Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > The Lighter Side
ROAD TRIP: A BBM Game
nova20194:
Andrew, AB
Andrew (2006 Population 465) is a village in central Alberta north of Vegreville. Andrew is most famous as the home of the world's largest duck roadside attraction, part of the Giants of the Prairies.
Ed Stelmach became Alberta's premier-elect to succeed Ralph Klein in the early morning hours of Sunday, December 3, 2006. This was the result of the provincial Progressive Conservative Party's election to pick a new leader. Stelmach had been a third-place contender, but came up the middle to win the race over the favoured frontrunners. He officially became the province's premier on December 15.
MaineWriter:
Weeping Mary, TX
Weeping Mary is a small, nearly all-Black community, just off Highway 21 in Cherokee County behind the Caddoan Indian Mounds Historic Site. Heading north on Texas 21 toward Alto, after a few miles take a left by the junkyard (a good place to browse for offbeat items and antiques) and the Thomas Chapel Church. The population is a mere 29 people scattered about four or five county roads off of CR-2907, aka Weeping Mary Road.
It is said that the community, which was never incorporated, was formed after the Civil War by freed slaves and named after the weeping of Mary Magdelene at the tomb of Jesus. However, local lore has it that it was named after a matriarch who formed a pact with the area's freed slaves not to sell their lands to white settlers. But when one man sold his plot of land to whites, the matriarch is said to have spent her life weeping for the loss of her community. Another legend has it that gold is buried thoroughout the community, but according to Weeping Mary resident J.L. Skinner - it is simply that: a legend. A local school opened in 1896, but closed sometime after WWII.
The church that was built in Weeping Mary was moved to its current location, which unfortunately is prone to flooding. Resident J.L. Skinner says that the congregation sometimes boats to the front entrance of the church when nearby Bowles Creek floods. The community has many multi-generational families, including the Skinner, Green, and Peyton families, to name a few.
The town has had its fair share of publicity with Photographer Rufus Lovett's There's Something About Weeping Mary feature in Texas Monthly in 1998, a children's murder mystery novel written by Merry Hasell Frels, entitled Simmering Secrets of Weeping Mary, and my own play and independant film entitled The Judgment of Weeping Mary which will be submitted at New York's Tribeca Film Festival in December 2006.
The community does not have a store, museum, or even its own cemetery. Weeping Mary's dead are buried in the Thomas Chapel Cemetery off Highway 21 North. The community has a playground with a single swing set (which was present at the time of my first visit in July 2004 but missing in October 2005), a single park bench and a trash can. A second church is under construction right next to the old one. Even with their small population the community still supports a gospel choir.
written by: Andrew Wilson
Director/Writer/Actor
NYC (formerly of San Antonio)
Leslie
(NB: XYZ rule applies...side trip for the next player!)
Meryl:
Bronx, WY
(XYZ rule applies)
Twice in one day: Thanks, Leslie ;)
nova20194:
Blackie, AB
Blackie is in the province of Alberta.
The community was named for John Stuart Blackie, author.
Lat: 50:36:25N (50.6068)
Lon: 113:37:08W (-113.6189)
Blackie is the Brokeback Mountain filming location for Ennis' fight scene outside the bar in Riverton on Thanksgiving Day.
Most of Blackie’s unpretentious homes rest on wheels or concrete blocks. Like Rockyford, Dorothy, Crossfield, and other Brokeback towns, Blackie has seen better days, but those are long gone.
MaineWriter:
Easterly, TX
The name had originally been Acorn in the 1870s when the town was formed.
The post office opened in 1881 with Dan Easterly Sr. as postmaster, but when the railroad came to town (The International-Great Northern) a new post office was formed and the name changed for the new post master (Dan J. Easterly Jr.).
The population had been 700 people before WWI and by 1930 it was down to 250. By the 60s it was down to 200 and currently it is about 61.
Leslie
(NB: another side trip with the XYZ rule!)
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