Six week recap

As of yesterday, it has been six weeks since I moved to Denton, TX. With classes beginning in a week, it is time to look at a few of the places I have enjoyed getting to know. The best place to start is in Denton proper where I found a couple of jewels including the Denton County Courthouse Museum. From research material to exhibits on the history of Denton County, which includes various Native American pottery and various weapons used during the Civil War, the museum offers residents and visitors an intriguing look into the town's evolution. Another aspect of town I thought was very interesting was the plethora of service station edifices that remain intact. Examples including Zoom Zoom's, which was Payne Brothers Texaco Station and the Gulf Station, both of which reside off N. Locust St or US 77 North.

In addition to visiting filling stations, I was introduced to a couple of men who were involved in the motor industry (for the anonymity of the gentlemen, I will use first names only), Robert and Jimmy. The best way to learn about a new community is through people like these who have experienced the changes the town has gone through. From nuclear weapons testing in Nevada in the 1950s to Calvert's Motor Company, our conversations were plentiful and pleasant. Like a true roadie, I have gotten the asphalt itch, and with the help of my female companion have seen a few places within a couple of hours in different directions. The first place I drove to was Bridgeport, 35 miles west of Denton. While I was there for an interview, I found a couple of interesting spots such as the site of the Toll Bridge where the Butterfield Overland Mail traveled across on its way from St. Louis to San Francisco.

The journey back to Denton was not direct as I continued along Farm Road 920 in the pouring rain to the junction where it met up with Texas Highway 199 before finding US 380 and heading home. A week later, I drove up to Gainesville where I found camals and zebras at the Frank Buck Zoo and learned that the community was recently given the moniker of being "the most patriotic town in America."

My roadtripping experience took a turn two weeks later when I took my first road trip with my lady friend. We traveled from Denton to Palo Pinto to visit the Bankhead Highway exhibit at the Old Jail Museum. While we did not leave in a timely fashion, we were able to make it before three o'clock when the exhibit closed for the day.

Not only did we see the interesting photographs of TX Highway 1 that ran during Palo Pinto County, but a jailhouse from the turn of the century and a few log cabins, which impressed my friend. She quipped, "if we get serious and get a log cabin, it better have electricity." The journey continued into her home town of Mineral Wells, 15 miles east, where she showed me a few places she spent during her youth. Including the Crazy Water Museum, which offers water with various degrees of mineral content. It was one of the more educational journeys I have been on.

A week later, I traveled to Decatur to look at a Texaco Filling Station made out of petrified wood and ate a hamburger at the nearby Whistle Stop Cafe.

Minutes later, I traveled into the square and saw signs of where the Chisholm Trail came through town.

Then last weekend, my lady friend surprised me with a trip to Ardmore, Oklahoma. At 9:45, we left Denton and began heading west along US 380 or University Ave. At which point I was still very much unaware of the destination. However, after making a turn onto I-35 North, the GPS stated that we were to remain on the route for 66 miles. At which point I knew the destination was somewhere in the Sooner State (Denton to the Red River, which borders Oklahoma and Texas, is approximately 45 miles away). As we trucked along the interstate, she figured out that I knew the writings on the wall so she told me we were heading to Ardmore, which lies 100 miles south of Oklahoma City. After detouring a detour, which meant accidentally exiting instead of following the detour sign, we got back onto 35 and continued to our exit, OK Highway 199 into Ardmore, which was named after the Pennslyvania town . We reached our destination, the Greater Southwest Historical Museum. It was a pleasant surprise to this stoic roadie ( if one were to see my reaction they would have thought I was not impressed, but deep down I was).

From looking at an old drug store to speaking with a Major at the Military National Museum who helped train many people including astronaut James Taylor, the experience was enlightening. Afterwards, we caressed downtown where we found a couple of Sinclair stations and interesting vestiges of the 1950s and 60s, i.e. Yeatts Department Store, a place that still advertises color television sets.

After a great steak at Cattle Rustlers, we went home and relaxed. School begins August 29th and road trips will be far and in between. Nonetheless, the spirit of the highway remains and even a five mile journey can provide an unforgettable experience.