Texas Vacation 2022 - Day Three (First Half) - Crane, TX to Marathon, TX

Good Morning to all!  The sun is rising and we are on the road before 8 a.m.  We've opted to wait until Fort Stockton for coffee, so wish us well.  Please.  A quick drive through Crane - there's a little more, but not much.

Off we go --- to Grandfalls for gas and then down the highway.  It is STRAIGHT south and the highway appears to just go on and on and on.  I'm channeling my inner Woody Guthrie with This Land Is Your Land.  It seems super appropriate for our trip today.

Coffee, coffee, coffee.  This has to come first and we go straight for it only to sit in the car and just giggle upon our arrival.  Glitzy's Brew seems to sparkle already and we haven't even gone in.

Peek - they are ready for Mardi Gras.

After ordering, I walk through the joining shop.  Yep, name is appropriate - I missed the rack with all the sequins.  Yep, sequins in Fort Stockton.

The coffee and cinnamon roll are both wonderful and we sit and relax a bit, while enjoying our light repast.  At this point we decide to drive to the historic section of Fort Stockton and peek around a bit.

First up --- Courthouse Square.  The courthouse was built and has had some remodeling, but is the only courthouse to have ever been built in Pecos County.

Also on the square is the first Catholic Church in Fort Stockton.  The establishment of a Catholic Church in the area began shortly after the Civil War when Fort Stockton was reoccupied by U.S. troops.  The first services were conducted in 1872 and construction of the present building began three years later.  It was built of adobe on a stone foundation and remodeled in the 1960's during the "cover everything over and make it new" stage.  Drives me nuts.  If you look close, they kept a small square in the lower corner of the door as original and the arch over the door still shows as well.  Everything else is plastered over.  Why, why, why?

One of the things we LOVE about Catholic churches is that, for the most part, they are accessible.  Most other denominations lock everything up like Fort Knox.  The doors are open and welcoming so in we go.  It's very simple in decor -- love it.

Kitty-corner from the church stands the Historic Old Jail.  Pecos County built its first jail in 1877, but construction on this second, two-story jail of native sandstone began in 1882 and completed at the end of 1884.  I always find it amusing that they outgrew jails so quick.  I guess we still do.  It has been remodeled as well and is currently a museum dedicated to Pecos County Law Enforcement.

One of Fort Stockton's earliest remaining homes, the "Oldest House", is believe to have been built between 1855 and 1860 to serve as quarters for Camp Stockton's sutler (civilian merchant).  The "U" shaped footprint is typical of adobe buildings of the period, as rooms were added over time.  During the Civil War the building served as a shelter for travelers and stagecoach passengers on the San Antonio/El Paso Trails.  The Fort Stockton Historical Society now owns the building and is taking steps to preserve the current ruins.  This is what it looked like in an older picture, still intact with cistern visible in front yard.  Terrible picture, but an idea before seeing the next ones.  They were STRONG people back then.  Nothing but admiration from us.

This is our view - crazy, right?

Following along the historic route -- an older part that is vibrant and doing well.

Comanche Springs is on our right along the route.  Across from the springs is Koehler's Store, which was a one-story masonry building.  By 1884, the store had expanded to include and bank and saloon.  The second floor was added in the 1930s.  It now serves as a Community Hall.  Before and now pictures.

Comanche Springs was at one time the third largest source of spring water in Texas.  It was a favorite rest stop on the Comanche Trail to Chihuahua, the Old San Antonio Road, the Butterfield Overland mail route, and the San Antonio-Chihuahua freightwagon road.  It was named "The Blue Hole."  Before and now pictures.

Right next to the springs is this GREAT community BBQ.  Look how many I captured in just this one photo - they continued down the side to the other end.

Heralded as the oldest existing Protestant church west of the Pecos River, St. Stephen's was originally constructed in Pecos, Texas (54 miles north of Fort Stockton) in 1896 and consecrated in 1903.  Continuous services were held in this building, until 1958, at which time construction was began on the new St. Mark's.  In 1956, after being slated for demolition, it was given to the members of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Fort Stockton.  The community of Fort Stockton made plans to move this church there.  These churches were generally built of stone with slate roofs and narrow windows.  St. Stephen's is constructed of wood and in the historic style of country or parish churches of England.

