Author Archives: Paul

Thoughts and Ramblings: Hillebrandt Bayou; ChatGPT; Bolivar Peninsula; the Beach Road

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905 Edmund and Lorena Toebelman House | 1113 Church Street

Despite the many years I’ve spent running the roads of Beaumont, I never realized that Hillebrandt Bayou ran through the city. I always thought it was a ditch. And before some of you get all huffy about me calling Hillebrandt Bayou a ditch, parts of it are paved. Paved = ditch. I guess you wouldn’t be the first to be irritated by my choice of words this week. Earlier, a docent became pretty arrogant when I called the City National Bank Building in Galveston a house after I found out they were going to make it a rental.

Docent: “Oh no, this will be a residence.”

Me: “No, it’s a bank! Maybe event rental?”

Someone else on the tour: “When was it built?”

Docent: “I’m not sure.”

Me: “In 1920. Our book and your script say 1920.”

Docent: “Probably 1921.”

I’m not blaming the Galveston Historical Foundation for this melee with the suspected realtor with the clipboard. Still, unfortunately, you get Wanda’s family when the pickings are slim for volunteers, but I digress.

I’ve meant to do this for a while, and this week I managed to try out ChatGPT. For those who don’t know, ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence (AI) engine used to create content. You type in what person or subject you want to write about, and the bot does the rest. Yes, I’m playing with Terminator-type stuff, but it’s not the liquid metal one at this point. The Florence Stratton essay was interesting but very vague, almost like a political speechwriter wrote it. A friend noted that ChatGPT made Florence sound like a combination of Ida Tarbell and Erin Brockovich. I’ll post the essay unedited, but THIS IS NOT A SOURCE OF ACCURATE INFORMATION, so don’t use it as such.

The 500-word essay describing Rediscoveringsetx.com was better but still a bit off. Finally, I typed my name and asked it to do a bio. Boy, this was interesting. I think it just wrote my obituary! I’ll have to tweak it a bit because I don’t have a degree in AI, but I could replace that with my elf spotting certificate. Yes, I have one, and I didn’t have to pay $4K for it. I’ll leave a link at the bottom of the blog so you can see how I got it.

Today is the last day of the Galveston Historic Homes Tour, and I couldn’t leave them hanging. They need volunteers, and I’m still fed up with work, so it’s a win-win situation. I’ll be at the 1905 Edmund and Lorena Toebelman House at 1113 Church Street. With air conditioning, I might add. I have my script, in case someone from Wanda’s family is around. However, in some weird way, I can coexist with people from her family because they are just there for the shiplap, the plaster, and the pretty flowers at Old City Cemetery.

I look forward to my Mama Teresa’s pizza while parked in the parking lot known as Ferry Road. For all you newbies, don’t cut in line or Maria Maria la Policia WILL get you. She has no patience for idiots, and that’s a good thing.

I heard that they are building multitudes of rentals and possibly also an airport on the peninsula. I guess this is a good thing because an airport would be another way to get off the peninsula during the next hurricane. Hurricane Ike really sucked. At that time, everyone thought that all their properties would be lost and there would be no beach for them. Well, the powers that be have rebuilt, and kudos to all of you Parrot Heads for making my drive to Galveston always interesting. Y’all will never let this line in the sand fail, and I’m happy about that. I guess we need to get our beach-road lobbyist going because we need this back. We just need to put it more inland because I don’t want to pass the nudist beach. Sorry, I am not a fan and don’t care for your struggle. Google Maps won’t even go down that road.

I would really love the beach road back for one reason—it would be twenty minutes to High Island! Not an hour of driving on Highway 73, Highway 124, and Highway 87. I’m not reminiscing about sandy hotdogs on McFaddin Beach; I want less driving time! I’m getting old and can’t afford to live with you Parrot Heads. I doubt this will get fixed soon, but at least the Whataburger in Winnie is my one great breakfast stop.

What is the equivalent of Aloha in Karankawa? Lunch? Until next time and hope to see you on the tour.

Thoughts and Ramblings: The 49th Galveston Historic Homes Tour!

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Saturday was the day, and we were ready for the lineups, requirements to wear booties, and technology fails along the way – those who have taken the tour or volunteered for it know the struggles. After an early arrival by ferry, I was giddy in the knowledge that this year I wouldn’t have to take the ferry home only to drive back on Sunday, thanks to a friend’s Airbnb. I was impressed not just by the home’s 600 square feet of greatness, but by its driveway and location just two blocks from the seawall. Driveways are worth big money in Galveston County, but I digress.

Our first stop was my volunteer house for the day, the 1901 James and Mary Prindiville House. James Prindiville was a New Orleans native and plaster contractor. The Prindiville’s original home built on this site in 1898 was destroyed by the storm of 1900, and this home was built to replace it. While small, it is quite beautiful. Its open concept and easy access certainly make it a must-see.

Our next stop was meant to be the house pictured on the cover, the 1890 McKinney-McDonald House, but oh, the lines! We decided to put this jewel off until after lunch. So, it was onto the 1905 Edmund and Lorena Toebelman House. While it also had a line, the docents did a good job of moving visitors through quickly. Some features of note were the home’s gas lamps at the doorway (not original), the interior light fixtures, and the many original windows. Wavy glass is always a plus.

