The Fantasy Tour of Texas

[Shakesthecoffecan]

I would like nothing better than to be travelling somewhere, anywhere, right now. Some place not so cold, maybe that used to be part of Mexico. Yeah, Texas, I would like to experence it first hand. I have only the memory of driving thru the panhandle in 1982 and didn't see much because I had misplaced my shades. On the return trip we had a flat tire in Dalheart and I have been to the Houston Airport a few times, and DFW, but I have never really experenced the place.

So I will plan out a little trip in my head, and since it is in my head I can do whatever I want, take as long as I want. Now, where to begin? Humm, how about Galveston.....

DAY ONE



Right now it is 74 deg. F, 23 deg. C, in Galveston, I could fly into Houston, rent a car and drive the hour to the shore of the Golfo de Mexico and find a nice place on the beach, or nearby, and spend a couple of days chilling' by the water with a good book. Currently I am reading a tell all autobiography by Edmund White and he don't leave much out.

In the afternoons I could probably still view some of last years hurricane damage, look for any signs of the house where Victor Neal once lived with his mother when he was an organist at the Queen Theater. Do the pub crawl at night and generally unwind from real life. Try to decide the important things like, do I want to go north to Beaumont and the area where Janis Joplin grew up, or do I want to go south to Corpus Christi?

[Lynne]

Sounds like a fun trip, Truman.  May I come along?  I'll be wanting to stop in the Small Towns, listen to music, and such...

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_pvmEH7LJE[/youtube]

[Shakesthecoffecan]

Oh gawd I do too, the more I think about it it will take a couple of months to see all these things. Sure enough, maybe we need a bigger car. I rented a subcompact. (Not a Yaris)

Here is where I stayed in Galveston:

http://www.sellinggalveston.com/index.php?n=3&s=20&rental_id=220

[Lynne]

That looks like a lovely house Truman!  I love the beach view.  Since money's [not] the point, let's rent whatever you like!      Where do we go from Galveston?

[Shakesthecoffecan]

Day Three: I want to head out to Beaumont and Port Arthur, but the problem I see is how to get there, go all the way back to Houston and take I-10? No, there is a ferry that will take us from Galveston to Port Bolivar, then on Rt. 87 we could go north to 124 then north to the town of Winnie, then on to I-10 to Beaumont.

Winnie, Texas has one of the world' highest boradcasting towers and each October has a Rice Festival.



In Beaumont it looks like Crockett Street is the place to go hang out in the evening. Like the Dixie Dance Hall

http://www.crockettstreet.com/Dixie/

[Kelda]

Yeah I think I'll join you too!

[Shakesthecoffecan]

Cool then, it looks like we might have to stay at a Motel 6 as I cannot find any cool places to stay around Beaumont, but they do have wildlife!



http://www.beaumontcvb.com/static/index.cfm?contentID=156

The Big Thicket area is home to the Pileated Woodpecker, and gators, snakes and other cool wildlife. Lets go get some kayaks and check it out.

[Shakesthecoffecan]

I have long been a fan of Janis Joplin, who was born in nearby Port Arthur, Texas. I was hoping to visit her grave, but it turns out I already have, findagrave.com says her ashes were scattered at sea. However there is an exhibit on her at the Museum of the Gulf Coast.


(Kind of like the Amy Winehouse of the 1960s, huh?)

http://www.museumofthegulfcoast.org/Content/Personalities/Music_Legends/Janis_Joplin

This website also lists a road trip you can take around town to see sights of Joplin's early life in town, before she went out and got all hopped up on dope and started acting all crazy.


