We are OUTTA here! It's time for a road trip and I'm more than ready. Mister and I have not wandered off alone for a week since last October and our beach trip. We are, once again, doing some Texas exploring. When one lives in this large of a state --- it takes a LOT of trips to conquer the state and we are not even close yet. In fact, I think I want to start marking the routes we have taken on a map so that we can actually discover what areas are left for day trips and what will require more time. Onto the task list it goes. Well, I went off track there, didn't I?
So . . . we really didn't move too quick this morning, finally having the car loaded and driving west at 10:40. Well, alrighty then. A phone call to Jen so that she can meet up with us later is made and we are on the road. Somehow we bypassed breakfast in our plans to depart and by the time we are in Eastland, we're hungry. A stop at Heff's Burgers fixes it all, but now I'm stuffed. That burger was HUGE.
After our lunch, a quick drive through Eastland follows and I'm able to learn a wee bit about this town that we pass quite often. The old Eastland County Jail contains many artifacts and memorabilia of Eastland county and Law Enforcement history. The jail once hosted one of the infamous Santa Claus Bank Robbers in 1927 and is the site of the last public lynching in the State of Texas. It is only open by appointment and since today is Saturday, no one is available to do just that. A picture is what we get.
The Eastland County Courthouse stands majestic against a blue sky today.
Another spot on our list is the Eastland County Museum, but it is closed for winter due to the high heating costs - opening again on March 3rd. Well, drat.
In 1919, during the great oil boom of Eastland County investors of First State Bank began construction of a five-storied building on the square. Seven banks dotted the downtown area until the last surviving one in the Depression, First State Bank, closed. For four years, Eastland had no bank until investors opened Eastland National Bank in this same location in 1934. ENB operated here until moving in 1980 and the Eastland County Museum moved into the location in 2004 and is still there today.
Taking the back road between Eastland and Cisco (see map at bottom of post), we are a few minutes early to meet up with Jen and so a quick stop downtown is made. I head into J&T Ranch Quilt Shop for a pink fat quarter (yep, need one for this month's BINGO card) while Mister makes a stop at Red Gap Brewing, which I've posted about before. Here is a
LINK to that particular visit. Next stop --- A very historic one in Cisco. The Old Zoo Nature Trails and remnants of the lodge/resort that was out there.
As we arrive a bit before Jen, Mister and I walk over to view the dam (which has Lake Cisco on the other side). Construction on this dam was completed in 1923.
Below the dam, on the right is the remains of the once heavily used "largest concrete swimming pool."
I found this picture online showing how large it was at once time and the height of that diving platform. July 4, 1929. Crazy, right? Look at all the people along the side, which is overgrown now. This pool stayed open and maintained into the 1980s.
Family has arrived and we are off to explore the Old Zoo Nature Trails. Some history here: The zoo was in operation in the 1920s/1930s and, once closed, fell into disrepair and became overgrown. Recently, Cisco has worked to open up the trails and clean the overgrown vegetation once again. It's a great hike today and you can come along and see what we do. They are still working on this area, which will include signs for the various cages, sharing what lived there and other amenities. Until then, it's nature with an odd quirk.
At first it is just a wide trail, almost a small road, but as we go it thins out and becomes various paths leading around the "zoo" area. As we approach a giant rock area, Jen and I crack up at the sign in front of us. If this is how they will be labeling things, we are in for a ride in a few years. Right now -- this is the only sign we see.
The rock I was looking at.
Up several old staircases, we come to an area that once held zoo residents.
There is a new one now --- Rintaro (Jen's exchange student son) is here for good.
Some of the paths are quite interesting.
The caves are larger than you think as well. With inhabitants -
and without -
Crazy cage remnants everywhere.
At the top of a staircase (which has been closed as it leads to the top of the dam and they no longer wish to have people walk out there --- oh, believe me, I want to) there is an older structure that overlooks the pool area, I think.
From here, we follow the trail as it leads to various natural points of interest -- and a few manmade ones too.
Apparently a cougar was spotted on top of this rock in 1969, thus giving it a name. Maybe it was an escapee descendant from the zoo. The information on it's actual closing, and why, is very limited.
Must climb. Boys will be boys.
I wish my angle could see all three from this viewpoint, but it's a no go.
A little further down the trail is Balanced Rock.
And the best view of the lake we will get today. Next trip over, we will hike the Lake Trail. It's a great get-out-and-stretch time in a 3 1/2 hour drive. I'm good with it, just not at 100 degrees.
Remnants of ??? I could not find ANY info about it.
There are stone benches along the walk.
Some, more ornate than others.
Our hike for today has come to an end, but the boys want to see the "concrete pool" and we're happy to walk down there again.
Let the rock skipping commence -- oh, and attempts to hit the platform.
We're done --- walking back to the car - and a race begins.
Rintaro has stopped, letting Jared run at top speed with no one. It is what it is.
Back into Cisco - a quick stop at the old Conrad Hilton hotel (first one EVER), which for the second time now, I've not taken pictures of. I do, however, manage to get the Old Bank Clock this time. According to the plaque below, it was a gift from the First National Bank of Cisco to the Conrad Hilton Center on the occasion of it's 20th anniversary in 2006. It was originally in front of the bank during the 1910s - 1920s.
It's time to quench the thirst and we take everyone back down to the brewery for some good old-fashioned, fresh brewed root beer. Our discovery? Kids today are so used to the highly carbonated, chemical-flavored, canned-beverage on the market today resulting in a dislike of the good stuff, finding it "too sweet." I'm shocked.
As we walk back to the car, we spot this on the building right next door which was the original First National Bank here in Cisco. Remember that lynching I talked about at the beginning of the post? Well, here is more information. It reads, "Scene of daring Santa Claus bank robbery, December 23, 1927. During Christmas festivities, costumed Santa and three fellow bandits looted bank of $12,200 cash and $150,000 in securities. They escaped through gun battle with two little girls as hostages. A three-day manhunt followed. The children and money were recovered; the robbers captured. Six persons were killed, eight injured. Later, a mob lynched "Santa" when he broke out of jail."
And that's it for today. We are off to Abilene to spend the evening with family and some Olympic ice skating on television. Here is our route for day one. See ya tomorrow.
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