The 1920 City National Bank Building was to be our grand finale, but we decided to visit it early since we were in the area. When it was put on the tour in 2017 it was one of the ongoing restorations. There were few lines because who wants to see a work in progress? Well I do, and I took some photos – see the link below. They did an excellent job of restoring the bank and I was anxious to find out what it would be used for. After hearing it would become a rental residence, I had many questions. Who? What? Why? Okay, to each his own. Stay in my Airbnb! It’s a bank! It has a table long enough to have Vlad Putin meet with his enemies! Don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautiful property, but there are some things you just don’t do. However, I digress. I’ll move on.

And move on we did, to the 1890 Julius Lobenstein Tenant Cottage. If there was ever a property to rent on this tour, this is it! It’s known as a speakeasy because of the tiny door inserted on the front door to peek out and ask, mob fashion, what’s the password? If you visit this house and they ask you for the password, just say Jabberwalky. It is actually a rental, and the shiplap boards on the walls are many different colors. At this point on the tour, this was my favorite. See the link below for its rental information.

The 1899 Charles and Estelle Miller House and the 1905 Joseph and Frances Gengler House were also must-sees, along with the 1906 Nathan and Mary Spence House. The restorations are superb, and the lineups were not that bad because of the docents moving us through. But we still had three houses left, and I knew the lineups at the cover house would be long.

After lunch at Shrimp and Stuff, we set out to the 1892 George Bendixen Corner Store and Residence – or, as I call it, the Wednesday Adams winter home, because of its black exterior. This was my favorite of the tour and a must-see. It’s for sale – I’ll have to look through my change drawer, but I doubt I have enough to purchase this jewel for $1.1 million. However, one can dream.

This was the first tour I’ve been on, and I had not yet had to wear booties, but the ninth and tenth houses ended my winning streak. The 1928 Joseph and Edith Eiband House was a treat to tour, even with booties on, and so was the 1890 McKinney-McDonald House, but it had really long lines, and booties were also required. At the time I went through it, it was understaffed, but this was not the docents’ fault. If you volunteer at one of these properties then you need to show up! This is not the first time I’ve seen this problem and I’m sure it won’t be the last. Hopefully, the rest of the tours of this beautiful gem will be better. I first toured it in 2012 when it was a restoration in progress. I am glad to see that it has been returned to its true beauty.

If you are out and about today, I hope to see you at the 1901 James and Mary Prindiville House. I may have a clipboard, and I am not afraid to use it, but I’m pretty lenient when it comes to fellow shiplap lovers.

Until next week!

1890 Julius Lobenstein Tenant Cottage.

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/39031320?source_impression_id=p3_1683430391_y4ZdZBnAwhzQkh7N

1920 City National Bank Building: Restoration in Progress
https://www.flickr.com/photos/25032584@N05/albums/72157683834011025

Galveston Historic Homes Tour:

Tour Homes : Galveston Historic Homes Tour

49th Annual Galveston Historic Homes Tour

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Today is the day, and I will post information all day on our experiences on the tour.

#ICYMI Here is what to expect on this tour and the dos and don’t’s. Hope to see you along the way!

When taking a historic homes tour, you should have a plan.

1.         Each ticket is valid for one visit to every house on both weekends. If you can go both weekends, taking the tour with family and friends is a great experience. However, if you only have one weekend or even only one day, then it is better to take the tour with no more than three people. Long lines can be an obstacle. One year I took the opening-day tour solo, and there was a point when I passed in front of 14 people because they only had enough room for one more person in the group.

2.         Some of the houses are in the same neighborhood, so have a plan to park centrally. You will be able to walk to multiple places without wasting time looking for a parking spot for the various destinations.

3.         NO HEELS! I should have put this up top. This is the one thing I’ve never understood. Why would someone wear heels on a home tour that involves walking upstairs and on lovely restored floors? If you do wear heels, you’ll end up walking through some stranger’s house shoeless. There was an instance when a homeowner had their beautiful restored floor damaged by someone who chose not to wear comfortable shoes. The money raised by the tour paid for the floor to be restored once more.

4.         Booties! Speaking of shoes, it is always inevitable to have one house on the tour that doesn’t want you, prancing around in heels or people walking on their newly restored floors. I get it, restoration is expensive! But then why have your home on the tour? Anyway, I digress. This will undoubtedly slow down the number of people taking the tour. So, there may be some waiting time.

5.         It may be better to visit popular homes, such as the cover house, at the opening, during lunchtime, or close to the last tour (six in the afternoon). I’ve found that these times have fewer lines.

6.         Volunteers. Most of the people checking your ticket, selling you the excellent wares that the Galveston Historical Foundation (GHF) has to offer, and who are stationed throughout the property are all volunteers. This means they are not getting paid. The white shirt-black pants army is there to keep the tour rolling and help you visit these beautiful homes. I say this because when you find yourself in a line, know that most of these people are doing the best they can to give you a great experience. Concerning the historical knowledge of these places, I am looking forward to seeing what the GHF will offer its volunteers. One year, I volunteered to be a docent on the front porch and all I got was a 3 x 5 index card of information. I will admit that it has finally gotten better!

7.         Visit the Old City Cemetery! The wildflowers are lovely and a great photo opportunity for photographers.

8.         Make sure to look for the cemetery tours hosted by Kathleen Maca. They sell out fast! The reason is that she is a great storyteller and has written several books on Broadway’s prominent cemetery.

See you on the tour!