As we stop, I am hoping that we will turn so that I can get a picture that is not through the windshield, but it is not meant to be.  A large predator bird is bathing in the pond out front and we do not wish to disturb it.  In fact, we sit and watch until it flies away.  By then, I've forgotten the picture of the church.  Not the best pics, but considering that I blew this one up from a little bit of window on the drivers side -- it's workable.

And this leads us to the Historic Fort Stockton.

It's time to stretch the legs a bit but I'm taking pictures as we walk to the visitor center.

We're only inside for a few minutes as there is a couple inside with multiple dogs - on leashes but running amok - who does that?  I'm so confused.  One quick pic and then we will go check out the buildings.  So ------ I've learned a ton about the bugle at a fort.  How much do you know?  First:  The Sounds of Calls that regulated the day's activities were most characteristic.  A military post was orchestrated by the sonances of the bugle, a set of distinctive melodies played by the bugler at appointed times each day.  An apt description of this is attributed to Elizabeth Custer (who was never at Fort Stockton, but was well aware of the practice), "It was the hourly monitor... It told us when to eat, to sleep, to march, and to go to church . . . we needed time pieces only when absent from garrison or camp.  The never tardy sound calling to duty was better than clock and brought us up standing . . . Instead of the usual remark, 'Why here it is four o'clock already!', we found ourselves saying:  'There's 'stables' and where has the day gone?'"  The bugle never left the post and THIS bugle was found during the restoration of the officer's quarters and although battered and dented, it is still full of life.  It was play at a celebration in July 1986, one hundred years to the day after the flag was lowered at Fort Stockton in 1886 and the post was abandoned.  Pretty cool, right?  Check out the time schedule.

Off we go --- The Mess Room and Kitchen are first.  "Two of the fort's five enlisted men's quarters each had a messroom/kitchen, formed by the adjacent 'wings' of the buildings; the remaining companies each had a tent for a kitchen and had no mess room.  By 1884, four of the permanent wings were completed.  Barracks 3 & 4 shared a kitchen.  The kitchens had no special furniture; the cooking was done in campkettles, on a rude mud construction which answered the purpose of a cooking range or stove, and , as the messrooms were not furnished with anything, the men generally ate their meals out of doors, each man supplying his own knife and seat."  Anyone else wondering why they built the buildings at all?  It doesn't seem like they used them for much, if anything.

The bunkhouse - (this was HALF of the building)

Looking back across the parade grounds.

Fort Stockton Guard House - Founded in 1859, Fort Stockton was abandoned during the Civil War and reestablished in 1867, when this guard house was built.  Stone for the structure was quarried locally.  The lumber was hauled from Indianola by oxcart.  The guard house consisted of a room with arm and leg irons, a dungeon for solitary confinement, and quarters for guards.  It was abandoned in 1886.

One very small cell --- a single leg iron on a rock in the corner of the larger cell -- ugh.

A couple of views of the arm and leg irons - look on the walls for the rings.

Doors ---- wow.  We couldn't find any remnants of the dungeon.

With that, it's time to depart Fort Stockton and continue on our way, but not without saying howdy to Paisano Pete -- inarguably one of the most recognizable roadside attractions in the Southwest.  This unofficial mascot was erected in 1980 and declared the largest roadrunner in the world at 11 feet tall and 22 feet long.

Onto Marathon!  More wide open spaces and beautiful golden grasses as far as the eye can see -- they rim the road beautifully.  (Again, through the windshield)

We're not stopping long here as we will make a return trip to Marathon on the way back home, but a quick stretch to check out the Gage Hotel.  This brick hotel building was constructed in 1926-27 and is still being used as an operating business.  

We even took a quick peek inside.

Just look at the carvings on this desk.  

It's after noon and the tummies are starting to grumble a bit.  As we walk down the street, we pass a couple of cafe's but at the end of the block, we glance up the street and spot The French Grocer.  Well, that needs a quick look, for sure.

Yummy smells abound and the selection here is pretty cool too.  I spot one case with lots of history related to this little grocery store.  The French Co. Grocer opened in 2006, revamping the existing grocery store that had been in operation for 25 years.  Since 1980 there has been a grocery store in this location.  It is named after Lucille French's grocery store that operated in Marathon from 1900 to 1972.  What a fun find.

We buy some freshly made pita chips and hummus to take in the car with us.  A car picnic is next while we point the car further south.  However, this post is long enough so I'm breaking up the day a bit.  Stay tuned for the second half of our day.  The map will be shown at the end of the second post.