No Particular Place to Go

Now here's something worth seeing...

2011-07-13T09:55:00.000-07:00

...located on Rte. 400 is Mullinville, Kansas, home to Mr. M T Ligget. Mr. Ligget is a political sculptor and he is undoubtedly the most famous resident on the 'burg. Who else do you know of from Mullinville who is listed in the book, Roadside America?

Here's a closer look at his "handiwork!" which includes political figures, mythical subjects, and cute Little animals. Here's Diana and Pegasus the flying horse, depicted as a spinning railroad crossing:

Obviously he has no love loss for Hillary:

There's no lack ok subject matter along the roadside museum ...

The display stretches along the highway for several 100 yards, so if your out on Rte. 400 look out for Mullinville, and get a copy of "The Jet Set," a song by George Jones and Tammy Wynette, which mentions this town by name.

Galveston Makes A Comeback

2010-10-10T07:11:00.000-07:00

In the fall of 2008, Hurricane Ike hit the Galveston Island with a force not see since the Great Storm of 1900. But unlike New Orleans, which still inflicts self pity from the effects of post Katrina, Galveston decided to pick itself up and come back even better. Here are a few pictures from a recent trip to the island.

The Strand, the historical harbor district located in downtown was hard hit by the storm and while there are still some signs of recovery, overall the business are back in full force.

In the LaKing's ice cream and candy shop a marker indicates how high the waters rose. After being almost eight feet under, the store is in full operation. Salt water taffy anyone?

Nightlife is also coming back as well as some great neon.

Building which are over 100 years old and survived many major storms look great as ever and tourists are coming back to the island.

Galvestoians have always rebounded after the storms and this spirit is reflected in both the artwork found around the island and faces of the people who call GAlveston home.

" ...'cause she wrote it on the wall."

2010-07-13T07:18:00.000-07:00

With credit to Mr. Chuck Berry, you can tell a lot about a place by looking at the writing (and pictures) on their walls.

On another trip to Dallas I had the time to go back down to Deep Ellum and eat at the new Pepe and Mito's (located on Elm St.) and I found a man's man barbershop next door. Only in Deep Ellum...

This mural on the side of the barber shop is a testament to the spirit of one of Dallas' oldest commercial areas and also the newness of it all.

Across the parking lot is this mural featuring Dallas celebrities, gee which one's J.R.?

Now, forward into the past. This ghost sign boasts "only twenty three hours from Dallas to St. Louis" on the T&P. A trip that today only takes about two hours by air, but I sure it's just not as restful as a T&P Luxoliner, with FREE reclining chairs and sleepers if you're going to Nashville!

Closer look at the T&P logo, now serving "New Opleus"!.

On The Road with Old Red and Spanky's Pants

2010-03-25T06:08:00.000-07:00

The Old Red Museum of Dallas County History & Culture at 100 Henderson is a great place to spend the afternoon in downtown Big D. If you've walked Dealey Plaza and tired of the JFK conspiracies, take time to see the whole story of Dallas in a very informative and entertaining venue. The building itself was the Dallas County Courthouse built in 1891 in the Richardsonian Romanesque style and recently went through a complete restoration. Here's just a peek of what Old Red has to offer.

The exterior of the museum is a finished with a combination of rough hewn gray and red granite, hence the name "Old Red."

When you enter the ground floor lobby, this icon from Dallas' past greets you. In 1934, the Magnolia Oil Co. erected its trademark neon Pegasus on the Magnolia building's roof to celebrate the American Petroleum Institute's annual meeting. The rotating winged horse came to represent the city and became one of its most recognizable landmarks.

An impressive wrought iron staircase leads to the second floor museum and old court rooms located on the upper floors.

A closeup of the stairway illustrates the "Lone Star" state theme of Texas.

One of Dallas's most iconic symbols was the television show Dallas, to the embarrassment of most actual Texans, and the Ewing family. One of the exhibits features J.R. (Larry Hagman) Ewing's Stetson hat.

Highland Park is/was Dallas's swankest suburbs and soon to be home of "W" and Laura Bush.

Texas International Pop Festival, held Labor Day weekend just two weeks after Woodstck, was the brainchild of Angus Winn,III, the founder of the Six Flags Parks chain. Artists at the festival were Led Zeppelin, B.B. King, Canned Heat, Chicago, Delaney and Bonnie and Friends, Freddie King, Grand Funk Railroad, Herbie Mann, Incredible String Band, James Cotton, Janis Joplin, Johnny Winter, Nazz, Rotary Connection, Sam and Dave, Santana, Shiva's Headband, Sly and the Family Stone, Space Opera, Spirit, Sweetwater, Ten Years After and Tony Joe White. Son of Bethel, an online book about the event, is available to read: here.

