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Letters Archives, 2000
Root Canal at the O.K. Corral

Wednesday, November 10, 1999

Editor: I have been trying to find the site where Doc Holliday had his dental practice in Dallas but have had no luck. Could you give me some advice? Any information you could give me would be appreciated. Thank you. Tristan

Tristan, We came up dry as well. There has been no concrete confirmation of "Doc" attending a dental school, although there have been claims it was in Baltimore. Leon Metz, who has written many books on western gunfighters, said that since dentistry on the frontier usually meant extractions only, nearly anyone with a pair of pliers could be called a Dentist. He said that traveling medicine men would sometimes have a community extraction, where the toothache owners would get the tooth pulled for free. The crowd would pay to watch the public procedure and the "Doctor" would sell bottles of 80 proof post operative relief. All things considered (Holiday's TB and fondness for gambling). it's unlikely that he'd have the patience to hang out his shingle, even in Dallas. Thanks for reading TE. - Editor

Update: We did find out from other sources that "Doc" did open an office and owned property, although it was in Las Vegas, New Mexico. The deed also stated that he was married (The notorious Big nosed Kate), although no license exists.

Thursday, November 04, 1999

Editor: What is the place referred to as "Black Skies" somewhere North of Amarillo where the stars are extremely visible & appear in multitudes?? Where would I need to fly into so I might visit this area?? I look forward to your response. Erleen

Erleen, You have "stumped the Texpert". Sorry to have taken so long to answer, but I was on an extended trip before I could forward it to the Texpert. We haven't a clue, and he asked all of his contacts in Geographic circles. Please let us know what you find, we're still asking. The Amarillo website is www.amarillo-cvb.org. I hope we didn't ruin vacation plans. Thanks for visiting. - Editor.

A Really Soiled Dove (She's under Six Feet of It)

Friday, December 03, 1999

I wanted to find out about Diamond Bessie, but I couldn't find anything except the picture of the grave.Was there an article somewhere there that couldn't find? I just got back from Jefferson last weekend and couldn't find anything much about her there either. I guess I was looking in the wrong places. Do you know a place I could go to read about her? Thanks for answering me. Melinda

Melinda: There's a piece on Diamond Bessie under TE's Grave Thoughts in Departments section. The information came from an out of print book published by the Marion County Historical Society. Its title is Carpetbaggers, Scalawags and Others by Traylor Russell.The trial is staged every December and we'd like to get a photo of the players from the Chamber of Commerce sometime in the future. One item we think we left out was the rumor that twelve $1000 dollar bills were lowered into the jury room over the partition by a fishing pole and line. The Carnegie Library in Jefferson should have the book. If you enjoy cemeteries, the one in Paris has a Statue of Jesus with Cowboy Boots under his robes. We love hearing from people who explore Texas on weekends (or any other times). Bessie's grave (should you return) is just North of downtown across the RR tracks and from the entrance it's 3/4 of the way to the rear and right (SE corner). There's at least one directional sign and anyone will direct you to the cemetery entrance. Hope this helps. Email us anytime. - Editor

Loeb, Texas

Sunday, November 28, 1999

Dear Editor: Can you please give me any information or direct me to where I may find information about a small town named Loeb in Texas? It is near Beaumont and Lumberton. Thank you very much. Cole

Ms. Cole, Loeb is included in the Lumberton census since it got so darn unpopulated. It is on the North side of the bayou (Pine Island Bayou) separating Chambers and Hardin Counties. The post office name was changed to honor Mr. Henry Loeb who built a brickworks there around the turn of the century. (1903 - 08) The place was originally called Concord. There is a History of Hardin County by Mary Lou Proctor, which may be found in Hardin County Libraries. This information came from the Texas Handbook (see TE's Texas Links). I feel bad that we've neglected the lower east side of Texas. If you have an interest in the area other than family research, let us know and we'd be glad to include it the future . Thanks for visiting us. Editor.
PS, we will be doing a feature on bricks in the future, if your research "unearths" any information on The Diana Brick and Tile Co (Loeb's enterprise) let us know. Thanks again. Editor.

Looking for the "Real West"

Wednesday, October 20, 1999

Editor: I'm hoping someone can give me some feed back on a trip I'm trying to plan this December. I have family coming from Germany and Canada and they want to experience the "real" Texas?! I just moved here myself and not very familiar with the state yet. I was flipping through some books and came across info on an old hotel in Marathon, TX called the Gage Hotel and a restuarant in Alpine called "Reata". Both sounded very interesting and very original. As well as the "Big Bend Nat. Park" being in that general area?! I live in Houston and I figure we'd rent a van, drive to San Antonio, stay the night and then hit the Pesco area. Is this a good idea? Is there anywhere similar to what I'm looking for any closer to Houston? Any help you could give me would be great. I really want my guests to get a feel for the old "cowboy" ways. Thank you, Yvonne.

