Back in the Great State of Texas

It has been an interesting week in Wichita Falls, Texas. Before we get into that, first I would like to share about our journey getting here. We left Missouri September 30th and made it to Wellington, Kansas to spend one night. 

We made it.

Our site for the night and our Kansas picture for the map.

It was a pretty nice site, and we talked a little bit with the neighbors. A lot of people pulled in for the night, that might have been the most I have seen, and a lot left before we did.
 
So, we didn't do anything to sightsee, but I still wanted to share some interesting facts. Kansas was our 48 state. It took us two years, nine months and seventeen days to complete the lower 48 states. We covered 21,613 miles (of RV towing) across America with 470 hours and 52 minutes of time pulling the rig. We also averaged 9.8 miles per gallon. Usually, I show you the map when I have the six-month recap, but I will proudly show you on this blog.

Ta-Da!! Hubby and I are not in the picture for two of the states, we have scenery and in one state 

it took three photos of us to fill that state. Not sure if you can zoom in and see

 the states I am sharing about.

I am a little sad to say, that Kansas will be the last state I share with you about their state bird, tree, flower and motto. That is unless we fly to Hawaii and rent an RV or head to Alaska after hubby retires.

Another new state! Here are the state bird, tree, flower and motto for Kansas.

 

*Kansas: Western Meadowlark (Bird), Cottonwood (Tree), Wild Sunflower (Flower), "Ad astra per aspera" in Latin it means "to the stars through difficulties" (Motto). 

Western Meadowlark.

Cottonwood.

Wild Sunflowers.

Secondly, we drove through Oklahoma to get to Wichita Falls. It was a little over a four-hour trip, and we felt tired from the two day drive, but that didn't stop us for heading to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch the 49ers play and win! 

Oklahoma was ok.

So, back to the interesting week in Wichita Falls. Jelly Stone Park enjoys Halloween and has it all decorated and yesterday, had a contest for the most decorated golf card and site, then allowed the kids to go and trick or treat. We knew this would happen, so we planned ahead and bought candy. Hubby was really good and didn't get into it.

Our site from Sunday to Sunday. Hubby did a nice job taking this photo.

A warm welcome from Yogi.

Fun decorations.

This would be a scary ride.

Cute little places for photo ops for kids.

The Grand Lodge and Chapel.

A scary looking golf cart.

Just because.

The store, can you see the witch on the swing?

Boo!

I thought this was really cute.

Monday, we did our regular grocery shopping, so I planned out the week ahead of time. I was going to be good and only eat out once. That night after dinner, we walked around by the fishing hole and saw some beautiful clouds and sky that God created. We also saw a bunch of turtles and we were able to feed them and the fish. That was fun and a little scary, glad they were only there for the food. "Keeping it real" we ate out the very next day (Tuesday) as well as Friday.

So beautiful!!! Thank You, Lord!

They like to eat!

Tuesday morning, hubby took a beautiful picture of the sunrise. Love these Texas skies. Then after work we went downtown to the Wichita Falls Brewery. 

So pretty!

We had chips and queso and brought a pizza home to share.

Wednesday it rained - hard, we also had some lightening. No pictures of that weather though. "The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain." Dolly Parton.

Thursday, we were going to go exploring, but it was just so hot. So, we just stayed in and caught up on some of our shows.

Friday, we went to The World's Littlest Skyscraper. Yes, that is correct. In 1906 Augustus Newby had a simple one-story office building at the corner of Seventh and La Salle street. He was a railroad man and had a personal railroad track that took him to Dallas when he wanted to go. By 1913 the North Texas (Wichita Falls) fields were producing 46% of all the oil in Texas, so Wichita Falls was growing. In 1919 J.D McMahon, who owned an oil construction company, proposed an add-on building for offices on the empty lot next door. 

McMahon's Construction Company.

McMahon’s idea was a skyscraper that would be a fitting monument for the rapidly growing city. His plan was a popular one, and eager investors rushed to be involved in the plan. They gave him $200,000 – the equivalent of $2.7 million today. 

