The Eternal Light of Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth, Texas is home to the second longest lasting light bulb in the world. Nicknamed the “Eternal Light,” this legendary light bulb has been burning since September 21, 1908. That’s nearly 105 years! Now on view at the Fort Worth Stockyards Museum, where it is protected from the harsh Texas elements and kept on a protected electrical circuit, this little 4 watt wonder started out on the back porch of the Byers Opera House, which later became the Palace Theater. The name of the joint really didn’t matter to the bulb, of…
Tag: historic
What is a Kolache? Kolaches are a Czech pastry consisting of a light sweet dough filled with fruit that immigrants introduced to Texas when they settled here in the 1850’s. The word kolache comes from kolae, which is the Czech word for, “cake.” While traditional kolaches are filled with fruit and jam, the Texan style pastry includes savory, meat-filled versions, too. Where is the Kolache Capital of Texas? You wouldn’t think a pastry could inspire a controversy, but that’s exactly what happened with Kolaches here in Texas. While it hasn’t yet come to fisitcuffs, the towns of Caldwell and West…
Quirky Statue in Paris, Texas After mentioning Paris, Texas recently in the post A to Z Texas: E is for Eiffel Tower I’m bringing up that little burg again because it’s home to a quirky statue known locally as the, “Jesus in cowboy boots.” This statue is actually the 20 foot tall grave marker honoring a man named Willet Babcock, who died in 1888. While impressive, it would hardly be the quirky tourist attraction that it has become were it not for the unusual footwear worn by the cross-bearing figure it depicts; instead of the bare feet or sandals one…
Welcome to the October 5, 2012 Traveler’s Show and Tell blog carnival. While this edition of the Traveler’s Show & Tell blog carnival includes sightseeing tips, photos and foods of the world, several submissions I received were on the theme of honing your travel mindset and making realistic travel goals so that you can get out the door and make your travel goals happen. For instance: Byteful Travel helps us cut through our mental clutter and clarify our travel goals. Rob explains how he quit his job to travel the world. Jeremy Biberdorf offers money management tips for travelers.…
Texas Tourist Camp In 1927, E.F. Boydston bought a feed lot in Decatur, Texas and turned it into the Texas Tourist Camp. As grand as that sounds, in the beginning, it was merely a gas station that offered campsites. Next came a restaurant, which started as the Texas Lunchroom, but soon became known as the Texas Cafe. Petrified Wood & Infamous Guests In the 1930’s, Mr. Boydston added several cabins with attached garages, thereby creating a rustic motel for tourists passing through town on the new highway. In 1935, he spruced things up by covering all the buildings in petrified…