The handcuffs worn by Lee Harvey Oswald on the morning he was shot by Jack Ruby. So I guess you can't totally get away from that fateful day in November 1963.

George "Spanky" McFarland, born in Dallas in 1928, was a child star of the Hal Roach Our Gang series from 1932 to 1938. Any kid watching early TV knows the whole gang of Spanky, Alfalfa, Darlene, Buckwheat,etal. from the countless reruns aired on local kiddie shows. After serving in the Air Force and unable to find work in "the industry" as an adult, Spanky worked at a soft drink plant, a hamburger stand, and a Popsicle factory, and later hosted "Spanky's Clubhouse," on KOTV in Tulsa. His last movie was the Aurora Encounter with Longview, Texas native Mickey Hayes. His final TV appearance was in 1993 on the Cheers episode "Woody Gets An Election".
Well That's it in a nutshell, Okey-Dokey.

Here's more of the Old Red Museum.

Looking Back, While Waiting To Go Forward.

2009-09-23T18:21:00.001-07:00

While you're waiting for the next "road trip" on this lost highway, cool your heels at one of my other blogs, The Alleyfest Revue It is a look back at what was the most unique festival in East Texas as featured by Elwood (Dan Acroyd) Blues on his "House Of Blues ~ Festival Edition" nationally syndicated radio show in 2002, just before the wheels fell off.

Waiting to hit the road...

2009-09-16T04:29:00.000-07:00

After having my wings clipped, wheels locked, passport revoked, etc... due to my wife's back surgery in the summer ~ I'm just chompping to get back on the road. Check back to see where my boot heels will be wandering.

Stops, Along The Lost Highway...

2009-07-13T18:11:00.000-07:00

...nothing says "in the day" like an old abandoned service station. Because "back in the day" my first job as a fourteen year old was at the local Premier Service Station. Yes, "back in the day" I worked ten hour days, six days a week at the full service station pumping gas, checking oil, radiator, washer fluid, brake fluid, airing in the tires, cleaning the windows, and sweeping the floor while pumping 20 cent a gallon regular gasoline and 25 cent a gallon "Ethyl". Yes,I WAS pumping Ethyl -heh,heh. It was the summer of 1967, and along with those duties I was charged with changing the oil and doing lube jobs, and the occasional tire rotations. One day the lady who ran the carpet store across the street came in for a quick rotation, before taking a trip to Shreveport. I did a quick change over, between gassing up the regular customers. The next day she returned madder than "H-E-double hockey sticks!" Seems that between "rotating" and "pumping" I forgot to "torque her lug nuts" - heh, heh, and she completely stripped twenty tire studs on her wobbly trip ... well, I guess that's one reason today's gas stations are self service and sell Icees, snacks and beer, rather than employing teenage pump jockeys.

Davidson, Oklahoma Rte 70 this station is now home to Christine.

Downtown Electra, Texas on old Hwy 287

146 W Floral Ave, Frederick, OK, this looks like an old neighborhood station

Old Phillips 66 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Phillips was the first gasoline dealer to move off the highway and into the residential neighborhoods, thus many of their older stations look like 1930's bungalows.

Decatur, Texas at 450 W Main Street, living a second life as a barber shop.

Weatherford, Texas Courthouse Square at 128 Houston Ave, an old drive through design, probably a garage, too. Today it is an antique store.

Henrietta, Texas Old Hwy 287 is now a junk store with bargains to go.

The Manhiem Store on Hwy 21, the Old San Antonio Road, is so old they retrofitted gas pumps when the automobile came along. The store's been in continuous operation for over a hundred years.

and just like today's convenience store gas stations you can get a snack and a cold beer, just park your hourse at the back door.

Got 'Dem Deep Ellum Blues ...

2009-06-21T15:51:00.000-07:00

Any Dead Head knows about them Deep Ellum Blues. It was a Grateful Dead standard for years and its been covered by countless musicians from Bob Dylan to Muddy Waters. Take a listen to this Levon Helm's Band:

For years this eastern part of downtown Dallas was the center of black commerce and culture. It was situated between the Central Business District and the rich Swiss Avenue residences. The area got its start in 1884 the first factory, the Munger Improved Cotton Machine Company, opened in what is now Deep Ellum. In 1913, Henry Ford opened an assembly plant here to manufacture the Ford Model T. In 1916, the first building built for and by blacks in Dallas—The Grand Temple of the Black Knights of Pythias—was built.

