There’s a tiny town in far west Texas that really gets to the heart of things…and its name says it all: Valentine. The city limits sign lists its population as 217, but anyone who lives there will tell you that’s an exaggeration.
This time of year Valentine’s small post office is bustling, processing thousands of pieces of mail from all over the world – including 30 foreign countries. Surprised? You see, it’s become a tradition to send Valentines through the town’s post office so they receive special, customized romantic post marks that change every year. You can find all the details about that in one of my earlier blog posts, HERE.
Valentine, Texas Post Office
Last year I sent my own round of Valentines through the post office, and this year I was happy to finally get to see the post office halfway between Marfa and Van Horn in person.
There are two versions of the story about how Valentine got its name, and locals happily embrace both. When a Southern Pacific Railroad crew finished laying tracks in 1882, they needed to establish a stopping point for fuel. Since it was Valentine’s Day, they named the station Valentine. Of course, it didn’t hurt that the president of Wells Fargo and a significant stock holder in the railroad was named John Valentine – so they could easily say it was in his honor as well.
Trains began running through the town in 1883, and in 1886 its now infamous post office was established.
By 1890, Valentine boasted about 100 citizens, two saloons, a general store, a hotel and a meat market. Ranchers in the area took advantage of the railroad to ship cattle out of town to markets.
The settlement has the unusual distinction of being the site of the largest earthquake known to have occurred in Texas. At 5:40 a.m. on August 16, 1931 a 6.5 magnitude quake really shook things up, damaging every building and even rotating gravestones in the local cemetery.
By the 1950s though, roadways and trucking were becoming more established and led to the demise of Valentine’s rail depot…and eventually local businesses. One that managed to stay open for years was a small café, where James Dean frequently ate while filming the 1956 movie “Giant” with Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson nearby. Pretty big excitement for a small, dusty town.
James Dean at the Cafe
Today Valentine looks a lot more like a classic ghost town, although it does still have living residents and even its own school. To find the post office you’ll need to drive west all the way (and yes, it only takes a minute) through Valentine past abandoned buildings, and the post office is on your right just at the edge of town.
If you can’t visit Valentine for yourself, mark your calendar to send your mail their way several weeks before their namesake holiday next year. It’s a sweetly unique Texas tradition.
It was a brisk morning on Saturday, but luckily the sun was shining for the annual commemoration ceremony at Galveston’s Trinity Episcopal Cemtery for those lost in the Battle of Galveston. The event was hosted by the Edward Lea Camp of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. Thank you to everyone who came from near and far to attend.
The ceremony takes place each January and is free for the public to attend. You can find out more about Edward Lea, the naval officer whose marker the event centers around HERE.
The following are some photos from yesterday’s ceremony.
Ahhhh, romantic Irish castles. Something that makes this Irish lady’s heart swoon. But wait…this is no castle at all. It’s actually the Shelby County Courthouse in far east Texas!
Architect John Joseph Emmett Gibson, a native of Ireland who was hired to design the building in Center Texas in 1883, wanted to give his masterpiece the appearance of the castles of his homeland complete with turrets, towers and even secret passageways.
Gibson not only designed and oversaw the construction of the two-story Romanesque Revival courthouse, he had over two million bricks specially made for the project. The mortar was made from sand carried from forty miles away in Louisiana by oxcarts. The glass, vents, and diamond-shaped braces also made the journey from New Orleans and other Southern ports before being transported by oxen.
It was a grand undertaking that took two years to complete, but has provided a jewel of a centerpiece to the town square for generations.
A total of twelve fireplace chimneys surround the top of the beautiful structure like a crown. Accented with arched entryways, tall slender windows and diminutive buttresses, it’s topped by a frame cupola.
The courthouse has an entry in the middle of each side, but the primary entrance is on the north facade.
The second floor courtroom is a large and lofty space, with exposed wooden trusses supporting the roof that more give the appearance of being inside a cathedral than a courthouse. The curved alcove behind the judge’s bench helped to amplify his voice in the days before sound systems were even a dream.
