Ellis County Courthouse

The Ellis County Courthouse sits right in the Waxahachie town square like so many others.  Completely unassuming, county business gets done there as locals come and go and tourists pass by on their way to various downtown shops and restaurants.  But is there something more to this historic building?

The marker reads:

    "Ellis County's first courthouse was made of cedar logs and built here in 1850. A second courthouse was built on this square in 1853 and a third in 1874. In 1894 Virginia native and San Antonio architect James Riely Gordon was commissioned to design the fourth Ellis County courthouse to be built at this site. 

    The cornerstone was laid on July 4, 1895, and the courthouse completed in 1897 with each of its main entrances purposely oriented toward true North, South, East and West compass points. Faces which adorn the courthouse were sculpted by European stonemasons. 

    The Richardsonian Romanesque architectural style used by Gordon to design this building was created by Bostonian Henry Hobson Richardson in the 1870s and popularized in Texas by Gordon. For this structure Gordon deviated from previous Texas courthouses he had designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style by displaying open, two-story arcaded and colonnaded porticos on the exterior of the building and placing entrances at inside angles. Red and gray granite from Central Texas and red sandstone from the Pecos River in West Texas were used to build this courthouse. Gordon's Ellis County courthouse design set a new standard for other public buildings erected in Texas."

But is there more to this story?  Check out the video:

@tkentvideo They’re watching #waxahachie #texas #elliscounty #courthouse #design #face #sculpt #creepy #weird #roadside #weird #hidden #easteregg #architecture #gargoyle #legend #secret #spooky ♬ Creepy and simple horror background music(1070744) - howlingindicator

Mother Neff State Park

 Mother Neff State Park is located in central Texas, about 35 miles southwest of Waco.  The land was originally donated by the mother of Texas governor Pat Neff and has the distinction of being the the first state park in Texas.  

 Naturally, it has its own historical marker.  It reads:

    "First official state park in Texas; suggested the idea for the State Parks system. Originated with a 6-acre plot willed to Texas in 1916 by Mrs. Isabella E. Neff, mother of Pat M. Neff, Governor of Texas (1921-1925) Because Texas then had no state parks, Mrs. Neff stated the land was to be used for religious, fraternal, political, and educational activities. 

    Seeing the need for more such areas, in 1923, the 39th Legislature created the State Parks Board. In 1934 Pat Neff deeded 250 acres, and other owners 3 acres, to enlarge the original tract."

Work was done at the park by the Civilian Conservation Corps at the park and can still been seen by park visitors, including the Lookout Tower/Water Storage Tank.  Here's a video we shot about some of the science behind the rocks used to build it:

First National Bank Building

The fourth episode of season 1 of Walker, Texas Ranger has the standard "bad guy who goes around town doing genuinely bad things" plot.  Shenanigans occur around the usual Dallas/Fort Worth areas in the beginning of the story.  Later in the episode there is some hubbub at an old school looking bank:

The building is located on the downtown square in McKinney, TX (north of Dallas).  It's a historic building that was a bank at one time but now it's an antique shop.

Here is the building's historical marker for your viewing pleasure:

The text reads:

    "Entrepreneur Francis Emerson (1815-1905) founded a McKinney banking firm in 1869, which developed into the First National Bank in 1882. First National bought this site in 1912 and built this classical revival style building. Glazed bricks and massive columns support classical details of cast stone and a gilded eagle. Collin County National Bank, founded in 1883, occupied the building from 1935 to 1958. First Savings and Loan Association officed here from 1958 to 1973."

 Of course Walker and his partner show up to put an end to the nonsense:

But unfortunately they didn't have time to visit downtown McKinney's many unique shops and restaurants (maybe they can plan a Saturday afternoon trip sometime):

A few roundhouse kicks later and McKinney was safe from Mr. Bad Guy...but for how long???

The Big Bopper

Jiles Perry "J.P." Richardson Jr, a.k.a. "The Big Bopper" was born and raised in Texas and achieved rock star status at a young age with hits like "Chantilly Lace" and "White Lighting."  Sadly, he died young along with Ritchie Valens and fellow Texan Buddy Holly on what came to be known as "The Day the Music Died."  There's a Texas Historical Marker commemorating the singer/songwriter in his hometown Beaumont, TX.