In the 1920's and 30's Deep Ellum was the prime jazz and blues hotspot in the South. Artists inluding Blind Lemon Jefferson, Robert Johnson, Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter, and Bessie Smith played in Deep Ellum clubs. After decades of neglect and decay, the area has re-emerged as the home of Dallas' artist and counter culture. At one point, Deep Ellum had become such a popular attraction that the streets often were blocked off to traffic, especially on weekends.

Today, Deep Ellum struggles with high rents, zoning restrictions on businesses, and a perception of a high crime rate that has made people reluctant to visit the area. A recent visit visit to the area show's and Deep Ellum is still struggling to survive.

The "Big Blue Dot" marks the entrance to "Deep Ellum"

Home to the Hot Rod and Tattoo Culture,
nothing says retro like an old Ford Coupe

another take on the classic Ford coupe.

This is the place to find a local watering hole.
And what better than The Elm St. Bar?

Street art is everywhere in Deep Ellum

Several former warehouses have been adapted to urban housing.

Several building have art deco influences

Even with the transition to young and hip, Deep Ellum is still a meeting place for the African-American community.

Here's the view from Elm St. toward modern downtown Dallas.

Hey, Babe...Bounce It Off The Tanker!

2009-06-08T11:00:00.000-07:00

Texas has numerous "only in Texas" moments, and Texas League baseball is one of them.
The Texas League stands out as one of the most historic and interesting of all the minor leagues. In over 100 years of operation, the league has produced many notable events, interesting players and colorful personalities. The league was first formed in 1888 and at times spread over 1,000 miles from Jackson, Mississippi to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Longview, Texas (my home) had Texan Field and the Cannibals of the 1932 Texas League.

The League is always entertaining. On April 30, 1983, the El Paso Diablos pounded the Beaumont Golden Gators 35-21. In 1910, Harry Ables of San Antonio and Arthur Loudel of Waco both pitch all 23 innings of a 1-1 tie at San Antonio. Trailing the Beaumont Exporters 6-2 entering the top of the eighth inning on August 6, 1930, Gene "Half Pint" Rye of the Waco Cubs set a record when he hit three home runs in the same inning. By the end of the game, Rye had driven in eight of the team's 18 runs that inning, leading his team to a 20-7 victory. Tulsa Drillers',Dave Righetti, established a record for strikeouts in a nine-inning game when he whiffed 21 Midland Cubs hitters in 1978.He did not figure in the decision however, leaving the game after nine innings with the score tied 2-2,

Today, the minor league clubs still offer one of the best bangs for your buck entertainment, since anything can happen in the Texas League.

Frisco's Dr. Pepper Field is home of the Rough Riders the Ranger's AAA team. The stadium looks like an East Coast resort with its greyed clap board siding, reminding the visitor of a turn of the century resort village.

The upper levels are available for private parties.

San Antonio's Nelson W Wollf Stadium, home of the Padres AA farm team the Missions is owned by the City of San Antonio. The night we visited the "SpamMobile" was there handing out Spam-terrific goodies.

The nightly festivities always include the Mascot Race, where the San Antonio Taco, races a local kid around the bases. Apparently tonight's winner didn't care for the prize, a year's supply of Spam!

Corpus Christi's Whataburger Field is home of the Hooks the AA team of the Astros. This is one amazing park. It is designed to blend into the surrounding warehouse entertainment district, which also includes a great ice house bar and a converted cement factory - transformed into an outdoor music venue.

The best part of a minor league park is the ability to get "up close and personal" with the players. Here's the view from the bull pen.

You can also, trade pitching strategy with the guys waiting to warm up.

But, the outfield is where the action is. Whataburger Field includes a little league field, volleyball court, and basketball court just past the center field fence.

Right feild is home to a swimming pool for those who want to cool off between innings.

And finally, over the left field bleachers, is the ship channel ~ for those big hitters who want to bounce a homer of a passing tanker!

The night we visited, the Hooks played the Wichita Wranglers in a twenty inning barn burner...
Final Score:
Wranglers...3,
Hooks...2,
Me...0.

Also, here's a peek at the Old Concrete Street Ampitheater

and the Brewster Street Icehouse, located next to What-a-burger Field

Let's chat about Chattanooga...

