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Brrrr, This Is Cold!
Mustangs of Las Colinas - Irving TXMy third and final week in the Fort Worth/Dallas megalopolis started off with overcast, non-threatening skies and a predicted zero percent chance of rain. Save one day of partly cloudy, the remainder of the week was grim with a couple days in the range of a 70 to 80 percent chance of rain, so I took advantage of the weather and headed to Irving TX to check out the
Mustangs of Las Colinas & Museum Exhibit. The statue is tucked in a plaza that is surrounded by three multi-story buildings (residential, office, who knows), but, as is the case with a lot of commercial properties, the ground floor is occupied by retail enterprises. My sources indicate there is a small museum (my assumption being based on it being open only a few hours a couple of days a week) adjacent to the statue, but I couldn’t find any reference to a museum in any of the windows facing the plaza, so I skipped the museum. The statues are cool and are worth a stop if passing by or a slight detour if in the neighborhood. Hmmm – does this artwork constitute a statue or a group of statues?
My next stop, also in Irving, was at
the
National Scouting Museum. I was met at the entry desk by a docent who gave me a guided tour through the extensive Norman Rockwell collection. Some might recall that I was fortunate enough to catch a special exhibition of “Norman Rockwell: Behind the Easel” when I was in Massachusetts in 2012. I have admired his work since it graced the covers of
Boy’s Life magazine, the Boy Scout periodical, back (when I subscribed) in the 1950s and 60s. Although photography is not allowed, the gallery is great and the docent’s augmentation added to my visit immensely.
From the gallery, the tour was self-guided. I believe I know why. He could no more begin to explain the rest of the attraction to me than I can to my readers. I sat and listened/watched an animatronic version of Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Boy Scouts, offer his presentation while a movie played on a screen behind him depicting scouts doing scout stuff. Unfortunately, in my opinion, the words animatronics and museum don’t belong in the same book, let alone the same chapter or paragraph. Come on boys and girls, let’s go to the Disneyland Museum! I believe what has happened here is
that the brain trust tried to be too many things to too many people simultaneously. There’s a laser shooting range – in a museum? I’m sure it does keep the youngsters interested. I really can’t recommend the museum EXCEPT that the Rockwell gallery alone is worth the price of admission. For tourists with youngsters, it might work. Be forewarned, this definitely is not a museum in the traditional sense of the word.
My next stop was the
Ruth Paine House Museum, also in Irving.
Ruth Paine had begun studying Russian in 1957 and was invited to a party, held on February 22, 1963, by a friend who thought she might be interested in meeting people who spoke Russian. The party was given by Russian émigré
George de Mohrenschildt, a well-educated petroleum geologist with connections to the intelligence community. Boring! At the party, Paine met and eventually befriended Marina, the Russian wife of an American. Paine, her husband Michael, Marina and her husband Lee Harvey spent considerable time together after the party. Oh, yes, the last name of Lee Harvey and Marina was Oswald.
Eventually, a crazy, convoluted set of circumstances and events led Lee Harvey to live in a boarding house in Dallas while
Marina (and the Oswald’s baby) rented a room from the now-separated Ruth Paine. Lee Harvey, who had gotten the job at the School Book Depository through Paine’s neighbor and had started on October 16, 1963 (four days before the birth of their second daughter), visited Marina and the children on weekends. It was in the Paine garage that Lee Harvey Oswald stored his rifle, wrapped in a blanket. It was to the Paine house that Lee Harvey arrived, unannounced, on Thursday, November 21, 1963. It was from the Paine house that, on Friday, November 22, 1963, Lee Harvey took a large package containing what he told his friend and commuting partner (Paine’s neighbor) were curtain rods. It was in the Paine garage that investigators found the blanket but not the rifle.
This attraction is different than most. First, there is a museum in the old library building that has a few placards and a half dozen video clips of Ruth Paine discussing her perspective on various topics. Then one boards a van for a five-minute drive to the Paine house, a non-descript single story, 1,250-square-foot middle class house that was purchased by the City of Irving in 2009. Using
Sure Glad I’m Not On The Business End Of Those Horns!
