Sep 26, 2015

Touring Texas: Let's Go to Buffalo Gap



The Wheeler's have given Chuck and me such a great time in Texas.  Today was a big touring day.  We went to Frontier Texas ate a little lunch and now we're heading out to Buffalo Gap.  Mr. Wheeler's son, Randall lives there so we will visit him while there.

You may remember I let my camera battery die and at a time when pictures of this day would have been some of the best...yes, I was sad.  Today I share in the form of short fun and informative videos.


Have you ever heard of it?  The Buffalo Gap Historic Village is an outdoor interpretive museum
located in scenic Buffalo Gap, Texas.  The site features 50 years of the West Texas Frontier from 1875-1925.

I think this is the perfect place to start.  Watch this short movie video that tells quite a lot about The Buffalo Gap Historic Village and how it came to be.




Today was one of those extremely hot days but we just had to see some of this village while in the location.  It is centered around the Taylor County Courthouse and Jail from 1879.



This was something else to see.  Mrs. Wheeler and I went upstairs to see the jail complete with thick bars.  I was amazed at how very small the jail cell was.  The walls downstairs I'll bet you were two feet wide, very thick.  I can tell you it was like a walk back in time.  Well it was a walk in time wasn't it?  The time was 1879.  To walk into the courtroom to touch the walls, to feel what it must have felt like in the early days was an experience for me.  You do know that I had to pound the gavel don't you?

The Model T was fun to see because my grandaddy had one in his time. Grandmama said, "Your granddaddy was the only young man around with a car a brand new Model T!"  I have his tire well the frame the tire has lots of dry rot with me today.

Let's take a look at an early gas station at Buffalo Gap complete with a "Visable Pump".  Yes, that is what they called the gas pumps in the 1920s.








The Knight Sayles Cabin

This short video tells of living in a Log Cabin.  Cabins infested with insects.  Well check it out!




The Hill House

The following short video shows and tells of how people's homes were at the time.  The beginning of modern homesteads.




The railroad and it's importance in town growth.  How it shaped the history of West Texas!




This is informative.  I still say since my Great Grandma Maggie could tell of some great herb related cures for simple ailments that they too are important. I am glad that the addictive potions and alixirs were found to be not a help but hindrance in healing.




The Mercantile
I just can't resist a rocky horse..as I call them.
We found a few items in the store.  I wanted to find something with a buffalo for the kids and I did so in here.  
Where are the buffalo.  I'm still searching to find a live one.  They are rare but I'm told there are some around.

Look at the beautifully restored Chapel
We did enjoy our trip back in time. I liked every building complete with items from the time on site. Feel free to see the other buildings that I haven't posted here through the links at bottom of page:


The most important thing to me was getting to enjoy a part of Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler's life in Texas.  It was an unforgettable pleasure to be able to be with them!  



Just in case you missed the Texas Posts Please click these links 

What are the Odds? The story of meeting my dad's WWII Army Buddy
Frontier Texas: Touring Texas With Mr. Wheeler in his Howard Hughes Cadillac!
Touring Texas:  Meeting the Wheelers
Touring Texas:  Let's Go to Buffalo Gap








Buffalo Gap Website: Here

1880s Era

The Hill House
Taylor County Courthouse
Knight-Sayles Cabin

1900s Era

Doctor’s Office
Railroad Depot
Barbershop
Blacksmith Shop
Buffalo Gap Chapel

1920s Era

Cottonwood Flat Schoolhouse
Magnolia Gas Station
Bank
Buffalo Gap Post Office
Wagon Barn
Print Shop

Other Buildings and Elements


R. Lee and Ann Rode Art Gallery
Mercantile
Garden
Model T Shed
Base Ball Field

You can read more about it here
Buffalo Gap Facebook

2 comments:

  1. What an amazing step back in time. I'd love to see ALL of this.. So cool and totally up my alley.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wish you could have been with us! You would have made it even more fun!

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