This weekend we (BRM, Lawdog and myself) took in the Panhandle and Plains Museum in Canyon, TX and Palo Duro Canyon State Park, also just outside Canyon, TX. Both of them are just South of Amarillo. Sadly, the museum is placarded 30.06 and 30.07.
We saw about half the museum in the time we had, but I have to say I’m VERY impressed with it for three reasons- 1. It’s run/maintained by folks that lived there. 2. A lot of the ‘donations’ came with stories, and they are reflected in the displays. 3. They didn’t crowd things together so that you are looking at massive amounts of things…
Lots of local history, fossils, oil, ranches, vehicles fabrics, etc. Oh yeah, and GUNS!!!
The office of one of the Texas landmen that worked to procure oil leases, circa 1970. Who knows how many millions of dollars of deals were made in this very office…
The drilling floor of a 1920s-1930s oil rig. To the right is the ‘drill’ which was at the end of the cable and repeatedly dropped by the walking beam (out of picture top), and on a good day could do five feet an hour. The 12x12s with cross pieces to the left were called the headache rig, and designed to ‘stop’ the 14000lb walking beam if it broke or fell. My dad worked on this type of rig in the Borger field in the late 20s early 30s…
V-16 Caddy, owned by the local tax collector… nuff said… 🙂
Military rifle collection- The bottom German Model 98 rifle has a ‘history’ so to speak…
And this is it… Local color…
Colts in those days weren’t safe queens… Even if they were engraved!
And yes, bailing wire IS used for everything… When you need a shotgun in the middle of an Indian fight, you fix it with whatever is available…
Another ‘local’ car. It was restored in 2005 and donated to the museum.
And then there was Palo Duro…
This is a panoramic shot from the head of the canyon, looking southeast from the park. It’s narrow, probably a mile-maybe two miles wide and 500 feet deep here. It runs 120+ miles, gradually widening to almost 30 miles wide as it goes further south. Most of the canyon is actually in private ranch hands.
We went down into the canyon, about to where McKenzie attacked the winter camp of the Indians in 1874. I will honestly say you could ‘feel’ something down there…
The wiki for that battle is HERE.
This break in the rim is probably one that the Cavalry actually used to sneak up on the Indian encampment. It is a zoom shot from the location of the historical marker.
Many thanks to Alma for the education, time and willingness to be badgered with questions for the last couple of days…
Hey Old NFO;
That sounds like a heck of a road trip and with good friends too, Don’t get much better than that and thanks for the pics.
Recognizing a couple of things in the office photo tips off my age. I know what the paperweights are really used for, and I know the device on the desk is an item that you really do stick your finger into and twirl.
That might not be a repair on the percussion shotgun, that might be a very early stock tensioning accuracy test. Perhaps the owner heard about it on a telegraph forum and decided to try it out.
Looks like you had a good trip.
We had a great time in your company. We’ll have to do this again soon.
Even with the ghosts of Palo Duro haunting you, it looks like a fine trip – and who doesn’t like to look at guns and cars?
The new book title could be “Ghosts of Palo Duro”…
Glad you enjoyed the trip and especially glad you enjoyed Palo Duro Canyon. One of these days, we’ll crank up and give you a tour of the canyon from the air.
I had several TDY’s with our KC-135 Simulator (on a Railroad car)to Amarillo in the mid 60’s & visited Palo Duro along with other interesting sights. A lot of great history in the area !!
No history of the Palo Duro is complete until we talk about Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving. And, of course, Jack Adair, who provided the money for the JA ranch in the canyon.
Bob- It doesn’t! 🙂
John- With cigars!!! And I’m betting there was a bar concealed in the wall unit on the other wall too… 🙂
Peter- That we did!
LL- It’d take a LOT of research to write that one…
JD- That would be interesting!
Woody- There are ‘ratholes’ you could spend years researching around there…LOL
Paw- True, and that will be another post, AFTER I do all the research!!!
Every once in awhile, I wish I lived closer to such attractions. Alas, we spent our weekend plowing snow. Thank you for allowing us to “visit” the museums with you.
Rev- You’re more than welcome!
I live vicariously through you.
🙂
If you ever get down to San Antonio, check out the Witte Museum, which has a lot of Texas historical artifacts and displays. Well worth visiting.
And if you ever get to Cody, Wyoming, check out the Buffalo Bill Museum there. Five different museums under one roof, and if The Boss hadn’t dragged me out, I’d still be there!
One of the museums in San Angelo (the Fort Concho Museum, and if you’re an intel geek you know about San Angelo because of Goodfellow AFB) had a fun story about the first automobile in Tom Green County. Seems the owner had it delivered to town, and the “dealership” assembled it, and drove it out to his ranch. Gave him a short operator’s briefing, and left him to his own devices.
Sunday, Mr. Brown decided to drive he and The Missus down to Cristoval (about 15 miles south of San Angelo) for a big fish fry. They took off, and after a bit, The Missus said “Mr. Brown, how fast are we traveling?” “We are doing 17 miles per hour, ma’am” he said.
“My goodness! We’ll be in Cristoval before noon!”
“Yes, ma’am, and if I don’t figure out how to stop this thing, we’ll be in Hell by suppertime!”
Second the Cody Buffalo Bill Museum- a real treat. Very nice country to the west of Cody, in the mountains.
and if you get out that way, have a drink in the Irma, the Hotel/bar named after his daughter.