The Herd - Stockyards National Hist. Dist. - Fort Worth TX Paine family photos, Warren Commission photos and other available material, the house has been restored to how it looked in 1963. The house itself isn’t worth the time of day, but the history that happened in this house and to those who lived in this house is unique and unparalleled. The experience is not as significant as the School Book Depository but together – well, let’s just say that, “They sure make a cute couple!” My final stop of the day I happened upon as I was driving to (and a short walk from) the Ruth Paine House Museum.
All Veterans Memorial in Irving is an extremely well done memorial to the veterans of all wars and is worth a brief stop for those in the area.
I started off a Thursday intent on visiting the
Sid Richardson Museum in Fort Worth. This art museum, yup ART, got my attention from its collection of works of Frederic Remington and Charles Russell and other works about the American West. Ya don’t need no ‘terprter ta tell ya what’s in them paintings and statues. Also, “Lonesome Dove: The Art of Story” is a special exhibit that runs through June 19, 2016. Well, I get to
Lantern Oil Deliveries, Perhaps?
Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame - Fort Worth TX where Irene, my GPS, takes me in the core of the Fort Worth business district, and I find several streets surrounding the museum barricaded for some kind of a hootenanny. That’s okay, I’ll check it out on my next visit, but for those coming to Fort Worth, consider adding it to your agenda.
I continued on to the Stockyards National Historic District to address some unfinished business from Week 1. I arrived just in time to see the morning version of the
Fort Worth Herd, but it was different – they made the loop the opposite direction from the first time when I saw them in the afternoon. I made my way to the
Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame fully expecting that I might not know any of the inductees, as was the case with the
Texas Trail of Fame. Much to my surprise, I know of many of the inductees – country music artists Willie Nelson, George Strait and The Gatlin Brothers; rodeo performers Lane Frost, Trevor Brazile, Cody Ohl, Rope Myers, Fred Whitfield, Rich Shelton, Larry Mahan, Joe Beaver and Ty Murray; NFL players Walt Garrison, Jay Novacek and Randy White and MLB pitcher Nolan Ryan.
There are several interesting exhibits. The “John Justin Trail
The Breading And The Gravy Made The Calf Fries Delicious
Riscky’s Steakhouse - Stockyards National Hist. Dist. - Fort Worth TX of Fame” documents the boot maker from its 1879 beginning in Spanish Fort TX, where the Chisholm Trail crossed the Red River. “Adventures of the Cowboy Trail” tells us that livestock from several different owners were usually included in a trail herd; tells us of how the trail boss obtained documentation from each rancher noting the owner's brand, earmark and number of cattle; and tells us about packing for the trail and the importance of the chuckwagon. The “Zigrang Bit Colletion” features over 128 bits of various designs with some dating back to 1867, while the “Sterquell Wagon Collection,” the world's largest collection of lifestyle wagons, features over 60 wagons, buggies and sleighs. For those who have never seen a rodeo or an NFL game and who are not western history buffs, I believe the wagon collection alone would make the attraction worthwhile.
One of my reasons for returning to The Stockyards was to visit one of the enticing eateries. I selected
Riscky’s Steakhouse mostly because of the interesting configuration of the name. I selected a seat at the bar, my standard MO, and ordered a half rack of ribs. The bartender asked if I wanted to try the “world
famous” calf fries. What is an adventurer supposed to say, “No?” After my order arrived, I pondered the calf fries between bites of rib and French fries – the texture of a mushroom, mostly tasteless except for the delicious breading. I asked the barkeep who inquired whether I really wanted to know. They were tasty before I was informed, so why should that change after enlightenment? There’s one more item removed from the bucket list!
The weather forecasts were beginning to even more firmly call for probable storms from Sunday until my Wednesday departure. Since I had plans to attend the
Bluebonnet Festival & BBQ Cookoff in Ennis TX on my final, albeit iffy, Saturday; I took an entire day, a SCHOOL IS IN SESSION FRIDAY, to visit the
Dallas Heritage Village at Old City Park in, youbetya, Dallas. My arrival was met by a cadre of school class trip groups waiting to buy candy and sodas from the gift shop – like they need some extra sugar. One boy, about 13, was taking folding money from his wallet when somehow all the bills tumbled to the floor. In a quick glance, I saw two twenties, one ten, one five and several ones. That was more money than I
had during the entire thirteenth year of my existence. I guess he needed cab fare home if he missed the bus. I walked! But it’s more dangerous today. Yeah, right – just ask Charles Lindbergh.