 The marker reads:

    "Jiles Perry "J.P." Richardson, Jr. was born on October 24, 1930 to Jiles and Elsie Bernice (Stalsby) Richardson in Sabine Pass (26 mi. SE); the family moved to Beaumont when he was six. As a teenager, Richardson began writing songs with country and western influences. Following graduation from Beaumont High School in 1947, he attended Lamar College, where he sang in the choir and played in the band. He also became a disc jockey for radio station KTRM. It was there he developed his "Big Bopper" character and his musical style shifted toward rockabilly, combining country and western with rock and roll. He served two years in the Army but returned to radio work in Beaumont, and as a DJ in 1957 Richardson raised money for charity by spinning records continuously for more than 122 hours. Around the same time, Mercury Records executive Shelby Singleton signed him to a contract, and the Big Bopper went on tour along the east coast. His recording Chantilly Lace was on the top of the charts for six weeks in 1958 and earned him a gold record after being listed among the Top 100 for 25 weeks.

    At the age of 28, married with two children, rock and roll star J.P. Richardson joined a group of young musicians on another national tour. Tragically, on February 3, 1959, their plane crashed in Iowa, killing him and fellow artists Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens. Richardson's body was returned here for burial. In addition to the 21 songs he recorded as the Big Bopper, he wrote many more, including Running Bear and White Lightnin', made popular by other singers. J.P. Richardson, Jr. is remembered for his musical talent as well as his larger-than-life persona as the Big Bopper."

The marker is right next to his grave in the Forest Lawn Funeral Home & Memorial Park.  It's a humble head stone that's clearly well-visited by his fans, as you can see coins and other small mementos left in his honor.

It's also worth noting that there was a significant amount of artistic license taken by the animators of The Simpsons when the Big Bopper's grave was portrayed on that show.  Whether or not their version was better or worse is up to you:

The Post Man

 Post Cereals has been one of the giants in the breakfast game for quite awhile now.  From Grape Nuts to Fruity Pebbles, everybody has a favorite.  But cereal dynasties aren't born, they're made.  And this one was made by a guy named C.W. Post.  If you look into his life you'll find out that he wasn't always such a great guy but but that milk of negativity wasn't enough make his legacy soggy enough to deny him a statue...and I just happened to visit it recently.

 And there he sits, perched high upon his throne, welcoming visitors to the Garza County Courthouse in Post, TX.  Yes, he has a town named after him.  And, yes, he named it after himself after he founded it.  Of course, it was originally called "Post City" and it was meant to be a paradise based on his utopian vision which involved prohibiting alcohol and recreational fornication.  But currently, it's not that different from any other small Texas town.

 

 

Right behind the statue is a Texas Historical marker.  It reads:

     "Internationally known creator of Post Cereals, advertising genius, inventor and innovator, founder of Post City in 1906. Through the purchase of the Curry Comb Ranch and adjacent land approximating 225,000 acres he began his dream of building self-contained model community of towns and farms. Mr. Post financed, supervised and built town without profit to himself. Settlers were offered ownership of business or farm sites far below cost. Mr. Post planned community of debt-free private ownership in every field of endeavor, and sought to make his vision true to its purpose."

 

I'm sure this isn't the only monument to a cereal magnate but my travels have yet to take me to Battle Creek, MI to investigate further.  If you want to visit Post's town (and his statue) you can find it in the in the vicinity of the middle of nowhere in the southern end of the Texas panhandle.  Don't forget the milk!