2009-06-04T11:38:00.000-07:00

... now that gas is a again on the rise, let's look back at a vacation from paradise - Chattanooga, Tennessee. Home of "See Rock City" and Ruby Falls, Chattanooga is the antithesis of Orlando. The city has lured visitors for over 100 years with its tourist attractions. In 1895 the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway was completed taking tourists to the top of Lookout Mountain. Additionally, in 1925 Lake Winnepesaukah, a family-owned amusement park, opened on the Tennessee/Georgia border, just down the road from Chattanooga and in 1926, the Tivoli Theatre became the first public building in the country to be air conditioned. With Ruby Falls, discovered in 1928, inside of Lookout Mountain and 1932's opening of Rock City, Chattanooga became the nation's foremost tourist destination. While the flash of the modern tourist destinations such as Orlando, Fla. have surpassed the now quaint offerings of Chattnooga, the city remains one of my favorite places to visit. The city's attractions can be divided into the "Riverfront" and the Stone Mountain" areas with downtown nestled in between the two.

The Riverfront is a mix of old and new. It's home to the the Tennessee Aquarium, the Chattanooga Lookouts Baseball team, I-MAX, Arts Bluff District, and home of Chattanooga's Riverbend Festival. Take a look...

Located in a bend of the Tennessee River, Chattanooga was settled first by the Cherokee Indians and in 1816, John Ross established a settlement which grew into an important Southern trade center. This view is from Point Park atop Lookout Mountain.

Downtown, located on the river, is full of pubs and cafes located in old commercial warehouses and other buildings.

The Magic Mushroom is located in the old Coca Cola bottling plant.

The Arts Bluff District is a collection of restaurants, private galleries and public museums of art. The view from the overlook affords a great view of the Walnut Street Bridge.

Built in 1890, the Walnut Street Bridge was the first to connect Chattanooga's downtown with the North Shore. The bridge was closed to motor vehicles in 1978, repairs and structural modifications have been made to turn the bridge into what is now a pedestrian walkway. The 2,376 foot (720 m) span is one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the world .

The Tennessee State Aquarium features six glass peaks (it was in the process of doubling the museum's size).

There are several neat buildings onthe way to Stone Mountain and the Inclined Train. This is the Lee buidling, named no doubt after the famous Southerner, Robert E. Lee.

The Incline Railway's view up the mountain hasn't changed much in the last 100 years. When you reach the top, you can walk to the Point Park Battlefield and the Battles For Chattanooga Electric Map.

Along the walk to the park is a nice 1920's - 30's neighborhood.

Another of the homes between the railway and the park. To get to Rock City or Ruby Falls, go back down the inclined railway and drive up the mountain road. It's worth the drive to get there.

Yes, you must see Rock City. I wasn't sure about this one - but it's well worth the price of admission. The rock formations and views were great, was were the ones inside Ruby Falls. Here's one last picture from Rock City, and yes you can see seven states from the park's overlook.

Long Distance Road Trip Part 3

2009-05-19T19:42:00.000-07:00

This is the last of the St. Louis, MO posts. But, no trip to the city would be complete without at journey out to Forest Park, site of the 1904 World's Fair. Not only the site of the fair that introduced both the waffle cone and hamburger, the park's grandeur is such that it is 500 acres larger that New York's Central Park!
The Fair Pavilion, Zoo,and Missouri Museum are great, but the art museum, called the SLAM, St. Louis Art Museum , is definitely the queen of the park. Here are a few of my favorites from the exhibits:
Rembrandt Self Portrait

Monet

Gauguin

Picasso

Van Gogh

Renoir

When you tire of paintings, go to the lower level of the museum for

Modern Arts and Crafts

This laminated wooden sculpture dates back to the 1800's

A Hindu Relic

An Egyptian Mummy

An Art Deco Tea Set

A Mix of burnt newspaper and broken glass, modern art, no doubt!

You can see just about anything at the SLAM, and by the way...it's free!

Happy National Train Day!

2009-05-09T18:18:00.000-07:00

Today, May 9th is National Train Day and to celebrate here are a few photos from the Transportation Museum in St. Louis. The museum includes a large collection of train cars of all types, a small automobile collection, a tugboat and one DC 3. But, today its all about trains.

The C&IM was never a large railroad stretching a little over 100 miles in length at its largest.

"The Cotton Belt Route" was organized on January 15, 1891, although it had its origins in a series of short lines founded in Tyler, Texas, in 1877 that connected northeastern Texas to Arkansas and southeastern Missouri.

General Motors built not only automobiles, but also train engines and busses.

