Old-Fashioned Extras

A few more of our favorite old-fashioned Texas things.

August 2001

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Churches:

Church of the Visitation (Texas Highway 320, Westphalia; 254-584-4983). This beautifully painted Catholic church in tiny Westphalia, a rural historic district east of Temple, has distinctive twin bell towers and is one of the largest wooden churches in Texas.

Painted churches, Schulenburg area (979-743-4514). The ornate interiors of these churches, located in the communities of Dubina, High Hill, Ammannsville, and Praha, are open for self-guided tours. Call the Schulenburg Chamber of Commerce at the number above for a brochure and directions.

Poolville United Methodist Church (230 N. Church, Poolville, between Bridgeport and Weatherford; 817-599-3601). The quintessential white-frame country church with bell tower and simple stained-glass windows, it dates to 1896. kathryn jones

Dance Halls:

Cafe Cabaret Dance Hall (801 Main, Bandera; 830-460-3095; thecabaretcafe.com). Since 1936, a slew of country music stars have played this dance hall in Bandera, the "Cowboy Capital of the World," including Bob Wills, Ray Price, Jim Reeves, and Willie Nelson. Open Wednesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.; cover charge varies.

London Dance Hall (U.S. 377, London; 915-475-2921). The dance hall dates back to the late twenties and has hosted such country music luminaries as Johnny Bush and Hank Thompson. Open daily 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., with live music every Saturday; cover charge varies.

Note: Several classic Texas dance halls are covered in Texas Monthly on a regular basis and include Luckenbach Dance Hall (luckenbachtexas.com/Dancehall.htm), Gruene Hall (gruenehall.com), and Austin's Broken Spoke (lone-star.net/bspoke). Please refer to the Web sites listed or to Texas Monthly's Around the State entertainment listings for more information on these venues. eileen schwartz

Downtowns:

Chappell Hill, Marfa, Roma, Weatherford kj

Drive-in Theaters:

Mission Drive-in (1300 Roosevelt, San Antonio; 210-532-3259). Built in 1947, this theater—a.k.a. the Mission IV—is the only multi-screen drive-in still open in Texas today.

Tascosa Drive-in (1999 U.S. 287, Amarillo; 806-383-3882). Once Amarillo's biggest theater, the 49-year-old Tascosa was reopened and refurbished in 1999 and now shares parking-lot space with a recreational-vehicle company.

Tower Drive-in Theatre (.5 mile north of Rule on Texas Highway 6; 877-986-9373; towerdriveintheatre.com). The Whorton family has owned and operated this theater continuously since 1955; the screen was replaced in 1998 after the original was flattened by a tornado. The drive-in is open only on weekends.

Wes-Mer Drive-in (2090 W. U.S. 83, Mercedes; 956-565-9050). Now aged 61, the Wes-Mer shows double features on weekends and often hosts a preshow swap meet. anne dingus

Farmers' Markets:

Glen Rose (courthouse square, Texas Highway 144 at Barnard). On weekends, local farmers sell produce, honey, and even rosebushes off the back of their trucks.

River Valley Farmers Market Association (512-253-6288; austinfarm.org/RiverValley/index.html): Members of the association sell locally grown produce on Fridays in Bastrop (across from the courthouse square, Pine and Water streets), on Tuesdays in Elgin (404 N. Main, next to the Elgin Library), and on Thursdays in Smithville in the Catholic church parking lot (Loop 150 and Mills).

Schulenburg Tri-County Farmers Market (Diamond S Restaurant parking lot, U.S. 77 south of Interstate 10, Schulenburg; 979-743-4345; sellersites.com/sburgfarmersmkt). Local farmers (no resellers allowed) sell produce from their vehicles at a seasonal market open in spring and summer only. kj

Five-and-Ten:

Dooley 5, 10, and 25-Cent Store (131 E. Main, Fredericksburg; 830-997-3458). Three generations of Dooleys have sold pants stretchers, children's wooden tops, saucepan-mending kits, and other retro goods here since 1925. Hard-to-find treasures include horehound drops and Lady Esther face powder. ad

Fried Pies:

Hutch's Pie Shop (145 College Park, Weatherford; 817-594-0751). Seven flavors of fried pies in a strip-shopping-center location.

Mindy Lu's Pies (721 East Loop 820, Fort Worth; 817-457-7437). Family-run pie shop sells retail and wholesale. kj

General Stores:

Big Bend Wool and Mohair Company (205 West Murphy, Alpine; 915-837-2241). Livestock feed, live pullets, old saddles, tools, and gardening supplies in a dusty warehouse next to the railroad tracks.

