

COURTESY BARBARA BRANNON/TEXAS PLAINS TRAIL

WORTH PRESERVING

Murrin was the obvious choice to lead the restoration efforts. As a third-generation Fort Worth resident himself, he came from a line of hardworking Texans with a penchant for business. Murrin’s grandfather immigrated to Fort Worth from Ireland in 1885, opening a successful saloon on the city’s south side. Before going off to fight in World War I, Murrin’s father, Steve Murrin Sr., worked as a trader in the Stockyards. During the Great Depression, Murrin Sr. sold ham sandwiches in the yards for 15 cents apiece, saving whatever he could. With that sandwich money, Murrin Sr. purchased a ranch where he raised Steve Jr. and his two sisters — the same ranch where Steve Jr. resides to this day with his wife, Dashelle. Though Murrin won’t admit it, he’s inherited a great deal of his father’s business sense. “I wish I could come

than-life public figure. Given the condition of the Stockyards, Murrin had his work cut out for him. Nevertheless, he remained hopeful. “The idea was to clean the area up, bring in some entertainment, elevate the quality of the businesses so everyone could succeed,” he explains. “I’ve seen other places where entertainment was bringing in big money, like Underground Atlanta. The Stockyards’ welcoming atmosphere really lent itself to that.” With high hopes, Murrin himself purchased the historic Longhorn Saloon with his busiROOTS BUILDING: ness partner, Bert Reclaiming Cowtown Walters. Despite Coliseum, Murrin says, was key to the area’s Murrin’s best intenrestoration. “We had to tions, the pair were in fight,” Murrin says, “to for a rough few years. get the city to restore “I wrote into the the Coliseum back to how it should be.” lease,” Murrin says, “‘If someone shoots out my window, I’m not paying for it.’” Even with tough times ahead, Murrin never lost his spirit: “I used to joke that all we had to do was elevate the quality of the wine drinker from the 49-cent bottle to the $49 bottle.” In addition to purchasing and flipping Stockyard real estate, for years Murrin also stood ankle deep in the murky waters of Fort Worth zoning politics. “Every time the city tried to bulldoze the Yards, or even just a building, it’d be Steve who’d save it,” Baker recalls. “He’s been the chief guard of the Stockyards since the day he stepped in here.” “Nobody has been out here quite like myself,” says Murrin. “For years I’ve been carefully preserving that which makes the Stockyards When asked to HAVING feel real. Turns out, spearhead the restoraauthenticity is a pretty tion of the Stockyards, fragile commodity.” Murrin, not surprising Little by little ly, was more than eager. IS WHAT MAKES Murrin’s investments Not only did he posbegan turning a profit, sess the business sense and the Stockyards necessary to get the remained standing. project off the ground, Murrin, however, he also fit perfectly as wasn’t satisfied. The the restoration’s public OF THE STOCKYARDS complete restoration of face. “When I first met Cowtown still hinged Steve, I gotta say, he on one factor: taking seemed a bit strange,” back the Cowtown Hub Baker laughs. “He Coliseum. “The seemed to be playin’ a Coliseum was obvicharacter, like Yosemite ously the theme-setter Sam … boot-tops up to his knees, large cowboy hat — the works. for the whole area,” he says. “It was the key to Then you find out it really is his character. Once bringing the Stockyards back around to their I got to know him I realized, hell, he’s one of the authentic, Western roots.” “We had to fight in court many times,” smartest human beings I’ve ever known.” Fitting, it seemed, that the struggle to save a historic Walters remembers, “to try to get the city to Texas town would be led by an equally larger- restore the Coliseum back to how it should be — close to my father — he was an incredibly wise fellow,” he says. “His motto was, “Try to leave things a little better than you found them.” Murrin’s memories of growing up near the Stockyards are fond: “I’ve been blessed to be so lucky and lucky to be so blessed,” he says. “The whole atmosphere I grew up in was perfect.” Murrin’s only time away from Fort Worth was his term at Holy Cross College in Massachusetts, after which he returned home and began a career in real estate.

“ LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES THIS PLACE

AUTHENTIC.

THE HERITAGE BELONGS

TO THE PEOPLE.”

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Despite his lifetime of hard work, Murrin knew from the start that the fight for the Stockyards would never truly be finished. The recent rise of tourism has brought a slew of national investors to the Stockyards, a trend that Murrin worries may compromise the authenticity he’s worked so hard to establish. “To some degree, I think [the new investors] think we’re bumpkins who don’t have any concept of how to increase our cash flow by going with national chains,” he says. “Having locally owned businesses is what makes this place authentic. The heritage of the Stockyards belongs to the people.” In addition to preserving the authenticity, fiscal security is still a concern for locals. “I worry about my renters,” says Walters, now a landlord for many of the historic buildings along the Stockyards’ Exchange Avenue. “I worry that the city will raise our taxes so that smaller, local businesses won’t be able to compete with the tax incentives these new investors are getting. Success in these stockyards has been a roll of the dice since the day we bought that saloon.” “It’s no longer a question of ‘Are we gonna be successful?’” Murrin says, “but a question of ‘Can we be successful in the right way? Can we maintain that success so our great grandchildren can still come out and feel like they’re in an area where their great grandpa was involved?’” With new challenges presenting themselves daily, the future of the Stockyards may seem as uncertain as double sixes. Luckily for those like Murrin — fortune often seems to favor the bold.

GLEN E. ELLMAN

Murrin had gotten his message across. In a place for the rodeo.” “If we had ultimately lost the Coliseum 1976, the city council reversed an action that battle,” Murrin adds, “that would have been the would have prevented the Coliseum from hosting a rodeo for 30 years. “To this day the Coliseum end of it.” Among the city’s politicians, Murrin’s res- is successful in rodeo and Western events,” says toration had never garnered much support. Even Hub Baker, who now serves as executive director with history on his side, Murrin’s efforts were of Cowtown Coliseum. “It’s one of the Stockyards’ frequently rejected. “Some of the older council- major attractions.” men — thank goodness — could see the good in what we were trying to do, but they were the minority. The mayor couldn’t see it, so we A MAGNET FOR VISITORS had to keep hanging in there.” The setbacks Since Murrin’s Coliseum victory, various Fort were disheartening, but Murrin, confident in the Worth investors have flocked to the Stockyards righteousness of his cause, knew looking to find fortune in the he’d succeed if the city council familiar atmosphere, with varying Fort Worth Stockyards could somehow understand how degrees of success. Murrin, on National Historic passionate he and his fellow Fort the other hand, never gave up his District Worthians were about saving the role as Stockyard guardian. Using 130 E. Exchange Ave. Fort Worth TX 76164 Stockyards. the skills he acquired in his fight (817) 624-4741 For Walters, however, the for restoration, Murrin successfortworthstockyards.org city’s constant rejections began fully ran for City Council in 1987. HOURS to take their toll, finally coming “The City Council needed someMonday through Friday to a head following a particubody on it who understood the 8:30 am–6 pm larly painful rejection. “Steve had importance of the visitor industry Saturday 9 am–6 pm Sunday 11 am–5 pm invited me to speak ... I got up and the role the Stockyards could to address the council … but play in it,” Murrin explains. “It VISIT FORTH WORTH fortworth.com I couldn’t say anything. I had was an opportunity for me to keep nothing but tears running down doing what I’d done from a differmy cheeks. I was just so upset ent perspective.” Today, Murrin’s at our situation. I told Steve ‘I’m so sorry, I let Stockyard business entities are mainly run by his you down,’ but he said, ‘No Bert, that’s the best son Philip, the eldest of his three children. Though thing you could have done! They’re gonna realize Murrin may not be as active in the Stockyards as our hearts are in this deal.’ I’ve always held those he once was, he remains vocal about sustaining the words in my heart.” Yards’ authentic atmosphere.

AUTHENTIC PLACE

“The FINEST HOTEL WEST of the MISSISSIPPI” 36

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The MENGER HOTEL in San Antonio holds a rich history — and maybe a ghost or two. by

MIKE CARLISLE

160 years, the Menger Hotel has stood as one of the best-known and oldest hotels in Texas. Once called the finest hotel west of the Mississippi, the Menger has grown from a two-story, 50-room limestone inn into a five-story hotel of 320 rooms and suites. From the beginning, the Menger illustrated the results of hard-working immigrants who came to Texas, focused on community needs, and with exceptional elegance filled those needs. No wonder the Menger has hosted 13 presidents and many famous personalities, including Babe Ruth, Mae West, and generals Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant. William Menger, not unlike many other German immigrants, answered invitations from the new Republic of Texas to come over and homestead in 1848. Menger, a talented cooper, brought his tools, ambition and skill to quickly prosper from building kegs and barrels, then later HISTORY AND opening a small grocery store MYSTERY: Built 100 with another German immiyards from the Alamo, grant, Charles Degenard. the Menger Hotel is At the boardinghouse the oldest continually operating hotel west where he stayed, Menger of the Mississippi. found an equally industrious and ambitious German immigrant woman named Mary Guenther. She owned the boardinghouse and through her excellent cooking attracted many boarders and local townspeople. After a few years, despite the fact that the widow Mary was 11 years older than 24-year-old William, the couple married. Menger purchased a small piece of property adjacent to the old Alamo mission, and then hired another fellow German immigrant, Charles Degen, as brewmaster to establish the first Texas commercial brewery in 1855. The success of the brewery brought the need for a small tavern, then a small rooming house to care for the patrons. By the end of 1856, Menger owned the entire street across from the Alamo and Alamo Plaza. In 1858, Menger recognized the need for a fine, elegant hotel in San Antonio for visitors from surrounding areas. Menger hired John Fries as the architect and another German immigrant, J. H. Kampmann, as general contractor. The two-story limestone Menger Hotel was built for $15,712 and opened on Feb. 1, 1859, with 50 rooms. The new hotel’s success and constant occupancy required expansion with an additional 50 rooms added to the rear in less than nine months. The Menger continued to prosper even after William’s death in 1871. Mary, in fact, posted a notice S PR I N G 2 0 1 7

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FROM LEFT: MIKE CARLISLE, MCC MEDIA; ANITA EISENHAUER POST CARD COLLECTION

FOR NEARLY

According to the Menger Hotel register, Roosevelt first arrived in 1892, drawn to San Antonio by his hunting interest. Roosevelt hunted javelinas during his original visit, but returning in 1898, Lt. Col. Roosevelt came to the Menger with a different goal: to meet up with Colonel Leonard Wood and recruit men for the volunteer cavalry regiment, later called the Rough Riders or “Teddy’s Terrors.” The Rough Riders were a diverse blend of 1,250 young men, from drifters to Ivy League athletes, Native Americans to Texas Rangers. In 1905, as president, Roosevelt returned once again to the Menger for a reunion of the Rough Riders. The Menger Bar has rich history dating back to the original tavern that led to building the Menger Hotel. The elegant bar back was relocated to different sites around the property, even disappearing during Prohibition, but was stored and never forgotten. The bar is accessible today from the Crockett Street entrance or through the lobby corridor. In 1899, shortly before his death, Kampmann initiated another 50-room addition. More improvements with a French flavor continued under the Kampmann family to stay competitive with the new Crockett and Gunter Hotels. A marble floor in the 1881 lobby, a French façade, and ornate cast iron columns were added by 1912. Following World War I, the hotel condition began to decline, especially following the 1929 stock market crash and Great Depression, reaching a low point by the start of World War II, when plans were drawn up to tear down the hotel for parking. Heartbroken lovers of Texas history and tradition with a heart for the majestic hotel campaigned to save it and helped rescue it from destruction. Citizens in 1943 saved the grand old hotel from the wrecking crew, and the following year the National Hotel Corporation, founded by Galveston’s W. L. Moody Jr., purchased it and began restoration. When Moody’s efforts were complete in 1948, only Menger’s original 1859 structure had been retained — it still stands today — though other improvements were soon added. Other significant additions consisted of a swimming pool in 1953, and another five-story addition of 110 rooms in 1968 for the World’s Fair. Finally, 33 more rooms, grand ballrooms and meeting rooms were added to the rear of the hotel facing the Rivercenter Mall in 1987. Perhaps one of the hotel’s most enduring features began with Mary Guenther Menger’s excellent cooking. Mary spared no expense to secure the highest-quality ingredients to create the finest meals. William and Mary started out with a wide selection of exotic and unusual treats. William even raised many of the animals and

in the San Antonio Express, “The death of the late room, relocating the kitchen. However, soon after owner and proprietor will cause no change in the the remodeling began, the major turned over the affairs of the hotel as well as the brewery. Signed, operations to his son, Hermann D. Kampmann. Mrs. W. A. Menger, March 21, 1871.” As a Hermann continued the improvements to the widow and single mother of three, Mary contin- Menger, such as a steam elevator, laundry and elecued to work hard for the next 10 years, handling tric light, but perhaps the greatest addition started whatever duties were required, from kitchen to the by sending an architect to London in 1887. After studying and sketchmain office. ing the famous pub at the House In 1881, Mary sold the Menger Menger Hotel 204 Alamo Plaza of Lords in London, the Menger Hotel’s operations and property to San Antonio, TX 78205 Bar was designed, and construction the original contractor, Major J.H. (210) 223-4361 started in 1887. The Menger Bar Kampmann, for $110,000, plus an mengerhotel.com opened in 1890. The bar was much additional $8,500 for hotel furnishVISIT SAN ANTONIO larger than the present Menger Bar, ings, including many items that she visitsanantonio.com built to match the elegance of the and William had purchased during hotel and exceeding that of surtrips to Germany, Paris and New York. One of the grandest of their personal family rounding barrooms. The original location of the furnishings, the square grand piano, was retained Menger Tavern is unknown, but over the years, the but has now been returned to the Victorian lobby Menger Bar migrated to the current location folon permanent loan from family member Posie lowing the hotel addition and restoration in 1948. Of the many famous visitors to the bar, Menger McClung. Almost immediately after purchase, Major Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt ranks the highest. Kampmann started plans for extensive modifica- The numerous photographs and other memorations to the hotel, adding an east wing, a third bilia throughout the bar back up the significance story, and another lobby, and expanding the dining of Roosevelt among an impressive list of patrons.