Buddy Holly

 

When it comes to favorite sons of Lubbock, TX, the list begins with rock star Buddy Holly.  Before his rock & roll dreams came true, he grew up in the panhandle town and there are plenty of tributes to the musician along the streets of his hometown, including a historical marker:

The marker reads:

     "Charles Hardin "Buddy" Holley was born in Lubbock on September 7, 1936, to Ella Pauline (Drake) and Lawrence Odell "L.O." Holley. The youngest of four children, Buddy grew up in a musical household, with his mother and siblings singing and playing instruments. Buddy showed musical aptitude, taking violin, piano and steel guitar lessons. He took up the acoustic guitar after his brother, Travis, bought a $15 Harmony model.
     Buddy, with other young Lubbock "pickers," formed several country groups. In 1955, he saw Elvis Presley in concert and was very impressed by Presley's rhythm and performance style. Buddy and his friends were opening for big country acts at the Fair Park Coliseum when Eddie Crandall, an agent and manager, saw a performance and helped Buddy broker a Decca recording contract. Buddy's last name was misspelled on the contract: "Holley" became "Holly." Buddy's relationship with Decca was short-lived as his early recording sessions failed to produce a hit.
     In 1957, Buddy and his new band, The Crickets, began working with producer Norman Petty in Clovis, New Mexico. On February 15, 1957, they recorded "That'll Be The Day," the first of several hits on the Brunswick label. Their success led the band to tour widely in the United States and Canada.
     In 1958, Buddy Holly and The Crickets toured England. The group had a profound influence on Rock and Roll in England - from their sound to Buddy's distinct look. On February 3, 1959, during a three-week tour of the Midwestern United States, Buddy's chartered plane crashed after takeoff due to bad weather. There were no survivors. Buddy Holly was 22 years old."

 The marker stands in front of the Buddy Holly Center, a museum that chronicles Holly's career as well as other cultural topics of the area.  And outside stands a pair of black glasses, a part of Holly's look throughout his short career.  Visitors are encouraged to take pictures with rock star's spectacles.

 
Across the street is a statue honoring the rock & roll sensation.  He's playing his guitar surrounded by the West Texas Hall of Fame honoring other influential artists of the area.  His fellow Texas musicians are forever serenaded by Charles Hardin Holley, a.k.a. Buddy Holly, as he welcomes visitors to his humble hometown. 

The Other Big Tex

Everybody knows Big Tex.  Just like clockwork, he appears every fall at Dallas' Fair Park to oversee the State Fair of Texas and greet visitors.  But farther north, in the Texas panhandle, there's another big "Tex" who's almost as tall and just as friendly.

Canyon, TX is the home of "Tex Randall," a 47 foot tall cowboy that stands tall over the sleepy Amarillo suburb.  He's been around for decades in various states of disrepair and has had multiple makeovers by concerned Texans.  He now lives in his own dedicated park with his own dedicated historical marker.

The marker reads:

     "The 47-foot, seven-ton cowboy statue, known as Tex Randall, is considered a Texas icon. Designer and builder Harry Wheeler created the cowboy in 1959 as a roadside phenomenon to welcome travelers to his Corral curio shop on U.S. Highway 60 west to New Mexico. The giant cowboy relates to the western heritage of the Texas panhandle as well as symbolizing the state of Texas. William Harry Wheeler (1914-1997) was born in Hartley, Texas in the panhandle and died in Amarillo. He was a teacher by profession, but in the 1950s, he sought a way to supplement his income and opened a curio shop along the highway. After three years, he moved the shop across the highway and began his masterpiece, the Big Cowboy. For ten months, Wheeler worked with six-inch wire mesh, rebar and concrete. A friend helped weld the pipe and rebar to the frame.
     The concrete cowboy was covered with burlap to protect it from the elements. Levi-Strauss made the pants and Amarillo Awning made the shirt, a surface total of 1,440 square feet. Dressing the statue was completed by hand-stitching the clothes in back with sailboat thread, and the shirt was decorated with sheet aluminum buttons covered with vinyl. In true Texas style, the cowboy was adorned with a Stetson-style hat. Wheeler soon added a six-room motel for visitors. Due to reconstruction of the highway, the tourist trade at his shop declined. Wheeler sold the property in 1963. Harry Wheeler’s vision, dedication and attention to detail sealed his creation as a landmark and tourist attraction. The giant cowboy became Wheeler’s lasting contribution to Texas heritage and history. (2013)"

 Tex isn't just one of the stars of the Panhandle, he stands among the other Texas giants like the Sam Houston Statue in Huntsville, the Dinosaurs of Glen Rose, and his old pal Big Tex, himself.  Next time you're in his neck of the woods, stop by and say "Howdy!"