The Pullman Company developed the sleeping car which carried his name into the 1980s. The labor union associated with the company, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, was one of the most powerful African-American political entities of the 20th century, many surviving porters were honored today for National RR Day.

Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and through subsidiaries Colorado and Southern Railway, Fort Worth and Denver Railway, and Burlington-Rock Island Railroad, New Mexico and Texas.

Another example of the Pullman sleeping car. These cars were featured in several movies during the 1930's, 40's, and 50's.

The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (reporting mark CBQ) was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the "Q."

From the 1930s until 1989 the Budd Company was a leading manufacturer of stainless steel streamlined passenger rolling stock for a number of railroads. This is the Budd "Silver Spoon" dining car.

The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century.

Gulf Mobile & Ohio engines and passenger cars were featured in the 1967 film In the Heat of the Night.

The "Abe Lincoln" ran between Chicago and St. Louis on the B&O's subsidiary Alton Railroad. The train later passed to the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad, and then finally to Amtrak, which retained the name until 1978. Service between Chicago and St. Louis is now known by the umbrella term "Lincoln Service".

General American Tank Car Corporation was one of the largest companies to build and lease specialty cars to railroads.

The Milwaukee Railroad, often called the North Shore Line, was an interurban railroad line that operated between Chicago, Illinois, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, until its abandonment in 1963.

Can anyone explain this sign to me, so I can explain it to my teenage son! It does seem to be good parental advice.

This is a giant snow blower car. The deisels were used to spin the snow blades while other engines pushed it along.

Finally, one more from the Transportation Museum, we couldn't leave without seeing the $100,000.00 Bobby Darrin car, a one-of-a-kind custom car designed by Detroit clothing designer Andy Di Dia in 1953 and completed in 1960.

Long Distance Road Trip ~ St. Louis Part 2

2009-05-08T18:51:00.000-07:00

This isn't your father's tourist spot! The St. Louis river front offers plenty of "touristy" things to do. There is the Arc and Gateway Museum (great) and the riverbout casino(not so much. But, along the river you'll find some of the oldest traces of early St. Louis in the old warehouse district.

Train tressels crossing from the Illinois side of the Mississippi River. Three levels of tracks run along the river front.

Union Electric Light and Power Company - Ashley Street Powerhouse
An enormously-scaled generating station, whose Classical detailing stands in surreal contrast to the rusting industrial accoutrements projecting beyond its pilasters and false pediments.

Brick Streets in the LaCede's Landing area are reminents of the oldest part of St. Louis.

Just what is a "Star Blood" brick?

Streets are marked with heavy steel signs embedded into the sidewalk. This is the street closest to the river in LaCede's Landing. I guess they seldom have anyone stealing these babies.

This is the Beck & Corbitt Iron Company dating back to 1875.

Warehouse Number 3 of the D & E Company, more St. Louis warehouses are viewable at Built St. Louis.

Long Distance Road Trip ~ St. Louis Part 1

2009-05-06T18:53:00.000-07:00

At this year's Spring Break, rather than "headin' down to Padre" or "Doing Disney for the umteenth time," we took out the map and drew a one day drive arc on the map. After considering all the possibilities, we decide to head North to St. Louis, "Gateway to the West", for a trip containing history and culture. As the "Gateway," transportation has always played an important role in the history of this city. So one of our first stops was the historic Union Station, located on Market Street in downtown.

The architecture of the station is an eclectic mix of Romanesque styles. The exterior details are a combination of both Richardsonian Romanesque tradition and French Romanesque or Norman style. In fact, architect, Theodore Link, modeled the grandiose Union Station after Carcassone, a walled, medieval city in southern France. The station's clock tower rises 280 feet high and is one of the skylines most distictive landmarks.

Market Street Entrance at night.

Grand Hall (Marriott Hotel Lobby), below is a 1909 postcard of the lobby:

Allegorical Window (above) is a hand-made stained glass window with hand-cut Tiffany glass strategically positioned above the Station's main entryway. The window features three women representing the main U.S. train stations during the 1890s -- New York, St. Louis and San Francisco.

Detail with Old Courthouse and "Miss St. Louis."

The Gothic Hall Ceiling

The old Union Station Movie Theater.

The Train Shed, 11.5 acres of sweeping arches, was the largest single-span train shed ever constructed. It once covered the greatest number of train tracks (32) more than any other station in the nation. Today, in addition to housing Hard Rock Cafe, a Landry's Seafood, and the guest rooms for the Marriott, the shed also houses an entertainment mall.