Yvonne: Someone said the difference between Americans and Europeans is that Americans think 100 years is a long time and Europeans think 100 miles is a great distance. I doubt if you want to spend your entire vacation driving. San Antonio is a must see and the boring trip can be broken with stops in Schulenburg right on I-10 and Luling. Schulenburg is one of the many German-Czech communities around Central Texas. After San Antonio, Castroville is a mere 30 miles west (Alsatian Immigrants settled here) there's a strong West Texas flavor and Mexican as well. Further West is Hondo and Uvalde. This is where you can get detailed information from our Swimming to Mexico Trip. Included in this trip is Brackettville where there is an old Fort (Fort Clark) and a reproduction of the Alamo that nearly everyone prefers to the real thing. It is where the movie was filmed and millions were spent on it. An old replica of Ft Worth too. Lonesome Dove was filmed here. A few miles more is Del Rio and the Mexican Border. The dam has beautiful twin Eagle Statues and is a great photo op. The Mexican side is perhaps the cleanest of the border towns. Your other choice is the Hill Country. Take I-10 west to Comfort and Boerne (both German towns) then west to Kerrville and North to Fredericksburg (Nice but very commercial). You can start heading back via Johnson City, Blanco and New Braunfels. San Marcos is nice as well - I'm sure you'd want to return some other time. The Texas Department of Transportation puts out an excellent and free travel guide with detailed descriptions of nearly every town in Texas, but you may not have time to receive it. Most libraries have it. Ask for the Texas State Travel Guide. Oh, Bandera just south of Kerrville is a small town with a very frontier look. Camping is available all along the way and there are some great little hotels, as famous as the Gage in New Braunfels, Castroville and Seguin. Hope this was of some help. We rely on feedback from our readers. Let us know how your German friends liked it. Germans are amused by Texas. There were many many prisoner of war camps here and many former prisoners have returned on vacation. Our article on Camp Swift (Bastrop) talks about this and our trip Swimming to Mexico gives some more detail about many of the towns I mentioned. Good luck and have a good vacation. Editor

Wednesday, October 13, 1999
I found your website today and was both impressed and enchanted with the variety of material and humor. I liked the cow (steer?) over the Gonzales restrooms! - Bill Rau SIDE ROADS

Oktoberfest

Monday, October 11, 1999

Editor: I am trying to find out about the OKTOBERFEST in Fredericksburg? Can you please tell me when it is, my wife and I would like to be there. I have tried everything and everyplace in the internet to find out but no luck. Please help me. Thanks, Hal

Hal: Thank you very much for writing. Try the Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce site for the information you need: http://www.fredericksburg-texas.com/ Editor, TE

Tuesday, October 12, 1999

Editor: How many Texas Towns celebrate Oktoberfest and when?

Dear Reader: Thanks for your difficult question. We have no registry, but the celebrations seem to be held in towns with German names and some Czech Communities have been given permission from the Oktoberfest World Headquarters in Munich (only for October) to use the German spelling. www.traveltex.com should have an event page which would detail events. If you're near a library, Texas Highways Magazine has a complete list of Oktober Events as well. Sorry not to know, but thanks for reading. Editor, TE

Monday, October 04, 1999

Editor: I just wanted to let you know that I was born and raised in the same little house in Texas for 20 years. I joined the Air Force about year ago and I am now stationed in Korea. I just wanted to say that I miss the good land and I will be coming home soon, to stay this time. I understand that I have not experienced many different places however once you have experience Texas you will always want to call it home. I miss God's country and just wanted to say thanks for the Web site. Really does help! Nicholas

Nicholas, Thanks for your Email. We're curious what part of Texas you're from. We're working on several regions right now, if you're from one of them we might speed it up a little. Future issues will include Nacogdoches, N.E. Texas (Marshall, Longview, Jefferson) and Central. Our "Texas Towns" section will eventually include 200 cities and towns, let us know and we'll put your's up. Thanks again for your kind words. Editor, TE

Thursday, September 02, 1999

I enjoyed ... my first visit to a web site that didn't belong to a spider! It was a great sight, even for well eyes. When will you write about "How the West (Texas, that is) was One"? - Dave S

Thursday, July 08, 1999

Editor: First time on your site, looking for information on Salado. Very interesting history and lots of laughs. I think we're headed to Palo Pinto. Keep up the good work--and where do you get correspondents with names which would do alternative rock bands proud?