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MIKE CARLISLE, MCC MEDIA

ELEGANCE: Oval-shaped, three-storied main portion of the original Victorian lobby. The hotel was originally two story until a third story was added during the 1909 remodeling.

MIKE CARLISLE, MCC MEDIA EXCEPT SECOND FROM TOP, ANITA EISENHAUER POST CARD COLLECTION

other produce. Over the years, many menu items have gone away and been replaced by new ones, such as one of the greatest desserts, the mango ice cream. A signature photo hangs on the wall of Bill Clinton describing his experience with the dessert dish: “Mango ice cream at the Menger Hotel is one of the great treasures in American life.” When Clinton was elected president, the hotel shipped 40 gallons of the dessert to Washington for his 1993 inaugural celebration. Today, executive chefs at the Menger continue to uphold the excellent quality carried throughout the hotel’s long history. Throughout the hotel, antiques and artwork decorate the walls and floors, many dating back to William and Mary’s original buying trips of to Germany and Paris. One stunning piece of artwork is the gorgeous leaded glass skylight installed as part of the third-story addition to the Victorian Lobby. Many antique furniture pieces and paintings have personal connections to the Menger family. Although there are no longer resident guests living in the hotel except the manager, one of the most celebrated former guests, cattle baron Capt. Richard King of South Texas, still visits the Menger. The ghost of King reportedly haunts the second-floor King Ranch Suite. The gravely ill Capatin King, always fond of the Menger, checked into his favorite suite upon making the trip to San Antonio to see his doctor. He died in that room on April, 14, 1885, and his funeral was held in the hotel’s Victorian Parlor. “People who have stayed here have been from all walks of life, including our non-living guests,” Ernesto Malacara, the Menger’s director of public relations, told the San Antonio Express-News. Don’t miss the opportunity to take a ghost tour and possibly see other ghosts that helped the Menger earn the title “Most Haunted Hotel in Texas.” Walking around the Menger, you can read plaques and awards related to its rich history. The Menger is registered as a Texas State and San Antonio Landmark, listed in the National Register of Historic Places and even designated as a Literary Landmark, for its connections with such figures as O. Henry and Oscar Wilde. As you walk around the hotel, you stroll through or relax in areas once visited by U.S. Presidents, military and literary greats, cattle barons and ranchers, famous entertainment celebrities and artists. With true sweat equity from humble, hardworking immigrants who came to Texas, the Menger Hotel stands as a testament to their tremendous contributions. From a small brewery, tavern and boardinghouse to the finest, most elegant hotel west of the Mississippi, the Menger continues to shine in Alamo Plaza. “The Menger is one of the three jewels in Alamo Plaza, along with the Alamo and the gazebo,” says Malacara, the hotel’s number-one ambassador. “It’s here to stay. It’s been here many years, and it’s going to be here many more years.”

19TH-CENTURY AURA: (from top): The Menger colonnade today and from an earlier time; a Victorian walnut settee, circa 1870; a Victorian painting titled Musicians in a Wine Cellar by Louis O. Kunz. Embracing its history as well as its “hauntings,” the Menger, a member of the Historic Hotels of America, offers a ghost tour package as well as an “I love history” suite.

COURTESY DAVE ROTH/NILES CITY PHOTOGRAPHY

COW CAPI

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WBOY ITAL AUTHENTIC THING

NO STATE IS MORE ASSOCIATED WITH RODEO THAN TEXAS by

BILLY HUCKABY

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COURTESY COWTOWN COLISEUM

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hosts more than 140 rodeo performances a year, and that’s not even counting the high school and open events in the city. Cowtown Coliseum, originally called Northside Coliseum, is located in the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District and has seen as much rodeo history as any other rodeo venue in the country. In addition to hosting the world’s first indoor rodeo in 1918, Cowtown Coliseum also lays claim to several firsts in the sport of rodeo: the first live radio broadcast (1922); the first televised rodeo (1932); and the first bull riding competitive contest (1934). Today Cowtown Coliseum is home to the Stockyards Championship Rodeo every Friday and Saturday night at 8 p.m. and the Pawnee Bill Wild West Show every Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Additional events during the year include the Red Steagall Ranch Rodeo and the American Semi-Finals. The Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo moved from Cowtown Coliseum and the Fort Worth Stockyards TRUE, THERE’S ALWAYS BEEN A GREAT DEBATE to its current home in the Will Rogers Memorial Center as to where the first rodeo took place. Cities like in 1944. The Fort Worth Stock Show Rodeo is one of Prescott, Ariz., Deer Trail, Colo., Santa Fe, N.M., and the major events in the country, paying out more than our own Pecos, Texas, all lay claim to having the first, $650,000 annually in prize money. It attracts the biggest oldest or longest-running rodeo. But no state is more names in the sport and is ranked as the 12th-richest event in the PRCA. synonymous with the sport than Texas. AT&T Stadium in Arlington may be the home What started out as cowboys matching skills against each other to see who the best bronc rider was or of the Dallas Cowboy, but rodeo cowboys and cowgirls who could rope a steer the fastest has become a multi- take center stage every year at what is billed as the million-dollar sporting event. The Professional Rodeo “World’s Richest One-Day Rodeo,” the American. The American kicks off with a semi-final event Cowboys Association, the primary governing body for the sport, pays out more than $46 million in prize money in Cowtown Coliseum that features $1 million in prize annually, and Texas hosts almost twice as many PRCA money. The top contestants then advance to the finals which features $2 million in rodeos as any other state, prize money and an additional with 83. The next closest $1 million paid out in bonuses. state is Colorado, with 46 The San Antonio Stock PRCA-sanctioned events. Show and Rodeo is the sec But rodeo in Texas is ond-richest event sanctioned much bigger than just the by the PRCA, with $1.57 sanctioned events. There are million in prize money. Held several regional sanctioning annually in February, San associations, as well as open Antonio features a different or non-sanctioned events format from most rodeos in across the state. Add in the that it is a tournament-style junior and high school roderodeo. Contestants compete os, and it’s a pretty safe bet COWTOWN LANDMARK: Cowtown Coliseum was in brackets, and the winners that on any given weekend called Northside Coliseum when it was built. advance to the semi-finals and and in any given location from there the finals. Money is in Texas, you’re within 100 paid out in each round, and the miles of a rodeo. When you start discussing individual rodeos in top winners earn more than $20,000 in each event. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo broke Texas, you’re sure to start an argument as to which one is the biggest or best. Do you measure by the number ranks several years ago and is no longer sanctioned by of ticket-buying rodeo fans, the most contestants or the the PRCA. However, that has not stopped Houston from being one of the biggest and richest rodeos in the most prize money paid out? world, featuring a total prize money of $2.72 million. Held each year in March, the Houston rodeo features THE EVENTS a $50,000 payout to the winners of each event, plus the FORT WORTH has the most rodeo events with the money winners claim during the preliminary rounds. Several other Texas cities host major PRCA sancweekly Stockyards Championship Rodeo in the historic Cowtown Coliseum and the Fort Worth Stock Show tioned events, including Waco, Austin, San Angelo, and Rodeo that takes place in late January and early Corpus Christi, Pecos, and Pasadena, all of which are February. Between those two venues alone, Fort Worth ranked among the 50 richest rodeos in the PRCA.

Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame Old T&P Train Depot 100 West 1st St. Pecos, TX 79772 (432) 445-2406 texasrodeohalloffame.com

HOURS

Tues.–Sat. 9 am–5 pm

Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame 121 East Exchange Ave. A Fort Worth, TX 76164 (817) 626-7131 texascowboyhalloffame.org

HOURS

Mon.–Thurs. 9 am–5 pm Fri.–Sat. 10 am–7 pm Sun. 11am–5pm

FROM TOP: COURTESY DAVE ROTH/NILES CITY PHOTOGRAPHY; COURTESY COWTOWN COLISEUM

Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame BRONCO BUSTING: Originally based on the necessary horse-breaking skills of a working cowboy, bronc riding (top photo) is now a highly stylized competition that uses horses often specially bred for strength, agility and bucking ability. During the early days of rodeo, women’s bronc riding (bottom photo) was a mainstay event, though injuries and even death forced the event to be dropped. Wanda Harper Bush from Mason and J.J. Hampton from Stephenville were the sport’s biggest female winners.

THE COWBOYS

IN ADDITION to having more rodeos than any other

state, Texas also boasts more world champions. Over the years more than 200 world championships have been won by Texans, and they’ve been won in every event and every era in the sport. Two of the most dominating all-around cowboys have been Trevor Brazile and Ty Murray. Brazile hails from Decatur, and Murray makes his home in Stephenville. While both cowboys are legends in the world of rodeo, they earned their fame working in different ends of the arena.

Murray competed in bareback, saddle bronc and bull riding, earning seven world all-around championships and two world bull riding titles. Murray won almost $2 million during his rodeo career and an additional $800,000 competing in Professional Bull Riders. He was also a founding member of the PBR. Brazile rewrote the record books competing in tie-down roping, team roping and steer roping. During his career, he’s won more than $6 million, almost twice as much as any other cowboy; and claimed 23 world championships. His world titles include thirteen all-around, six steer roping, three tie-down and one team roping (heading) title. A number of world champion bull riders have called Texas home, but Mesquite’s Don Gay may be the best known. Gay grew up in a rodeo family, and his dad, Neal, produced the famous Mesquite Rodeo. Gay holds the record for the most world bull riding titles with eight, and he dominated the sport throughout the mid to late ’70s and the early ’80s. Tie-down roping is another event in which Texans have made their mark. Texans have been so dominant they’ve won 28 of the last 32 world titles in the event. World championships during that period have come in bunches for such legendary cowboys as Huntsville’s Joe Beaver (five world titles), Cody Ohl, from Hico (five world titles) and Fred Whitfield, from Hockley (seven world titles).

Cowtown Coliseum 121 E Exchange Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76164 (817) 624-7963 texasrodeocowboy.com

The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame 1720 Gendy St. Fort Worth, TX 76107 (817) 336-4475 cowgirl.net

HOURS

Labor Day – Memorial Day (Winter Hours) Tues.– Sat. 10 am–5 pm Sun. 12–5 pm Memorial Day –Labor Day (Summer Hours) Mon.– Sat. 10 am–5 pm Sun. 12–5 pm

Dublin Rodeo Heritage Museum 118 West Blackjack St. Dublin, TX 76446 (254) 445-0200 rodeoheritagemuseum.org

Stockyards Championship Rodeo Cowtown Coliseum 121 East Exchange Ave. Fort Worth, TX 76164 (888) COWTOWN (817) 625-1025 stockyardsrodeo.com

HOURS

Every Friday and Saturday, 8 pm

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THE WOMEN

DURING THE early years of rodeo women’s bronc riding was a mainstay event, but after several tragic injuries and even deaths, the event was dropped. In 1948, 23 women met in San Angelo and formed the Girls Rodeo Association, now the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. Their goal was for women to be able to compete in rodeo and in all of the events men competed in. Wanda Harper Bush from Mason won 32 world titles during her career, including nine all-around titles. Her other world championships came in barrel racing, cutting, calf roping, flag race and ribbon roping. J.J. Hampton from Stephenville has been the most recent Texan to dominate women’s rodeo, earning 17 world titles. Her titles came in

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the all-around, team roping and tie-down roping. Along the way, she has also been inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame and Stephenville’s Cowboy Walk of Fame. Tad Lucas was one of the most renowned cowgirls in early rodeo. The youngest of 24 children, she was one of the top trick riders and lady bronc riders of her day. She started out in 1922 and rode her last bronc at age 62. She was born in Cody, Neb., but made her home in Fort Worth. Pelican Publishing will soon release a new children’s book about Lucas, titled Tad Lucas: TrickRiding Rodeo Cowgirl, by Laura B. Edge.

