Fredericksburg gets a little crazy about Christmas. The streets of downtown are all decorated with lights, and the Marktplatz (Market Square) has a Christmas Tree, a Christmas Pyramid, Ice Skating, and other fun activities. I recommend the drive from Austin if you are looking for some Christmas Cheer.
There were plenty of colorful displays in the shops of Fredericksburg as they invited Christmas shoppers in for a look around.
If you are a Star Wars fan, then get to a theater as soon as you can. 🙂
The biggest surprise at the Judge Roy Bean Visitor Center was the large Cactus Garden. There are so many varieties of cactus that I was not aware of.
One of the interesting sights at the Judge Roy Bean Visitor Center is the Model P Eclipse Windmill from 1900. These windmills were typically sold as a kit, transported to their location in pieces, and constructed by the owner. The engineering included “a regulating mechanism to keep wheel pointed at an optimum angle based on both the wind speed and direction”. Under light to medium wind speeds, the Windmill would work normally, but if the winds were too heavy, the Windmill was designed to align itself angled to the wind gusts so that it would not be damaged. This one was a pretty cool piece of history.
The primary reason to visit Langtry is to see the saloon / courthouse called “The Jersey Lilly”. In August of 1882, a Texas Ranger requested a local law jurisdiction to be set up, and Roy Bean was appointed justice of the peace for the new Precinct 6 in Pecos County. He held court in the saloon he owned. He named the saloon after Lillie Langtry, an actress from the English Island of Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands between England and France. After his death, Lillie visited the town of Langtry on the border of Texas and Mexico.
If you visit Langtry, there are a few homes available for your stay. Would you visit this scary place?
The city of Langtry, Texas is an interesting place to visit. It overlooks the border between the United States and Mexico. The 2016 population was listed as 12 – yes 12. There is a Post Office, the Judge Roy Bean Visitor Center, and some homes scattered about. Here are a few photos from my walking about town.
What a beautiful hike in a little bit of rainy weather. There were views all around, including sights of the Indian Lodge far off in the canyon. A short climb to the Keesey Canyon Overlook was very rewarding with scenic views of the entire area. I would like to return to the Davis Mountains State Park for some more hikes in the future. Here is a link to the Trail Map in case you are curious about the hikes available here.
Skyline Drive Trail is a scenic hike along the top of a ridge in the Davis Mountains State Park. The high point on this approximately 2.6 mile hike is the Keesey Canyon Overlook, with grand views of the entire park and beyond. The Overlook Shelter at the far East end of the trail has a beautiful “picture window” with views of the city of Fort Davis and Hospital Canyon. There are also several picnic spots here if you prefer to just sit and enjoy the sights and sounds of the Davis Mountains.
earthrobert 