T. C. Lindsey and Company (2293 FM 134, Jonesville; 903-687-3382). The granddaddy of Texas general stores has been in continuous operation since 1847. kj

Icehouse:

West Alabama Icehouse (1919 W. Alabama, Houston; 713-528-6874). This Montrose stalwart has a photo-opportunity exterior and the coldest beer in the neighborhood. ad

Miniature Golf Course:

Green Acres (905 Todd Lane, Midland; 915-686-8155). George W. and Laura dated here. jnp

Movie Theaters:

Morris Theatre (204 N. Lamar, Daingerfield; 903-645-2219). Family-owned for a half century, the Morris hosted the 1997 premiere of the Rodney Dangerfield movie Meet Wally Sparks—an event for which the town dropped, for one day, the letter i from its name.

Palace Theatre (314 S. Austin, Seguin; 830-401-2448). This three-story brick theater in the town's historic district has been in continuous operation since it was built in 1927.

Rio Theater (516 Doherty, Center; 409-598-3864). An 89-year-old fixture on the town square, the Rio was formerly the Teatro La Paz (Peace Theater), an early showplace for Hispanic film, music, and other arts.

Select Theatre (114 N. Johnson, Mineola; 903-569-2300). Wood County's only movie theater, buit in 1918, offers a 99-cent matinee on Saturdays. ad

Pie:

Royers Round Top Cafe (105 Main, Round Top; 877-866-7437). The self-declared pie headquarters of Texas is Royers Cafe in the tiny East Texas burb of Round Top. Order pie in person or log on to royersroundtopcafe.com and inspect the mail-order choices, including pecan, buttermilk, lemon chess, butterscotch chip, and more. patricia sharpe

Roadside Parks:

Depression-era roadside parks, Jeff Davis County (Texas Highways 118, 166, and 17). This Big Bend county has the most Depression-era roadside parks in the state. Their distinctive masonry picnic tables, benches, and walls—and their scenic settings—are worth a stop. kj

Saddlemaker:

Fontenot Saddlery (17389 County Line Road, Winnie; 409-296-9110). Custom saddlemaker C. J. Fontenot has four decades of experience and works out of a small one-man shop in his yard. kj

Soda Fountains:

Buffalo Pharmacy (3118 Bissonnet, Houston; 713-664-3426). Wash down a greasily perfect cheeseburger with a 75-cent soft drink, then pick up those collar stays or fresh hankies your wardrobe demands.

City Drug (109 W. Lafayette, Jefferson; 903-665-2521). Fresh-squeezed limeade is the treat of choice at this picture-perfect little pharmacy in pretty Jefferson.

Dee's Place (125 N. Beaton, Corsicana; 903-874-5891). A local institution, Dee's has been at the same location for 76 years. The counter stools, which have chairbacks, invite lingering.

Highland Park Pharmacy (3229 Knox, Dallas; 214-521-2126). This gem, with its long, polished wooden counter, is especially famous for its milk shakes and its waitresses' snappy patter. ad

Steakhouses:

Cagle Steaks (118 N. FM 179, Lubbock; 806-795-3879). The preferred destination for local carnivores (which is practically everybody), including cattlemen, oil workers, and ravenous Tech students.

Cattleman's Steakhouse (Fabens; from El Paso, take Interstate 10 east to Fabens, turn north [look for the restaurant's sign], and go 5 miles; 915-544-3200; cattlemanssteakhouse.com). Operated for more than a quarter century by a German transplant, this steakhouse on the working Indian Cliffs cattle ranch offers retro touches like a buffalo herd, rugged vistas from any direction, and cuts of beef like the two-pound Cowboy.

Cattlemen's (2458 N. Main, Fort Worth; 817-429-8614; steak@cattlemenssteakhouse.com). This 1947 throwback includes menu choices like teriyaki steak and iceberg lettuce salad with rich blue-cheese dressing.

Joe Allen's B-B-Q (1233 S. Treadaway, Abilene; 915-672-6082). Despite its name, this locally revered spot sells steaks too—by the inch, no less, and with a famously simple seasoning of salt, pepper, and garlic. ad

Volunteer Fire Department Barbecue:

Henly Volunteer Fire Department barbecue (7072 W. U.S. 290, Dripping Springs; 512-858-5451; moment.net/~henlyvfd/index.htm). The annual barbecue, held on the first Saturday in June, serves up plenty of brisket, sausage, potato salad, and homemade pies (baked by the ladies' auxiliary). This year nearly five hundred bags of peanut brittle were sold. A new truck, which was purchased with barbecue money and donations, was recently put into service. patricia busa mcconnico

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