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Round Top Festival Music Hall
James Dick is one of the most accomplished concert piano players in our country, with accolades from around the world. In the late 60’s he decided to teach music, and he bought property in Round Top, TX (about an hour away from Austin and San Antonio). The project soon grew, and he established scholarships for both established and emerging music professionals. The project grew to include a 200 acre garden, beautifully restored buildings, and a brand new 1,100 seat concert hall of world class acoustics.
Much more can be found at the web site http://www.festivalhill.org. We had a private tour there and it was fascinating. The concert hall, the restored historic church moved here to become a chapel, the use and re-use of natural resources in unbelievable. If you are ever in this area, and if you like music, go take a look. You won’t be disappointed. James Dick lives on premises; we will be attending one of his concerts in January ’11.
The top of the festival hall
Inside the music hall
This crystal plate set inspired.....
.... this ceiling design in wood.
Landscaping around the chapel
A view in the gardens
Model Airplane Museum
If you were a kid growing up in the mid 1900’s, and you had a model airplane, chances are it would have been made by the Stanzel company. They were the leading designer and manufacturer of model airplanes (and some circus rides, too). The Stanzel brothers, who started the business, donated much to their home town of Schulenburg, including scholarships for deserving local students. The brothers are now gone, but their commemorative museum is a testament to their hard work and ingenuity.
The sign outside the museum
For more info: http://www.stanzelmuseum.org/
Painted churches, Texas
We joined the Traveling Supremes on a rolling rally starting in Schulenburg, TX. This area has a strong German and Czech heritage. Within a short driving trip you can find 6 churches dating back to the 1800’s, all with excellent craftmanship and especially colors, hence “painted churches”. Here are a few highlights.
A dramatic view of one of the steeples
One of the many stained glass windows
Elaborate ceiling decorations
A totally different "look" at the front of the church
Each church has their own distinct style
Seeing double
Although there are quite a few motorhomes like ours on the road, we finally saw one that had exactly the same colors. Not only did we see one, he actually was in the space next to us! Good thing I didn’t come home late after a bender, I may have tried to get in the wrong one.
Although we both had the same colors, ours was 6 months newer and the colors are not exactly the same. Maybe ours just bleached out a little more :0….
Twins!
Balloon festival, Plano, TX
Last weekend we joined Stacy, Dallas and her mother at the Plano Balloon Festival. It was hot when we got there, then it started to pour rain. The event was put on hold for an hour,then re-opened when the rain quit. So we had a pleasant, but very humid, time. We strolled the various vendor areas, and got to see the balloon glow up close and personal.
Maybe not as big as Albuquerque, but interesting and fun.
The passing rainstorm left behind a beautiful sunset
One of the balloons at dusk
Balloon glow....
Closeup of one of the balloons
And this is how the hot air is produced...
Too bad they didn't all light up at the same time
Cuba, Route 66
After a pleasant week visiting Romola’s sister, it’s time to head south to Dallas. Hopefully, Hermine won’t affect us too much as we head down south.
Spent a night in Cuba, Missouri. Cuba is right on Route 66, the famous north/south and east/west highway of yesteryear. Old gas stations and other buildings reflect back on this rich heritage. But before Rte 66, Cuba was a center point for some epic Civil war battles. After the war, the city thrived and was one of the largest apple producers in the country. Even now, it is the largest manufacturer of wooden barrels.
In 1901 the People’s Bank was established, in 2001 the bank celebrated its anniversary with big events and notably a painted mural depicted its first teller and long time president. Soon, the mural became famous, and others followed. Now there is a whole series depicting historical facts of the area. Nicely done; below are a few of them.
One of the more interesting ones was the one depicting Amelia Earhart. Apparently, she “visited” Cuba by having an emergency landing in the city. Repairs were made, and she was on her way again, but not before it was marked by the city fathers as a visit by a famous personality. Cute….
Amelia mural
In 1940, Harry Truman visited Cuba on a political speech. Only two people showed up, because there was a fair going on. So he grabbed hos Coca Cola crate that he was standing on, walked over to the fair, and gave a much more impassioned speech. Later, he became president… maybe had his roots here!
This mural is right by the hotel where Truman began his speech
There are also several fantastic murals depicting the Civil War activities in this area.
A commemorative of the battle
If you ever come here, I would recommend the “Missouri Hicks” BBQ. As a Texan, I hate to admit it, but the BBQ was excellent, and the decor spectacular.
Joliet, IL: soda pop, barbed wire, and theater
We had some time to explore Joliet, IL today and found some interesting historical items. Turns out that Joliet was famous for its limestone back in the 1800’s, and produced much of the building materials used in those days. Also little known is that bottled soda pop was invented here in the 1870’s, which we all know today as one of the most ubiquitous drinks in the world. The first soda pop was made at the Joliet bluffs, at the location shown below. Of course, a building was here, but a very humble beginning!
The Hiram B. Scutt Mansion is a west-facing, three-story, red brick, Second Empire/Italianate style structure built circa 1882 on a Joliet limestone foundation. The Mansion was designed by architect James Weese for Hiram Scutt, a prominent Joliet businessman who was President of Citizens Electric Company and held numerous early patents on barbed wire. The mansion thus became known as “Barb Villa”. Tours were available, the house is being restored to 1880’s condition inside and it was chock full of old items, ranging from furniture, to stereoscopes, and a collection of old toys and dolls.
An exterior view of the house
The Rialto Theater is consider one of the most beautiful theaters in the US. And in fact, inside it was gorgeous. Beautiful stone and artwork, gold gilding, and a very open atmosphere really stand out. The railroad is a block away, and in the early 1900’s many famous artists such as Bob Hope would arrive in a private rail car, perform, and be on their way. The theater is in active use today.
