Turtle Tales: Cowboy Up!

Bandera, Texas

A blending of Indian, Mexican, Polish and Western cultures gives Bandera a unique ambiance not found elsewhere in Texas!

History of the area tells us that there were many battles between the Apache and Comanche Indians and the Spanish Conquistadors in Bandera Pass (12 miles north of Bandera. It is said that for years after these battles, a red "bandera" (Spanish for banner or flag) was flown at the site to define the boundary between Spanish and Indian hunting grounds.

The cypress trees that outline the course of the Medina River which runs through the area, brought the first permanent settlers to Bandera. A mill that sawed the cypress shingles was established here in 1853. In 1855, a small group of Polish families immigrated to Bandera to work at the mill. The polish heritage is evident in much of the town's architecture.

Bandera's title "Cowboy Capital of the World", originated when it became a staging area for the last great cattle drives of the late 1800's. A bronze monument honoring the many National Rodeo Champions who call Bandera home, stands on the court house lawn. And yes, cowboys still ride their horses to town!

Of interest, is the Old Blacksmith Shop on 11th Street. It was originally used by John James and Charles de Montel while surveying the town. It was also used by the Methodist Church in the mid 1860's, Langford's cabinet shop in the 1870's, blacksmith and wheelwright shop and later from the 1920's to 1950's as a doctor's office. Today it is home to the 11th Street Bar which is where the Casita crowd gathered last night to grill steaks and dance the two-step! We had a good time visiting with Casita friends we hadn't seen in a while, and of course, meeting new friends! Additionally some historic buildings we visited are the old jail, courthouse, cemetery, convent, catholic school, bank, various houses, stores and the oldest continuously operating bar in Texas. There are Casita's here from Canada, California, Mississippi, Florida, Michigan, Connecticut, New York, and of course Texas!

The weather has been chilly in Bandera - but the dogs are loving it! Today the sun is actually shining and we should get into the 60's. That will be a nice change!

On the agenda for today is arts and crafts, a Casita workshop and a photography class. Tonight is pot-luck and networking. Tomorrow is a tour of the James Avery complex in Kerrville , and open house of all the Casita's that have made modifications - an opportunity to share ideas on making our Casita's more space effective and functional. There are close to 150 Casita's here, so it might take a while to cover them all!

For more information on Bandera, go to www.banderacowboycapital.com

Til next time...........