Back When Movies Meant Something

2009-04-11T10:56:00.000-07:00

"Back in the day" the local movie house and cinema was the place to be. Before television and air conditioning in the home, a local movie house provided a place to escape the dull life of hometown America and adventure to exotic places via newsreels, cartoons and feature films with stars like Garbo, Cagney, Gable, and Hepburn - so many years ago, but not so far away.

Opened in 1945, Woodlawn Theater in San Antonio, Texas, was one of first suburban theatres that was built just after WWII just north of the downtown area.

Alameda Theater in downtown San Antonio opened in 1949. It was designed by Straus Nayfach in an Art Deco style and seats almost 2,500!

The Grand Theater, about the biggest thing in Electra, Texas. Features a "COMING SOON!" sign promising "A NEW FLOOR!" It was built in 1919 for $135,000. This Spanish Colonial styled theater was first used as a vaudeville house.

The Historic Ramona Theater in Frederick, Oklahoma designed by George Kadane, also in the Spanish Colonial style. It opened in 1929.

Wichita Theater in Wichita Falls, Texas styled in the Art Moderne school, survived today as a performing arts center. This Texas Historical Landmark was built in 1908 and features beautiful historical details including original ceiling murals.

Information on these theaters comliments of CinemaTreasures.org and CinemaTour.com

Here are a few more small town Texas theaters:

The Rialto in Sinton, Texas, was apparently part of a chain of "Rialto's" in the coastal bend of Texas. Today it suffers the worst of fates for a movie theater...it is a video rental store.

Whorton, Texas' Plaza Theatre operated as a movie theatre from 1942 until its closing in the 1970's. The Plaza reopened in 1995 as a live entertainment theatre. Here's how it looked in its heyday (at night).

The Texan in Cleveland, Texas, built in 1939,is a quintessential small town movie house that serves a population of 7,600. In 1994, the Texan was saved from almost certain death when new owners bought the theater. The theater was restored—with new seats, surround sound, and a new projector for about $150,000.00.

The Fain is still operating in Livingston, Texas. The rounded box office stands on the corner of the building and is covered in burgundy ceramic tile. There is a green trimmed marquee and over-hang that wraps around the front and corner. Last but not least is a tall vertical green "Fain" sign with lots of neon is topped with a spire featuring five disks.

A Little Traveling Music

2009-03-28T21:01:00.000-07:00

I've been on two road trips in the last couple of weeks . One quick overnighter up Hwy 287 and 183 to Oklahoma and the big mama to St. Louis for five days. So, to commemorate that trip I've found the appropriate theme song...

Two Sides of Old Dallas

2009-03-28T19:25:00.000-07:00

Just east of downtown Dallas is Swiss Avenue, an elegant residential street. The tree-lined street is lined with approximately 200 carefully preserved historic homes representing numerous architectural styles which include Mediterranean, Spanish, Georgian, Prairie, Craftsman, Neoclassical, Italian Renaissance, Tudor and Colonial Revival.The entire district, Swiss Avenue between Fitzhugh and LaVista, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on 28 March 1974.

On north side of downtown, tucked away in a new urban housing development just off McKinney Avenue are these early 20th century craftsman style bungalows. The must be the only "modest" turn of the century homes left in Dallas.

You can learn more about these types of houses at: Bungalows

Westward Whoa!

2009-03-26T20:05:00.000-07:00

It's hard to imagine a time when there were no Holiday Inn's, Hampton Inns, Super 8 or even Motel 6's. My latest trip back thru Decatur this week reminded me of the time when there were real entrepreneurs who never heard of the word "franchise" and were limited only to their own ingenuity... here are a few examples, starting with "Texas Plaza" in Decatur, Texas.

I missed this landmark on my first trip to Decatur, but I couldn't skip it on my secong trip. It's located on the old business highway 287, just south of downtown. It has an old tourist court,

the now famous petrified wood Texaco,

and the "Whistle Stop" Cafe, famous for its apple pie. All of these buildings are in good condition and it looks as if the owner lives in a rock house located next to the cafe.

Staying on "Old 287", I came to Alvord, a small town that had seen better days, before they moved the highway a half mile west. Here are the remains of another rock front tourist court. The owner made a steel frame to keep these landmarks standing and filled the empty window froms with wrought iron art.

Still traveling north you come to Bowie - "On the Old Chisholm Trail". Here I found these rock courts which were neat as a pin. I can only imagine the stories these courts could tell.

This nifty sign is just across the street.