The wooden jury chairs aren’t original, having been obtained from another historic Texas courthouse in Nacogdoches. But the benches used by visitors are not only original, they display a decidedly European detail for those who take the time to look closely: metalwork feet depicting dragons’ feet, wind in back of the benches into the beasts’ bodies, wings and ending in heads peering over the top where they are swallowing their own tails. Probably not something most of the local cowboys and farmers had seen before!
Gibson took Texas’ extreme weather into consideration in his design, utilizing high-arched windows that would open allow breezes to circulate air beneath the vaulted ceiling. It provided some relief from the summer heat, but also caused a bit of a problem with birds flying indoors. One funny story tells of the time that an errant bird circling inside the courtroom was such a distraction that the judge asked if someone could do something about it. One loud, reverberating gunshot later the distraction was gone.
Every good castle should have at least one secret passageway, and the Shelby County Courthouse is no exception. On the floor to the left of the judge’s chair is an escape hatch (yes, really). If the verdict handed down upset the crowd, the judge could open the hatch climb down the stairs and escape through a one-way door. His deputies were in charge of keeping an eye on the crowd until he mounted his horse and got away, before releasing them for the day.
If that were scripted into a Western, it’d be downright comical.
The boards in the center of the courthouse come together at a point said to be the center of the county. When the building was renovated, the local Daughters of the Republic of Texas purchased an 1885 silver dollar coin to have imbedded at that spot.
An interesting side note: In 1948, a young Texas congressman began his successful U. S. Senate campaign in front of the Shelby County Courthouse.
The courthouse, now listed on the National Historic Register, cost $26,000 to build, and over $1 million to renovate in the 1980s. But J.J.E. Gibson was never paid for his work. Whether that was an unfortunate oversight or the county just couldn’t afford it remains a bit of a mystery. The sister to the Shelby County Courthouse, it’s identical 1885 twin in Carthage, Panola County, was unfortunately torn down in 1957.
It probably shouldn’t come as any surprise that Texas has more historic courthouses than any other state, but did you know that of the 254 counties in the state – 242 of these treasured pieces of architecture are still in active government use? They can be a terrific focus for making a road trip checklist – helping you choose large and small towns to visit. Do you have a favorite?
When filling out your travel plans for the new year, remember to save time to explore the areas right around you. Some people call them “staycations” or being a “hometown tourist.” The thing is that we often don’t make time to see some of the most interesting sites near our homes – those that might even top the “to see” list of a visitor – because we think we’ll get around to it sometime.
Guess what? “Some time” can be now!
One of the features of Texas that makes it fascinating to explore is that it’s home to a diversity of cultures as big as the state. Yesterday I took the time to revisit the stunning Sri Meenakshi Temple in Pearland. Luckily for me, it was still bearing many of the colorful decorations of the celebration of the new year.
This is the only temple outside of India dedicated to Meenakshi, who is the Hindu Goddess of Marriage. It’s an exact replica of a temple in Madurai, India, with four smaller corner temples surrounding the main temple.
The concrete structures were produced locally, but all of the granite stonework was carved and imported from India. They are currently having additional pillars carved there to add to the complex.
When visiting, please keep in mind that this is a place of worship. Though they welcome visitors throughout the year, they request that appropriate clothing should be worn as a sign of respect, covering shoulders and knees. Shoes must be removed before going into the temple, but socks are allowed. Wooden shelves at the side entrances can also be used for their temporary storage, or you may leave your shoes on the ground outside of the temple and retrieve them as you leave.
As you enter the large temple through the main doors, move around the interior in a clockwise motion. This signifies keeping “the god” on “the right.” Inside are four shrines dedicated to Shiva, Meenakshi, Vishnu and Lakshmi. In Hinduism there is a “pantheon of gods,” symbolizing many concepts and Hindus pray to them as their favorite or personal dieties.
Photography is permitted, but as with any place of worship, please try not to be intrusive of those who are there to pray.
