MISH MASH, BACKROAD HASH

Wandering around between here and Austin takes me down many back roads, past many sights that would never be seen on an Interstate.  Sure the Interstate would get me there faster, but why?  What is so important in my life that I can't slow down long enough to appreciate the beauty around me??

Many of you would rather see Cabela's sitting on the side of the highway, and may even pop in for a visit (I love Cabela's don't get me wrong, just as a destination not as something to view from the car window).  I would much rather see the beautiful and peaceful Barsana Temple 

JKP, Radha Madha Dham in Austin, Texas is the main U.S. center of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat. Located on a beautiful 200-acre property, Radha Madhav Dham is home to Shree Raseshwari Radha Rani Temple, one of the largest Hindu temples in America. It also houses a retreat center and unique accommodations for overnight guests.

It is Graced by Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj and is a place of pilgrimage for millions of devotees living in the West. People come to Radha Madhav Dham from all over to take part in the daily satsang schedule, to participate in Hindu celebrations and festivals, and to learn the teachings of Hindu religion, which help us to realize the purpose of life.

The above was taken from their website, please visit Radha Madhav Dham to learn more about this spiritual place along the back roads. 

 Parking lots and frontage roads have no appeal when I can pass fields of yellow, houses whispering secrets past, and even a replica of the Alamo!

Wonder what kind of fuel they store in that big ole barrel and why do they need so much?  

Love the house above, would love to own it and show it the attention and respect it deserves.  The building to the right is covered in signs.

This is the location of the newest Alamo movie (2004).  The sets were made from plywood and never meant to withstand the elements and time.  The set was mostly destroyed by a fire believed to have been set by a lightening strike in September of 2011.  This set was supposedly more accurate than the set used for the John Wayne version.  My husband is a docent at the Alamo (the real one in San Antonio!) and said they had production crews sketching, checking lighting, measuring, etc. before they built the set.

Any Susan Wittig Albert fans out there?  If you aren't a fan already, you will be if you read just one of her books.  The location for her China Bayles series is in Pecan Springs, Texas.  There is a small touristy town close to us that I swear was the model for Pecan Springs - Wimberley.  Wimberley is a fun place to visit, neat stores to poke around in, good food at the Cypress Creek Cafe (can recommend the Inside Out Nachos and the Turkey Bacon Avocado sandwich). 

The Wimberley Cemetery is the home of a tribute to those that lost their lives in the 9/11 attack on America.  I can't find any information about the statue, need to go see if I missed a plaque.

Historical marker for the cemetery reads " This land was first patented to Amasa Turner in 1847. Settlers erected a log cabin here which served as a church and school facility. Worship services were conducted by circuit riders. In 1876 Melissa Wimberley, young daughter of Pleasant Wimberley, died and was buried on the church grounds. John H. and Callie Saunders bought the property in 1885 and gave one acre for a community cemetery. Later, additional land was given by the family of John R. Dobie. W. W. Moon (1814-1897), first permanent settler in Hays County, is buried here."

After visiting the memorial and paying your respects, stopping for a cold drink and lunch, head out of town just a teeny bit to the Bonsai Exhibit and be amazed at the trees that are growing there.  Worth a trip whether you are going to buy one or not...but bet you do :)

Getting there is half the fun!

If you drive on through Wimberley for about 15 miles you will come to Dripping Springs.  It is easy to tell a local from a visitor by the way they say the town name.  Locals will call it "Drippin'" ; but visitors will call it "Dripping Springs".  It is a bedroom community of Austin and is a pretty little bump in the road.

DRIPPING SPRINGS ACADEMY. Dripping Springs Academy, at Dripping Springs, was established in 1881 by W. M. Jordan, W. T. Chapman, and several other residents. The Pedernales Baptist Association managed it from 1882 until 1889, when dissatisfied local citizens caused the association to discharge the governing board and appoint a new one. The school reached a peak enrollment of 200 students, but when state-funded schools drew students away and local citizens demanded a public school, the association closed the academy. The campus consisted of a stone main building and two boarding houses. The main building served as a public schoolhouse from 1889 to 1949. In 1968 it was dedicated as a historic landmark.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: 

Tula Townsend Wyatt, Historical Markers in Hays County (San Marcos, Texas: Hays County Historical Commission, 1977).

