More History Closed

[Richard W. Shannon]

Last Monday as I returned from a trip to El Paso, I took Highway 90 as an alternative to IH10. I stopped several places along to way to see things I had not seen in years, or not at all. Among the things I noticed that bothered me are the condition of Judge Roy Bean's Jersey Lilly and Alamo Village outside Bracketville.

Back in the mid seventies my wife and I visited West Texas, including Juge Roy Bean's Jersey Lilly bar. It was still in fair condition, and seemed well cared for. This trip I found that a new fence has been erected around the entire area and a "visitors center" built in front of the famed site making viewing it from the road impossible and entry forbidden if it is closed and you haven't paid the fee. Sadly the building itself has seen no efforts at repair or conservation. In the famous photograph, the Lilly is painted white. It has been allowed to weather, and the effects are noticable. It is not, in my opinion, wrong to keep historic properties in the condition they were in within their time. Keeping the building and its sign well painted would help it survive the harsh West Texas conditions much better than without paint, as is reflected in the building's current sad shape.

As I passede through Bracketville I decided to visit Alamo Village, site of the famous movie The Alamo starring John Wayne. Unfortunately, the woman who so lovingly cared for the site and kept it open to the public has passed beyond the veil, and her heirs feel it is not important enought to them to keep the site open. I fear if they do not change their minds it will not be long before this famous movie set - said to be the largest outdoor set in the world - will fall to ruin and be lost.

Sad conditions for those of us interested in historical preservation.

[leslie thomas austin (aka) Judge Roy Bean .U.k.]

You mean they ain't looking after the old place! Why that's a hanging offence someone get me my rope, and that's my rulin by gobs .

[Odessa Red]

I agree with Reb, it's a great idea to check with your reps..they may not even be aware of what's going on..even with the budget crisis there still may be something they can help with. Keep us posted!

[Richard W. Shannon]

I fear Texas does own the Judge Roy Bean building, and some conservationists' ideas are to keep it as is instead of keeping it up by painting it to keep it weatherized. Alamo Village is on a private ranch.

[Stephen Lodge]

The Visitor Center has been in Langtry ever since I can remember; my first visit there was in 1974. I'm not sure if the Jersey Lilly is the real one - it may be a replica; just not sure.

Info on Langtry:
By 1900 Langtry had become the commercial center for ranching in the area, but soon after Bean's death in 1903 the town began to decline, when the commissioner's court moved the highway slightly north for a more direct route. In 1923 the new owner of the Jersey Lilly discovered that it rested partly on the railroad right-of-way and in 1934 deeded the building-erected after fire destroyed the first one in 1897-to the state. By 1926, when the Southern Pacific moved the railroad tracks, depot, and water tank a half mile away, Langtry's population had dwindled to fifty. In 1939 the Texas Highway Department restored Bean's old saloon-courtroom, and by 1945 Langtry's population had climbed to 100. By the early 1970s the number of residents there had dwindled to around forty, and most of the town, with the exception of the state-owned Judge Roy Bean Visitor Center, was put up for sale by the Dodd family, then residing in San Antonio and Del Rio. Apparently it never sold. Tourism is the town's major industry; in 1981 the Judge Roy Bean Visitor Center in Langtry welcomed its one-millionth visitor, and Langtry continues to attract thousands of visitors each year. In 1990 and in 2000 the population of Langtry was reported as 145.

Alamo Village, if I'm not mistaken, has closed to the public for now (recession?) but is still available to movie makers.

[JOHNNY RAMIREZ]

Some times one has to try all the ways of getting things done and when those don't work, then
they have to gather following to creat say a "Judge Roy Bean" society to get things changed. And some times you have to have money behind the society to make it happen.

[Richard W. Shannon]

@Stephen - The visitors' center was smaller and to the side first time I was there, in the 70s - it is now a huge building in front of the bar. Same as the fence, not really one I remember back then, now it is larger and surrounds the entire complex, changing the entire character of the location. Same as I saw in Scotland - I went to Castle Urquart, there was a small visitors' center and a gate into to property, but you could see the ruins from the road. plans now are for a massive interpretive center that will hide the castle ruins from the road and change the entire experience of the place.

As to Alamo Village, I certainly hope they reopen it - the locals say the heirs may or may not reopen it, but aren't optimistic. I wish I had gone earlier, now may never have the chance.

[George D Rodriguez]

The wife and I were there about 5 years ago and the Alamo Village was open to the public and had a gunfighters show as well as a souviner shop. They were talking about selling it at that time along with 640 acres of land. It was cheap back then as they were only asking 6.5 Million.
The town and the fort are well built and a unique place to visit. Being retired Air Force we stayed on The air base in Del Rio Which was about a third of the price of a normal motel. Del Rio has a meuseum there for Judge Roy Bean and although they charge a nominal fee we felt it was worth it and enjoyed ouselves. It was a short jaunt from Del Rio to cross the border to
Cuidad Acunia a friendly Mexican Border town just across the Rio.

[Stephen Lodge]

Unlike most Western Movie sets, Alamo Village - the San Antonio Street; the Mexican Street; and the Alamo itself - was built mostly by imported Mexican labor - no false fronts, every building is a real building. After John Wayne ran short of money before the set was finiiished - here, let Wikipedia finish the story:
"Originally the set was to be facades of the front and sides of the buildings. However, Wayne ran out of money and called a halt to construction. Shahan agreed to continue working while Wayne raised more money, if Wayne would agree to [letting him build] full sets with four walls, floor and roofs. Wayne signed on to the deal."

The set includes a full-scale re-creation of the Alamo compound as it would have appeared in 1836 (the real Alamo is in the middle of downtown San Antonio, Texas and is surrounded by modern buildings). The set also includes a representation of the village of San Antonio de Béxar of the same time period. The building of the set required over 1.5 million adobe bricks, 14 miles of gravel road and a 4,000-foot runway.

[Richard W. Shannon]

@Stephen - It's closed because the lady who ran it died, and her heirs, who perhaps don't live locally, are unsure of its commercial viability. Locals hope it reopens, but have no idea as to when or if.