THE HERITAGE

TEXAS IS rich in rodeo history, and there’s no shortage of museums preserving and celebrating that history. In Fort Worth alone there are three museums, including the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame and the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame is located in the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District and also features the Sterquell Wagon Collection. In addition to recognizing successful cowboys and cowgirls, the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame also recognizes distinguished individuals in Western lifestyle and entertainment. The Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame is housed in Historic Cowtown Coliseum, also located in the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District, along with the Bull Riding Hall of Fame. The Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame was originally established in Belton in 1975 and now includes biographies and photographs of more than 300 inductees. The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame started out in the basement of the Deaf Smith County Library, before moving to Fort Worth in 1994. Today the museum is housed in a state-of-the-art 33,000 square foot complex adjacent to the Will Rogers Memorial Complex. Like the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame pays tribute to more than just women in rodeo. Honorees also include pioneers, artists, writers, entertainers, humanitarians, businesswomen, educators and ranchers. Dublin was once home base of Everett Colburn and his World’s Championship Rodeo Company that provided livestock for many of the major rodeos, including Madison Square Garden in New York City and the Boston Garden. In 1942 Gene Autry merged his Flying A Ranch Rodeo Company with Colburn’s rodeo company to form Gene Autry’s World Championship Rodeo. Dublin Rodeo Heritage Museum opened in 2004 and preserves the rich rodeo heritage of the area that was also home to the Colburn Bowl, once the largest rodeo arena in the Southwest. The Colburn Bowl was also the site of the first cutting horse event sanctioned by the National Cutting Horse Association. Cutting horse competitions have also grown into a multi-million-dollar equine sporting event, primarily based in Texas. The Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame is located in Pecos and recognizes rodeo contestants who’ve competed in their famed West of the Pecos Rodeo. The museum currently shares space with the Pecos Chamber of Commerce and honors 40 inductees. So, no matter what your location, there’s no excuse not to enjoy the action-packed entertainment offered by the sport of rodeo. It’s always rodeo season in Texas.

LIFE

TRAIL DRIVE p. 46 H EATS & DRINKS p. 52 H DEEP IN THE ART p. 58 H LIVE SHOWS p. 65 H HAPPENINGS p.67

COURTESY HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

RODEO TIME!

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LIFE TRAIL DRIVE

TRUE COLORS: Rustic barns and other structures throughout Fannin County preserve folk tradition through quilt-square designs.

DON’T MISS IN FANNIN COUNTY Visit Bonham 327 N. Main St. Bonham, TX 75418 VisitBonham.com (903) 583-9830 Just S Salad, Soup, Sandwich & Sweets 109 W. Sam Rayburn Dr. Bonham, TX 75418 (903) 449-4574 facebook.com/JustS. SaladSoupSandwichSweets

The Fabric of Texas Communities On the Trail of Quilts and Quilters

BARBARA BRANNON

and

JILL CAMPBELL JORDAN

Ohioan Donna Sue Groves’s project to embelbrought people together. In small towns and lish the sides of barns with brightly painted quilt rural areas, neighbors joined together during square designs, the Cotton Quilters’ Guild of harvest, barn building and quilt making. Quilting Brownfield created seven-foot panels to mount bees would yield several warm quilts in a day and on local businesses. “We thought it would be great to have a quilt block in also provide a welcomed social BIRD’S EYE VIEW: At the time different places, how neat that outlet for women of all ages. of Fannin County would be,” says guild member Today, the quilting tradition Quilt Barn Trail stitches together a rich fabric of Fannincountytexas.com/quilt- Betty Charlebois. “It would probarn-trail-1.html mote quilting and get younger destinations for visitors across the people interested in it.” Another Texas landscape. Terry County, situated in the heart of the member, Mary Collier, created a brochure and cotton-producing West Texas plains, established map describing the history of each square’s the state’s first quilt trail in 2003. Inspired by locale, from the gin to the museum to the rail-

FOR GENERATIONS, the making of quilts has

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Granny Lou’s Bed & Breakfast 317 W. Sam Rayburn Dr. Bonham, TX 75418 (903) 583-7912 staygrannylous.com Honey Grove Chamber of Commerce HoneyGroveChamber.com/Quilt_Trail.html (903) 378-3112 Sam Rayburn House Museum, State Historic Site 890 Texas Hwy. 56 Bonham, TX 75418 (903) 583-5558 HOURS Tuesday–Sunday Guided tours at 9, 10, 11 am; 12, 1, 2, 3:15 pm (last tour of the day) Caddo/LBJ National Grasslands 1400 US Hwy. 81/287 Decatur, TX 76234 (940) 627-5475

road and more. These days, visitors can pick up a brochure at the Brownfield Chamber of Commerce or the Terry County Hamilton Park Historical Levelland Highway at Lubbock Road Museum. The Brownfield, TX 79316 entire tour of 10 quilt squares can The area’s history is told in interpretive panels along a landscaped walk be done within beneath a scenic windmill, with rest an hour (most areas, a Texas Historical Commission sites are within a marker, inscribed memorial bricks, a quilt square and bronze sculptures. square mile of the city center), but the historic destiTerry County Heritage nations and colMuseum orful squares each 600 East Cardwell St. Brownfield, TX 79316 invite visitors to (806) 637-2467 linger longer. Tues.–Sat. 10 am–3 pm In Fannin (closed noon–1 pm) brownfieldchamber.com County in northeast Texas, travelers can spend a day or more enjoying Texas’ largest quilt trail, established in 2012. Squares — more than 100 and counting — can be found throughout the countryside and in the historic downtowns of Bonham and Honey Grove. Along a sweeping, scenic

Terry County Quilt Trail

COURTESY BARBARA BRANNON/TEXAS PLAINS TRAIL

Brownfield Chamber of Commerce 11 Lubbock Rd. Brownfield, TX 79316 (806) 637-2564 brownfieldchamber.com

route that encompasses the Caddo National/LBJ National Grasslands, the Sam Rayburn House Museum, and Bonham State Park, visitors can spot the bright squares with the aid of a downloadable map. Just as enterprising pioneers once pieced together small scraps to create a new object of utility and beauty, Texas’ quilt trails link varied and vibrant places on the map to celebrate a living folk tradition.

SQUARE ONE: Brownfield’s Centennial Park is a great place to start the hunt for colorful quilt squares in Terry County.

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TRAIL DRIVE

AFTER THE RAINS: Head west on Highway 62 to enjoy the sand flats amid the crystal clear, lagoon-like lake.

High Desert Vista in Hudspeth County White salt flats and friendly folks

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TEXAS

• DELL CITY

• SALT FLAT 54

WENDY LITTLE

TO QUOTE Franz Kafka, “First impressions are always unreliable.” My first impression of the region of the northern part of Far West Texas that borders New Mexico was “Meh, why would I want to go there — what’s to see except for the Guadalupe Mountains?” Being from San Antonio and the Hill Country my whole life, when I accepted the job as executive director of the Texas Mountain Trail, I knew there were many places I hadn’t visited in Far West Texas, aside from the Big Bend region. It’s a huge remote area that takes weeks, if not a lifetime, to discover. The first time I headed north up Highway 90 and beyond

EL PASO

to meet the Guadalupe Mountains, I was in awe, thunderstruck! But this isn’t a story about the Guads — we’ll save that for another issue. I want to talk about Hudspeth County, and when I fell in love with this part of Texas. New on the job, I met one of my board members, who happens to reside in Dell City (population 349 as of 2013), and, in my usual awkward way, jokingly asked, “What? Why do you live in Dell City — are you part of the witness protection program?” Thankfully it went off with a laugh, and I admitted with some embarrassment that I’d never been there.

VISIT DELL CITY dellcity.com VISIT GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK nps.gov/gumo/

COURTESY WENDY LITTLE

NEW MEXICO

COURTESY WENDY LITTLE

DEEP WATER: Oil prospectors in 1948 discovered underground water in Dell City, allowing for the irrigation necessary to support farming in the area.

Months later I had a meeting with the superintendent at the Guadalupe Mountains National Park. My husband and I had a new puppy, Bear, and I wasn’t ready to leave him home alone, so I persuaded my husband to play hooky and take the trip with me. He did, and off we went, the three of us. After my meeting, my husband and I decided to spend the rest of the day exploring the area. We headed west on Highway 62, and that’s when we spotted the salt flats. Acres and acres of white sand sitting at the

edge of the fortress of the Guadalupe Mountains. If you’re lucky enough to be in this remote area when there are rains, the salt flats turn into a beautiful lagoon-like lake with crystal clear, pale water. We stopped for a while and took the obligatory photos with Bear and continued on. You can get to Dell City by Highway 1576 or 1437 — either way is great, so we went up one way and back the other. Heading north, the landscape began to change from harsh Chihuahuan desert to lush green fields of crops. Dell City,

about four miles from the New Mexico border, was incorporated in 1948 shortly after the discovery of large amounts of underground water by oil prospectors, a boon that attracted farmers to the area. The area had been primarily devoted to sheep and goat ranching before the discovery of the water. This discovery made possible the irrigation of some 40,000 acres and led to the founding of the town. Farming in the area still prospers, but because of its ups and downs in population the city has been on the verge of being a ghost town more than once. From the 1950s to the present, the population has ranged from 180 to 950 but continued to sustain business. In the early 1990s, when the population was 569, the town had about 30 businesses. By 2000, there were only 413 residents — but 32 businesses. Among the crops raised in the area are long-staple cotton, onions and tomatoes. Before going home to Alpine, we stopped at a convenience store and asked the clerk what crops were grown in Dell City, with all those green fields. Her answer: “Cot-in.” We loved her local accent and now always refer to cotton with that inflection. The locals are homegrown, friendly, real people — it doesn’t get any better that that. Don’t rely on first impressions!

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TRAIL DRIVE

DON’T MISS Mitte Cultural District The Southern Pacific Linear Park is the endpoint of the Brownsville Historic Battlefield Trail and is a gateway to the city of Brownsville. The park includes the Brownsville Museum of Fine Art, the Gladys Porter Zoo, the Children’s Museum, the Costumes of the Americas Museum, the Historic Brownsville Museum and others. The Ringness House Museum 7010 CR 309 Cranfills Gap, TX 76637 (254) 597-2478 ringnesshouse.org BIKE SHOPS JT Cycling (located on the Brownsville Historic Battlefield trail) 1601 E. Alton Gloor Blvd. Brownsville, TX 78526 (956) 545-0866

COLONIAL REMNANT: Mission Nuestra Señora Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga, located in Goliad State Park.

Bicycling the Palo Alto Battlefield Relive the War with Mexico BETH NOBLES

ON MY BIKE, I zip down the battle’s front line,

pretending I’m a part of U.S. General Zachary Taylor’s cavalry. This is the first day of the War with Mexico, and it’s May 8, 1846. The Mexican Army is just across the prairie and dense chaparral, which is bursting with yellow wildflowers. The soldiers on the other side are close but not quite in clear sight. Cannon fire is all around me. And then I ride down the Mexican front line, for the Palo Alto National Battlefield in Brownsville provides both vantage points. The asphalt walking paths on the historic battle lines are perfect bike lanes. This morning, I hear (if in my imagination only) the sounds of the first battle of the war: cannon fire, soldiers shouting, horses neighing.

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Bicycle World of Brownsville 1275 N. Expressway Brownsville, TX 78520 (956) 541-9712 bicycleworldrgv.com

This site, now under the care of the National Park Service, remains largely untouched since the first battle of the War with Mexico 170 years ago. Flags and cannons mark the open prairie, making it easy to imagine and wonder about the events and the emotions of the day. Inside the Visitor Center, exhibits tell the story of the events leading up to the battle and the consequences of the war, which dramatically increased the size of the nation. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 ceded vast stretches of land to the United States, and established the national border of Mexico at the Rio Grande River. In less than a mile — on bike or by foot — visitors get a sense of the battlefield and the opening moments of the war. A bonus for the visitor: the Palo Alto National Battlefield is the northern

YOU ARE THERE: Interactive panels along the paths at the Palo Alto Battlefield provide historical insights for pedestrians and cyclists alike.

