Texas Trail Rides are a Houston tradition in all the best ways! They celebrate history, get people outdoors, involve animals (yes, please!), and bring families together.
Yesterday I met up with the Texas Independence Trail Riders, one of eleven rides who make their way to Houston in time for the Houston Rodeo Parade. After having no rodeo last year, this year’s ride seems like a special celebration.
True to the Texas spirit, the trail rides originated due to a bit of bragging, a dare, and a sense of fun. In 1952 the mayor of Brenham, Reese Lockett, shared stories about his younger years on a ranch when they drove cattle from Central Texas winter pastures to the coastal salt grasses in warmer weather.
Listening to the tales, a group of Houston journalists and rodeo officials dared him to retrace the old trail from Brenham to Houston in time for that year’s rodeo, and he accepted. The ride was shared with the public by a television reporter who went along for the ride in a covered wagon.
That first ride stirred up a wave of nostalgia for the bygone days of Texas, and the next year a group of about 80 ranchers and cowboys (all men) gathered together to ride the Salt Grass Trail. By the following year 800 people wanted to be a part of this Romantic re-enactment.
Today, thousands of people (men, women and children) participate in the 11 trail rides that wind along their own specific routes from all over Texas and Louisiana covering a cumulative 1,300 miles! The Valley Lodge Trail, at 71.5 miles, is the shortest. The Mission Trail ride covers 239 miles between San Antonio and Houston, winning the prize for longest ride.
The fun thing for those of us not lucky enough to saddle up and ride along is that the groups make many stops along the way. A quick check of the trail maps on rodeohouston.com will reveal which ride passes closest to you and the locations of their planned stops.
The Texas Independence Trail Riders pass through my area and that, with the combination of the fact that they were founded in my birth year, makes it a must-see on my calendar every year. And honestly . . . where else are you going to be able to see a trail ride pass the space shuttle?
It’s such fun to see multiple generations enjoying the experience, all of the wonderful Western wear, three century-old wagons, people of all ages coming out to see them and – of course – all of the animals. This particular ride works year-round to support special needs children, Texas EquuSearch and families in need. Many of the horses on their ride are actually rescued animals.
The rides also stop at local schools so that children can experience the animals, wagons and participants. I was with them yesterday when they made one of these stops and I cannot overstate the joy on the faces of the children – and their teachers.
I have a huge amount of respect for the families that carry on this tradition. Many have to take time off from work and other obligations to participate. Along the multiple day rides they camp out in a variety of locations, and there always seem to be a few “weather challenges.” But whatever it takes, they all seem to do it with a smile and are ready to share a wave and a chat to visitors along the way.
Last night I attended a client preview event for the newest music venue in Houston, 713 Music Hall. And now my husband and I can’t wait to go back to attend concerts there!
When I worked in Downtown Houston, I saw the big Barbara Jordan Post Office location there every day. “Big” is an understatement – it was massive! When the post office closed, the question about what to do with the building was just as large as its footprint. Enter some design geniuses who are turning it into a multi-purpose space with its own food court, farmer’s market on weekends, rooftop green space and future retail space. And part of it has been developed into the 713 Music Hall . . . just look at this prime location.
We had a great time wandering all three levels of 713. The venue has eclectic lobbies, seating areas and multiple bars with colored lighting effects on each level make exploring the venue half the fun. With 90,000 square feet of space, there was plenty to discover.
And even though the space is, well . . . BIG . . . it still succeeds in feeling intimate with clear views of the stage throughout the levels and pitch-perfect audio. When the band Danny Ray and the Acoustic Production performed, we took the opportunity to scope out each level to choose our “target seats” for future concerts there, and made a pleasant discovery: there’s not a bad seat in the house!
In addition to fun performances by Acoustic Production and spectacular DJ, dancers in lighted costumes that would make any disco fan proud kept attendees entertained throughout the night.
While we watched and listened to the entertainers, we had the chance to sample tempting foods from local caterers. We had eaten Churrasco’s before, so weren’t surprised their offerings were tasty. But happy to discover LaRue Catering (some of the best macarons I’ve tasted), The Hometown Chef (who served mac’n’cheese in martini glasses and had a toppings bar including friend jalapeños, friend onions, bacon and more – what a great idea), and Cafe Natalie (where we loved everything they offered, including fresh spring rolls).
If you’re going to eat, you’re going to need some liquid refreshment to wash it down, and there were ample bars available.
