Because It's Not a Trip Unless We See Something Historical

Did you really think I was done talking about our trip to Grapevine? Silly people!

 

After getting gussied up for the wedding, we headed off to find the winery, which took very little time. So, we went downtown to take a peek. Grapevine has tried to preserve the oldtime downtown feel even with new construction, so all the new buildings are built to look old. Vintage construction :-) We found some lovely historical markers, including one in front of a funeral home near a glassed-in building housing a horse-drawn hearse and some tiny infant coffins from the turn of the century or before. The hearse was pretty cool, but the coffins were creepy, even for me.

 

We drove up the street a bit and stopped at the park across from the City Hall. The centerpiece of the park was a log cabin constructed in the mid-nineteenth century that was occupied until the 1940s. Look at the photo. People lived there almost until World War II. Wow. We checked out the historical markers (Texas has TONS!), marveled at the grapevine-covered bollards (now that's commitment to a theme!), and then went to the winery for the wedding.

 

On the way home, we decided to stop on the courthouse square in Denton, Texas for lunch. We ate at a little pub and then walked around the courthouse grounds. John Denton, for whom the city and the county is named, is buried on the lawn of the courthouse. They also have a Confederate memorial, as many southern counties do. This one was a bit different, though. Off to the side of it was a modern plaque that read,

"Denton County Confederate Soldier Memorial"

"The Denton County Confederate Soldier memorial was erected in 1918 by the Daughters of the Confederacy. The monument stands as a reminder of historic events and is intended as a memorial to Denton County citizens who sacrificed themselves for the community. Now, let this be a testimony that God created all men equal with certain inalienable rights. We are all one, citizens of Denton County."

 

While not a perfect statement, any measure of reconciliation in relation to a Confederate memorial is refreshing.

 

We headed out of town and drove north, deciding to stop at Turner Falls. We fought the wind, but the view was worth it! The marker up by the overlook pointed out that the highway was built with prison labor, which I have to admit that I found amusing that they felt it necessary to inform all who came to see the beautiful scenery of that fact. We drove down to see if it cost anything to get into the park. Alec tried to joke with the less than jovial state park employee in the entrance shack who was taking her smoke break fully enclosed in the building, but she was less than amused. We drove on.

 

Remember kids, sometimes the park employees just want their smokes.