After visiting the temples and taking in the remarkable architecture, follow one of the sidewalks behind the temple complex to the Peacock Sanctuary. The Indian Peafowl is the national bird of India, and the beautiful specimens that live here wander around an enclosure that can be viewed from benches surrounding it. My grandmother used to have peacocks and (although they can be obnoxiously loud early in the morning!) they always hold a place in my heart.
A Visitors Center is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends, and if you are interested in learning more about the culture this is the time to visit. There is also an on site cafeteria that’s open to the public on weekends and serves authentic vegetarian fare. Visitors can purchase tokens and use them to pay for their meals.
Several years ago, I took my young Girl Scout troop, and one of the temple priests invited them to sit on a rug with him while he explained some of the things they were seeing and hearing. What a wonderful experience!
Remember that although it may feel a bit awkward to step into an unfamiliar setting, as long as you are respectful of the people and culture the space serves, they openly welcome visitors.
Check the Temple’s Facebook page for the latest updates on visiting days and hours.
What are some of the places in your hometown that you’ve never taken the time to see for yourself?
Happy New Year! Heading into 2022 I’m looking forward to hitting the open road again.
I’ve been having a great time working on travel itineraries for the next few months. Some fun adventures are in the works – near and far, new and repeat collaborations and a few openings for spontaneous trips as well.
What kind of trips are calling to you?
week-long vacation
weekend getaway
mother/daughter trip
hometown tourist
second honeymoon
besties roadtrip
solo adventure
“me and my dog” trip
art lovers tour
culinary exploration
something else
Share your travel wishlist for 2022 in the comments! I’d love to hear about it.
The motto of Junction, Texas is “Land of Living Waters” for a very good reason. About 300 miles of running rivers, natural springs and flowing streams surround the small town.
But one of the features most photographed by passing tourists has nothing at all to do with water. It’s a Christmas tree (that stays up year-round) constructed entirely of antlers of white tail deer.
Sitting on Main Street right in the middle of town the tree has likely made drivers of countless cars traveling through the town hit the brakes in a “What was that!” reflex.
The unusual roadside attraction was created in 1968 by the Kimble (County) Business and Professional Women’s Club of Junction to celebrate the hunting heritage and history of the area.
It required hundreds of the antlers to reach its height of 12 feet.
Is it worth driving hundreds of miles to see? Well, um…no. But the nearby scenic overlook and park situated by the river are definitely worth a stop, so why not include the tree while you’re there? And anyone who knows me knows what a kick I get out of quirky roadside attractions.
When Brian Clowdus, the producer of the “Christmas Carol Experience” and other live “experience” performances, invited my family to attend, I quickly accepted. I had heard great things about his “Sleepy Hollow” production during October in the same town, so was anxious to see one of the shows for myself.
Clowdus is known for his site-specific, immersive, environmental theatrical experiences throughout the country. It’s the furthest thing from “sitting back and watching the action” that you can imagine.
The Christmas Carol Experience takes place in Granbury’s Dora Lee Langdon Mansion, which played a vital part adding to the authenticity of the scenes. Imagine wandering from room to room in a historic home and being enthralled with the conversations at Fezziwig’s Christmas party, in the home of Bob Cratchit, and even out to a courtyard which was transformed into an eerily lit cemetery for the funeral scene. The Victorian setting added to the feeling of stepping back in time and right into the Dickens classic.
If you’re lucky enough to go, you won’t just be watching, however. Audiences are limited to 50 visitors for each performance so that the entire cast and audience fits comfortably in each space, interacting, laughing together and learning the meaning of a life well spent. The small group makes the experience seem more like an intimate evening with friends.
Our group included mostly adults, but the ages ranged from about 8-80 and everyone seemed to find delight in the evening.
One of the things that impressed me was that a mere cast of five actors and two techs miraculously brought this fully immersive experience to life. How do you have a Christmas Carol experience without even a Tiny Tim? Let me let you on a secret…you won’t even miss the little guy! My daughter, a thespian herself, was impressed with what a full performance it felt like with so few people involved. The talented actors transfixed us with their performances, and had us gladly answering questions and laughing at improvisational comments interjected into the performance. They deftly managed to engage everyone in the action without breaking character or distracting from the storyline. Special lighting, sound effects and music enhanced each scene.
