We are heading south on Hwy 144 to Hwy 67, west through Glen Rose today. As we leave town and begin the gentle climb into the hills, look in your review mirror and the farmhouse on the hill, signs of times gone by. We’re going to stop off a place that I’ve driven by a thousand times, but never slowed down long enough to stop. Let me tell you, it’s worth the time. It is the picnic area on the right, not too far out of Glen Rose. From the picnic area you can see “forever” and get a glimpse of the lands that our forefathers traveled 8-10 miles over on a good day, not zipping by at 70mph. It just might give you a feeling of how hard their journey was; the strength, courage and fortitude that it took to settle this rough land. It’s easy to see from here how far apart the farms are now. Can you imagine in the 1850’s when the first settlers came by wagon and horseback, not great big diesel pick-ups.

Heading west on Hwy 67 we’re going to turn left on to FM 220 and take a couple of detours…the first is to take a left on CR 221 and stop at Plainview Church and take in the views. Then we’ll turn around and head back to FM 220, cross it and continue on down CR220, just follow it until it dead ends, turn around and go back to FM 220 – it’s not far. It’s kind of out of the way, but I enjoyed the drive. You can skip this part if you’re in a hurry to get to Hico. But I’ll share a couple of pictures I took along the way.

Since I love old cemeteries and the stories they have to tell, I took the turnoff to Duffau. I am glad I did. Duffau was first settled in the 1850’s and was a thriving trade center until several disasterous fires and the railroad bypassed it. At one time the nearby Duffau Wells became a health resort community. Another in the line of mineral spring resorts that included Mineral Wells, Thorp Springs, Glen Rose and Duffau.

This is a wonderful old cemetery and the art on the headstones is beautiful. It is also nice to see they still honor the Confederate soldiers here and maintain that part of our history. Some of the more interesting things I discovered were several graves with hand carved stones dating to 1879. They were all young children. I wondered which of the childhood diseases our children will never know took their young lives. There was also one long line of concrete a couple of inches wide with bricks marking the graves of four babies and a mother and father. What grief this family must have gone through! I don’t know who the man at the back was trimming the trees, but I sure wish I could thank him for working in the hot July sun to maintain this cemetery. You can tell it is well loved.

Going back the way we came to FM 220, turn right, it will lead us into Hico, a quiet, sleepy little town about an hour south of Granbury. While we’re driving, I’ll tell you a little about Hico’s history. The original town was founded on Honey Creek in 1856. The coming railroad brought the suggestion that the town be moved 2 ½ miles to the railroad. The first lots in the new town were sold in an 1880 auction. Like most other towns in this area, early settlers were faced with Indian raids, fires, and the hardships of life in the wilderness.Early disastrous fires didn’t kill the spirits of the settlers, they just built a bigger and better town.

It might be quiet and sleepy, but, don’t let that fool you. Hico is a wonderful little town.

Hico is also home of the legend of Billy the Kid. Some say he died at the hands of Sheriff Pat Garrett on July 14, 1881 at the Maxwell Ranch near Lincoln. Others say he escaped that fateful night and lived out his life to the ripe old age of 90, in Hico. Hico is proud of it’s “Billy the Kid” heritage and there are signs of Billy every where. They welcome you when you enter town, they wave good by on your way out, they are on the streets and he is even remembered with a large statue on the main street. There is even a museum in his memory – The Billy the Kid Museum. Be sure and stop in for a visit and “belly up to the bar” and order a sasparilla. Check out the bar while you’re standing there. It is made from 100 year old wood from the old museum location. Be sure and ask the story of the cash register behind the bar.

Maybe I should stop here and tell you why Billy the Kid is such a legend. Those of us that are a little older remember the days when stories of the gunfighters of the old west were immortalized in old black and white westerns, legends and ballads. You may remember the stories of William H. Bonnie – “Billy the Kid”. Those of you who are younger probably don’t have a clue who I am talking about. That’s what this column is about – “preserving the stories, history and legends of Texas”. So grab a cold drink out of the ice chest and lets pull up a piece of grass under that shade tree over there and I will tell you a story.

This is the story of one of the most famous killers in the Southwest. By the time he was twelve he supposedly killed his first man for insulting his mother. By 16 he killed three Indians while stealing their furs. ( Here’s a project for you…go look up the Lincoln County Wars, when you get home.) But basically, it was a war between the old and the newcomers, involving cattle rustling and killings and revenge. It wasn’t a war like we have today between countries. It was a war between rival cattle ranchers. It ended with three men killed in the fighting and Billy the Kid escaping. When Billy the Kid’s, “father he never had”, was gunned down in cold blood, revenge became commonplace.

Billy escaped the law and jail on many occasions (remember jails back then were not usually just log cabins). With Billy on the run again, Pat Garrett pursued him. It is reputed that after another battle Billy surrendered to Garret and later escaped from jail again after killing another during his escape. He was on the run once again and Garrett supposedly killed him. But, rumor has it he showed up in Hico and lived out his days, repeatedly trying to get his pardon. There is a spot marked on the street in Hico where the man who claimed to be Billy died. You can learn more about the legend of Billy the Kid by visiting the museum.

Are you old enough to remember when they painted huge advertising signs on the sides of buildings? Well, Hico has some of the best examples I’ve seen. They are worth stopping to look at while you are visiting the shops. They are a great place to escape the heat on a hot summer afternoon. Be sure to stop by and visit Becky Holt at Blue Star Trading, it is a great shop and Becky is full of information and if she isn’t sure of the answer, she just picks up the phone and makes a call. Thanks Becky!

There is another treasure just across the street from the Billy the Kid statue. It’s Drew’s Antiques; a beautiful old house that has been lovingly restored after 40 years of neglect. Stop in and visit with Mrs. Drew. She’s a delightful lady and the restoration is incredible. (The antiques are pretty awesome too!)

On the way out of town, we’re going to stop and check out that old log cabin on Hwy 6. The door is open so we get to peek inside. It measures about 14 long and 10 feet wide. It is amazing to me that people used to raise families with 10 or more children in a house this size! This one looks like it might have been an old blacksmith shop, just look at all the tools and artifacts that line the side of the cabin. Stop a minute and imagine what is what like to live in one of these out in the hills we passed coming into town…

Till next time…

Love,
Grandma

Do you have a story to share or a place you would like me to visit? E-mail travelswithgrandma@yahoo.com