COURTESY MATT WALTER

7th and Park (located one block from the southern terminus of the Brownsville Historic Battlefield Trail) 1554 E. 7th St. Brownsville, TX 78520 (956) 335-5598 seventhandpark.com

BLAST FROM THE PAST: While both Mexican and American troops employed field artillery during the Battle of Palo Alto, Gen. Zachary Taylor’s 18-pound siege cannons proved particularly effective in repelling the enemy.

point of the nearly 10-mile-long Brownsville Historic Battlefield Hike and Bike Trail, which reaches down to the Mitte Cultural District near downtown Brownsville and makes it easy to experience the entire city on foot or by bicycle. A short distance from the trail’s midpoint is the site of the second battle of the War with Mexico, the Resaca de la Palma Battlefield, also managed by the National Park Service. That battle took place a day after Palo Alto, on May 9; both days, the Mexican army retreated in disorder. By May 11, when war was formally declared, the Mexican army was again across the Rio Grande, and the rest of the war took place on Mexican soil. A small portion of the Resaca de la Palma battlefield remains intact. Today, visitors can enjoy both battlefield sites free of charge. Along the B r o wnsville Palo Alto Battlefield H i s t o r i c 600 feet north of the corner of Battlefield Hike FM1847 and FM 511/FM550 (956) 541-2785 x 333 and Bike Trail, www.nps.gov/paal cyclists and walkers get a sense of HOURS 8 am–5 pm daily this city, which is Free of charge rapidly becoming a bicycle-friendly town. In a few Resaca de la Palma 1024 Paredes Line Rd. short years, city (956) 541-2785 x333 leaders (with assistance from HOURS the state nonprofTuesday through Saturday 9 am–3 pm it Bike Texas and Brownsville Convention several national partners) have and Visitors Center made dramatic (800) 626-2639 www.brownsville.org improvements in their infrastructure and culture. In 2015, Brownsville was recognized with a Bronze Award as a Bicycle-Friendly Community from the League of American Bicyclists. The Battlefield Trail is one of several satisfying cycling trails and routes, currently representing 64 miles across the city, connecting museums and the zoo, a state park and the downtown business district. S PR I N G 2 0 1 7

EATS & DRINKS

MEETING HOUSE: Scholz Garten (then and now) has entertained a mix of politicians and writers, business leaders and artists since its 1866 opening. Scholz’s historic bar and countertop have remained largely unchanged over the decades. Opposite page: August Scholz opened his establishment (top) after the Civil War. Today, the popular tavern features an open-air live music stage out back (bottom).

Austin’s Scholz Garten

Three centuries of suds and scuttlebutt

Legislature conducts its biennial business of hearings, resolutions and bills, there’s an equally rich history of a caucus site just outside the Capitol. Known as the “oldest tavern continuously operating at one location” in Texas, Scholz Garten opened in 1866. “After the Civil War, the Republicans at the time — who would now be Democrats — would

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KAY ELLINGTON

meet at Buass’s Garden,” says Mike Miller, managing archivist of the Austin History Center, and the Democrats at the time — who would now be Republicans — would meet at Scholz Garten, In 1874, when Republicans fell out of favor throughout the South and the Democrats took over state government, Buass’s went away. There just wasn’t enough business for them.”

Billy Lee Brammer’s political roman à clef The Gay Place (1961), a Texas literary classic, describes Scholz Garten in detail as a watering hole the novel calls the Dearly Beloved Beer and Garden Party. In more current times, wakes for both the late Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock (1999) and political journalist Molly Ivins (2007) were held there. “Ann Richards was a

fan of their nachos,” Miller says. “We had an event there a few years back to honor Richards, and there were still wait staff working there who’d served her.” Scholz Garten has been the continuous meeting place of Texans from all walks of life, including pioneers, Texas legislators, writers, University of Texas students, business leaders and dignitaries.

AUSTIN

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Scholz Garten 1607 San Jacinto Blvd. Austin TX 78701 (512) 474-1958

HOURS

Open daily 11 am–11 pm scholzgarten.com

VISIT AUSTIN

austintexas.org/visit

FROM LEFT: AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER; KEVIN TROTMAN/FLICKR

AS THE 85TH Texas

since 1879 and is the present owner of the property, though it leases the bar and restaurant operations. The Sängerrunde also operates a bowling alley on the property, and holds dances throughout the year for its members and guests. It’s the oldest ethnic organization in Austin. Scholz Garten is a City of Austin Landmark, a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark and a National Register-listed property.

FROM TOP: AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER; SCHOLZ GARTEN/FACEBOOK

Born in 1825 in Germany, August Scholz found himself embroiled in the Civil War shortly after immigrating to Texas. He entered the conflict on the side of the Confederacy until the war ended in 1865. It was then he decided to open a tavern in Austin. Scholz’s Hall, as it was then called, became famous for concerts, dances and social functions in subsequent years. The Austin Sängerrunde, a German singing group, has been meeting at Scholz Garten

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EATS & DRINKS

“MIS-STEAK”? The origin of the legendary dish may be in dispute, but the tradition is real. Just ask participants in the Chicken Fried Steak Cookoff.

Lamesa’s Chicken Fried Steak Festival by

LONG AGO, in 1911,

between the arrival of the railroad and electricity out in the West Texas town of Lamesa (you can sing it to the Marty Robbins tune, but LAMESA • be sure to pronounce it luh-MEE-suh), short-order cook Jimmy Don Perkins served up the world’s first chicken fried steak. Make that chicken fried mis-steak, since, as the

BARBARA BRANNON

story goes, the dish came about by accident when ol’ Jimmy Don glommed together the waitress’ separate orders for chicken, (note the comma) and fried steak. Except it didn’t exactly happen that way. To be precise, it didn’t happen at all. The legend of the Lamesa chicken fried steak was cooked up as humorous fiction in 1975

by then Austin AmericanStatesman writer Larry BeSaw and a few friends. Though none of the myth’s perpetrators ever expected the piece to have legs, the state’s media outlets swallowed the story whole and re-ran it as a feature. And the rest, as they say, is history. Make that, um, fable. But today the invention celebrates a real tradition of its own, with an annual Chicken Fried

Steak Festival held in Lamesa since 2011. That year the Texas legislature also appropriately declared the city “The Legendary Home of the Chicken Fried Steak.” The city’s Chicken Fried Steak Festival and Balloon Rally takes place this year April 28–30, with three full days of kids’ rides, horse-drawn carriages, pony rides, classic car show, team-roping competition, music and

7th Annual Chicken Fried Steak Festival and Balloon Rally Forrest Park 814 S. Houston Ave. Lamesa, TX 79331 Fri.–Sun., April 28–30 Admission to events in Forrest Park is free for all ages; ticket charges for dinner and rides apply. Contact the Lamesa Area Chamber of Commerce, (806) 872-2181, to reserve dinner tickets. ci.lamesa.tx.us/Index. aspx?NID=183

Dal Paso Museum 125 Main Ave. Mon., Thurs., and Sat., 2 pm–5 pm Contact the Lamesa Area Chamber of Commerce at (806) 872-2181.

VISIT LAMESA ci.lamesa.tx.us

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COURTESY LAMESA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Celebrating the meal and the myth

BARBARA BRANNON/TEXAS PLAINS TRAIL

dance, food and beverage, wine tasting, hot-air ballooning and, of course, lots of FUN IN FORREST PARK: chicken fried steak. Kids and grownups alike Friday evening features a handenjoy Lamesa’s annual Chicken Fried Steak made chicken-fried steak dinner at the Festival. Community Center in scenic Forrest Park, followed by band performances on the adjacent Plaza Stage from 9 p.m. until midnight. Hot-air balloons take off at sunrise on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday night the balloons put on a dramatic Fire Fest for spectators, and a band performs afterward on the Plaza Stage. But the festival’s pièce de resistance is the Chicken Fried Steak Cookoff. 3 p.m. Mmm, mmm. Jimmy Don Perkins would be Contestants start cooking at 10 a.m. Saturday; winproud of ’em. ners are announced at the Community Center at

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EATS & DRINKS

OFF THE BEATEN PATH: Come for the world famous onion rings and specialty burgers (top right photo). But leave room for dessert (bottom right photo).

Easy as Pie in Hico The Koffee Kup serves up a hearty helping of Southern comfort

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ELIZABETH HOGUE

and the sweet smells of their signature burgers. It runs like a Southern diner, complete with a wide selection of menu items for all three meals. Awards decorate the walls — accolades ranging from Hico Historic Preservation’s Heritage Award to a selection as one of Texas Monthly’s 40 Best Cafés. Dozens of salt shakers make for an entertaining view and fun conversation topic. By the time your food is ready, you’ll find yourself wondering why anyone would need a shaker in the shape of a kangaroo.

and

MEGAN FORGEY

From its opening in 1968, Koffee Kup has served its community with a friendliness that can only come from a restaurant rooted in family values. The Koffee Kup was first purchased by Jack Allen in 1970 and then solely owned by his son Lynn, who added longtime employees and friends Irene Leach and Pat Johnson as his partners in 2010. After Lynn lost his fight with cancer in early 2016, Irene and Pat became co-owners, devoted to preserving Koffee Kup’s rich history. Getting your fill of

the Koffee Kup’s lengthy narrative and down-home friendliness is easy. They’re open seven days a week, have three separate dining areas and room for 116 hungry travelers and locals. Koffee Kup’s menu has options varying from Southern-style comfort food to a fun spin on the classic Tex-Mex. They serve up dishes like chicken fried steak, fried pickles and even fried ham sandwiches. The most recommended items on the menu are the eight Signature Specialty Burgers, uniquely named after Lynn’s family

Koffee Kup Family Restaurant 300 W. 2nd St. Intersection of TX 6 & US 281 (254) 796-4839 koffeekupfamilyrestaurant.com

HOURS

6 am–9:30 pm daily

VISIT HICO hico-tx.com

HICO

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COURTESY KOFFEE KUP

WHEN YOU think of famous and established restaurants, the last thing that comes to mind is a small town’s roadside pit stop. Yet here, in a city with a population fewer than 1,500, is Hico’s very own Koffee Kup. The family restaurant hides itself well, tucked away from major cities far along on Highway 281. However removed, the restaurant is certainly not short on character. From the moment you step inside the stone-covered building, you’re surrounded by the sizzling sound of their “world famous” onion rings

members. Their most popular burger, the Scottster (named after one of Lynn’s sons, Scott), consists of a hearty burger topped with jalapeños and bacon. And while the Koffee Kup offers all kinds of hearty meals, they’re most famous for their desserts: their pies. It’s hard to miss Koffee Kup’s motto, “Pie Fixes Everything,” nailed above the dessert case. Their pies are made fresh daily, mixing classic and unique flavors for fun combinations. One of the most popular, the Doctor’s Office, consists of vanilla custard with coconut and a pecan topping. The restaurant’s true specialty isn’t simply the icebox pies but the meringue topping that sits impressively upon them. The meringue, a delicate balance of light and sturdy, reaches almost four inches high. According to Leach, it took three years of researching and testing to achieve the level of perfection that graces these unique desserts. Koffee Kup meringue is an old secret family recipe, and their most popular to-go item is the stabilizer they sell in packets to try at home. The recipe includes a delicate mix of sugar, cream and (get this) a form of seaweed from the banks of Australia. Being on the crossroads of Highways 281 and 6 has made this small-town favorite the perfect place to enjoy a delicious meal. Combine this with the quaint town of Hico, and you’ll be thankful you left the hustle and bustle of city life behind. Hico is famous for many things, including their friendliness and lively downtown, but the star of Hico has always been the Koffee Kup. Serving their community for almost 50 years, Koffee Kup Family Restaurant proves that some things only get better with time.

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LIFE DEEP IN THE ART

PATCHWORK: (from left) Grandmother’s Flower Garden and exterior quilt mural by Brent McCarthy; Morning Mist by Linda Anderson.

Texas Quilt Museum

Celebrating an art form in La Grange

Texas Quilt Museum 140 W. Colorado St. La Grange, TX 78945 (979) 968-3104 texasquiltmuseum.org

HOURS

Thursday-Saturday 10 am–4 pm Sundays noon–4 pm

RICK STRYKER

and skill that goes into making a beautiful quilt? I’ll MONG THE FIRST gifts commemorating the birth of each of my children were quilts bet my wife and I are not alone in our effort to preserve custom-made by Aunt Jean. Each of my now and enjoy quilts made by past generations of skilled quilters in our family. grown children cherishes the gift and A venue in La Grange, the Texas Quilt are passing its enjoyment along to their children. Museum, celebrates quilts and quilt making Similar stories are told around the globe. year-round with a series of changing exhibits. Quilting is a big thing in Texas and It opened in 2011 in a beautifully restored around the world. There are over 150 quilt • LA GRANGE 19th-century storefront within sight of the guilds in Texas alone. The largest gathering Fayette County courthouse. This museum was of quilt practitioners in the world is held annucofounded by Nancy O’Bryant Puentes and Karey ally in Houston at the International Quilt Festival. Many museums across the state also present annual Bresenhan, authors of the three-volume series Lone exhibits of quilts. Who can’t appreciate the creativity Stars: A Legacy of Texas Quilts. (The most recent volume

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Closed Thanksgiving Day, as well as Christmas through New Year’s Day.