My destination on this trip was Tipton, Oklahoma. Just before arriving I found the town of Frederick, and the home of the once "Grand" hotel. This hotel was once a welcome stop for travelers north of the Red River.

and what's a Grand hotel without a grand coffee shop?

McKinney's worth a closer look...

2009-02-15T08:13:00.000-08:00

McKinney's downtown square and surrounding blocks reflect a rich mix of the town's past. Here are a few "detail" pictures from decades gone by.

I first thought this was an old "Hamms" beer sign, but on closer inspection I found this to be the former home of "Hamm's Home Glazed Hams" specializing in Beef, Pork, and Cheese.

This detail,from a building located on the corner of Virginia St. and Kentucky St., appears to be from the art deco period of the 1930's and has a Precolumbiam look.

The Pope building located on the SE corner of the square also shows its Art Deco heritage. Built in 1935, it has the same look of some of the buildings at the fair grounds in Dallas which were built for the 1936 State Centennial.

1967 was the year of the "Hemisfair" celebration in San Antonio.
This Ford XL still wears a Hemisfair license plate. And near perfect chrome.

The Fastest Growing Small Town In Texas

2009-02-04T19:54:00.000-08:00

McKinney, County seat of Collin County, was named after Collin McKinney a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence and a congressman for the Red River district of the Republic of Texas. The town was incorporated in 1848 and contains one of Texas' largest historic districts. McKinney has passed Frisco as the fastest growing city in Texas, growing from 15,000 in 1970 to over 115,000 in 2008. Downtown McKinney features more than 100 retail shops and a variety of restaurant around the historic courthouse square.

The beautifully restored Collin County Courthouse, built in 1875 and remodeled in 1927, is a multi-purpose facility including a working artist studio and art gallery.

This 1920's post card shows a view of the north side of the courthouse square. The building are still recognizable some 90 years later. The Ritz theater building is now a mini-mall(below).

an old bank building occupies the other end of the block.

You can see it on the left of this postcard from the 1930's. All the buildings on the east side of the square are still recognizable today.

The Midway Cafe, the white building in the mid block, was originally home to the First National Bank. It makes me wonder if it was a victim of the Great Depression of 1928.

Today it is occupied by an upscale store of indeterminable origin. Coffey's Drug is now home to the Londoner Pub. It's an authentic English pub located on the wide open plains of North, Texas. What a treat!

McKinney is full of surprises and is definately worth a visit. It's only thirty miles North of Dallas, but it's world away in smalltown feel.

Welcome to Rust Ranch

2009-01-15T18:11:00.000-08:00

On old Hiway 80, just west of Cisco, is a nice piece of nostalgia. There's a collection of old cars, parked facing the road like a bunch of senior citizens sitting on the porch of an old folk's home just passing the time.

My first job was pumping gas at fourteen at a full sevice Premier Service Station for 19 cents a gallon in 1967.

This one appears to be a replica of the Bonnie and Clyde car.

And just in case you're wondering what they're looking at, here's the view.

East is East, and West is Eastland

2008-12-28T07:56:00.001-08:00

"Somewhere west of Ranger, off the beaten path , it rises like a jewel on the Texas plateau..."

Eastland, Texas was home of "Old Rip" the legendary horned frog found alive in the cornerstone of the original 1897 courthouse as it was being demolished for the construction of the new courthouse (seen on the right) in 1928.

At eight stories the Connellee Hotel is Eastland's tallest building. Eastland founder Charles Connellee started a grand downtown hotel in 1919, but the project was abandoned after excavation had begun. Two Houston power brokers revived the project in 1927, and the 100-room Connellee Hotel opened to much fanfare in 1929. "It was booming and going well until the mid-1960s, when it started slowing down," said Debbie Wharton, executive director of the Connellee Hotel. The eighth floor roofgarden and ballroom had a commanding view of thesurrounding contryside. A gas leak forced the hotel's shuttering in the mid-1970s.

The former Eastland National Bank building,restored to the 1920-era style designed by architect Henry Phelps, now houses the Eastland Historical Museum. The first floor has a very large space for county and traveling exhibits. The mezzanine, overlooking the main floor, will have areas for exhibits and will also be available for lectures and meetings. The second floor is divided into the original small office spaces. These offices, with their original dark woodwork and patterned glass, will be used for permanent displays of history of each community in Eastland County. The basement includes the vault, used to secure important museum archives, and a large room for permanent historic display exhibits.

This is a dry cleaners on Eastland's main street. I thought the sign was unique.

Every repectable town of any size has a Masonic Lodge hall. This one is home to laodge #467.

