Dickens Springs

I am pretty busy without a lot of time but I have many pictures of one of my favorite places in this part of the world. Even in the harshest of droughts this is one of the few places where the land stays green. I will be posting more pics and stories of this place in the coming posts.

Mesquite Tree

My grandfather often spoke of how this land looked before the Mesquite Trees came and in some areas totally took over. I can hardly imagine the look of rolling grasslands and vistas before their arrival via cattle from Mexico.

They do make a pretty tree if given the room to grow and not just the bushes scattered thickly in pastures as they are seen most of the time. I had a great aunt when I was young that would pick the beans and cook them. She told me that they were a staple during dry years. In dry years the beans make their biggest crops. It wasn't all that good but I suppose it would help you survive when the planted crops died in a summer's drought. I suppose it must be natures insurance program in an inhospitable world.

The Buffalo Soldiers

I while back I did a post on Soldiers mound and mentioned the memorial at our local cemetery. I thought that I would post a few picks of the memorial.

The area of the cemetery where these soldiers are buried was a very lonesome one when they were first interred there. On a far corner against a hill. The rocks forming a terrace give a rather lonesome look to the memorial. The marker was put up in 1936 and before that time only simple wooden crosses marked these soldiers final resting places in the frontier far from their homes.

I thought that I would add a link for additional stories of these brave men who were named the Buffalo Soldiers by their adversaries that named them for their bravery.

Click here if you wish to learn more. I have also added a painting by Michael Grey that shows Mackenzie in his final battle with Quanah Parker.

Lonesome Memorial

I am still researching a little history of this site. So I will post another pic later with a little history around this memorial. I just liked this b&w picture so I thought that I would post it today.

Bob's Oil Well

This is Bob's Oil Well in Matador. The owner wanted his station on the corner of US 70 and Texas 70 to stand out. It was originally constructed with a wooden derrick over the station then later a steel structure was erected. In it's heyday it was a major tourist attraction with a diner, station, petting zoo, and rattlesnake exibits. The building was in disrepair but the outside of the station has been refurbished and the local organization that worked to repair it is awaiting more funding to do renovations to the inside of the building. It will also be nice if they can get enough funds to light the derrick is it was; a beacon along the highway for travelers.

I have added a link to Preservation Texas. The group had listed it as a historical structure under the threat of extinction. The article on Bob's Oil Well is halfway down this page. Click here.

Abandoned Rock House

Lovely but lonely, this rock house sits about 15 miles from the closest town. I love the red star above the entrance. It is a small touch that makes this simple rock structure really stand out when driving down the road. It is a shame that no one lives here. I can picture myself sitting on the front porch and watching the sun rise over the rolling plains.

Dickens County Jail

The jail was built of the same material as the courthouse. When I was in school one of our field trips was to the jail. The most vivid memory that I have of the field trip was the cell that was built for the hanging of prisoners. There is still a ring in the ceiling with a trap door under the ring. It was a perfect 'Scared Straight' moment.

I have added a link to the Dickens County website with a little more history of the jail. Click here.

The Courthouse

I seem to have misplaced my photos of the rock house that I was going to post. So I have decided to post these photos of the County Courthouse in Dickens.

The Courthouse was built in 1891 from natural stone. I might be partial but it is one of the most unique and understated County Courthouses in Texas for it's age.

I have also added a pic of the plaque that was placed commemerating the erection of the building. What really strikes me is the number of schools in the county at the time of it's incorporation. There were 37 schools in the county at that time. Now there are only two schools. One has to remember though that at that time schools had to be located in such a way that children could walk to school and most of these schools were simple one-room affairs and one teacher would teach students of all ages.

My grandmother walked two miles to a one-room schoolhouse located about two miles from her house. My great-uncle Herman taught at the Red Mud School, which was a simple one-room school, at the age of 17. Education has certainly changed since 1891.

East Mound Cemetery

The entrance to the East Mound Cemetery was built in the late 1800's. In that day and age the entrance was built wide enough to permit a small wagon carrying a coffin into the grounds. As you can see by the tracks, the entrance is rather narrow. A family car barely fits through the gate and larger vehicles must go around. This cemetery is just east of Matador, Texas.