RonnieAdventure #0297- Texas 2018, Part IV

Seguin (population 25,175) was founded by a group of Rangers just 16 months after the Texas Revolution and is one of the oldest town in Texas. Since there was a shortage of lumber in the area, a local company started experimenting using concrete (called "lime-crete" at the time) for constructing buildings; thus, in the early 19th-century Seguin had the largest concentration of concrete buildings in the United States.

Sebastopol, is considered to be one of the best surviving "lime-crete" buildings in America and is now used as a museum. On display in the museum is a collection of rare Wilson Pottery from the first post-Civil War business owned by freed slaves in  Texas.

I have learned that when visiting Texas communities, always go by the courthouse because many of the courthouses are architecturally some of the most beautiful buildings in Texas. Also, located on the courthouse grounds are typically several statues, war memorials, and markers explaining a general history of the area.

Seguin is the county seat for Guadalupe County and the courthouse grounds contain one of the Stephen F. Austin Oak Trees that are planted in every county in Texas. The tree was germinated from a live Oak Tree that stands where Austin died on January 27, 1836.

In 1923 street lights were installed in downtown Seguin on white poles and the area became known as "White Way" Lighting.

Seguin is also "Home of the World's Largest Pecan," which is located on the courthouse lawn.

Monument dedicated to Cattle Trail from Texas to Kansas (1866-1887)

Old Spanish Trail Monument 

Guadalupe County Veterans Memorial

Juan Nepomuceno Sequin Monument (October 27,1806 - August 27, 1889)

"White Way" Lighting

World's Largest Pecan

After visiting the courthouse we stopped by the visitor's center, and much to my surprise, sitting on the floor was the "World's Largest Pecan." When I asked the staff how there could be two "World's Largest Pecans," they explained that the pecan on the courthouse lawn was the "Official World's Largest Pecan" and the pecan in the visitor's center was a "Traveling World's Largest Pecan," which was a replica of the "Official World's Largest Pecan." Since the "Official World's Largest Pecan" was permanently fastened in place, a replica was created that could "travel" to various events around the country. So there are really two "World's Largest Pecans" - the "Official World's Largest Pecan": and the "Traveling World's Largest Pecan." Well, at least I got that straightened out!

Pape's free Nutcracker Museum and pecan farm is a must stop for anyone visiting Seguin because it contains the largest collection of nutcrackers in the world. There are over 10,000 nutcrackers on display. And, they have large barrels of different varieties of pecans that visitors can sample. Of course, they also have an outlet store where numerous pecan products can be purchased. (For a "free" museum, this turned out to be an expensive stop; but at least I was able to eat different varieties of pecans while my money was being spent.)

As we were leaving, I happened to mention that we had seen the "Largest Pecan in the World" in front of the courthouse. The clerk just smiled and said that if we really wanted to see a large pecan we should go around to the back of their building. Much to my surprise, their pecan was much larger than the "Official Largest Pecan In The World" in front of the courthouse and the "Traveling Largest Pecan in the World" at the visitor's center. Apparently, there is also a "Papa Pecan Company Largest Pecan in the World." Well, at least I saw all three "Largest Pecan's in the World" while I was in Seguin.

Then, on the way out of town we stopped by the Pecan Museum and when I walked up to the front of the building I could not believe what I was looking at -- a fourth "World's Largest Pecan!" The museum was closed, but signs around the pecan indicated that "Texas is the largest producer of Native Pecans in the United States, 80% of worldwide Pecan crop is grown in the USA [and] Texas is #3 in production, April is Pecan Month in Texas, [and] Texas Legislature adopted the Pecan Tree as the State Tree in 1919," Well, I think I can now say that I've seen the "Largest Pecans in the World."

East of Seguin on US Highway Alternate 90 is some unusual Roadside Art. It was cloudy and raining the day we passed the site, but we were told that the displays are really spectacular at night when all of the lights are on. (On Google Earth the site is listed as "House of Lights.")

Gonzales (population 7,237) is known as the "Lexington of Texas" because in 1835 the first battle of the Teas Revolution was fought here. The battle started when Mexican soldiers arrived to retrieve a six-pound cannon that the Mexican Army had loaned to the colonists for defense purposes against Indian attacks. The colonists now refused to surrender the cannon. Instead, the colonists told the Mexican soldiers to "Come and Take It," then turned and fired the cannon at the soldiers, which is considered to be the first shot fired for Texas Independence.

The Gonzales County Courthouse is a beautiful structure and the interior of the building, with its winding stairs and other features, has been very well preserved.

The Spade and Trowel Garden Club maintains a site on the courthouse lawn and "The Gonzales County Brand Monument" displays various historic brands that were used by ranchers in the area.

Andrew Ponton moved to the area in 1829 and then became active in politics and was named Alcalde (mayor) of Gonzales in 1834. In 1835 he was responsible for leading a group of colonists that refused to turn over a cannot to the Mexican Army; and, instead, made the "Come and Take It" flag. Then, in 1836 Ponton responded to a call for help from Col. William B.Travis and recruited men (they became known as the "Immortal 32") to help defend the Alamo, where all of the men lost their lives.

The historic Gonzales Jail was constructed in 1887 and is now used for a museum. They had recently filmed a TV news story in the jail and the woman who had lived in the building as a child when her father was sheriff was there and gave us a personal tour of the building. We were also able to watch the TV news story about the woman and the jail later in the week.

Hallettsville (population 2,345) was once called the "13 City" because in 1913 it had 13 letters in the name, a population of 1300, 13 churches, 13 newspapers and 13 saloons. The famous historic "Chicken Ranch" is located a few miles north of Hallettsville on Highway 77 and the Lavaca courthouse was used for backdrop scenes in the movie The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. The 1982 musical starred Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton.

If the courthouse looks familiar, it is because the 1899 building was modeled after the courthouse in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 

La Grange (population 4,641) is the county seat for Fayette County, which was named for Gilbertdu Motier de La Fayette from France. In 1777 Major General Lafayette arrived in America and offered his services to the Continental Congress, even though France had no treaty with the American colonies. Lafayette and his troops served with General Washington in a number of major battles, including the Battle of Yorktown where the British forces finally surrendered. 

There is a nice veterans memorial in front of the ornate courthouse.

Also in La Grange is the Texas Quilt Museum that contains antique quilts from the famous Poos Collection. (Don't feel bad, I had  never heard of the Poos Collection either!) No photography was allowed in the museum, so I walked over to the historic train depot and photographed the railroad equipment.

While reading the Official Texas Sate Travel Guide, I noted that Smithville (population 3,817) "was recognized in the 2009 Guinness Book of World Records for creating the World's Biggest Gingerbread Man, weighing more than 1,300 pounds and standing 20 feet tall. The giant cookie - named 'Smitty' - is still the largest of its kind in the country and stands near the chamber of commerce offices. Smitty is a popular photo subject," 

When I arrived to take pictures, I was informed that "Smitty" had run away and had been replaced with a "remnant from the historic 1911 steam engine boiler explosion which occurred near the MK&T Roundhouse...to honor those employees who were killed or injured in that accident." Well, so much for getting a picture of the World's Biggest Gingerbread Man! Maybe I will see him at his new residence, wherever that may be.