Back to the Dallas Heritage Village. This location had become Dallas’ first city park in 1876, simply called City Park. The Cedars, an elegant neighborhood that was home to many business and mercantile leaders, grew up around City Park in the 1880s and 1890s. After World War II, many people moved to the suburbs around Dallas, and highways were built to get them to the city for work. Interstate 30 cut the Cedars neighborhood off from downtown, leaving the neighborhood (and the park) in decline. The future of City Park looked dim until a group of women, determined to save an historic plantation house from the wrecking ball, offered the park a new role in the culture of Dallas. The ladies who rescued Millermore stored the disassembled pieces in a warehouse, and then called the president of the park board who agreed with their idea to reconstruct the house in City Park. It became the first of 21 buildings transported here to become an
historic village. When Millermore opened here in 1969, the museum was called Old City Park. As living history became popular, the museum introduced in-period interpreters who speak in the role of a person from the early days of Dallas. In 2005, the museum’s name was changed to Dallas Heritage Village at Old City Park to reflect the living village it has become.
Four docents, who all provided interesting not-in-period narratives about their assigned property, were on duty. Placards outside most of the buildings provide a short history of the property. A couple are designated for special events, like weddings, and are secured but the vast majority are open, with or without docent present, for the visitors’ inspection. I found the village to be one of the most complete and diverse I have seen in my travels, but, perhaps because of the sheer volume, many could use the generous application of some TLC. Hopefully, the funding gurus will realize what a diamond they have and assure it stays out of the rough.
On the way home, I made a stop at
Pepe's and Mito's Mexican Café, in the Deep Ellum neighborhood of Dallas. There were shrimp enchiladas on the menu which definitely caught
my attention, but, after assurances from my server that they were really good, I decided to order my favorite – homemade tamales. My server was spot on. I was headed back to the RV park before 4 PM, but the congestion was incredible. Does everybody quite early and leave Dallas on Friday?
Saturday turned out to be heavily overcast with seriously threatening skies so I skipped the Bluebonnet Festival in Ennis. Sunday offered a light rain most of the day, Monday was windy and yucky and Tuesday was another heavily overcast day with seriously threatening skies. The prognosticators had called for heavy rains on Wednesday (I didn’t bother to check the time of day), so I headed out for fuel and got the Pilgrim hooked to the Ram and ready for my Wednesday morning departure, except for the electrical cord. Tuesday, during the night, a real gully washer came down with wind that put the Pilgrim in the rock ‘n roll mode – especially with the stabilizers retracted! Wednesday morning was a beautiful morning but I got my feet soaked just walking in the grass enough to gather up and stow the power cord.
I noted in my
Irving’s Sons Lost In Battle
All Veterans Memorial - Irving TX Week 1 blog that I had an ambitious list of attractions to visit during my three-week stay in the Fort Worth/Dallas area. A sample of some I had to (or chose to as the weather, time or I dictated) save for a (non)rainy day and a future visit include, the
Mary Kay Museum in Addison, the
McKinney Avenue Trolley in Dallas (which sounds really cool), the
Texas Musicians Museum in Irving, the
National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, the
No. 1 British Flying Training School Museum in Terrell, the
Bureau of Engraving and Printing – Western Currency Facility in Fort Worth and the
American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum in Fort Worth. In addition, I had several more eateries on my list thanks to Guy Fieri and
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (Triple D) as well as some entertainment districts that usually are in older, more historic, yet vibrant neighborhoods – all of which usually makes parking an issue.
Dallas is more cosmopolitan whereas Fort Worth is more blue collar – and blue jeans and cowboy boots with scuff marks and mud on ‘em! Of course, you can see plenty of brand new cowboy hats and boots at the Stockyard! I do want to return but will probably look for a location on the north side of Fort Worth so I can explore some of the communities
Vietnam – So Many, So Young
All Veterans Memorial - Irving TX in that area and so I will have better access to Fort Worth. The traffic in Fort Worth never really seemed to be a problem; whereas, the traffic in Dallas was almost always a problem. It seems that Fort Worth anticipated its freeway needs while Dallas procrastinated before being forced to react to them. Regardless, both cities are great places to visit, contain a ton of history and, for the most part, are clean, secure and attractive.
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