2023 Galveston Historic Homes Tour:  

https://www.visitgalveston.com/blog/galveston-historic-homes-tour-locations/?fbclid=IwAR1kchD2PH3VW1Ixn9i_xwE1OTA59eWBjkydkMkieMghj7QLxmC2BKk1ha4

Thoughts and Ramblings: Watching Darkness Fall; Brothers in Arms; 49th Annual Galveston Historic Homes Tour

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761st

Lately, I’ve been spending time and money on my Audible account. I’ve downloaded audiobook after audiobook—mostly World War II biographies but with a few lighter reads on plagues, pestilences, and musicians. I’m still recovering from the bio of Dave Mustaine (Megadeth’s front man) on life on heroin, hating Metallica, and edging on the Northern Irish into a riot. It’s a good read, but I’m still detoxing from the amount of heavy drug use it contained. And I won’t even get into Nikki Sixx’s book The Dirt!

I finished two books this week, and I highly recommend both. The first is called Watching Darkness Fall by David McKean. It describes the situation in Europe leading up to WWII and the four American diplomats who witnessed it firsthand. I’ll admit that this book brings out my hatred for Joe Kennedy almost as much as my views on MacArthur and Roosevelt. Maybe I’ll get into that one day, but I want to discuss the next read.

The second book was Brothers in Arms by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (yes, that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and Anthony Walton. The subtitle reads The Epic Story of the 761st Tank Battalion, WWII’s Forgotten Heroes. The 761st was the first Black mechanized battalion in the army and the first of its kind to see action in WWII. The book follows the struggles, tribulations, and racial discrimination of these soldiers from their training in Louisiana and Texas to being hand-picked by General George S. Patton to fight in his Third Army. And fight they did. They went up against elite Panzer divisions and endured a casualty rate of 40 percent. In the end, they broke the Siegfreid Line, advanced through many German cities, and liberated the concentration camp in Gunskirchen, Austria. In the movie Patton, you will see a tank division advancing across the Rhine River. That was the 761st, but for some reason, some idiot decided to use white actors instead of giving an accurate account of these fighting men. I’ll leave a link to a documentary that provides a complete picture of the 761st below.

The 49th Annual Galveston Historic Homes Tour begins next week, and I want to give a few details about what to expect for the first two weekends of this May event. There are ten houses/properties on the tour (the 1920 City National Bank building is not a house, but it was on previous tours; I hope to see it fully restored). No word on the booty call. Last year there were five houses where you needed to wear booties, and that took a lot of time. Not knowing more about the properties where I will not be volunteering could be a problem, so stay tuned. My house is small and has only one story, so it should be fine.

When taking a historic homes tour, you should have a plan because the ticket is only good for the first two weekends in May. The ticket costs $45. Since 2012, my plan has been to take the tour on the first Saturday and then volunteer on the first Sunday with the Candy Lady. I will post my views during Saturday’s tour and hopefully guide you in visiting the different properties. With that said, I will now offer my guidance to my friend Wanda because she is not the sharpest tool in the shed.

  1. Each ticket is valid for one visit to every house on both weekends. If you can go both weekends, taking the tour with family and friends is a great experience. However, if you only have one weekend or even only one day, then it is better to take the tour with no more than three people. Long lines can be an obstacle. One year I took the opening-day tour solo, and there was a point when I passed in front of 14 people because they only had enough room for one more person in the group.
  2. Some of the houses are in the same neighborhood, so have a plan to park centrally. You will be able to walk to multiple places without wasting time looking for a parking spot for the various destinations.
  3. NO HEELS! I should have put this up top. This is the one thing I’ve never understood. Why would someone wear heels on a home tour that involves walking upstairs and on lovely restored floors? If you do wear heels, you’ll end up walking through some stranger’s house shoeless. There was an instance when a homeowner had their beautiful restored floor damaged by someone who chose not to wear comfortable shoes. The money raised by the tour paid for the floor to be restored once more.
  4. Booties! Speaking of shoes, it is always inevitable to have one house on the tour that doesn’t want you, Wanda, prancing around in heels or people walking on their newly restored floors. I get it, restoration is expensive! But then why have your home on the tour? Anyway, I digress. This will undoubtedly slow down the number of people taking the tour. So, there may be some waiting time.
  5. It may be better to visit popular homes, such as the cover house, at the opening, during lunchtime, or close to the last tour (six in the afternoon). I’ve found that these times have fewer lines.
  6. Volunteers. Most of the people checking your ticket, selling you the excellent wares that the Galveston Historical Foundation (GHF) has to offer, and who are stationed throughout the property are all volunteers. This means they are not getting paid. The white shirt-black pants army is there to keep the tour rolling and help you visit these beautiful homes. I say this because when you find yourself in a line, know that most of these people are doing the best they can to give you a great experience. Concerning the historical knowledge of these places, I am looking forward to seeing what the GHF will offer its volunteers. One year, I volunteered to be a docent on the front porch and all I got was a 3 x 5 index card of information. I will admit that it has finally gotten better!
  7. Visit the Old City Cemetery! The wildflowers are lovely and a great photo opportunity for photographers.
  8. Make sure to look for the cemetery tours hosted by Kathleen Maca. They sell out fast! The reason is that she is a great storyteller and has written several books on Broadway’s prominent cemetery.

Until next week, I believe shiplap will be in our future, and if you complain about seeing shiplap, then you shouldn’t have paid $45 for a historic homes tour—but I digress.