Street side view of the Rialto entrance
A graceful, arched foyer leads to the theater
Looking at the left entry side of the foyer
A view from the balcony, organ at the lower right
Looking up at the ceiling, main hall
Above the stage
Stage left, chandelier and frescoes
Chrissy the skunk woman
While geocaching in the northern Indiana area we found this very interesting person. Check it out… it’s quite a story!
Chrissy's grave in Howe, Indiana
THE SKUNK WOMAN
It’s hard to believe there was such a person as Chrissy, the Skunk Woman. But there was – as anyone past 40 in the little northeastern town of Howe will tell you emphatically. Moreover, there’s a distinct suspicion that in her own fantastic way, Chrissy got more fun out of life that most cozy, conforming characters. She was rugged and robust. She achieved a perculiar fame – left-handed but, to her, enjoyable. She lived long – and she’ll be remembered longer.
FABULOUS CHRISSY was born Christina Hahn on a skimpy, poverty-ridden farm near Howe in Civil War times. Hers was a large, hungry family that got hungrier after the sad day Father Hand went fishing – reportedly with too many under his belt. At a likely spot, he heaved out his weighty anchor, failing to note that the rope was snarled around his leg. It was a fatal oversight that left Chrissy fatherless. Despite the Hand family’s subsequent lack of ample nutrients, Chrissy grew up stronger and healthy. She had a man’s coarse features and brawny shoulders. Her frame was pudgy and powerful and her early voice bull-strong. Chrissy could handle a team and dray with the best mule skinners of the day – and, ’tis said, out-cuss the less gifted.
When the Grand Rapids & Indiana (now the Pennsylvania) pushed a railroad through Howe about 90 years ago, Chrissy became a familiar sight – and sound! – hauling wagon-loads of ties for the railroad. As near as Howe old-timers can recall, it was about then that romance came into Chrissy’s life. She met and married an Irishman named Mike Sullivan. Apparently they got along fine – while it lasted. Chrissy was no ravishing beauty, but Mike had a failing, too. It came in a bottle, and at that time Howe had a distillery, which made things entirely too handy. At any rate,. poor Mike got to wobbling around in such a glow one night that he forgot about the new railroad. A train reminded him, with fatal effect. Stoically, Chrissy reassembled her departed husband and gave him a proper burial. After that, she bought a house and a small bit of land on the southeastern edge of Howe, close to the cemetery and a half-block from the railroad. There she lived alone until a new romance litteraly walked into her life, in the form of one Hank Kraut, a vagabond – sometimes called bum! – who ambled off the railroad, cadged a meal from Chrissy, and stayed.
“Hank wasn’t very bright,” recalled Clarence Taylor, rural mailman who lives close to the old Chrissy abode and knew her well. Hank stayed with Chrissy about three years. Then he got pneumonia and a gangrenous leg simultaneously. Chrissy nursed him tenderly, but presently Hank departed this world to join Father Hand and Mike Sullivan. It was after Hank’s death that Chrissy found her screwball niche in Fame’s hall. She’d become a town character by then. When she went to town she wore monstrous hats and, even on hot days, a long, thick coat.
Some men – and boys from the military academy – loved to heckle and bedevil Chrissy. She didn’t mind. In fact, she seemed to enjoy it and traded insults with the best of them. One afternoon, after a brief period of unusual peace, Chrissy paused at Taylor’s porch en route home. She seemed troubled. “Haven’t been joshed or insulted for days,” complained Chrissy. “That ain’t natural….”
Chrissy’s ultimate fame derived from her love of animals. She always had chickens, guinea pigs, dogs and cats in the house – and one day in the early 20’s she acquired some skunks. In no time, she had a half-dozen running around the house – not sissified de-scented skunks, but genuine, fully-equipped wild specimens. Somehow Robert Ripley got wind of it and presently featured Chrissy in his famed “Believe It or Not” feature.
Thereafter, tourists flocked to Howe on weekends to see her. Whenever a crowd gathered outside her home, Chrissy would emerge with two or three cuddly skunks adorning her shoulders. She’d dance a jig, sing a few folk songs – and gather coins tossed by a discreetly distant audience. That went on for several years until Chrissy, past 70, fell ill. Legend has it that town women who came to tend her, gave Chrissy a bath – and she promptly died.
Great story!
Shrine of the Pines
The Shrine of the Pines is a world famous tourist attraction that is displayed in a Northwood hunting lodge, in a secluded, wooded spot on the banks of the historic Pere Marquette River. The Shrine is the home to the great lifetime work of Raymond W. Overholzer, who made all the furniture by hand. All items were made from the roots and stumps left behind when logging in the area ceased.
Items of interest include: A table made from a 700 lb. stump, with more than 60 inlays in its top. A rocking chair of roots so perfectly balanced it rocks 55 times with a single “start”. Poker tables and chairs made from single pieces of roots. A fireplace constructed of 70 tons of native stone. Check out these pictures:
Carved desk, all drawers are made from one piece of wood
Rocking chair and footstool
Table and loft
Incredible detail and interlocking wood - all hand carved!
Window frame from one root
Buckley Old Engine Show
Every year, Buckley, MI hosts the Old Engine Show. Largest of its kind, there are engines of all sorts and all ages, most in working order. Although the predominant category is agriculture related, there are examples of sawmill, oil field work, and much more. The show is 4 days long, but we only stayed for one. But it was interesting since much of the equipment was still functional and working.
Here is a small sample of some of the equipment at the show. More can be found at our picasa album at (http://picasaweb.google.com/john.laninga/BuckleyOldEngineShow#)
Laninga's Travel Blog 