Fischer, Texas was established in the 1850’s as a supply center on a section of road, known as the Devil’s Backbone, between Blanco and San Marcos. Hermann Fischer in 1853, built a log trading post, know as, Fischer’s Store, to serve the local communities and folks traveling through the area. The Potters Creek School, the first in Fischer was built in 1875 and a year later the Fischer’s Store post office was established. Later the building also contained the local bank and saloon.
Fischer Dance Hall was built in 1895 and continues to be operated by descendants of the original family who built it. Like many of the community halls that were built in Texas during this period Fischer Dance Hall was the social and civic center of the town. The interior of the hall is amazing with beautiful old hand-hewn beams and rafters.
Fischer Dance Hall has been featured in many movies, including Willie Nelson’s movie Honeysuckle Rose.
Next door to the hall is the bowling alley where on Fridays folks still enjoy an old traditional german game of “9-pins. This building was originally a small school house.
When visiting the Texas Hill Country, Fischer, Texas is a must. This community has changed little in the past 160 years. The Fischer’s Store has reopened, Wednesday through Sunday afternoons – no telling what Texas treasures you will find there during your visit.
Just up the road from the store be sure and visit the Fischer Dance Hall. Take a moment and listen – you are sure to hear the music and fun from days gone by.
Music and silence combine strongly because music is done with silence, and silence is full of music. Marcel Marceau
Mid-January means only one thing in North Texas, the annual Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo has rolled around again. This event is kick started each year with the traditional Fort Worth Stock Show’s All Western Parade, which is held the first Saturday of the of the show in downtown Fort Worth. An All Western Parade mean that motorized vehicles are not allow to participate – the result are plenty of wagons, horses, and longhorns! Every year more than 100,000 people of all ages line the streets of Cowtown to see the spectacular event.
Fort Worth proudly wears the title of Cowtown – After the Civil War there were millions of longhorn cattle roaming the Texas plains. Most of the country’s economy was devastated these Longhorns were a value resource for Texas. For over two decades, Longhorns were rounded up and driven north to Kansas to be railed across the country. During this period over six million longhorns made the three month journey north – each head commanded about $40.00 in the Northeast. Fort Worth benefited greatly as it was the last place for drovers to purchase supplies prior to their 500 mile journey north. These cowboys use the, now historic, Chisholm Trail (which will be a subject for a future entry) to drive the cattle overland to Kansas.
The first Stock Show took place in March of 1896. The second on October 12-13 of the same year. It was opened by the first Stock Show Parade. In 1901 it was renamed: Texas Fat Stock Show. The first rodeo event occurred in 1904 when Bill Pickett “The Dusty Demon” demonstrated his bulldogging (steer wrestling) act. Pickett invented bulldogging when an angry cow tried to gore his horse – according to Bill, he jumped on the cow and twisted its neck until it fell to the ground. This gave birth to one of the most popular events in today rodeo arenas. Bill Pickett is know as Americas first black cowboy and was the first black cowboy elected to the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. Note: While in Fort Worth be sure and visit the statue of “The Dusty Demon” in the Fort Worth Stockyards.
The rodeo was added to the then Southwestern Exposition and Fat Stock Show in 1918 at the Northside Coliseum becoming the first indoor rodeo event – it was an instant success. The feature events were Ladies’ Bucking Bronco, Junior Steer Riding, Men’s Steer Riding, and Men’s Bucking Bronco. In 1944 the Stock Show was moved to it’s current location, the Will Rogers Memorial Center. That year Gene Autry became the first entertainer to appear at the rodeo. In 1958, the rodeo was the first one in the nation to receive complete live coverage on national TV. It was hosted by Roy Rogers and Dale Evens on NBC-TV.
Over the years, many barns, buildings and exhibit halls have been built on the site. Each year 4-H members show their award winning live stock. The Rodeo remains one of the best in the nation. In 2012 the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo broke an all time attendance record. During it 23 day run more than 1,186,000 folks visited the show. My granddaughter and I were 2 of those people (we have a pink cowgirl hat to prove it).
A visit to the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo is a must – it is a great time for people of all ages. During a visit you will see prize winning livestock raised by some of the nicest young boy and girls you will ever meet. There are many interesting exhibits, competitions, of course THE RODEO; the ever popular midway, and last but not least – FOOD – corn dogs, turkey legs, funnel cakes, BBQ, nachos, and any thing you could ever think of frying is there!
THE FORT WORTH STOCK SHOW AND RODEO is an event to be share with the whole family.
It’s the broncs and the blood – It’s the steers and the mud – And they call the thing rodeo….RODEO by Larry Bastian
Located in the southwestern part of Oklahoma, near Lawton, is the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge. The 59,020-acres are home to elk, deer, buffalo and other wild life. It is also a popular area for hiking, rock climbing, camping and other outdoor activities.