Our ticket included the VIP experience. Though I didn’t know exactly what to expect, it was enjoyable. Attendees with these tickets ordered free drinks (wine, cocoa and a special cocktail called the “Scrooge” (that will warm even the iciest heart) in a souvenir mug, and were ushered into the home a few minutes earlier than the rest of the audience to join members of the cast for cookies, games and singing Christmas carols. The cast members are so enjoyable and engaging, even the grumpiest of attendees found themselves joining in (even my husband…and that’s saying something!).
The evening ended in a flurry of snow that was greeted with gasps from the delighted visitors.
The month-long experience is quickly selling out due to its popularity and the limited audience size. If you miss out on this opportunity, I’ll see you at Clowdus’ next show – whatever it is!
VIP tickets $69, General admission $29-49
Ample, free parking is available across the street at the visitor’s center, and just a block from the welcoming Granbury Town Square, where the restaurant options are numerous and tempting. There was another special event on the Square, “Living Christmas Cards, the same night as we attended. If you find yourself in a similar scheduling situation, it’s advisable to arrive early to find parking. It’s also wise to make dinner reservations an any of the restaurants on the square as the Christmas spirit has this small Texas town bustling with locals and tourists.
It’s hard to believe that the USS Texas won’t be moored at the San Jacinto Battlegrounds across from the Monument any longer. I’ve been visiting this historic ship here since I was a kid. This is the last weekend that it will be here before heading to dry dock for some much-needed repairs. After that, she’ll go to her new home . . . which hasn’t quite been decided yet.
Now this isn’t just any old ship. Commissioned in 1914 (yep, over 100 years ago), she’s one of the few surviving Dreadnaughts and a veteran of two world wars. That makes the Texas one of the oldest surviving battleships in existence. If you’re at all interested in naval history, hers is worth reading about.
Constructed of iron, wood and steel the years and elements have taken their toll and previous “bandaid” repairs aren’t going to help any more. So the state, who owns the ship, has dedicated $35 million to her refurbishment with the understanding that they will no longer pay for repairs. (Yikes!) That’s part of why the ship needs to relocate. It will take a lot more visitors to pay the bills from here on out.
They have installed 750,000 gallons of expanded foam to reduce the water she’s taking on from over 2,000 gallons per minute to under 20 gallons per minute. That should make her stable enough to be towed to dry dock in Galveston for repairs.
After she’s, well . . . ship shape again, she will either be berthed in Baytown, Beaumont or at the Sea Wold Park in Galveston alongside the Stewart and the Cavalla. (I have my fingers crossed for Galveston.)
When I found out that my husband (who grew up just about 12 miles away from the San Jacinto Monument Park) had never been aboard the Texas, I decided we needed to take advantage of this “last weekend” to walk her decks. Lots of other locals had the same idea.
In addition to the fascinating things to see on the Texas, including peeks at rarely seen spaces like the officers’ wardroom, Santa was even there – and ya know I can’t resist the guy in red. I even spotted one of those rascally elves in the mess hall. See him hanging on the fridge?
We came away with “Merry Christmas” Battleship Texas T-shirts – not something you see everyday.
Now we’re all going to need some patience to wait during repairs and the decision about her new home. But wherever that will be, I’ll be back aboard when I get the chance.
What? You want another Texas ghost story to usher in Halloween? Well, who am I to say no to such a reasonable request . . .
Hear the word “Denton,” and you might thing of University of North Texas or Texas Women’s University.
But being the lover of ghostly tales that I am, my “to see” list recently included the Old Alton Bridge . . . known to locals and students as Goatman’s Bridge. According to legend if you go down to the bridge at night, turn off you headlights and honk twice – you’d see the glowing red eyes of the Goatman himself on the other side.
