East/west…whatever! The following is an adapted excerpt from Unexpected Texas, my quirky travel guide to offbeat and overlooked day trips near Dallas and Fort Worth: Despite being named “Eastland” this quirky little town is actually located in west Texas. (Meanwhile, the city of West, Texas is located in the southern portion of our state. Go figure!) Anyway, in the 1920’s Eastland was a lively boomtown thanks to the oil industry. These days, it’s a sleepy little city with a population hovering near 4,000. And unless you’re from this neck of the woods, you’re probably not aware of Eastland’s two most…
Tag: west texas
Historic in a Texas Ghost Town: Thurber Cemetery The following is an adapted excerpt from Unexpected Texas, my quirky travel guide to offbeat and overlooked day trips near Dallas and Fort Worth. I also feature Thurber Cemetery in my book of historic cemetery tales called 6 Feet Under Texas. Part of what makes it such an interesting place to explore is the unique history of the area, so here’s a brief overview: More than a Smokestack These days, Thurber’s 128-foot brick smokestack is the only thing most people notice as they whiz through this ghost town on their way to Abilene.…
Book Trailer & YouTube Series Trailer Yee haw! I finally made a video for Messages from the Dead: Understanding Historic Cemetery Symbols. The video is actually a two-for-one deal. It’s a Book Trailer *and* a YouTube Series Preview all in one. About the book: If you are a genealogist, taphophile, history buff or paranormal researcher, you might enjoy my upcoming book, Messages from the Dead: Understanding Historic Cemetery Symbols. Basically, it’s a field guide explaining the meaning behind historic cemetery symbols. About the YouTube Series: Each episode of my YouTube series will focus on the meaning behind one historic cemetery symbol or interesting graveyard…
Weekend getaway in West Texas Last weekend, my husband, father-in-law, and I had a weekend getaway at the Log Cabin Guest Haus in Cisco, Texas. [Please note: While our lodging was provided free of charge and this post may contain affiliate links, the opinions expressed here are wholly my own.] Historic cabin purchased on eBay! This historic log cabin dates back to the 1840’s but it was not built here in Texas. BnB hosts, John and Mary Kay Williamson, purchased the building on eBay, yes, eBay! I had no idea you could buy a house on that site, but there…