Enjoy this Guest Post by David “Sumoflam” Kravetz I rarely have guest posts, but here you go! I’ve been so busy getting my quirky Texas travel guide together that I asked the prolific traveler/photographer and all-around nice guy, David “Sumoflam” Kravetz if he could put together a Jackalope photo essay. I hope you enjoy it: Jackalope Spotting – a fun road trip tradition So, you are a fan of the Jackalope? Having traveled all over the country I have seen my share of Jackalopes…you know, the furry rabbit looking creatures with antelope (and sometimes deer) antlers! My first inkling of…
Tag: historic
Aurora Cemetery With over 1800 graves, Aurora Cemetery claims more inhabitants than the town itself, with its population of 376. As you might imagine, not much happens in Aurora, Texas. There’s no courthouse, no historic town square, no central shopping area at all. There’s so little to this town that it’s nearly impossible to tell you are there. Bizarre Incident Mentioned on its Historical Marker Even so, Aurora Cemetery attracts a steady stream of curiosity seekers. They come to look for the grave of a space alien who allegedly crashed there in 1897. The bizarre incident is even mentioned on…
The following is an adapted excerpt from Unexpected Texas,my fun travel guide to quirky, offbeat and overlooked places near Dallas and Fort Worth. Check it out if you are looking for fun road trips in north Texas. Also, for a *FREE* 50-page guide to ghost hunting groups and haunted history tours in north Texas, sign up for my infrequent-but-interesting newsletter by clicking here: Mineola Overview History of Mineola, Texas It’s unclear exactly how the town of Mineola got its name. While some claim a railway official named it after his daughter, Ola, and her BFF, Minnie, others say the name…
The Old Man & the Polydactyl Cat Not only was Ernest Hemingway fond of cats, but his name has become synonymous with a particular feline genetic mutation, one that causes cats to have extra toes. While these polydactyl cats are not an actual breed, they are often referred to as, “Hemingway Cats,” in his honor. It all started down in Key West…[CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE PHOTOS & READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE]
Not Technically Buzzards While vultures live all across the USA, I see way more of them in Texas than other states. People here often call them buzzards, so I figured that was a southern term. Turns out that the word buzzard crossed the ocean with our British ancestors. It used to be a generic European term for hawks. Vultures, however, are not hawks. There are three kinds of vultures in the USA, two of which are found in Texas: California Condors (an endangered species not found in Texas), Turkey Vultures and Black Vultures. Turkey Vultures Were Made to Fly Turkey…
Texas: Not Just Cowboy Art When I first moved to Texas in 2009, I figured that local museums would mainly feature paintings with cowboys, Indians and longhorns, especially in Fort Worth since that Texas city claims to be, “where the west begins.” Only Michelangelo Painting in the Western Hemisphere So I was pleasantly surprised to discover that north Texas museums have well-rounded collections featuring a wide variety of art – from ancient times up through the present. Fort Worth, in fact, is home to the only Michelangelo painting in the western hemisphere! The painting, filled with fascinating-yet-creepy creatures, was painted…