This morning the sky started out overcast, but at least no rain. We drove about 15 miles south to the historic village of Buffalo Gap TX. It was founded in 1877 and it's post office opened the next year in 1878. We thought maybe we were starting to enter Texas Hill Country as we drove down, but we are still quite a ways north, but this is no longer flatland!
What we were driving into was the Callahan Divide, the topographic boundary between the Brazos and Colorado basins. This crosses Buffalo Gap from east to west. Elm Creek passes through and once served as a watering hole for buffalo. In this gap in the divide, in the 1860s and 1870s buffalo hunters made winter camp and transported their kill to Fort Griffin and other trade centers. Hence the name.
Buffalo Gap was the only town in Taylor county, so in 1878 it was designated the county seat, Twenty days later the judge, sheriff, clerk, and commissioners met. The first general public election was held with eighty-seven voters. By 1880 Buffalo Gap had 1,200 people, a drugstore, a carriage and blacksmith shop, a big hotel, a jail, three or four grocery stores, and a saloon.
Fast forward, in the 50's a museum was formed. In the 70's the courthouse and jail were purchased and restored. Building were moved in from various locations to form the historic village we see today that represents roughly 1875 to 1925
We entered the Admissions building which was likely once a bar, paid a very nominal fee and then headed out to walk the grounds and see the various buildings.
This is the order of our tour:
Chapel
Print Shop
Wagon Barn
Bank
Gas Station
Schoolhouse
Windmill/cistern
Post Office
Train Depot
Barber Shop
Doctor's & Dentist Office
Blacksmith shop
Knight-Sayles Cabin
Courthouse
Hill House
One of the things that was interesting for me was the history of the cattle brands. There was a nice display with historical info in the courthouse, and rightfully so as this is where the brands were registered. Spaniards brought branding to Texas in the 1700's. Cattlemen also used wattles or earmarks to mark their cattle.
WE finished up at the Buffalo Gap Historic Village and then made our way back into Abilene to the Lowes where I returned some materials I did not use from yesterday's projects. Then we headed to H-E-B grocery store which has an exponentially better selection than the base commissary. We found everything we were looking for there and some other things too! Check this out, my new favorite spicy dill pickle!!
Tomorrow we plan to head downtown to check out the 12th Armored Division museum, the Swenson House, the downtown Storybook sculptures, then back to the base to visit the air park and make preparations to depart Friday morning for San Antonio.
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