Noack, TX to Lexington, TX

This past week I took some vacation time. Not having anything better to do I decided to drive out to Noack on Farm to Market 112. FM112 was designated in 1944 and runs from Taylor to Lexington. It's a pleasant drive with a lot of straight sections and a few curves here and there. The road alternates between having big stretches of farm and ranch land and being lined with tall trees. One day I'll get a GoPro or something to actually record these road trips because it's hard to stop and take pictures when there's no shoulders and the roads are a bit narrow. Not that it was particularly busy, especially on a Tuesday.




At some point you'll come to a church that was organized in 1891. It's still active today, it seems.

Further on  there's a three way intersection where a bar grill sits. I don't know what the building originally was, but it's been at least two bars. It may have always been a bar. Anyway, it looked like a nice place but it wasn't open when I got there. 

I think I could live this way. Away from the crowds in what some people might consider "the middle of nowhere" with a local watering hole to go to. Maybe people would even acknowledge my existence. Greet me when I show up. That would be nice.

There's another building nearby but I couldn't make out what it used to be. One day I'll be old enough to not give a crap and just go and poke around.

As I usually do, I wondered what it was, what it did, who owns it now, and do they know they own it? I understand that a lot of people would probably look at buildings like this as a dangerous eyesore for the community, but I'm thankful that they're left standing. I would love to poke around and see if there's anything left inside that gave some kind of hint as to what daily life was like.

I took my pictures and with a lack of locals threatening me with shotguns headed back onto the road to Lexington.

Lexington was originally name String Prairie. The name was changed in 1850. It's a small place with a population of about 1,200. It's the only town I've been to where I was greeted and welcomed by a town official. I don't know what she did, exactly, but she worked for the town. In any case, it was nice.

I wish I could live in a small town.

Deadman's Hole

     Dead Man's Hole is in Marble Falls, TX. On the outskirts. Well, I say 'outskirts' but sometimes I think these towns (cities) take up a whole lot more space than is generally recorded. Anyway, getting to Deadman's Hole isn't all that difficult: take 281 south out of town, make a left onto RM 2147, make a right onto Shovel Mountain (county road 401), and then make a left onto Deadmans Hole. It's the sign right up at the top of this post.
     Going by oral histories, this hole in the ground was used as a hanging and body disposal spot used against people with sympathies to the Union. The Daily Trib has an article on it. While once a dark and looming pit it is now a hole in the ground with a steel cover.

You can no longer "bring your own"

     If you made it here, though, you may as well see the rest of Marble Falls. There are quite a few places to eat and you can always stop in at The Blue Bonnet and take home a pie with about a mile of meringue topping it.

[Addendum] I shouldn't have been so short with this one. I have a few questions about this place and I don't see any place that answers them. For instance, the hole wasn't explored until the 1950s but there's no mention of if anything was found in it. I would expect that there would be remains of some kind down there so for that to not be mentioned is a little odd. Are there remains still down there? Personal effects? There is a hole in the steel cover so if someone had the equipment (small camera, a light, and a way to lower them down) I suppose it would be possible to get a look at something down there now. I kind of wish I had something to do that with.

Walburg, TX

     There are times in a new relationship where you begin to realize that things might get a little rocky. That's fine, you know. Every relationship needs to have a little give and take here and there. It can be rough, though, when the other party just won't listen to reason.
     The trip to Walburg, for instance, was when I realized that I and my new GPS weren't going to see eye-to-eye on things. Like, for example, the existence of Walburg, TX. I knew it existed. It's on Google Maps. There are signs that point to it. There's a restaurant there called The Walburg Restaurant. There's even been UFO sightings near there. My GPS, however, refused to believe me so I was forced to somewhat manually navigate.
     After I returned from The Grove, my friend wanted to go to lunch. I needed an excuse to go to Walburg. Going to the Walburg Restaurant seemed like a good idea. I picked her up and, after fighting with the Red Head's GPS, we mosied on up there.

It. Is. On. The Map!

     Walburg is on FM 972 in the upper reaches of Georgetown and established sometime between 1881 and 1886. It was originally named Concordia. It's a pleasant place and isn't deserted. There are a number of buildings and houses, I think. There's actually two places to eat but I haven't had a chance to try Dale's Essenhaus. Yet.

Home to a contraption

     Like most small towns, it just runs down the main street. Had it gotten bigger it would have grown to take up more streets. Probably. I'm not an expert in the life cycle of a city.

     I don't write about the roads to get to these places as much as I'd like. I think I'm going to have to break down and buy a GoPro or something and mount it to the car so I can go back and review. Most of these roads are generally straight but with some wicked 90 degree turns. They're paved, for the most part. You may think I'm being facetious but I'm not; there are many roads that are still not paved. Especially (possibly only) county roads.

Stuff  you see on the back roads

I recommend stopping in and eating here

     The Walburg Restaurant, by the way, is pretty good. A lot of German food. They even have a biergarten in the back, which the social side of me would love to go to for an evening and see a bunch of people having fun. My friend assures me, though, that there'd be five people back there. They also have an arcade which I would say would be for the kids to enjoy while the parents were getting plastered, but I'd totally go in there.

What arcades in the 1800s looked like

I don't think it's a delivery truck

Additional photos are [here]