Come Out Fighting: The 761st  https://youtu.be/yDI7zOONVn4

https://www.army.mil/article/1792/the_761st_tank_battalion_fighting_the_enemy_beating_stereotypes

Watching Darkness Fall:

Brothers in Arms:  

Galveston Historic Homes Tour:  

Galveston Historic Homes Tour

Kathleen Maca:  http://kathleenmaca.com/index.php/book-signings/

Thoughts and Ramblings: Port Arthur’s Quasquicentennial and Its Birders; Florence Was a Town in Hardin County?

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Driving the Golden Spike 1907

Well, all the pirates have gone, but I see loads of shiplap in the coming weeks, and that’s a good thing! The Galveston Historic Homes Tour is two weeks away, and the excitement is building—at least for me. Who knows what plans Wanda has? Probably some meeting somewhere where someone painted their house a color considered unsuitable by the neighborhood’s district association. Who knows?

Port Arthur’s quasquicentennial is this year, and they even made an excellent website for the occasion. The quasquicentennial is undoubtedly a milestone and a mouthful of sorts. I remember Texas’s sesquicentennial, and I couldn’t even pronounce that, but one of my four-year-old cousins could, and I was impressed. I look forward to following the year’s festivities.

Speaking of Port Arthur, I saw that they’ve added a bird blind on Pleasure Island. Pleasure Island has been a bird sanctuary for decades, and if the powers that be were ever to name it, I would suggest none other than Mrs. Bessie Reid. She was the original Port Arthur birder. Yes, her legacy was in Native American culture and history, but she was into her feathered friends first, and they needed no other ally at the time.

In my research on Florence Stratton, I initially dismissed a statement by her niece, Eunice Stephens, made in a newspaper article, according to which the city of Florence, Texas, was named after her aunt. Early in my research, I proved this wrong because Florence, Texas, located in Williamson County, was founded in the 1850s. However, a newspaper article from 1907 revealed some details that didn’t make sense with what we see today. Apparently, there was another “town” named Florence between Sour Lake and the newly formed settlement of Hardin. The article mentioned a new sawmill near Florence, located in Hardin County, which is the only documented source we have of this “town.” The article states that the place was named after Florence Stratton. Currently, I have no idea why. The “town,” if you can call it that—there was no post office, nor did it end on any map that I’ve found—didn’t last. It probably was more of a train stop for the sawmill. As we know, many of those lumber towns were abandoned as people moved on to the next big thing at the time—oil.

R. C. Duff, president of the Beaumont, Sour Lake, and Western Railway, was the person who drove the last spike connecting the railroad from Beaumont to Houston. He was also the one to name the town after Florence Stratton. Why? I have no idea other than the fact that the Duff family was close to Florence. At her funeral in 1938, there was a Duff pallbearer. R. C. Duff, his wife, and two daughters made the trip to this special event, and thanks to this article, I know who the skinny giant with the anvil in the photo is. I will say that the photos I have of the driving of the golden spike make more sense now. One problem I have with this is that back in 2014, when I asked pretty much everyone in Hardin County about a town called Florence, they had never heard of it. This will definitely require more research.

One thing I would like to put out there is this: if you have ever heard of a town or a train stop called Florence in Hardin County, I want to hear from you! rediscoveringsetx@gmail.com

I guess this is where I should grovel and say sorry to Eunice for doubting her. Unlike past researchers, I will admit that I’m wrong. However, I will jab back that Eunice still got her aunt’s birth year wrong!

No, I am not Wanda, and history is what it is. We are all just trying to make sense of what happened before us. Eunice was a big part in solving some of the mysteries surrounding her aunt. Although we probably wouldn’t have gotten along, we were here for the same reason—to keep Florence Stratton’s memory alive for all to enjoy and learn about the history of our beloved Southeast Texas.

I’ve added a PDF link of this article to this post if anyone is interested (if that’s the case, you’re greatly appreciated).

https://www.genealogybank.com/doc/newspapers/image/v2%3A11FCD9F6C526DCD9%40GB3NEWS-167A1953F2577872%402417776-167A02BEF86FD633%402?clipid=hdgdmxpgzygmxqebjzbtrxnuqydshjkd_wma-gateway010_1682211389364

I will also post the article on the Facebook page later in the day.

Until next week!

Galveston Historic Homes Tour:  https://www.galvestonhistory.org/events/galveston-historic-homes-tour

Port Arthur 125th Anniversary:

home

Port Arthur Birding Site:

https://visitportarthurtx.com/things-to-do/attraction/pleasure-island-bird-blind/

Beaumont, Sour Lake, and Western Railway: https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/beaumont-sour-lake-and-western-railway

Evening Edition: Old City Cemetery; Tall Ships Festival; Schiffe, Schätze, and Schnaps!

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My drive to Galveston yesterday morning was much smoother than my trip to tour the USS Texas, but I still had to dodge lightning bolts on Highway 73 halfway to Winnie. The beach road was nice, and the ferry was even on time. This meant I didn’t have to race down Broadway Avenue because I was early! So, when early, what does one do? They go to the cemetery! As is usual this time of year, the wildflowers were in bloom at Old City Cemetery. There will be a few more weeks of color, which means that all those who usually take the Historic Homes Tour on the first two weekends of May can see the cemetery in full bloom. It is definitely worth a visit.

The Tall Ships Galveston Festival had a good amount of early birds but not enough for long lines; that changed around eleven thirty. My dear frenemy Wanda found that out, but we will get to that later. Four years ago, I volunteered at the festival, so I really didn’t get to see much except for your smiling faces and the parking lot. In 2023, I walked onto the pier and took a few photos of the statue of the pirate girl. It was hilarious to see how many people walked up to her, stared, and started to walk away, then were startled when she uttered the dreaded “Arrrgh!” She aimed it more at the adults than the kids, but it was a good experience for all.