Now let’s clear something up to start with you can’t actually drive across the bridge (any more). It has been blocked off as a pedestrians only bridge. There is even a wonderful art installation that lights the beams with multicolored lights at night. Fun to stop and see even if you aren’t looking for something otherworldly.
Back when the bridge was built in 1884 over Hickory Creek, it was a busy thoroughfare. Now it’s one of those beautiful relics with a web of cast iron arching over creaking wood plank decking. A spot that has become oh-so-popular with thrill seekers and ghost hunters.
Since the 1930s several different versions of the Goatman tale have circulated among locals. After all, most local legends are passed down verbally and change just a bit with each telling.
The most popular version of the story relates the tale of an African-American named Oscar Washburn and his family who kept a herd of goats near the bridge. They made a good living from the animals’ meat, milk, cheeses and hides. But when the man hung a sign on the bridge directing his customers with the words “This way to the Goatman,” the local Ku Klux Klansmen were offended by his pride.
Late on a dark night in 1938, a lynch mob stormed the family’s shack and dragged the screaming Goatman to the bridge, where they put a noose around his neck and flung him over the side. And there’s a twist to the story: when the marauders went down the banks of the creek to admire their handywork…the noose was empty and Washburn was nowhere to be seen.
Thinking he had escaped, they went back to the shack and set in on fire – with the unfortunate family inside – to lure Washburn out of the woods. But he was never seen again . . . at least in the flesh.
Stories advise seekers of the vengeful spirit to knock three times on the bridge, or honk their car horn to summon the spirit. They even say that the Goatman will take his revenge on anyone who dares to summon him that is of the same bloodline as one of the murderers. (So it might be wise to do a bit of genealogy before you go!)
Goatman legends exist in several other towns in Texas and several other states, with slight variations. They probably serve more as a warning of morality than a reminder of an actual historical event. No African American named Oscar Washburn lived in the area at the time, and there were no reports of lynchings in 1938. But visitors persist in reporting strange smells and sights, being touched or grabbed and hearing snarling coming from the woods.
If you want to stop at Denton’s Goatman Bridge and tempt fate for yourself . . . be my guest!
Have you ever heard of San Antonio’s Black Swan Inn? Sounds elegant, doesn’t it? The 150-year-old Greek Revival named after Shakespeare’s favorite bar looks like an iconic Southern mansion. It’s now a popular venue for weddings, parties and even memorials but the dark past of the home and the land that it sits on has given it a reputation as one of the most haunted places in the state.
You’ll probably need help from an app or map to find the home, which is situated along Salado Creek and nestled under a canopy of ancient trees.
The bloody 1842 Battle of Salado occurred on the property between General Adrian Woll, Sam Houston and their troops and the less successful Mexican troops who were fighting for control of the area. A total of 60 men lost their lives on the hill, just 20 years before the mansion was built on the same soil.
The current owner moved her family into the mansion in 1990 and operated her Victorian garment company from the extra space. Soon the family heard repeated door slammings, saw a “shadow man” who sometimes pinched the children hard enough to cause bruises and had to admit they weren’t the only “residents” at the Inn.
Eight or more spirits are said to roam the house and land, including a Confederate soldier, former owners (one of whom hung himself . . . or was murdered, depending on who you ask), and a blonde-haired little girl.
When I was invited to speak at a paranormal conference at the home a couple of years ago I enjoyed touring the interior, which is appropriately decorated and adorned with a heavy-hand. Victorian did love their “stylish clutter,” after all. The home needs quite a lot of work, but it’s easy to appreciate her beauty even through the chipping paint.
One of the most popular spots inside the house for the local “ghost hunters” was a small closet off the main parlor. The interior was painted black and a chair and antique mirror were set inside. The locals told me that if you sit in the chair – in the dark – and stare into the mirror, the spirits can communicate directly with you.
No, I didn’t “experience” anything while I was at the Black Swan, but perhaps I was just too distracted thinking about the talk I was about to give to the crowd.
If you’d like to see if you can detect anything otherworldly for yourself, the Black Swan Inn regularly hosts the “Haunted Cocktail Hour” and other events that are open to the public.