Have you ever seen such a cute “wandering photo booth?” No need to build a booth in your event space, or try to “coax” your friends to go across the room to wait in line. And the pics are texted directly to your cell phone. The guests were loving this.
Eye see you! while we were exploring the space, of course we checked out the VIP Lounge on the third floor.
With it’s own bar and conversation “caves” big enough to accommodate you and your friends, it is a fun and funky spot to get away from the main action and visit with your posse.
Old, abandoned stone building? (I’m slowing down as I’m driving by.)
Bars on the door and windows? (I’m definitely stopping.)
My first guess that this had to be an old jail turned out to be right on target.
This lonely structure was the Buchel County Jail back when Marathon Texas was the county seat between 1887 and 1897.
Wait . . . Buchel County? Nope, you’re not losing your marbles. There’s no Buchel County in the Lone Star State! Both Buchel and Foley Counties were absorbed into Brewster County – now the largest county in Texas – when their populations failed to flourish as well as expected.
There was good reason to want a sturdy jail in town. West Texas was still a pretty wild place filled with cantankerous cowboys and outlaws back then.
But before the town had an actual building for that purpose, a windmill in the middle of North First Street was Marathon’s first jail. Drunks and other petty offenders were chained to one of its legs, and serious offenders were taken down the road to the Alpine jail.
Later, a one-room adobe house behind French’s Store served as a jail but, after several colorful escapes, locals decided that a better “calaboose” was in order, so this rock jailhouse was built.
It was constructed just south of the old Ritchey store in town, of rocks dug from a ledge on the northwest side of town. Talk about working with on-hand materials!
I can’t even imagine how hot it was inside this jail during the hot west Texas summer months!
When the Alpine jail was remodeled in 1901, their two old “cages” manufactured by Diebold Safe and Lock were brought to this location and installed. If you peer through the boars on the front door you can easily read the identifying word “L. T. Noyes – Houston, Texas” on the cell locking mechanism on the wall.
Now this is pretty neat for fans of old-times Texas. Lucius T. Noyes was an agent for the Diebold Safe & Lock Company of Canton, Ohio. From his Houston office on the corner of Congress Avenue and San Jacinto Street he established a far reaching reputation in the world of “security.”
In addition to selling and installing over 50 county vaults and safes in Texas, Louisiana and surrounding states; and countless of the same for banks – he became quite a celebrity as a jail builder.
He sold the steel and iron fittings for the facilities and personally oversaw the construction and contract work for over 100 jails including this one, the impressive 1897 Fort Bend County Jail that now serves as the Richmond Police Department, the 1887 San Jacinto County Jail in Coldspring, the 1894 Glasscock County Jail in Garden City, and the 1886 Live Oak County Jail in Oakville.
I imagine he wasn’t too popular with the bad guys!
Stealing a peek through the door and windows, it looks like there might have been a museum at Marthon’s little jail at some point, and the decaying remnants are admittedly a bit creepy. That mannequin will definitely take you off guard, but you can clearly see the jail cells, photos of what are probably local lawmen of the past on the wall, and broken display cases – whose contents I can only hope were safely removed before the damage. I’d love to see this “attraction” re-opened for a closer look.
You can find the former Buchel County Jail in Marathon behind the Ritchey Brothers building on South 2nd Street between Avenues C and D.
Yesterday I met up with the Texas Independence Trail Riders, one of eleven rides who make their way to Houston in time for the Houston Rodeo Parade. After having no rodeo last year, this year’s ride seems like a special celebration.
Today, thousands of people (men, women and children) participate in the 11 trail rides that wind along their own specific routes from all over Texas and Louisiana covering a cumulative 1,300 miles! The Valley Lodge Trail, at 71.5 miles, is the shortest. The Mission Trail ride covers 239 miles between San Antonio and Houston, winning the prize for longest ride.
The fun thing for those of us not lucky enough to saddle up and ride along is that the groups make many stops along the way. A quick check of the trail maps on rodeohouston.com will reveal which ride passes closest to you and the locations of their planned stops.
The rides also stop at local schools so that children can experience the animals, wagons and participants. I was with them yesterday when they made one of these stops and I cannot overstate the joy on the faces of the children – and their teachers.
I have a huge amount of respect for the families that carry on this tradition. Many have to take time off from work and other obligations to participate. Along the multiple day rides they camp out in a variety of locations, and there always seem to be a few “weather challenges.” But whatever it takes, they all seem to do it with a smile and are ready to share a wave and a chat to visitors along the way.