-   St. Mary’s Hospital located at 3600 Gates Blvd.
   Janis Lyn Joplin was born here on January 19, 1943 to Seth & Dorothy Joplin. She was their first child.
-   Texaco Refinery located on 25th Street
   At the time of Janis' birth and throughout her childhood, her father was an employee of the Texas Company (Texaco). Though the refinery now bears the name of MOTIVA, a historical marker stands as a testament to that company's history
-   Joplin's first home located at 4048 Procter Street
   The Joplin's were living here when Janis was born. Although the home has since been torn down, individual bricks from the original home are available for sale at the Museum of the Gulf Coast
-   Joplin's childhood located at 4330 32nd Street
   On August 19, 1947, the Joplin's purchased this property at 3130 Lombardy in Griffing Park. The address was later changed in 1982 when Griffing Park consolidated with the City of Port Arthur.
-    Joplin's baptismal church located at 620 Woodworth Blvd.
   In the early 1950s, Janis along with her mother and younger sister Laura were members of the First Christian Church. Janis was baptized by immersion in 1950 by the Reverend John M. Hughes. Her mother taught Sunday school and Janis sang in the Youth Choir. Some years later a small painting of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemene by Janis was found in the church closet. It is currently on view in the Museum of the Gulf Coast's Music Hall. First Christian Church is now located at 5856 9th Ave. and displays an autographed photo of Janis in the choir.
-   Tyrrell Elementary School located at 4401 Ferndale
   Janis attended grades 1-6 here. In 1950 she joined the Bluebirds, a junior Camp Fire Girls club.
-   Woodrow Wilson Junior High located at 1500 Lakeshore
   Janis attended grades 7-9 here. The school now serves as Woodrow Wilson Middle School.   
-   Thomas Jefferson High School located at 3501 12th Street
   Janis attended grades 10-11 here. The school now serves as Thomas Edison Middle School.
-   Thomas Jefferson High School located at 2200 Jefferson Drive
   Janis attended her senior year of high school at this location. Hers was the first class to graduate from the new campus in the spring of 1960. The school now now serves as Memorial High School.   
-   St. Mark's Methodist Church located at 3131 South Park
   In 1961, Janis along with her mother and sister moved their church memberships to this church.
-   Port Arthur College located at 1500 Procter Street
   After high school Janis attended Port Arthur College where she earned a Key Punch certificate and her mother worked as the Registrar. Janis later went on to study at Lamar University in Beaumont as a liberal arts major and the University of Texas at Austin as an art major. Port Arthur College is now Lamar State College - Port Arthur.
-   Coffee House located at 3632-34 Gulfway Drive
   As a teenager and young adult, Janis enjoyed spending time here. This was a gathering place for young people to drink coffee, listen to music and read poetry.
-    KPAC radio station located on the campus of Lamar State College
   Janis often visited this radio station where classmate Sam Monroe worked as a disc jockey. The radio station later became the bookstore for Lamar State College - Port Arthur, however the radio tower is still proudly on view.
-    Pleasure Island
   Janis often joined friends here where they gathered for bonfires and parties in the fishing shacks along the highway toward Holly Beach, Louisiana. Pleasure Island and Louisiana were popular escapes for many teenagers in Port Arthur during the 1960s. On these trips across the "river" Janis would visit such music clubs as The Big Oak, Buster's and The Stateline taking in the unique mix of soul, blues, gospel and rock and roll that emanated from this region. Unfortunately none of these venues are still standing.
-   Museum of the Gulf Coast located at 700 Procter Street
   The Museum's Music Hall of Fame features a permanent exhibit on the life and career of Janis Joplin with a wide array of artwork, personal effects, photographs and memorabilia as well as a replica of Joplin's painted Porsche. Audio-visual touch screens allow visitors to see and hear samples of Janis' soulful performances. The Museum's gift shop offers a wide variety of souvenirs commemorating Joplin's influence and worldwide impact. In addition, visitors are welcome to view two films relating to Janis Joplin: "Janis," a live filmed concert and "Southern Discomfort," a documentary made for Biography are available for viewing in the Museum's Lloyd Hayes Theater. We recommend that visitors schedule film screenings in advance by calling 409-982-7000.

Also, Port Arthur has a connection to many other musical personalities, some of whom I even know of:

Johnnie Allan
Benny Barnes
Rod Bernard
"Jivin' Gene" Bourgeois
Zachary Breaux
Lonnie Brooks
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown
Cliff Bruner
Tracy Byrd
Bobby Charles
Clifton Chenier
Mark Chesnutt
Harry Choates
Jimmy Clanton
"Cookie and the Cupcakes"
Arleigh Elton Duff ("Arlie")
Ted Dunbar
Frankie Ford
John Fred
Dale and Grace
Larry Graham
William G. (Bill) Hall
Lee Hazlewood
Clarence "Frogman" Henry
T.K. Hulin
"Ivory" Joe Hunter
Harry Haag James
George Jones
Janis Joplin
Robert (Bobby) Troy Kimball
Boogie Kings
Jerry Lacroix (Jerry Count Jackson)
Tommy McLain
Bob Mcdill
Huey P. Meaux "The Crazy Cajun"
Tiny Moore
Aubrey Wilson Mullican "Moon"
Barbara Lynn Ozen (Barbara Lynn)
Phil Phillips
Johnny Preston
J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson
Tex Ritter
Bill Rogers
Brian Schnexnayder
Percy Sledge
Jo-El Sonnier
Billie Jo Spears
Warren Storm
Issac Payton Sweat
B.J. Thomas
ZZ Top
Wayne Toups
Clay Walker
Joe "Country" Washburn
Glenn Wells
Tony Joe White
Edgar Holland Winter
John Dawson Winter, III "Johnny"
Jimmy Wyble
James Harold Young "Big Sambo"

Now, since this is also a fantasy tour of Texas, all the  damage from Hurrican Ike has been repaired and the parks reopend and the debris cleared and many McMansions will not be rebuilt! Sea Rim State Park looks like a wonderful place to spend a few days, with lots of bug spray, just soaking up the sun and giggling about the people trying to reach me on my cell phone which is turned off and in the car, somewhere.....



http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/sea_rim/#fac

[ohiomyown]

It looks as if your Fantasy Texas Tour got aborted sudden like.  Too bad 'cause I was going to tell you that you've already seen and done more than I have ever done . . . and I live here.

If you decide to take up the trek again,  I want to go along.
J -

[ohiomyown]

Jeff, 

That little job I told you about is up in the hills of west Austin.  It's absolutely lovely.  What I view I have from up there.