Dear Reader, Thanks for reading far enough to reach our staff. It means a lot to them. As far as Salado goes, it is a very pleasant town with a stream running through it and a beautiful green iron bridge. There are ruins of an old University on a hill, but nothing elaborate. Although The Stagecoach Inn Restaurant is usually on Texas Highways Top Ten Restaurants, between us, it's geezer food. You asked about NE Texas. Paris is very nice and their abundant crepe myrtles should be in bloom now. There are two Lakes within 12 miles of town and at least one offers camping. The town burned in the 3rd worse fire in US History (after Chicago and San Francisco). Most of the downtown buildings date from that reconstruction (1918-1920). Let us know what you find and we'll pass it on. Jefferson is nice and their Lake of the Woods is underused. Caddo Lake is there as well and Uncertain probably has the most photographed sign in the state. Jefferson is a great stopping off place if one were to visit Nachitoches, Louisiana (Steel Magnolias was filmed there). Thanks again for your kind words. - Editor

Tuesday, June 22, 1999

Favorite=Special Feature
Suggested Town=Brownsville, Rio Grande City, Laredo
Suggested Feature=Fort Brown, Fort Ringgold, Border
Comments=Hey guys, Texas does not end at San Antonio doncha know?? We do have a lower half to the state although a lot of folks in the central and DFW region would love to forget us. LOL You need some stuff on the Border region, please. Love your idea , but am searching for places where my overworked hubby and I can go on weekend getaways and all your recommendations, though good, are tooo far away. We are just gonna have to do our own exploring I guess. Keep up with the good

Dear Reader, Took your advice and made a quick 3 day trip to the Valley. Fort Brown and the Old City Cemetery are thick with parrots. Missed the Museum in Brownsville's old SP Depot, but got to visit it's sister in Edinburg. Did you know it was haunted? Visited the King Ranch too. We were very enthused after reading it's history and the Tourist Info people on the Highway were so nice, we felt an obligation. Staff in the Museum were just the opposite of the Convention and Visitor's Bureau. The Museum in E'burg has a great bookstore, Will be getting some photos from the Museum's archives for use in TE. Thanks again for your recommendation. - Editor.

(Requested photos from the Archives, but they're worried people will steal them off the internet).

Tuesday, June 08, 1999

Editor: Is there somewhere in Texas where there really large dinosaurs you can sit in? Maybe in west texas? Like the one in Pee Wee's Big Adventure? Any help would be great. Lester

Dear Lester, I'm sorry to have missed Pee Wee's Big Adventure, although I have seen a few scenes in music videos/commercials that were filmed in IRAAN, Texas. This unlikely name was a combination of the names IRA and ANN, the owners of the land when it was an oil boom town in 1928. Alley Oop, became a comic strip when the cartoonist lived there. A 7 acre park includes "gigantic" figures of both Alley and his pet dinosaur "Dinny". The park is called Fantasyland (it may predate Disney Inc. which is why they can get away with using the name). In addition there is an archaeological museum with an excellent fossil exhibit and oil field relics. As far as real dinosaur stuff, there are several places where footprints were left in riverbeds. Glen Rose near Ft. Worth has these in a State Park called Dinosaur Valley SP. (1000 acres) Just last night they had an auction in Austin where they offered a dinosaur footprint birdbath. You could certainly sit in one of these, but I don't know about "Dinny". If you just like oversized monstrosities, there is the world's largest "Killer Bee" in Hidalgo on the Mexican Border (this is where the bees entered the US). It's about 10 feet tall and 20 feet long. Hope some of this is helpful, thanks for reading TE. - Editor

Tuesday, March 30, 1999

Favorite=Trips
Suggested Town=Nacogdoches
Suggested Feature=Nacogdoches is not only the oldest town in Texas but one of the best. http://www.ci.nacogdoches.tx.us
Recommended Restaurant=Clear Springs, Blank & CO., Yakafritz, Out of the Way Cafe`, Flashback Cafe,
Comments=Great place!!!!!!

Mr. Whitaker, thanks for the recommendation. Our next featured town will be Gonzales, but we're overdue for an East Texas town. I was looking at a book the other day called "Nacodoches in the Jazz Age". Lots of good local history in a usually overlooked period. We'll be checking it out and if there's anything special you feel we need to know about or mention, feel free to let us know. Out of the Way Cafe - What a great name. It's screaming to be reviewed. Our sincere thanks. - Editor