The ships were a pleasure to tour, and it was good to see signage explaining their history as well as the vessels’ specific parts and how they were used. There were four tall ships: the Elissa, Ernestina-Morrissey, NAO Trinidad, and Pride of Baltimore II. There were two other vessels that you could sail in the bay for a price—the When and If and the Glenn L. Swetman—but they were not part of the tour. There was also another ship included in the ticket that you could tour, but it wasn’t a historical tall ship; still, I think I got the most out of the NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson.

The Thomas Jefferson is a federally run hydrographic vessel out of Norfolk, Virginia. It does ocean mapping and is a vital tool to scan shipping areas after a hurricane or any other problem that might endanger the maritime sector. The ship is here to scan the waters and make sure they are clear of debris and hazards. It was here for Hurricane Delta in 2020, and it did its thing in 2017 for Hurricane Maria.

This type of ship and its ability to scan lakes and gulf bottoms intrigues me because of the work of the R/V Petrel vessel once owned by Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen. Even after his death in 2018, many wrecks of World War II ships were found. If you’ve ever seen the video of the well-preserved SBD Dauntless on the deck of the sunk USS Lexington, which lies about 3,000 feet below the surface in the cold, you’ll know it is something of an amazing image. I say well preserved because the paint and the color are pristine, but it is shot up.

My day at the Tall Ships Galveston Festival was good not because I had a great time on all the ships, especially the Thomas Jefferson, but because of one circumstance. We all know of my relationship with a certain Beaumont West-End wonder, Wanda. I attended the festival early and was finished by eleven thirty. My last ship to visit was the Elissa. I had upgraded my ticket to a fast pass, but I didn’t have to use it because of the early peeps coming out and being nice. On my last boarding, I noticed Wanda in line looking a bit disgruntled because it was hot and she was late getting there. I heard she had her gripes. The fact that I used my fast pass to make her wait a few more minutes was priceless.

I’ve uploaded more photos to my Flickr page and hope that everyone had a great time. I’m not worried about Wanda.

Until next time, Schiffe, Schätze, and Schnaps!

Tall Ships Galveston 2023: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAzVpT

R/V Petrel: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RV_Petrel

Wreckage of U.S.S. Lexington located in Coral Sea: https://youtu.be/-K-V_ah6IIs

 Schiffe, Schätze, and Schnaps!    https://youtu.be/LT7LzOIQSfk

Thoughts and Ramblings: A Milestone; the American Plague; Tall Ships Festival; Yukari Says Hi

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I hit a milestone of sorts. This week is the first anniversary of “Thoughts and Ramblings” and my return from a two-year hiatus. I am genuinely amazed at this milestone—not because of the content (we all know some of it was a bit thin on occasion), but because I made it through a whole year without missing a week. This is how the blog was supposed to be when it began. However, back then, it was hard to stick to this routine because I wanted to do thorough research on each subject, and there is not a snowball’s chance in hell that can happen in a week. The houses and events that I covered fit into this type of schedule, but they also took time away from research. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed most of the events, but there is a reason I’m on the historical commission and not in a historical society: I am not social! But covering those things was fun.

Vuylsteke House

In the blog’s early years, I wanted to promote our area’s historic homes and museums. I felt that there was not much promotion out there for the smaller venues, and people in our area would rather travel 500 miles to look at a giant ball of string than walk across the street to one of our local museums. And let’s be honest, who has heard of the Vuylsteke House? I grew up in Port Arthur and never heard of it because nobody promoted it. Luckily, Sydalise Fredeman saved the Pompeiian Villa, which I eventually toured in second grade. It was another forty years until I visited it again. During that visit, the docent mentioned that I should also tour the Vuylsteke House. There was not a lot of promotion back then. Some kind of information should’ve been out there, but it wasn’t in 2012. In 2023, there is a lot more promotion of these houses and museums, and I’m happy that people are getting the word out. It’s not perfect, but they are learning.

Although not weekly, I did post some finished and ongoing stories throughout the years. I enjoyed every bit of the hours and money spent learning and uncovering the history and lore of our SETX. A few topics that triggered me at the time (and still do) are the interurban train, the Sabine Lighthouse, the Rowleys, the Chambers House Museum, Florence Stratton (of course), Hugo DeBretagne, Marine Scout Bomber Squadron 931 (VMSB-931), Magnolia Cemetery, Jeanette Catherina Stengele, Miss Jack McDonough, Wong Shu, and two people for whom I have the utmost respect: Kichimatsu Kishi (the Kishi colony) and William D. Quick, a researcher whom I never met. All their stories can be found on my blog: www.rediscoveringsetx.com.

On April 11, 2022, I posted my first “Thoughts and Ramblings.” It was basically a memorial to Florence, Bill Quick, and Jerry Burnett. Jerry was my insurance agent/go-to interurban train person. We would spend hours talking about trains and Port Arthur’s history. He died in October of 2021, and I still miss him.