ADMISSION

General $8 Seniors and Students $6 Tours of 20+ when arranged in advance $6 each

Visitors Center 254 N. Jefferson Street (979) 968-3017 visitlagrangetx.com

HOURS

Monday–Friday 9 am–5 pm Saturday 10 am–5 pm Sunday 12 pm–5 pm Closed Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day

COURTESY TEXAS QUILT MUSEUM

was published by the University of Texas Press in 2011.) The three galleries of the museum comprise 10,000 square feet in spaces you’d swear were designed for the display of quilts rather than for an 1890s vintage furniture store. On exhibit through March 25 is “Sacred Threads 2015,” which explores themes of spirituality, joy, inspiration, peace, grief and healing. Also on exhibit is “SAQA’s Tranquility Exhibition.” It features 26 works from members of the Studio Art Quilt Associates on the theme of tranquility. And finally, “Quilts: A World of Beauty Prize Winners 2016” features 32 awardwinning quilts from the prestigious annual Juried Show of the International Quilt Association. The same aesthetic that’s appreciated through the artistry in the museum can be enjoyed in the period garden — named “Grandmother’s Flower Garden” after a beloved Depression-era quilt pattern — in the adjacent lot. The simple parterre style is typical of “city gardens” in Fayette County and Central Texas constructed around the time of the buildings — 1890 through the 1930s. The garden has four central beds with perimeter beds on three sides. The side of the museum building facing the garden has been taken over by a mural of quilt designs. The formality of the period garden relates well with the formal and colorful quilts depicted in the mural.

HANGING GARDENS: . The Texas Quilt Museum is housed in two historic 1890s buildings, which provide a showcase for both antique and contemporary quilt art — like Baltimore in Bloom (above) by Sally McGee — with high ceilings, brick walls and original hardwood floors. Recently, the museum welcomed visitors from Chile, bringing the total of countries represented by guests to 52.

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DEEP IN THE ART

WORK OF ART: From an abandoned warehouse and meat-locker plant, culture was born.

Green Apple Art Center Beginning each spring, live music’s on the calendar in Eden ELIZABETH TEARE

HAT DOES A city in the middle of Texas do with an abandoned wool warehouse, feed store and meat-locker plant? Eden was already known for its municipal golf courses and as a popular destination for hunters heading out into the Hill Country, but for a small group of dedicated individuals, Eden was seriously lacking cultural arts. With one thing leading to another and a significant renovation, a set of decrepit buildings became a live music venue: the Green Apple Art Center, which now brings live music to Eden in an intimate setting. Green Apple began its first music series in May 2013. The series of monthly concerts starts each spring and continues through the fall, bringing well-known performers like Slaid Cleaves and Jimmy LaFave to Eden. Before the center was established, Eden music fans would have to travel more than 40 minutes to San Angelo if they wanted to see any sort of performance. Now, Green Apple sells tickets to Texans coming from

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Lubbock, Sweetwater and even the Live Music Capital itself, Austin. Craig Pfluger, the music coordinator at Green Apple, says the music quality is “comparable to what you can get in one of the theaters in Austin or Dallas.” The Center takes pride in the caliber of performers it brings to Eden, as well as the quality of the venue’s acoustics. A tech crew — “the greatest sound people we could ever want,” Pfluger says — created an immersive music experience for the 150-seat house. The listening room provides comfortable seats in a theater-style set up. Visitors embrace the intimacy, Pfluger says, and appreciate the ability to interact with the musicians. The historic buildings serve as the main décor for the venue, while the city’s cultural heritage remains intact. During the renovation, Eden city employees maintained each building’s original façade, and an Eden Wool & Mohair sign lingers behind the stage, a reminder of Eden’s history. Pfluger notes the simplicity

Green Apple Art Center 301 S. Main St. Eden, TX 76837 (325) 869-2211 greenapplemusic.com

VISIT EDEN

edentexas.com

EDEN

•

PHOTOS COURTESY GREEN APPLE ART CENTER

COURTESY GREEN APPLE ART CENTER

INTIMATE: Green Apple introduced its first music series in 2013.

of the listening room’s concrete walls and opencasing windows. “There’s nothing fancy about our venue,” he says. “It’s simple, but you still feel like you’re transported somewhere else.” From its start, the Green Apple Art Center has brought Eden a new sense of community centered on the arts. And food. After a year of shows, the center decided to start including free food with the show tickets. Now, before each show, a social hour allows time for the music-goers to mingle while enjoying ribs, fajitas or whatever Texas cuisine has been cooked up for the night.

This year will feature another impressive lineup of musicians, including award-winning performers like Victor Wainwright & the WildRoots and the Black Lillies, along with Texans Ruthie Foster, Hayes Carll and Radney Foster. And though the people of Eden originally wondered where the dance floor was, now you can find regulars enjoying the atmosphere and music. “We’re blessed to have the audience we do,” Pfluger says. “These people are coming even if they don’t know anything about the performer.”

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DEEP IN THE ART STORYTELLING: (from top) Larry Gatlin, a native of Seminole, Texas, and a member of the country music group the Gatlin Brothers, wrote Quanah: Lord of the Plains, which received its world premiere staged reading in New York City in 2010; the Irving Arts Center, situated in a lush lakeside park, is home to the Lyric Stage Theatre as well as other arts groups.

NATIVE SON: Quanah Parker was born around 1845, possibly at Cedar Lake near presentday Seminole, Texas. Son of Comanche warrior Peta Nocona and Anglo captive Cynthia Ann Parker, Parker grew to be a powerful and respected chief of the Kwahadi Comanches.

CAPTION HEAD: Caption

A Story in Two Worlds

BARBARA BRANNON

and JILL

CAMPBELL JORDAN

The history of Quanah Parker and the Comanches UANAH PARKER, the Comanche chief who bridged the worlds of Native Americans drew him to visit Palo Duro Canyon in 2013 to present a Gatlin Brothers concert in the amphitheater surand white settlers — as well as the rounded by the same canyon walls Quanah once ways of the nineteenth and twendefended. tieth centuries — has been the subject of The world premiere of Gatlin’s musical will numerous stories. This spring, his story • IRVING take place April 28 at the Lyric Stage Theatre in will be reimagined in a stage musical, by Irving. Quanah: Lord of the Plains is the musical country music performer Larry Gatlin. journey of the Comanche chief Quanah Parker and Gatlin, who was born in the West Texas his mother Cynthia Ann Parker, who was kidnapped city of Seminole (a place Quanah himself traveled to late in life in search of his uncertain birthplace), has long as a girl and raised by the Comanches as one of their been fascinated with the Comanche leader’s legend. own. It runs April 28 through May 7.

Quanah: Lord of the Plains Music, story and lyrics by Larry Gatlin Lyric Stage Theatre Carpenter Hall at the Irving Arts Center

HOURS

Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday shows, April 28–May 7 Box office: (972) 252-2787 (ARTS) Tues.–Sat. noon–5 pm lyricstage.org

VISIT IRVING irvingtexas.com

VISIT DALLAS visitdallas.com

VISIT FORT WORTH fortworth.com

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: PUBLIC DOMAN; COURTESY LYRIC STAGE; COURTESY IRIVING ARTS CENTER

Larry Gatlin premieres Quanah at Irving’s Lyric Stage Theatre

WHILE YOU’RE THERE:

Fort Worth Stockyards fortworthstockyards.org

Quanah Parker was a frequent visitor to the Stockyards; a Texas historical marker, a bronze statue and two stars on the Texas Trail of Fame commemorate his life.

“Cynthia Ann and Quanah Parker: A Woman OF Two Worlds and a Man IN Two Worlds” March 4–May 21, 2017 Carpenter Lobby Irving Arts Center

This traveling exhibit of 40 rarely seen photographs documents the stories of Cynthia Ann Parker and Quanah Parker, two important names in U.S. frontier history. Much can to be learned from the dramatic story of these two courageous individuals. In 1836, an Indian raiding party took Cynthia Ann from her family and, over the following years, she became wife to a Comanche chief and mother to three children, including Quanah. Cynthia Ann was recaptured by Texas Rangers and never again saw her eldest son; Quanah became one of the most important Comanche leaders both in war and peace.

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Live Show S P R I N G 20 1 7

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo March 7–26 NRG Park 1 NRG Park Houston, TX 77054 (832) 667-1000 rodeohouston.com

HOUSTON knows how to put on a big show. “The Houston

COURTESY HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO

Livestock Show and Rodeo proudly celebrates our Western heritage,” says president and CEO Joel Cowley, “in a manner that brings the nation’s fourth largest and • most diverse city together as a true community.” The first Houston Fat Stock Show and Livestock Exposition was held in 1932 at the Democratic Convention Hall in downtown Houston in the midst of the Great Depression. The focus of the early years of the event was on livestock and education. The population of Houston had more than doubled in the preceding decade to approximately 295,000, and the Fat Stock Show was a way to connect the increasingly urban city to their more rural heritage, to promote the livestock industry and to boost the spirits of its citizens suffering through a major economic downturn. After a decade of hosting the event, organizers were looking to add more excitement — as a way to appeal to a broader audience. In 1942 Gene Autry, the “Singing Cowboy,” was the show’s first

superstar entertainer. This success set the course in a direction that would eventually make the event the largest of its kind in the United States. In 1961 the Fat Stock Show changed its name to what it is today, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR). In 1966 the show moved to a new location at the Astrodome complex. In 1974 the show added the first World’s Championship BarB-Que Contest, along with performances by Elvis Presley. Elvis’ first show of the day set an attendance record of 43,944, then at his second show he broke that record, drawing 44,175, for a one-day attendance record of 88,119. The King of Rock ’n’ Roll made concerts the king of the stock show from that point forward. Tejano superstar Selena broke the attendance record at the Astrodome in 1993 by drawing a crowd of 57,894 fans, then broke it again in 1994 and again in 1995 with over 67,000 fans. In 2002 George Strait set the paid attendance record with 68,266. In 2003 the event moved to Reliant Stadium and Reliant Center. Brooks & Dunn (2006), Hannah Montana (2008) and Ramón Ayala and Alacranes Musical (2009) all set new attendance records. In 2013 George Strait, Martina McBride and the Randy Rogers Band set a new concert record with 80,020. In 2015 La Arrolladora Banda El Limón & La Maquinaria Norteña set the all-time paid rodeo attendance record on “Go Tejano Day” with 75,357, and in 2016 Banda Los Recoditos & Los Huracanes Del Norte topped that at 75,508. The 2017 HLSR will feature over 20 concert performances including Willie Nelson, ZZ Top, Aaron Watson, Brad Paisley, Meghan Trainor, Banda El Recodo, Alicia Keys and Alan Jackson. But the concerts are just a part of this event. In 2016 the total attendance at all HLSR events totaled more than 2.4 million people. Now that’s a big show. .

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LIVE SHOW

Star-Spangled Sports Cars APRIL 22 BOERNE, TEXAS (830) 249-7277 VisitBoerne.org texas-corvette-association.com WHAT DO ROYALTY, parades, car-

nivals, art, music, food, dance, history, a 5K run, cascarones and Corvettes all have in common? • Fiesta San Antonio, an epic 10-day celebration in one of the greatest cities in the world. Fiesta San Antonio began in 1891 as a one-parade event to honor the memory of the heroes of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto. That commemoration still takes place, but for more than a century, Fiesta has grown into a celebration of San Antonio’s rich and diverse cultures. It’s also one of the nation’s premier festivals, with an economic impact of more than $284 million for the Alamo City. Fiesta is the Party with a Purpose, as the funds raised by official Fiesta events provide services to San Antonio citizens throughout the year. But wait — how do Corvettes fit in with the other richly colorful, cultural events produced by legendary organizations like the Texas Cavaliers, Daughters of the Republic of Texas and the Order of the Alamo? They’re just cars, right? Not according to the leaders of the Texas Corvette Association. The Corvette, the ultimate sports car for some, produced its first generation back in 1953. Polo white and red interior was the only color combination. Options included interior door handles; “clip in” side curtains were a substitute for roll-up windows. Seven generations later, Corvettes are still being

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manufactured in Bowling Green, Ky., and are considered the official sports car of the Bluegrass State. Cofounded in 1979 by Air Force members Craig L. Main and William H. Clower, the TCA was formed as an organization catering to Corvette owners. The two men designed flyers, which they distributed to friends; eight people attended the first meeting in Landa Park in New Braunfels. Main and Clower figured that when they were stationed elsewhere, the group might fade, but they were determined to offer services to Corvette owners of the city. The original by-laws bear a striking resemblance to the ones in use today. Still, what does all of this have to do with Fiesta San Antonio? The Texas Corvette Association’s Annual Open Car Show is held during Fiesta and is the only Fiesta-sanctioned event held outside the city. TCA had already been a longtime charitable organization, working with St. Jude’s Ranch for Children as the recipient of 100 percent of the annual car shows proceeds, and the St. Jude’s organization was already heavily involved with the Fiesta Commission as one of four charities receiving funds from Fiesta proceeds. TCA applied to have its event sanctioned and was granted status in 2007 because of its work with St. Jude’s. Shortly after, the Fiesta Commission stopped sanctioning events outside the city, but the Annual Corvette Show was grandfathered in, making it the only such event. This fabulous car show is located in historic downtown Boerne, in the heart of the Hill Country. Main Street, also known as the Hill Country Mile, becomes the site where hundreds of Corvettes — every style, year and color combination — line up, and the owners are all there to brag about their automobiles. Not a car fan? Take in the scene of beautiful Boerne with its shops, restaurants, live music venues and wonderful historic Hill Country charm. Fiesta 2017 will be April 20–30, and the Corvette Show in Boerne is all day Saturday, April 22. Viva Fiesta and Viva Corvettes!