This area was established in 1901 when President McKinley proclaimed a portion of the mountains as the Wichita Forest Reserves, managed by the Forest Divsion of the U.S Department of the Interior. In 1905 President Teddy Roosevelt issued a proclamation creating the Wichita Forest and Game Preserve, which became the nations first big-game animal refuge. In 1906 3,680 acres was added to the refuge . In 1907 the park became the Wichita National Forest and Game Preserve. The area’s name was change again in 1936 when Congress renamed it the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge. Today over 1,000,00 visitors experience this area every year.
The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge is like an amazing Island as you approach it. After driving trough Oklahoma flat lands you come upon this wildlife oasis. A trip to this area is a must for any Texas (or any other state) Backroader! The perfect destination for a vacation or a long weekend camping trip. It is truly where Buffalo Roam.
note: A must when in the area. You must visit the Meers Restaurant in Meers, Oklahoma. Meers, Oklahoma was once a booming gold mining town with a population of over 500 folks. Meers’ population now consist of one family, their pets and their restaurant and store. Meers is considered to be the home of the best burgers in Oklahoma – I for one know that this is true! These burgers are made from Texas Longhorns that are raised on the family’s near by ranch.
The mountains are calling and I must go. John Muir
I was tempted to start this blog entry with……If you’re gonna play in Texas, you gotta have a fiddle in the band…..but dang that would be corny – so I will not. On Saturday, December 6th the first, of hopefully many, Festival of Texas Fiddling took place at the Twin Sisters Dance Hall in Blanco, Texas. This event was organized by two outstanding organization, Texas Dance Hall Preservation and Texas Folklife. These two organizations work towards preserving our Texas music and many of our historic dance halls.
The Festival of Texas Fiddling was an all day event filled with workshop lead by Texas fiddle masters: Brian Marshall (Texas Polish), Ed Poullard (Cajun) and Howard Raines (Old Time). Each of these masters not only shared their remarkable fiddling skills but also fascinating personal stories and history about Texas Fiddling.
There were also showcases by Mia Orosco. In 2012 Mia won the Grand Champion Division at the National Old-Time Fiddlers Contest in Weiser, Idaho, becoming the 2012 National Fiddling Campion and the youngest female to ever win the title. She is currently pursuing a violin performance degree at Baylor University. Raul Orduna & Los Trineros also shared their skills highlighted by Mexican huapango music.
There was a time in my life that I did not listen to music unless it was in a 30,000+ seat arena being BLASTED out of mountains of speakers. Times have changed……..In my opinion the FESTIVAL OF TEXAS FIDDLING was the Fiddling Woodstock of Texas. Not only were the workshops and showcases great……..folks were treated to mini-jams in the Twin Sisters’ parking lot as musicians grouped together and played.
As if this was not enough……this event was capped off by a good (no a great) Western Swing Dance featuring Al Dressen’s Super Swing Review and yes THERE WAS A FIDDLE IN THE BAND!
Can only sum up the Festival of Texas Fiddling in a few words………dang it is fun to fiddle around at Twin Sisters!
“While fiddling…….don’t Bb or B#, just Bnatural”
What better represents Texas than combining a Rodeo and Dancing? Since 1925 that is exactly what the Crider family has done – providing entertainment for several generation. Dang – horses, bulls, cowboys, pretty “Texas Girls”, music, and dancing – have we died and gone to heaven?
The Crider family came to America in the early 1700s when Jacob Kreider immigrated from Switzerland settling in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania right in the middle of the Pennsylvania Dutch area. Early in the 1800s the family name was changed to Crider. It was Jacob’s grandson Daniel Jr who first came to Blanco County in the Texas Hill Country. Daniel was became an accomplished fiddle player and was known as Texas Dan. Daniel married twice and had a total of nine children. His first wife, Elizabeth and three of their children perished in a fire that destroyed their house. Daniel and their other children escaped. He married his second wife, Sarah in 1850. The Crider family became well rooted in the Texas Hill Country.
On July 4, 1925, Walter and Audry Crider hosted a rodeo fund-raisier to benefit the Hunt School PTA . Soon the guest at the Heart of Hills Inn and local folks and visitors wanted a place to learn folk dancing. A wooden dance floor was build on the Crider property located on the lower banks of the Guadalupe River. Each 4th of July the Crider family hosted the rodeo, dance, and barbecue. In the 1930’s they began a weekly event during the summer months.
During World War II the dances were held across the street at the store and cafe. . In 1950 it was moved back to the original site. The cafe burned down in 1993 and was reconstructed in 2ooo. The dance floor and stage do not have a roof – A GREAT TRADITION OF DANCING UNDER THE STARS, instead of Dancing with the Stars (why should they have all the fun). Many Texas legends have played on the Criders’ stage including a little know singer in 1966 named Willie Nelson.
Now please take note fellow BACKROAD WARRIORS – Criders Rodeo and Dance Hall is a TEXAS TREASURE. Weather permitting Criders still opens for dances and rodeos every summer weekend. When visiting the Texas Hill Country be sure and include Crider’s Rodeo and Dance Hall – It is everything Texas rolled up in one.
www.cridersroadeoanddance.com
|
.jpg)
.jpeg)
.png)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