From that post onward, the blog changed to a much easier format that talks about what I’m researching and what was happening at the time. This allowed me to post some weekly interesting stories and give updates on ongoing projects. I could also ramble on and mention some of my beloved nonsense, including Tankery, anime, and the Mari Lwyd. Do not be mistaken, they were strategically placed six to eight months in advance because 秋山 優花里 Akiyama Yukari, 紺野木綿季 Yuuki Konno, and the Mari Lwyd are dear to me. I will admit that Yukari is one of my spirit animals. I have four. The other three are Oscar the Grouch, Margaret Hamilton, and Bunny Rabbit from the Captain Kangaroo show. As a kid growing up without a Leave It to Beaver family, my inspiration came from the first three, but Yukari triggered my triggerness. “Panzer Vor!”

I finished the book about the history of yellow fever that was recommended to me by two friends. With all these GPR surveys lately, I thought I should get up to date on this disease. It is an excellent read if you are into this type of history. Still, if you have a weak stomach, you might want to skip this read because it describes exactly what happened to all the victims and the brave doctors, scientists, and volunteers who dealt with this epidemic. The only happy ending is that they found what spread the disease, and thanks to their sacrifice, you aren’t dying of yellow fever in 2023. This was a different epidemic compared to the Spanish flu or COVID-19. The book is The American Plague by Molly Caldwell Crosby. Again, this is a must-read if you are into this type of history. Also, for those who have read it, we know—the band Toto was wrong. We don’t miss the rains down in Africa because that’s how it all started!

Well, the Tall Ships Galveston Festival took place this weekend, and I was there on Saturday. I may have an evening edition on that today. It depends on whether I have one of those Mama Teresa’s Flying Pizza slumbers while I wait for the ferry. Shout-out to Mama Teresa. That is my go-to place while waiting to board the ferry. Hurricane Ike destroyed the restaurant at Crystal Beach, but Mama Teresa’s pizza is still flying in Galveston!

Speaking of Galveston, we are three weeks away from the 49th Annual Historic Homes Tour, and I will be putting out a list of what not to do on the tour. It’s for Wanda only because she seems to always get this wrong. No high heels—there will be booties—and remember the long lines in the sun! Everyone else knows this, but she always seems to forget.

Until next week, さようなら Sayōnara. Yukari says hi!

Vuylsteke House:

Vuylsteke House

Pompeiian Villa:

Pompeiian Villa

秋山 優花里 Akiyama Yukari:

Tankery explained:

American Plague:  

Mama Teresa’s Flying Pizza:

https://www.galveston.com/cuisine/find-a-restaurant/mamateresa/

Thoughts and Ramblings: The Rowleys; No Word on the GPR Survey; Hoppy Easter; So Says Susie

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Johnny Horton with the Rowley Trio

The Rowleys are trending again. I don’t often check my stats, but when I do, it’s either “The Legend of Sarah Jane Road” or “The Legend of Bragg Road.” The people who share my articles are into ghost legends, growing up in Port Arthur, or the restaurants they would eat at. I guess it’s food for thought. But I usually also see interest in the Rowley family articles—to me, they are a part of history that needs to be told. Yes, most of the hits come from the family itself, but the historical aspect inspired me to search for answers in order to tell the correct story of what happened to each member of this family. I often think about Gene, Dido, Jerry, Rex Jr., and their father, Rex. I have a photo of the Rowley Trio with Johnny Horton in my office. I nicked it from a YouTube video; since then, I offered it to the interweb and the family. I’ll leave a link to the Rowley Trio and their amazing story below.

My first association with the Rowleys was at Greenlawn Cemetery in Groves while I was visiting the plot initially reserved for World War I veterans and their families. Walking through the rows, I noticed a headstone with a photo of a young girl and a poem under it. The poem was odd and depressing, so I wanted to know her story.

Virginia Lee Rowley

If I must die then die I must and when the coffin round me rusts my bones will go whence they came and all that’s left is my name. To shield that name I’ll do my best; that’s all that’s left when I’m at rest. I’ll do no harm and bring no shame upon my dad and mother’s name.

When I first saw the headstone, I immediately began to research its story. I found that someone from Port Arthur had made a twelve-minute movie about the girl’s presumed life. I won’t get into the crap that this jackass put out because he was wrong for doing this. Virginia “Gene” Rowley died in San Antonio in a car accident. She was there working as a radio operator at Kelly Field.

Her mother probably added the poem to the headstone because Gene was a poet and had won awards for her writing. She may have also been saddened by her father’s suicide in 1934. Rex was in the Great War, but I have no information on how and where he served. According to the newspaper articles, he was upset that he couldn’t find a job. Remember, this was during the Great Depression. Although our SETX area did not suffer as much as most of the country, some of its residents did. Both Rex and Gene are buried in the World War I plot. They are not side by side but giving their backs to each other. Although they are facing away from one another, I have a feeling they are looking at each other eye to eye. In the end, we can only guess how it is.

Jeanna Clare and Don Mahoney

There is a lot of tragedy here. Fortunately, a descendant sent me some information on Vera (Dido) and Jerry, who had a different life. The story of the Rowley Trio is amazing. They played with some big names at the time. One was Johnny Horton. They even played on the Louisiana Hayride radio show, which launched many careers during that era, including Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, Kitty Wells, and Jim Reeves. The Rowley Trio didn’t rise to that level of stardom, but Dido continued her career in show business. Some of you here and in Houston who grew up in the 1960s might remember the name of Don Mahoney if you watched KPRC on Saturdays. Don Mahoney had a local television show called Don Mahoney and Jeanna Clare and Their Kiddie Troupers. It was a talent show for kids, but the two hosts emulated Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. Yes, Dido was Jeanna Clare!