COURTESY BOERNE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU

DRIVING FORCE: Corvettes line Main Street in Boerne for the Texas Corvette Association’s Annual Open Car Show, the lone Fiestasanctioned event held outside San Antonio.

Happenings S P R I N G 20 1 7

DO-NOT-MISS STUFF TO DO AROUND TEXAS

BRAZOS TRAIL

FORTS TRAIL

FOREST TRAIL

HILL COUNTRY INDEPENDENCE TRAIL TRAIL

LAKES TRAIL

“an absolutely unmatched masterpiece of visual anthropology, and one of the most thorough, extensive and profound photograph works of all time.”

PLAINS TRAIL REGION

MOUNTAIN TRAIL

PECOS TRAIL

cannon and musket firing lines, historical encampments and commemorative programs so guests can experience life in Texas in 1836.

FORTS TRAIL REGION PECOS TRAIL REGION

BRAZOS TRAIL REGION

HILL COUNTRY TRAIL REGION

TROPICAL TRAIL REGION

March

INDEPENDENCE TRAIL REGION

TROPICAL TRAIL

The Best Little Cowboy Gathering in Texas LA GRANGE

March 9–12 bestlittlecowboygathering.org

LAKES TRAIL REGION

MOUNTAIN TRAIL REGION

PLAINS TRAIL

FOREST TRAIL REGION

Texas Independence Day Celebration Washington on the Brazos March 4–5 wheretexasbecametexas.org Texas Independence Day Celebration (TIDC) is an annual two-day celebration held on the expansive 293acre park grounds. The birthday celebration features live music, food, traditional crafts, living history presentations,

Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show & Rodeo MERCEDES

March 8–19 rgvls.com The 78th annual festival will feature live performances, festival foods, parades, horse shows, a cooking contest, competitive livestock events, exhibits, petting zoos and family-friendly shows.

This celebration of cowboy culture takes place at the Fayette County Fairgrounds. The event features a variety of live music, including country, Western swing and old cowboy classics. Also showcased are fine cowboy arts and crafts, vintage furniture and other delightful Western wares. And don’t forget about the Best Little Cook-Off in Texas, with teams competing across several delicious categories.

Edward S. Curtis: Treasures from the North American Indian

COURTESY WASHINGTON-ON-THE-BRAZOS STATE HISTORIC SITE

SAN MARCOS

Now through Dec. 3 The Wittliff Collections at Texas State University (512) 245-2313 thewittliffcollections.txstate. edu Intended by Curtis to document the “vanishing race,” the North American Indian, this exhibit is produced in lavish style with the patronage of J. Pierpont Morgan and contains one of the largest visual and ethnographic records of Native Americans in existence. According to author and critic A.D. Coleman, it is

Llano Earth Art Festival LLANO

March 10–13 (325)247-2500 llanoearthartfest.org A wholly unique celebration of art in nature, the festival is the home of the 2017 Rock Stacking World Championship. Awe-inspiring earth art installations abound. The family-friendly celebration includes live music, juried vendors, theme camps, performance arts, and excellent food and drink. Participatory fun for all ages.

Texas Independence Day Celebration at Washington-on-theBrazos State Historic Site

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classic vehicle show and even a Donegal Beard contest. The parade kicks off at 800 N. Main St. on Saturday

Chisholm Trail Scavenger Hunt Chisholm Trail Scavenger Hunt

this annual event serves as a tribute to her, as well as to the cultural contributions of Tejano music worldwide.

FORT WORTH

March 11–19 (Spring Break) and June 1–30 (Summer) National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame (817) 509-8697 cowgirl.net

Branding of the American West: Paintings and Films 1900-1950 ORANGE

March 11-–Sept. 9 Stark Cultural Venues (409) 866-2787 starkculturalvenues.org The exhibition presents a unique examination of 20th-century images of the American West.

Nederland Heritage Festival NEDERLAND

March 14–19 (409) 724-2269 nederlandhf.org The rich heritage of the Dutch is on display at this festival and features the Windmill Museum and Arcadian House in Tex Ritter Park. Visitors will enjoy a carnival, costumed characters, music and the famed Cuisine Walk.

Spring Break Hike MOODY

March 8, 15 Mother Neff State Park (254) 853-2389

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Get outside this Spring Break, and take a hike through the park with a ranger. Spring Event at the Silos WACO

March 16–18 Magnolia Market (254) 235-6111 wacoheartoftexas.com A three-day festival featuring additional vendors and food trucks. Open all three days from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Nederland Heritage Festival

Texas’ Official St. Patrick’s Day Celebration SHAMROCK

March 16–19 (806) 256-2501 shamrocktexas.net A seven-decades-old celebration in a historic Route 66 community, “Deep in the Heart of Shamrock” offers something for revelers of all ages: parade, street vendors, carnival, chili cook-off, 5K run, motorcycle rally, beauty pageant, dance, health fair,

Fiesta de la Flor Music Festival CORPUS CHRISTI

March 24–25 North Bayfront Park fiestadelaflor.com Celebrates the life and legacy of Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, known to her many admirers as the Queen of Tejano. Selena’s impact on so many has been immeasurable, and

COLLEGE STATION

March 25–26 Museum of the American G.I. (979) 446-6888 AmericanGIMuseum.org Largest event of its kind in Texas with award-winning living history displays, military swap meet and World War II Battle reenactment.

Texas Wine and Rogue Art Fest SALADO

March 25–26 Salado Winery & Salado Wine Seller (254) 947-8011 saladowinefestival.com The village of Salado will be filled with folks sipping wine, browsing art and nibbling on food at the 10th annual Texas Wine and Rogue Art Fest, the best wine festival between Austin and Grapevine.

American Chuck Wagon Association (ACWA) Championship Cook Off FREDERICKSBURG

March 30–April 1 Gillespie County Fairgrounds ftmartinscott.org The American Chuck Wagon Association (ACWA) Championship Cook Off, held in conjunction with the celebration of the 150th Anniversary of the Chisholm Trail, will take place at the Texas Rangers Heritage Center at Fort Martin Scott. The ACWA Championship Cook Off will include 15 to 20 prequalified chuck wagon teams who’ve won in previous competitions across the U.S.

FROM TOP: FORT WORTH CVB, COURTESY NEDERLAND HERITAGE FESTIVAL

Learn about the West and the Chisholm Trail through our Spring Break scavenger hunt! This year’s scavenger hunt celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Chisholm Trail with trail-themed activities that will take you through the Cowgirl Museum and other cultural institutions in Fort Worth.

Living History Weekend morning at 10:30 a.m. and proceeds to the water tower (the tallest of its kind in Texas); that night, Jason Boland & the Stragglers play for the 9 p.m. dance. Tickets for banquet and dance are available online.

Outlaws and Legends Music Festival Palo Duro Canyon

ABILENE

including home décor, gardening, artists, craftsmen, jewelry and more. At the Chappell Hill Museum Exhibit Gallery, a special wildflower photo exhibit will be on display.

March 31–April 1 (325) 518-9977 outlawsandlegends.com This 7th annual music fest, benefiting Ben Richey Boys Ranch, returns to the Back Porch of Texas. Different than other festivals, Outlaws and Legends has several options to fit your brand of experience, whether that’s general admission front and center at the stage; at your own private tailgate with 15-30 of your friends; RVing in the park; or at one of our high-class VIP options that include skyboxes, presidential floor suites or tables under the Event Center with artists.

Folkfest NEW BRAUNFELS April 8–9 Texas Handmade Furniture Museum (830) 629-6504 texashandmadefurniture.org/ events A 19th-century heritage festival with costumed troops of soldiers and chuck wagon demonstrations. Kids will join in the fun with hands-on activities from pioneer days.

gemshow.html The 28th Annual Alpine Gem and Mineral Show features Big Bend Agates plus specimens from around the world.

Thin Line X – Film, Music and Photo Festival DENTON

April 19–23 (888) 893-4560 discoverdenton.com Take part in this film, music and photography festival held over five days. Thin Line delivers a program of high-quality documentary films, worldclass music and a diverse selection of photography.

Fiesta San Antonio

has developed into a nationally recognized musical event that’s also all-ages friendly.

SAN ANTONIO

April 20–30 fiesta-sa.org The 125th annual Fiesta San Antonio boasts more than 100 events. With almost 3.5 million people attending, Fiesta is one of the biggest festivals in the United States, a top-three festival in Texas and the largest in San Antonio. It’s held to honor the memory of the heroes of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto, celebrating the diverse heritage, culture and spirit of San Antonio.

Trappings of Texas ALPINE

April 20–22 Museum of the Big Bend (432) 837-8730 museumofthebigbend.com/ trappings-of-texas For the past 31 years, the Museum of the Big Bend has exhibited some of the best cowboy gear and Western art in the longest-running event of its kind in the country. The event features a preview party on Thursday, grand opening exhibit and sale on Friday, and

Old Settler’s Music Festival

April

Fort Richardson Days JACKSBORO

Hide & Horn on the Chisholm Trail FORT WORTH

Jan. 6–May 28 Sid Richardson Museum (817) 332-6554 sidrichardsonmuseum.org This exhibition will include rarely seen items from the Rees-Jones Collection, another private collection and the Sid Richardson Museum. Displays will include an 1873 trail map and guidebook for drovers, one of the four most important books on the cattle industry and one of the best books about the Texas longhorn cattle breed during the 19th century.

Official Bluebonnet Festival of Texas

COURTESY JOHN GRUBBS

CHAPPELL HILL

April 8–9 (979) 836-6033 chappellhillhistoricalsociety. com The festival features more than 250 juried exhibitors,

April 8 (940) 567-3506 tpwd.texas.gov/calendar/fortrichardson/fort-richardsondays Visit with Buffalo Soldiers and historical reenactors as they take you back to the 1860s and 1870s to experience life on the frontier.

59th Annual Permian Basin Art Exhibition ODESSA

April 11–May 14 Ellen Noel Museum (432) 550-9696 noelartmuseum.org Juried art exhibit and sale of area artists’ works on display during regular museum hours. No admission.

Alpine Gem & Mineral Show ALPINE

April 14–16 Alpine Civic Center (432) 729-4526 moonlightgemstones.com/

U.S. Cavalry Association Regional Competition SAN ANGELO

April 19–22 Fort Concho (325) 481-2646 fortconcho.com/events.htm Following the rules and guidelines of the United States Cavalry Association (USCA), events include field instruction, combat horsemanship, and competition in jumping, pistol and saber.

Old Settler’s Music Festival

additional opening weekend events. The exhibit continues through May.

DRIFTWOOD

April 20–23 The Salt Lick Pavilion (512) 383-1748 oldsettlersmusicfest.org The festival at Salt Lick Pavilion/Camp Ben McCulloch brings thousands of live music fans out to enjoy the shady spring days while jamming to tunes from a mix of genres. Since its inception in 1987, the festival

Wild West Fest ANDREWS

April 21–23 (432) 523-2695 andrewstx.com/pages/Home This event features the best of the Wild West, including living history, ranch rodeo and plenty of shopping.

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than 150 visual artists from around the nation displaying and selling original paintings, drawings, pottery, sculpture, and works in fiber, leather, jewelry, glass and wood. Admission $4 for adults, children 12 and under free when accompanied by an adult.

Texas SandFest

Texas SandFest PORT ARANSAS

April 21–23 (361) 749-2066 www.texassandfest.org The annual Texas SandFest is the largest master sand sculpting competition in the United States. The three-day festival attracts world-class sculptors. Each year, more than 100,000 people attend this family-friendly festival. Sand sculpting contests and lessons, unique jewelry, art, crafts, music and food are available.

3rd Annual Mile-High Chili Cook Off FORT DAVIS

April 23 Davis Mountains State Park

Palo Pinto County Driving Tour MINERAL WELLS

April 29 (940) 325-2557 palopintohistory.com

325-2557) or the Possum Kingdom Chamber of Commerce (940-779-2424).

39th Annual Lubbock Arts Festival LUBBOCK

April 22–23 Lubbock Memorial Civic Center (806) 744-2787 lubbockarts.org Lubbock’s long-running festival fosters the creation, understanding and enjoyment of the arts— with more

COURTESY TEXAS SANDFEST

A self-paced driving tour that features some of the area’s most significant landmarks

and landscapes, including many historic sites that are generally closed to the public. Tickets are available for purchase at the various tour stops on the day of the event, and advance tickets can be purchased at the Mineral Wells Area Chamber of Commerce office (940-

Davis Mountains State Park, in cooperation with the Chili Appreciation Society International (CASI), is bringing good food, fun and delicious competition back to the mountains this spring with the third Annual MileHigh Chili Cook Off. Contests include best chili, best beans, best salsa and best in show. Prizes will be awarded for first place through third place in place chili, and for first place in all other categories. Park

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entrance fees are waived, and visitors can sample each of the competitors’ recipes by purchasing a “Throw-Down Pack” with a $4/person donation to the parks’ friends group, the Tierra Grande Master Naturalists. The pack includes a cup, spoon, bottle of water and napkin. All donations directly benefit the park and its visitors. Musical entertainment will be provided by the Last Call Band at noon, and chili tasting begins at 1 p.m.

46th Annual Bob Wills Day TURKEY

April 26–29 George H. Henderson Jr. Exposition Center (936) 634-6644 angelinabenefitrodeo.com

April 27–29 Bob Wills Museum (806) 423-1253 bobwillsday.com Enjoy a full weekend of Western swing in the scenic home of Bob Wills, with a downtown parade, arts and crafts show, and a free outdoor concert Saturday, April 29, at 1:30 p.m. featuring Friends of the Texas Playboys, Western swing Entertainer of the Year Billy Mata and Texas fiddle-man Jason Roberts. Dances Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Thursday dance tickets are $15.00; Friday & Saturday dance tickets are $20 per person.

This rodeo is an official stop on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) circuit and attracts more than 20,000 people each year.

2017 State Championship BBQ & Goat Cook Off

Angelina Benefit Rodeo LUFKIN

GOLDTHWAITE

April 28–29 (325) 648-3619 Freeport Riverfest FREEPORT

April 27–29 Freeport Municipal Park (979) 233-3306 freeportriverfest.com

Goldthwaite presents a weekend full of fun for the entire family from arts and crafts vendors, food vendors, 5k run/walk, kids fun run, washer tossing tournament, live music and an open rodeo.

A fun-filled weekend including a BBQ cook off, 5K, live music, craft and vendors.

Rodeo Corpus Christi CORPUS CHRISTI

FROM TOP: BARBARA BRANNON; BUCDAYS.COM

April 27–30 American Bank Center Arena (361) 826-4700 bucdays.com With total prize money reaching $200,000, Rodeo Corpus Christi attracts the top PRCA contestants. Over the years, fans have seen Ty Murray, Fred Whitfield, Joe Beaver, Roy Cooper, Trevor Brazile and Phil Lyne compete. The rodeo is a Top 50 rodeo in the world.

show and market features quilts hung around the courthouse and throughout downtown. Vendors present an array of unique offerings.

Western Heritage Classic ABILENE

sic car show — and a truly impressive hot-air balloon glow against the dramatic West Texas sky.

The Landmark Inn Players: Scenes from Spoon River Anthology CASTROVILLE

April 29 Landmark Inn State Historic Site (830) 931-2133 thc.texas.gov/historic-sites/ landmark-inn-state-historicsite Join the inaugural performance of The Landmark Inn Players as they present scenes from Edgar Lee Master’s historical collection, Spoon River Anthology. The show will be performed outside at sunset next to the gristmill along the Medina River. After the show, enjoy light refreshments with the cast and crew. Space is limited, reservations requested.

Buc Days Festival & Carnival CORPUS CHRISTI

May 4–14 Buc Days Park (361) 882-3242 bucdays.com Corpus Christi’s longest-running pirate festival is held on the beautiful bayfront. Buc Days has been held since 1938 with attendance at over 45,000 people. Live music, amusements and rides.

Conroe Americana Music Festival CONROE

May Chicken Fried Steak Festival & Balloon Rally LAMESA

April 28–30 Forrest Park (806) 872-4345 ci.lamesa.tx.us It’s fitting that Lamesa’s funfilled weekend features hot air in addition to hot foods, since it was a newsman’s long-ago tall tale about the invention of the ubiquitous Texas dish that spawned this family-friendly outdoor event with everything from the obligatory cook off to horsedrawn carriage rides, bounce houses, pet contest and clas-

Spring Artisans Market VICTORIA

May 4 Museum of the Coastal Bend (361) 582-2559 Museumofthecoastalbend. org Hand designs by regional artisans will be on display along with tea-hour snacks and demonstrations. The Museum of the Coastal Bend is located on the campus of Victoria College at the corner of Ben Jordan and Red River in historic Victoria.

May 5–7 (936) 344-3018 conroeamericanamusicfestival.com The Conroe Americana Music Festival is a grassroots premier festival featuring a mix of bluegrass, rockabilly, folk and Texas country with generally a full electric band.

Airing of the Quilts HUNTSVILLE

May 6 (936) 295-8322 tallpinesquiltguild.com/airing. html

May 11–14 Taylor County Expo Center (325) 677-4376 westernheritageclassic.com To preserve the heritage of the ranch cowboy, this event features a parade, the world’s largest bit and spur show, Western art, chuckwagon cook off,

ranch rodeo, nightly dances, invitational ranch horse sale, Ranch Horse Association of America (RHAA) Working Ranch Horse Competition, children’s rodeo events and lots of family fun.

ArtFest PORT ARANSAS

May 13–14 Roberts Point Park (361) 749-7334 portaransasartcenter.org This weekend festival features artist booths with original works for sale in all mediums. Music and food are available at this family-friendly event.

Texas’ oldest outdoor quilt

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SANTA ANNA

7th Annual Armed Forces Weekend Celebration and Fly-In BRADY

May 19–20 Curtis Field (325) 456-6726 morganmilitaryaviationmuseum.com Help us honor our heroes with lots of plane fun. Warbirds, warbird rides, reenactors, noon honor guard, museum exhibits, ’40sstyle hangar dance. Fly-in Saturday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

Fort Lancaster Western Frontier Days SHEFFIELD

May 20 (432) 836-4391 thc.texas.gov/historic-sites/ fort-lancaster-state-historic-site Western Frontier Days tell the story of Fort Lancaster with soldiers, settlers, wagons and live animals. Reenactors help visitors explore what life was like in the 1800s with cooking demonstrations, soldier duties, livestock, adobe brick making and the U.S. Army Camel Corps. A new visitor’s center and museum will allow visitors to gain a better understanding of Fort Lancaster while touring the fort’s exhibits and artifacts.

Wharton County Freedom Fest

May 20 (325) 348-3826 santaannatex.org Cooks from all over the Lone Star State and beyond test their recipes and their reputations not just on beef, chicken and pork but on buffalo. The event is sanctioned by the Texas Bison Association and by the Lone Star Barbecue Society. Partnered with the city-wide Funtier Days, featuring sidewalk sales, arts and crafts, games, rides, homemade pies and ice creams, and, of course, buffalo. This event is one for the entire family.

65th Annual Nocona Chisholm Trail Roundup Rodeo NOCONA

of the children’s classics Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little, Little House on the Prairie and Little Golden Books. The festival includes the Storybook Parade, dramatic book readings, costumed characters, art activities, animals, magic shows, balloons and Paramount movies. Williams’ artwork will be on display at the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature in downtown Abilene.

June 9–10 Chisholm Trail Arena (940) 825-3526 nocona.org Every year since 1952, Nocona has celebrated its Western heritage with the annual Chisholm Trail Round-Up Rodeo. Visitors can enjoy two nights of rodeo action with more than 350 participants competing for prize money in all of the traditional events. The rodeo kicks off with a community barbecue dinner and a big rodeo parade that winds through downtown Nocona. A community dance and Western bands round out the weekend on Saturday night.

“Lost Neighborhood” Self-Guided Tours DENISON

June 16–18 Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site (254) 760-5311 Take a self-guided tour of the neighborhood that once surrounded the Birthplace House. These houses are gone but their outlines will be drawn on the ground where they once stood. Pick up a tour program in the Visitors Center to find out what archeologists and historians have learned about these “lost” places.

WASP Homecoming SWEETWATER

May 27 National WASP WWII Museum (325) 235-0099 waspmuseum.org The luncheon speaker is Maj. Heather “Lucky” Penney. There will be an evening memorial ceremony and a dinner and dance in New Hanger No. 1.

WHARTON

Get a jump on Memorial Day celebrations in Wharton with a patriotic party on the square with food, crafts, games and more.

June

6th Annual Children’s Art & Literacy Festival ABILENE

June 8–10 (325) 677-1161 abilenecac.org/calf Funtier Days and World Championship Bison Cook Off

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Celebrate Garth Williams, illustrator

MICHAEL GABLER/FLICKR

May 20 (979) 532-1862 whartonchamber.com

LEGACY CHISHOLM TRAIL p. 74 H MICHAEL R. MOORE p. 78

BLAZING A

ERWIN E. SMITH COLLECTION/ LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

TRAIL

HIGH HORSE: A wrangler with his transport in Bonham, Texas, 1910.

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LEGACY HISTORIES

Chisholm TRAIL

150 Years of History, Folklore and Legacy

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and even to California. In response to the growing demand for beef, some of the longhorns were taken north along the Shawnee Trail through Dallas to St. Louis and Chicago. However, this

BULLISH: According to historian Byron Price, in his introduction to The Trail Drivers of Texas (University of Texas Press, 1985), “An estimated 25,000 to 35,000 men trailed six to 10 million head of cattle and a million horses northward from Texas to Kansas and other distant markets between the end of the Civil War and the turn of the century.”

route soon became impractical due to resistance from Missouri farmers. They were angered about the ticks carried by the longhorns, which could kill domestic cattle. After the Civil War, the Texas economy was in shambles, and people across the state were desperate to find avenues toward recovery. The five million unbranded longhorns roaming across the state were a potential asset if they could be taken to the northern markets. A longhorn was worth only $2 in Texas, but in the northern markets, it could bring $16 or more. Joseph G. McCoy, a stockman from Illinois, developed a plan to move the Texas cattle to Chicago packing plants. He encouraged the Kansas Pacific Railway to extend service to Kansas, where he built the necessary cattle pens. The Kansas Pacific Railway published a “Guide Map” showing a route for cattle to be trailed from Texas to the railheads in Kansas. In 1867,

COURTESY GLYN LOWE/FLICKR

THE HISTORIC Chisholm Trail is the bestknown of the great cattle trails and had a great influence on both Texas’ cowboy image and its post-Civil War economic revival. Underscoring the Trail’s significance, historian Wayne Gard claimed the Chisholm Trail “carried what was the greatest migration of domestic animals in world history.” This year is the 150th anniversary of this legendary trail, and this celebration is an opportunity to explore its history, folklore and legacy. Spanish explorers brought cattle and horses to the Americas in the early 1500s, and they eventually spread them among missions and haciendas in New Spain. Over time, many of the Spanish cattle went loose on the unfenced lands, evolving over the years into what we now know as the Texas longhorn. Before the Civil War, Texans hunted the wild longhorns for their hides, horns and tallow. Cattle were also trailed to markets in Louisiana

by DOUGLAS HARMAN

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COURTESY KANSAS HISTORICAL SOCIETY

McCoy began marketing the economic opportu- who were called drovers. Many were young men who’d served in the Civil War. It’s been estinities of this route to Texas cattlemen. The Texas cattlemen responded to McCoy’s mated that more than a quarter of the men on efforts and started taking longhorn herds to the cattle drives were either Mexican or AfricanAbilene. By the end of 1867, 35,000 cattle American. The cook was the second most important reached the town for sale and rail transportation to Chicago. This was the beginning of the great person on the drive. The food on the long drive Chisholm Trail. By 1871 over a million long- was important to keeping the cowboys happy. The cook was also horns reached Kansas called the coosie, a word on this trail. The story derived from cocinero, of the men and some the Spanish word for brave women taking LYRICS FROM cook. Much of cowboy the wild longhorns the “THE OLD CHISHOLM TRAIL” terminology came from 1,000 or more miles up the Spanish language, the trail is the founCome along, boys, and listen to my tale reflecting the influence dation of the colorful I’ll tell you of my troubles on the old of the Mexican vaquelore surrounding the Chisholm Trail ros (cowboys) on the Chisholm Trail. many aspects of han Cattlemen deterI started up the trail October 23rd dling open-range cattle. mined that herds of I started up the trail the with the 2-U herd The cook drove the between 2,000 and chuck wagon, which 2,500 longhorns were O a ten dollar hoss and a forty dollar saddle was invented by Charles reasonable numbers to And I’m goin’ to punch in Texas cattle Goodnight as an effecmanage on the trail. A tive way to organize trail boss took charge food for cattle drives. of each herd and was Goodnight developed the leader of the drive. He could be owner of the cattle or might be another trail, called the Goodnight-Loving Trail, contracted by the owner or owners to deliver to take cattle to New Mexico and Colorado. The first step in organizing a trail drive was the animal to the railhead to sell to buyers there. The average crew numbered 10 to 12 cowboys, for the cowboys to gather the unbranded “maver-