Leaving Eastland on old Hwy 80 I spotted this interesting art deco styled building. It must have been a ~~dairy company~~ at one time since there are "bottles" adorning both front corners. Talking to my Eastland expert, T Ford, I was informed this is the former Dr. Pepper location, hence forth the corners will be referred to a "DP bottles."

Eighter from Decatur

2008-11-10T17:55:00.000-08:00

I never really knew what it meant, but it does stick in my memory. So here's a few pictures from a recent travel through Decatur, Texas just up the road a piece from Fort Worth.

The Wise County Courthouse was constructed at a cost of $110,000.00, thought by many to be excessive at the time. It was designed by J. Riley Gordon, of San Antonio, who collected a fee of 5% of the construction cost. The building, completed in 1896, is of pink granite with interior of Vermont marble, was precut and each piece numbered, then shipped from Burnet County, Texas. The stones were raised by a windlass pulled by donkeys walking in a circle drawing the rope tight. The Courthouse clock was purchased from E. Howard & Company, described thus: "No. 1, Hour Strike Tower Clock, $952.00; with bell for same, 2,000 lbs., $388.00, total cost $1,340.00."

The Courthouse dominates the Decatur town square, which is still thriving, probably due to the fact there isn't a mall is rock throwing distance from the town. Here are some examples of the buildings dating back to the 1800's:

and early 1900's:

"El Castile"

The Waggoner Mansion is located at the end of Main Street.Sometimes called "El Castile", this is a large home,consisting of two stories, sixteen rooms, with a full basement and eight fireplaces,sitting on thirteen and one-half acres.
"Thistle Hill" by Roze Porter, describes the mansion like this:
"It was constructed of old fossiliferous limestone and decorated with handcrafted wrought iron on the roof and balconies. Half-moon-shaped stained glass added an array of color to the tops of the windows and to the large massive hand-carved entrance door.

As we left this cozy rural town we saw this former gas station, now rehabed into a barber shop.

Mineral Wells, Texas - Home of the Crazy

2008-11-08T11:12:00.000-08:00

Discovery of medicinal qualities in waters made the city nationally famous in late 19th - early 20th Centuries. It was said that the waters of the Crazy Well (discovered in 1885) could cure mental illness and a long list of other maladies. The Crazy Water Hotel, now a Baptist retirement home, is seen in the upper right and as it appeared in the 1930's.

Famous Water Company - Founded in 1913 by Edward P. Dismuke, this bottling company is the only mineral water well in operation today. Some of Dismuke's products were Dismuke's Pronto-lax, Dismuke's Famous Mineral Crystals, Dismuke's Eye Bath, and Dismukes residuum.

Entrance to the Famous Park where the well is still located.

The Nazareth Hospital closed in 1965 when the Sisters who operated it felt they could no longer maintain their hospital in Mineral Wells due to decreased personnel.

The old Norwood Hospital (originally two floors, see below) from another era. Because of the healing properties (and a new generation who have bypassed the town - along with the Interstate) Mineral Wells is "Crazy" no more.

Mineral Wells, Texas - The Baker Hotel

2008-11-07T18:43:00.000-08:00

The Baker Hotel was built by,T. B. Baker, who also owned the Baker in Dallas and the Saint Anthony in San Antonio. It had 14 stories and 450 rooms,with space for 50"apartments" above the main roof line. These premium rooms had the benefit of the rooftop "solarium."

A Spanish Renaissance design, modeled after the Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs, Arkansas the Baker opened it's doors November 11, 1929, just two weeks after the stock market crash of 1929. It filed for bankruptcy in 1932. When it opened as a spa for the rich and famous,guests included Marlene Dietrich, Judy Garland, Will Rogers, Ernest Tubb, the Three Stooges, and many other celebrities. The Baker served as military dependent quarters from 1941 to 1944 and was open until closing in 1963. It reopened briefly from 1965-1972 but the doors have been shut since then.

The Baker seen from the East. The swimming pool is in the fore ground and apparently featured a large fountain/wading pool. The pool was connected to the hotel by a bridge.

The formal entrance faced the Southeast. It features a three tiered stairway with multiple lamp posts.

The Cloud Room, a large ballroom was located on the top floor of the hotel.

To the left (behind locked gate) is the pool access bridge. You can also see the pool pavilion which is visible on the right center.

A veranda was located on the west side of the hotel. Shopping and guest services were located on the street level.

This is a detail of the barbershop located at street level.

This is the auto garage located across the street from the main entrance.

This is the Baker today, and this is it in better days: