Texas reminiscing for Studlover

[Slammr (imported)]

Texas reminiscing for Studlover:

Several weeks ago I was watching Nashville Star, the reality show where contestants compete for a recording contest. On that show, one of the contestants, Jody Evans, a guy from Arkansas, sang a song titled, "Juke Joint Jumping." In it, is a line, "Juke joint jumping on the Gladewater highway." I grew up in Gladewater, and my dad owned one of the juke joints, or honky-tonks as we called them. To know the significance of this, you have to understand something about Texas and its crazy laws.

In Texas during that time, voters in each voting district could decide whether that district was going to be wet or dry. Gladewater was an alcoholic oasis surrounded by a desert of dry districts. Honky-tonks and liquor stores were probably one of Gladewater's prime industries. Of course, it was a stupid law. Instead of reducing the consumption of alcohol, it just put drunks on the road.

Our honky-tonk was in town and was of a higher class than the ones on the Tyler Road. We served food and had a car hop. Strangely, the place was known as "The Malt Shop," because my aunt had originally operated a little malt shop on that location. When it failed, my dad took it over, making it into a honky-tonk. He had it from the time I was about seven until I was 12, closing it during the Korean War because so many of his customers had been drafted.

Since there were no laws against children being in such places, I grew up in that honky-tonk. Both my mother and father worked in it, and our house was on the other side of the parking lot from it.

[Riverwind (imported)]

Yes I remember it well,

Lubbock Texas, it also was dry, Texas Tech is in Lubbock. The traffic was heavy getting to the county line where there were about 30 or so liquore stories without a gas station or store of any other type. I often wondered how many were owned by members of the city council.

Era: 1965 - 1967

River

[An Onymus (imported)]

Don't know the details of it, or how it came about, but I recall reading that, at one time, Mississippi was a dry state, but the liquor tax collector there (one man) was the highest paid public official in the country. Maybe somebody from MS knows the story on this.

[Blaise (imported)]

Georgia, I think, still has dry and wet counties. The southern counties were wet and all but one northern county Fulton County were dry. In 1970, one norther county Clarke County became wet. Private clubs somehow could provide liquor to members. Bootlegging was a cottage industry. Wine and beer sales were allowed.

[Bagoas (imported)]

I don't know if there still are any, but, at one time, there were dry towns in Connecticut. Bloomfield, for example, a suburb of Hartford, was dry, though I believe that it became "wet" about 10 years ago. Unlike many larger states, there is no county land between the towns in Connecticut, they are all contiguous. Therefore, anyone who lived in a dry town had no more than 10 miles to drive to a wet one.

[Blaise (imported)]

I don't know if there still are any, but, at one time, there were dry towns in Connecticut. Bloomfield, for example, a suburb of Hartford, was dry, though I believe that it became "wet" about 10 years ago. Unlike many larger states, there is no county land between the towns in Connecticut, they are all contiguous. Therefore, anyone who lived in a dry town had no more than 10 miles to drive to a wet one.

The town next to one of my hometowns is Mountain View, Georgia. That is its current official name. It had a view of Stone Mountain, I suppose. We had one in our back window many years ago.

Anyway, Mountain View is part of Fulton County, for long the only wet county in North Georgia. The town was full of neon graced bars. It is now not much more than a large regional post office and warehouses for the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport.

The original name of Mountain View was Rough and Ready. Some years ago, a newly wed couple left I-75 to and wandered into Rouge and Ready. A drunk guy ran into them. When the bridegroom got out to investigate, the drunk driver stabbed him repeatedly. The groom made it back to his car where he bled to death on the bride. The couple was still dressed for the wedding.

The next morning, the drunk man's father saw the blood and heard the news. He turned in his son. The murderer was in a backout when he murdered the room.

[bobov (imported)]

The stars at night, are big and bright,

deep in the heart of Texas,

The prairie sky is wide and high,

deep in the heart of Texas.

The sage in bloom is like perfume,

deep in the heart of Texas,

Reminds me of, the one I love,

deep in the heart of Texas.

The coyotes wail, along the trail,

deep in the heart of Texas,

The rabbits rush, around the brush,

deep in the heart of Texas.

The cowboys cry, "Ki-yip-pee-yi,"

deep in the heart of Texas,

The dogies bawl, and bawl and bawl,

deep in the heart of Texas.

[Blaise (imported)]

The stars at night, are big and bright,

deep in the heart of Texas,

The prairie sky is wide and high,

deep in the heart of Texas.

The sage in bloom is like perfume,

deep in the heart of Texas,

Reminds me of, the one I love,

deep in the heart of Texas.

The coyotes wail, along the trail,

deep in the heart of Texas,

The rabbits rush, around the brush,

deep in the heart of Texas.

The cowboys cry, "Ki-yip-pee-yi,"

deep in the heart of Texas,

The dogies bawl, and bawl and bawl,

deep in the heart of Texas.

I still want to explore Big Bend National Park. The song clinches it.

[FianceeUvBigGuy (imported)]

I still want to explore Big Bend National Park. The song clinches it.

BIIIIIIIIIG Bend!

Howdeeeeee!

Yoli here.

BB is a magical place. I'm lucky in that I get to go there a few times a year. Not business trips, but rather as a tag-along-concubine (LOL!) for cattle-related stuff with BigGuy, WOBG, and/or Ash(leigh).

If you go, try to plan to use San Antonio as your starting point. You'll love SA!

You'll then travel west on HWY 90, go through Del Rio, and stop at Langtry, home of Judge Roy Bean. You will then get to Marathon, where you can book a room at the famous Gage Hotel, an old cowboy hangout, although it's now upgraded (Yuppified) and pricey. Call in advance, of course.

Head down to BB the next day and have a ball. It's soooo beautiful, especially in the Spring.

Of course, there are critters there that you might avoid, such as black bears, mountain lions, and lots of rattlesnakes, scorpions and tarantulas. Other than that, no problem.

Drive up the Rio Grande to Presidio, then to Marfa (maybe you'll see the "Marfa Lights") then to Alpine, then back to SA. WOW!

Hugs and selective kisses,

Yolanda,

The Crazy Travel Lady in San Antonio

[Blaise (imported)]

BIIIIIIIIIG Bend!

Howdeeeeee!

Yoli here.

BB is a magical place. I'm lucky in that I get to go there a few times a year. Not business trips, but rather as a tag-along-concubine (LOL!) for cattle-related stuff with BigGuy, WOBG, and/or Ash(leigh).

If you go, try to plan to use San Antonio as your starting point. You'll love SA!

You'll then travel west on HWY 90, go through Del Rio, and stop at Langtry, home of Judge Roy Bean. You will then get to Marathon, where you can book a room at the famous Gage Hotel, an old cowboy hangout, although it's now upgraded (Yuppified) and pricey. Call in advance, of course.

Head down to BB the next day and have a ball. It's soooo beautiful, especially in the Spring.

Of course, there are critters there that you might avoid, such as black bears, mountain lions, and lots of rattlesnakes, scorpions and tarantulas. Other than that, no problem.

Drive up the Rio Grande to Presidio, then to Marfa (maybe you'll see the "Marfa Lights") then to Alpine, then back to SA. WOW!

Hugs and selective kisses,

Yolanda,

The Crazy Travel Lady in San Antonio

Thank you for the recommendation. I have to to make the trip.