Last week was spring break here so my daughter and I had a couple of little outings planned. My daughter lives on the far north side of town and is quite close to a small community -- it is really a town -- called Southlake. A few years back the town of Southlake decided the thing to do was to build a "downtown" that houses their municipal buildings and is home to a good number of retail establishments. This isn't a mall but an actual "downtown". I love going there as they have stores that I don't have around me (read: L'Occitane) and it is really nice to walk around outside -- reminds me of my youth when we would shop downtown San Antonio before malls became the rage. I digress. Southlake is built to look old. Clearly it isn't but it has a vintage facade to it and it is just a nice place to visit. I snapped some pics -- none of them very good -- but I will share anyway -- you will get the idea of why it is such a fun place.
After a nice walk and a small purchase at L'Occitane we were off to lunch with my son-in-law and then back home.
Then, on Thursday we went to the Log Cabin Village. The Log Cabin Village is actually a park located right across the street from the Fort Worth Zoo in the Texas Christian University area of town. It is a plot of land that has been designated to house log cabins from around the state. They have been moved there, refurbished, and arranged in a village format. We first visited this park in 1989, the year before we moved here. It has been added on to and improved and is just such a relaxing place to visit. There is a grist mill that produces corn meal that you can buy. They make candles, there is a gift shop and yes, there is even a ghost! So, I took several photos before my camera died but I didn't get photos of everything but I think you will get the idea. Enjoy!
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| this is the haunted cabin |
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| blacksmith shop |
The Parker Cabin is a cabin owned by the uncle of Cynthia Ann Parker who was kidnapped as a child by the Comanche Indians here in Texas. She lived until adulthood as an Indian, married an Indian and had children, one of which was the famous Quanah Parker, the last Comanche chief. She was located as an adult and brought back to her white family but she was never happy and finally died -- of a broken heart they say. Cynthia Ann Parker is a sad story all the way around.
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| Cynthia Ann Parker |
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| Quanah Parker |
Seems we go to lunch a lot!
7 comments:
Those outings look lovely! It also looks as though Spring in Texas has over taken Spring in Lincolnshire (you are a lot further south of course). It's good to see old buildings preserved and old styles honoured.
I love visiting those sort of places myself. That is indeed a sad story about that lady.
Nice to see Spring has sprung in your neck of the woods.
Mary -- they were lovely although Bean went home and immediately had an asthma attack! Too much cool air, I suppose. It is such a relaxing place to visit -- you forget you are in the middle of a very bustling area of town! BTW -- I put your letter out for the mail yesterday and the mailman didn't take it!! I was more than a bit miffed and I will try again today.
Gill -- I really enjoy this park -- so relaxing. If you ever come this far south you should visit. I think there is something similar in the Cleveland, Ohio area -- much closer to you. Yes, spring has indeed sprung and I am very glad. We only had a couple of weeks of winter but it was enough for me!
Southlake did a marvelous job in creating a downtown that looks as if its been there for years.
It must feel like you've stepped back in time when visiting the Log Cabin Village. How wonderful these dwellings have been preserved in one area and are there for the public to view.
Bean seems to be enjoying the day! It's always fun for a child to imagine living in the time period. Did the hand-pump well actually work so she could try it?
So many lovely images!
Bonnie -- Southlake is a wonderful shopping venue. There are good restaurants there as well. I don't go often but I really enjoy it when I do. Yes, the Log Cabin Village is like stepping back in time. Their facebook page showed photos of the docents, in period dress, during our recent snow and you could just feel what it must have been like during a hard winter in those houses. Makes you very thankful for central heat!
Yes, Bean really enjoyed herself. The photos toward the bottom are of a cabin that is hands on, play cabin and we almost couldn't get her out -- only the promise of lunch and a cookie!
Bonnie -- I hit the button too quickly. Yes, the pump worked and it was a re-circulating system so you just emptied the bucket and it just pumped back out. It was great fun.
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