Between the tragedy and the triumph, there is a lot here that the family can be proud of. They are not the Kennedys, which is a positive thing, and I see their part in SETX history as a source of great inspiration. And yes, I wanted to tell their story correctly. They deserved as much. Well, Nederland, you have other celebrities in the world of entertainment. Move over, Tex Ritter, and let the Rowley Trio and Jeanna Clare join you on the pedestal of entertainers from Nederland, Texas. I know you would Welkom that because it’s on your Boston Avenue sign!

As I write, I still haven’t heard anything back from the ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey. It may take a few weeks, but hopefully there will be something of substance that we can use as proof of where the yellow fever victims are buried. I’m crossing my fingers but not holding my breath. The GPR machine can penetrate concrete but has trouble with the clay soil of Sabine Pass. The more sand in the soil the better it works. Those thinking of using something like this tool should keep this issue in mind.

Well, it’s Easter Sunday, and I’m working because there is no rest for the wicked. So, I’ll bid you farewell and let Susie Spindletop take over for some Weekly Letter “hoppy” memories.

Dear Della:

I am like Tom Heflin, Easter makes me sick. The Alabama senator has been egged so often during his speaking tours that I hear he dodges every time any one mentions Easter to him.

Easter makes me sick, however, for an entirely different reason. According to my way of thinking Easter is divided into three classes:

Too cold for Easter hats.

Too wet for Easter hats.

No Easter hats.

I have never known any other kind of Easter Sunday. Therefore Easter makes me sick.

                                         *                         *                         *

It is intriguing to delve into the beginnings of a festival such as Easter, isn’t it? So many whimsical customs come to light which account for many of our modern observances of the day.

Frinstance, Della, where did the custom of the Easter bonnet originate? An old superstition to the effect that a new bonnet worn on Easter Sunday would insure love and happiness in the ensuing year is back of it.

                                          *                          *                         *

And how come the Easter egg? Many hundreds of years ago the egg stood as a symbol of a new life, I read, and played an important part in the religious ceremonies of the Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, Gauls, and Romans. Later, the Christians took an egg as an emblem of the resurrection.

                                         *                             *                       *

About egg rolling?

Well as far as I can find out, egg rolling had its inception in England.

It seems in ancient days it took a most astonishing form. People themselves were accustomed to roll down Greenwich Hill, supposedly for the purpose of expressing the ecstasy which the return of spring incited. This custom was abandoned and in its place came the charming practice of egg rolling.

It is related that in olden times, poor children would wander through the streets singing. For reward people would give them colored Easter eggs which they would take up to the same hill. Arrived at the hill they would roll their eggs down and the child who succeeded in rolling his so that they reached the bottom intact would be proclaimed the winner.

                                    *                             *                           *

Della, from England, too, I notice, came the quaint superstition that the sun danced on Easter morning—a superstition which to this day is solemnly believed and celebrated in parts of Ireland. In order to see the “sun dance” the people would arise at dawn and go forth in masses. I’ll take their word for it. How about you?

So wrote Susie,

Easter Sunday, March 31, 1929

Don Mahoney and Jeanna Clare with Their Kiddie Troupers | Segment (1970)

https://texasarchive.org/2016_04235

The Rowley Trio:

https://www.rediscoveringsetx.com/2017/04/11/the-rowley-trio/

Virginia Lee Rowley:

https://www.rediscoveringsetx.com/2015/12/29/tales-from-hallowed-ground-virginia-lee-rowley/

Louisiana Hayride: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana_Hayride

Dido Rowley And The Troupers – When The Chips Are Down (Enterprise GS-1206) [1957 country bopper]

Thoughts and Ramblings: Historic Homes Tour 2023; Gilham Park Had a Rocket Slide; South Texas State Fair; Back in Sabine Pass

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The rocket slide is on the right of the water tower

The Galveston Historical Foundation has released the list of this year’s Historic Homes Tour, and I’m excited to see that a restoration that has been in progress for a few years has been added to the list. Is it fully restored? We will see on May 6! I have also seen the house where I’ll be volunteering, and it is small, but they have recently finished restoring/updating it. I was getting kind of nervous because, based on the Google Maps photo from 2019, I thought I would have to bring my hedge trimmer and paintbrush to get it up to shape. Thankfully, someone did an excellent job restoring it, and it looks terrific.

1901 James and Mary Prindiville House

I always volunteer with the Candy Lady. Anyone who has taken the tour for several years or is from Liberty County or Galveston knows who this precious being is on the first week of the tour, and this year is no different. The only thing different is that this house is not the cover house. It is a smaller house and we will do the best we can to get you in as soon as possible, but there will be lines and possibly booties involved, so stay tuned. I am the gatekeeper, and I’ll have a clipboard; but don’t worry, I never wave it around and say that I’m in charge. I leave that to the paid employees of a historical foundation. I know your struggle, and it is my struggle.

I love being a gatekeeper, although I don’t know who is the key master, and I also don’t know who to call if someone in the line asks if the house is haunted because that’s not discussed on the tour. I’m the person who lets you through the gate. Depending on the size of the house, there is a limit to how many people can enter at a time. Last year, I sent 700 people into the cover house in five hours. That was a record for me, but I doubt it will be reached this year, and that’s okay. We will enjoy this tour. I wanted to discuss other known gatekeepers, such as dream expert Fredrick Von Krueger, but he never returned my calls. His loss.

Breaking news!