“

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”

ick” cattle and brand them for the owner. If there were cattle from multiple owners, they would also add a “road brand” on all the cattle on the drive. A trail boss took charge of the drive and usually rode ahead of the herd to determine the precise route to take. The drover immediately in front of the herd rode “point.” The drovers along the sides of the herd were “flankers.” The least desirable position was to ride “drag” behind the herd, where there was always considerable dust. The youngest cowboy was usually given the job of “wrangler” to handle the “remuda” of extra horses needed by the drovers, who typically used three horses a day. Two months or more were required to travel the 1,200 miles up the trail. The trail drive was hard work. Twenty-four hours a day the cowboys had to care for the cattle. At night, cowboys called “night hawks” rode quietly around the gathered herd until the trail drive resumed early the next morning. At the beginning of the drive the cattle were run hard in order to wear down the wild longhorn. After this initial phase, the goal was to let the cattle move along slowly at 10 to 12 miles a day in a long procession following the lead steer. Trail drives involved significant dangers. Weather was always a major concern. Heavy rain created dangerous river crossings. Lightning and thunderstorms could cause stampedes, resulting in loss of cattle and injury or death for drovers. The drovers also faced challenges from rustlers, angry farmers and Indians wanting cattle, which

they called wohaw. Despite these problems, as many as 10 million longhorns and a million horses were taken up to Kansas on the Chisholm Trail. The trail drive era came to an end in the late 1880s due to the westward growth of farms and ranches, the use of barbed-wire fencing, the expansion of rail service and the development of refrigerated rail cars for transporting slaughtered beef. Although the historic trail drives ended, their influence affected many aspects of the Texas economy. The cash from the sale of longhorns revived the Texas economy. It also led to the development of the Texas livestock industry. The cattle drives provided an infusion of cash into the Texas livestock industry and facilitated the dramatic improvement of beef cattle through the introduction of better breeds of beef cattle. The trail is named for Jesse Chisholm (1805–1868), an important frontiersman and trader of Scots-Cherokee heritage. He spoke numerous Indian languages and worked with Sam Houston on efforts to bring peace between the settlers and Indian tribes. He also developed a trading route between the Canadian River in Indian Territory, now modern-day Oklahoma, north to Wichita, Kan. The trail drivers followed Chisholm’s trail route as they took cattle north to Kansas. The greatest controversy about the Chisholm Trail is whether the name applies in

Texas. Over the years, the route to Kansas had various names, including the Chisholm Trail, the McCoy Trail, the Abilene Trail, the Eastern Trail, the Great Texas Cattle Trail, the Ellsworth Trail and the Kansas Trail. In 1931, the Old Trail Drivers Association passed a resolution stating that the proper name for this trail was the Eastern Trail. However, The Trail Drivers of Texas book, published in 1925 through the Trail Drivers Association, prevails. With more than 300 articles written by trail drivers, this extensive collection contains numerous instances of the route being called the Chisholm Trial — but only one of an Eastern Trail. The world knows this trail in Texas as the Chisholm Trail. Prominent Texas historian J. Frank Dobie, numerous additional distinguished researchers, and the Texas Historical Commission have all concluded that Chisholm Trail is the appropriate name for the trail starting in South Texas. Numerous Texas cities and towns have used the name Chisholm Trail for their Western events. In 2009, the U.S. Congress passed legislation directing the National Park Service to study whether the Chisholm Trail and the Great Western Trail to Dodge City, both from South Texas north to Kansas, should be designated national historic trails. Congress has yet to make this designation. The trail drive era created the iconic image of the Texas cowboy through the trail drive

books, songs, artwork, movies and television shows. The trail drive accounts of “Teddy Blue” Abbott, Andy Adams and Charlie Siringo provided great personal accounts of trail driving. The historic research and books by Wayne Gard, Don Worcester and other scholars contribute to the public familiarity with the Chisholm Trail and confirm its important role. The image of the trail-driving Texas cowboy has been further reinforced by many films, including The Old Chisholm Trail (1942), Red River (1948), The Rare Breed (1966), City Slickers (1991) and Cowboy (1958). The TV series Rawhide (1959–1965) took trail driving into millions of homes, as did the 1989 TV miniseries Lonesome Dove. In addition, there have been numerous films and TV programs about the famous marshals of the Old West cowtowns. The fabled Chisholm Trail and the other important cattle trails left an indelible imprint on American heritage and on the Lone Star State. Images of cowboys and longhorns are identified around the world as symbols of Texas. These iconic images grew directly from the Chisholm Trail era. The history, folklore and legacy of the Chisholm Trail are important as well as enduring features of our authentic Texas.

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LEGACY TEXAS ORIGINAL

Michael R.

Moore

The historian behind the San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site sees it as a window into the Texas Revolution by TREY GUTIERREZ

Michael R. Moore has made it his mission to help Texans view their history in new and exciting ways. After stepping down as director of the Fort Bend County Museum in 2007 — a position he held for over 20 years — Moore set his sights on a new project: turning the longforgotten colony of San Felipe de Austin into a historical tourist destination. Founded in 1826 by Stephen F. Austin himself, the small town of San Felipe would go down in history as the political center of the Texas Revolution. Considering the entire town was burned to the ground in 1836 by Texas forces retreating from Santa Anna’s army, the road to creating a modern-day historical destination has been anything but easy. But while the task may be daunting, Moore has never once faltered in his goal. In October 2016, after nearly 10 years of hard work, ground was finally broken for a San Felipe de Austin Historical Museum — with Moore serving as the site’s contract historian. Where did your love of history originate? I’ve always had a fascination with the past. I grew up in a history-minded family. My parents

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nurtured that fascination with trips and early research opportunities. When I was about 10, my parents took my siblings and me on a history tour of the East Coast — visiting historic sites like Colonial Williamsburg and Civil War battlegrounds. That was the first time I encountered somebody in historical costume portraying a person in the past — living history. That had a big impact on me. How’d you first learn about the San Felipe de Austin historic site? After that East Coast trip, I became interested in the concept of living history. When I was 14, I got involved with a local group that performed historical reenactments. One of the first reenactments I participated in was a movie being filmed at San Felipe de Austin — a little historical film about Sam Houston’s retreat from the town — and I was in it! I find it wonderfully ironic that now — many years later — I’m back to develop that historic site. When did you get involved with history, professionally? My first job out of college was director of the

IN THE ARCHIVES: Moore at Yale University’s Beinecke Library in 2015, researching the collections of San Felipe de Austin to better learn the site’s history and identify items for exhibits in the future San Felipe museum.

Fort Bend County Museum. During my first year I created a little festival called Texian Market Days — a pioneer craft festival featuring living history demonstrations. A few years later, George Ranch Historical Park, a local historic site, approached us to develop Texian Market Days at their site. So we staged the program at George Ranch, and it proved very popular. Over the next several years we created a similar, permanent program exclusively for George Ranch to educate visitors about the generations of

COURTESY MICHAEL R. MOORE

FOR MORE THAN three decades, historian

ranching that occurred there. I ended up running that program for 20 years or so. As a historian, how do you approach studying the past? My whole approach has been at the intersection of archives and archeology. That’s my brand. I get into the archives, and I’ll dig up little snippets of data that most historians will pass over and say, “There’s no information there … there’s no story.” For example, I’ve done a lot of work on

stories of slavery and freedom, where there’s not as much archival evidence. There’s a wonderful story of a woman named Celia — a slave woman who was freed in 1832. Her papers of emancipation have survived. Turns out she had to hire William Barret Travis as her lawyer to defend her freedom. The overlooked evidence of otherwise anonymous people … that’s the learning I enjoy. How did you get involved with the San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site?

I’ve worn many different hats in that project. As part of my job at Fort Bend museum, I was first appointed to the commission to help organize the bicentennial of Stephen F. Austin’s birthday. The celebration was taking place at San Felipe, so I sent an outreach program from George Ranch to San Felipe — similar to the Texian Market Days program. I liked the idea of having a similar, permanent program at San Felipe, with living history and all. A few years later I helped organize a consortium of community organiza-

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tions that sponsored an archeology project at San Felipe. Our goal was to figure out, “Is there really a salvageable historic site still here?” and “What survived the fire of 1836?” You also played a key role in returning the San Felipe historic site back to the state. That’s another one of my hats. I served as volunteer president of a group known as Friends of the Historic Sites. Around 2007 — about the time I left the Fort Bend museum — we petitioned the legislature to transfer the San Felipe site to the Texas Historical Commission. I was pleased to lead that effort; I went and testified before the legislature. Our group went all in. There was a building at the San Felipe site that belonged to our volunteer group. We even donated that building to the state to serve as an interim visitor center.

the air … the frame is being put up right now. The substantial completion of the building is set for early fall. The exhibit fabrication and installation will occur over the winter. Of course we’re still early in the process, so I hate to throw out dates, but the projected target date is late spring 2018. The Historical Commission has done a good job managing that process. The commis-

sioners have been supportive and insistent that this project move forward. So it’s got a lot of momentum. What do you hope the future holds for the San Felipe de Austin Historic Site? My primary hope is that this site becomes an important place to tell the stories of Stephen

In addition to sponsoring archeological projects, you’ve also worked on a few. I’m a historian first and foremost, not an archaeologist. In working with these archeologists, I find I have a different perspective. The way archeologists find a site is to do random testing and systematic scientific work to find where they should spend their time searching. Being a historian, I go to the archives, dig up these old records, and sketch where things should be based off those records. I’d say, “You should dig here — there should be a hotel with a brick-lined basement six feet deep.” So the archeologists would go out with their magnetometers and remote sensing equipment, and, sure enough, they’d find a brick-lined basement six feet deep. What challenges do you face telling the story of San Felipe, considering the town burned down in 1836? Well, it’s frustrating because currently I’m in charge of the exhibit content for the new museum being constructed. I’m trying to find objects to put in the museum, but because the town burned down, a lot of things that would have survived otherwise have become deformed — they don’t tell their stories well anymore. Visitors won’t have a huge tolerance for 72 pounds of melted metal and glass. How much melted stuff do you need to display to say, “Oh, the whole town burned, and everything melted”? [Laughs] Sure, there’s a lot of debris that you can learn from, but it’s not real showy. How’s the museum coming along? It’s exciting to see a bunch of steel beams up in

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F. Austin, the early settlements of Texas and the operation of the Texas revolution. San Felipe may not be as big of a deal as the Alamo or San Jacinto, but it’s still the place the where important decisions were made, and it’s at the center of all these different events in the Texas Revolution. In fact, I see it functioning as a sort of visitor center for the Texas Revolution. I view it long term as the best place to come and start your Texas Revolution experience on the Independence Trail. I think it has real importance and real potential. EXCAVATION PROJECT: In 2008 the San Felipe de

Austin State Historic Site was transferred to the management of the Texas Historical Commission (THC), and Moore (fourth from left, above) is shown receiving a Texas flag to fly over the site from then Gov. Rick Perry. Moore has spent a decade working with the THC as project historian to compile research and develop plans for the San Felipe de Austin Historical Museum. At the October 2016 groundbreaking for the facility (top left photo), he’s shown with THC site manager Bryan McAuley (at left) and state Sen. Lois Kolkhorst. At the excavation of the site of the Farmer’s Hotel at the San Felipe de Austin site in 2015 (top right photo), Moore is shown with Pat Mercado-Allinger, archeology division director of the THC. Moore’s research identified the site of this structure, which has been the subject of several seasons of excavation by the THC and volunteers from the Texas Archeological Society and the Houston Archeological Society.

SAN FELIPE

INDEPENDENCE TRAIL REGION

•

COURTESY MICHAEL R. MOORE; COURTESY HAS PRESIDENT LINDA GORSKI

Would you say your effort paid off? Of course. We thought that the Texas Historical Commission would be the best steward of the site — and we were correct. I’m also proud to say that my successor as president, a Realtor named Frank Monk, helped the state acquire some of the additional land, which includes the site where they’re building the new San Felipe Historical Museum.

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Authentic Texas 2017 Spring

Articles inside

Texas Azaleas

Bluebonnets

Jackrabbit Jamboree

The Texas State Flower - the Bluebonnet