From:   The Handbook of Texas Online THE source for all questions pertaining to Texas.

One reason I love the backroads is to find places like Camp Ben McCulloch.  The camp is named after a man born in Tennessee and who died in Arkansas, but those between years were spent in service to Texas.  McCulloch and Davy Crockett became friends in Tennessee and they made plans to travel to Texas together, however McCulloch was delayed but did arrive in time to take part in the Battle of San Jacinto.

Ben McCulloch went on to take part in the newly formed states government as well as protecting the Texas frontier against Mexicans and Indians including the Battle of Plum Creek.  (nutshell, the Commanche's, chiefs, warriors, and women were brutally killed when they came to San Antonio on a peace mission - naturally this ticked them off and they traveled down the Guadalupe killing and burning settlements - McCulloch and the Texas Rangers put a stop to that nonsense and the Commanches were forced to move west). ** Update, evidently I didn't portray the Council House killings as accurately as my Texas history husband would like, so please go to this article and read it so I'll stay out of hot water.

Modern day Plum Creek.














With the outbreak of the Civil War, McCulloch and his brother Henry participated in the takeover of Federal garrisons in San Antonio.  Commissioned a brigadier general in the Confederate Army, he led a division in the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern (Pea Ridge) in northwest Arkansas.  On the second day of the battle, march 7, 1862, the legendary Texan was hit by a Federal marksman and killed instantly.  His body was brought to Austin for burial in the State Cemetery.

Anyway the camp was a reunion camp for Confederate veterans.  Annual 3 day reunions were held at the camp often with 5,000 to 6,000 people attending.  In 1930 it was said to be the largest Confederate Camp in existence
 

The last reunion was held on August 9, 1946, and included a memorial service for the camp's last two members who had died the previous year.  It has become a popular place for family reunions, picnics and activities.  

The picnic tables showne are memorials to different divisions ... a very nice tribute to them.

Absolutely one of my favorite places on the back roads just for the history and the determination of the people that founded this community.

Peyton Colony!

The historical marker reads:  In 1865, a group of freed persons, led by Peyton Roberts, established a community they named Peyton Colony.  Roberts was born into slavery in Virginia.  In the 1820's he came to Texas with his owner, Jeremiah Roberts, settling into the Bastrop and Caldwell Counties areas.  Peyton and his family eventually became became the slaves of Jeremiah Peyton's grandson, William, who freed his slaves during the Civil War.   The freed families agreed to work for William during the war, receiving in payment supplies they would need to begin new lives.

In 1865, the former slaves moved to this area, establishing Peyton Colony, which was known as Freedman's Colony to white settlers.  The residents mostly farmed; they also built a lime kiln to make mortar for building in the colony.  The community received a post office named Payton in 1898.  It was discontinued in 1909, but reestablished in 1918 with the name Board House, named for Alfred V. Walker's lumber home which housed the post office.

Life in the community largely revolved around Mt. Horeb Baptist Church which organized in 1874 under Rev. Jack Burch.  Members built a log cabin that served as a church and community school on land donated by Jim Upshaw (Upshear).  Residents used a cemetery on land deeded by Peyton Roberts; many of the settlement's early pioneers were buried there.  Although the community declined throughout the 20th century, many residents continued to live here and remnants remain.  Today, Peyton Colony is remembered as the realization of the dreams of ex-slaves to establish a community as freed persons.

The church is still active.

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Since the historical marker stated they build a log cabin that served as a school, I don't believe this is the same structure, however it was a school, and it was a neat old building.  Wonder if those high windows were to keep the students from daydreaming during classes.

Much much more to see in my part of the world...but until I get back to you, I'll go see what I can hear whispering along the back roads.