Well, at least for me. Someone researching rocket slides (who knew this was a thing) emailed me about a photo from Gilham Park from the 1960s, and I’ve been ecstatic ever since. No, it wasn’t Rose Hill Park; it was Port Arthur, and I know the kids around Gilham Circle enjoyed the hell out of this rocket slide. It’s an aerial view of the water tower, and you can see the rocket slide nearby. I’m sure I speak for those who grew up here when I say that we love this photo because we all know this was ours; that park witnessed many dreams and wishful plans to make our adult years great. Thank you to those in charge of the parks who brought a lot of happiness to us kids. Whether it was Rose Hill or Gilham, we are grateful to you.

Sometimes, I get random texts about SETX history, and this week was no different. I got a text about the name of the South Texas State Fair. Luckily, a friend of mine, who is a research genius, did a report on the fair, so I replied with her work because I’m not a genius and she is thorough in her research. Everything is flowers and unicorns currently, but this is something few people know: Why “South” and not “Southeast”? Well, according to my friend’s report, they had random small fairs in SETX until 1906 when the Beaumont Horse Show and Race Meet gave the area its first taste of carnival flair.

In the next two years, they would have the Jefferson County Trucker’s Fair in 1907 and the Southeast Texas Fair and Pure Food Show in 1908. Between 1909 and 1914, the latter was called Southeast Texas Fair. It wasn’t until 1915 that they changed the name to South Texas State Fair. It is still unknown why they went with “South” instead of “Southeast.” It could be just some random name that they thought was appropriate at the time.

We were back in Sabine Pass yesterday. That makes three straight Saturdays I was out in Sabine Pass Cemetery. Will there be a fourth? I have no idea. Two weeks ago, the saturated grounds hampered our efforts; hopefully, we will have better luck when the data comes back later this week. Fingers crossed, we’ll have positive results.

Until next week, enjoy your fried fair delicacies and eat a corndog for me because I’m not getting onto that mess known as I-10. For those who do, good luck and Godspeed.

Thoughts and Ramblings The Evening Edition: Sabine Pass Cemetery, Beaumont Municipal Airport Fly-In, I-10, and TxDOT is the Devil

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Page Cemetery

Yesterday, I returned to Sabine Pass Cemetery to visit ol’ Kate and get a few more photos of the bluebonnets engulfing Page Cemetery and a couple of other plots. The temperature was 74 degrees, and the weather was perfect, unlike last week, when temperatures topped out at 54 degrees and a cold wind and drizzle affected the survey. What a difference a week makes in SETX. I was also there to photograph the Page Cemetery stone to send to the Historical Commission to verify that it is “Page” and not “Pace,” as stated in the records. I guess Google needs to update its maps as well. It’s “Cemetery Road,” not “Pace Cemetery Road.”

Driving to Sabine Pass

Speaking of roads, I don’t think I’ve mentioned anything about the new road that heads to Sabine Pass. They built it further inland and away from the ship channel. While it’s very nice, I must say it has a few dips, and I was airborne a few times—but I digress.

After my trip to Sabine Pass, I high-tailed it to Beaumont for the Beaumont Municipal Airport Fly-In. I thought it was an excellent event and will certainly be back there for other events. A couple of things caught my eye. The first was the Vultee “Valiant” BT-13. There are few of these trainers left because most were sold for parts for crop dusters. It’s a beautiful plane, and the pilot/owner was a wealth of knowledge about the history of his Valiant. I’m glad he decided to fly in, as he said that he wasn’t really planning to be there but changed his mind when he saw his plane in the Fly-In advertisement. “I guess that if they make you Miss March on the cover, you ought to show up.” 

Another gem at the Fly-In was the Nanchang CJ-6A Chinese trainer. I’ve never seen anything like it. Sorry to geek out with World War II aviation talk, but it looked like someone took a fuselage from a Nakajima B5N2 “Kate” and the wings of a Vought F4U Corsair and put them on a three-wheel cart. It’s gorgeous, and the pilot/owner loves every minute of flying it. Another odd thing I had never seen before was the three pegs sticking out from the top of the wings and in front of the plane near the nose. These were used to tell the pilot and trainee that the wheels were down. In the air, when the wheels were retracted, the pegs slide into the wings and fuselage to show the crew that they were up.

There were a few other vintage planes and two helicopters at the show, but most planes were a hodgepodge of civilian aircraft enticed by the cheap fuel. Some of these could also be called vintage, or they at least looked the part. But the highlight, at least for me, was when the T-6 Texan landed. She is a beauty. As you may have figured out, I love planes of this era, and the Texan is high on my list because it was the last trainer for pilots. After you graduated from flying this gem, your options as a newly certified killer of the skies were endless—that is, until you come across some guy with a clipboard helping his buddies get the good planes, while leaving you in a lottery with all the other new pilots. I base this statement on Ken Thomas’s reflection of his time flying a P-47 Thunderbolt in World War II. His story is told on the Warrior Next Door podcast. If you want to hear a great oral history story, check out the link at the bottom.

Well, that’s about it for this extra edition. I believe that everyone was happy yesterday. Kate with her new bow, me looking at the vintage planes, pilots getting cheap fuel, and Beaumont Municipal Airport enjoying the turnout from the event. I assume that the only ones ticked off were the people on I-10 westbound, as when I passed them, they were backed up in Beaumont; however, when I talked to the Valiant pilot, he said he had flown over I-10, and it was backed up to the Anahuac bridge. I-10 and TxDOT are the devil.

The Warrior Next Door Podcast: https://www.thewarriornextdoor.com/ken-thomas