 

McMahon used his own construction company and began building without officially getting permission from the land’s owner. The investors did not realize that there was something off with their investment until, upon completion, they saw that the new “high-rise” they’d been promised was a meager four stories tall. 

Spoiler alert, it is now an Historic site.

To their surprise, the entire building was only 40 feet tall, 12 feet long, and nine feet wide. To make matters worse, the elevator company McMahon hired had backed out, so visitors could only reach the top floor of the building via an external ladder. A narrow staircase was added later, but the building was so narrow that the staircase then took up about 25 percent of the building’s interior.

Here she is in all her glory! "The heart is more deceitful than all else 

and is desperately sick; who can understand it? I, the Lord, search

 the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, 

according to the results of his deeds." Jeremiah 17:9-10 (NASB).

Once the investors realized what had happened, the tried to sue McMahon. However, the blueprints he'd drown up had actually indicated that the building would be 480 inches tall, not 480 feet. The investors never looked closely at the documents and did not grasp the (lack of) scale before signing on. They had no legal recourse against McMahon.

Shortly after construction was completed, McMahon skipped town, presumably with the majority of the $200,000 in his pocket. He was never heard from again, and the town was left to decide what to do with the newly embarrassing Newby-McMahon Building.

On the top floor they had this painted door so you could take pictures.

The “World’s Littlest Skyscraper” as it is known, remained empty for many decades. It has survived tornadoes, a fire, and decades of neglect to stand as a monument to the greed, genius and gullibility of the North Texas oil boom days. Many Wichita Falls residents were in favor of tearing the whole thing down, but it didn’t happen. Although it had been slated for demolition a handful of times, other local residents fought to keep it standing.

Eventually, it came to be occupied by various businesses, including a barbershop and restaurants. It went vacant again and remained so until the 1990s when a local business, Marvin Groves Electric, partnered with a local architecture firm called Bundy, Young, Sims & Potter to purchase and restore the building.

Great story and fun to walk up and look at the walls and how they survived a fire and tornado.

Saturday, we went out to brunch and to our surprise we ate at the first Zales Jewelry Store. The Wichita Falls oil boom attracted several immigrant Russian Jewish families seeking a better life. One such immigrant to the town, Morris Bernard Zalefsky (1901-1995), began to learn the jewelry trade from his uncle, Sam Kruger. Zalefsky opened his own store inside drug store in Graham, but due to the Klu Klux Klan activity in the area, he returned to Wichitas Falls in 1924.

Hubby took this picture.

Zalefsky Americanized his name to Zale, opened his own store at this location on March 29, 1924, and created the Zale Jewelry with his family. Opening stores in nearby states, Zales expanded inventory, offered early credit, employee stock options, sales training and used aggressive advertising and the company acquired other jewelry stores nationwide. Zales Jewelry Company survived the Great Depression and became even larger after World War II. In 1946, Zale moved his headquarters to Dallas. In 1951, he and his family established the Zale Foundation, providing scholarships and social service grants to minorities and the less fortunate. By 1958, the company changed its name to Zale Corporation, was listed on the Stock Exchanged and became the world's largest retail jeweler. In honor of Morris and his wife, Edna Lipshy Zale, the family continues to support the community and the people of Wichita Falls.

There is an upstairs as well, but it didn't fit in the shot that I wanted.

After brunch we went to the Farmer's Market. They are open on Saturdays. We were able to buy some wine, meat and produce. It was small, prices were good, and I so enjoyed going to a Farmer's Market again.

Love the star and the old building.

We went home to put up our provisions and then headed out to Lucy Park. It is a 178 acre regional park located in the center of Wichita Falls. Frances Ann Dickinson donated Lucy Park to Wichita Falls in memory of her mother, Lucy O'Neill Saunders. Lucy was one of Americas foremost woman oil operators. She passed away at age 39 in Wichita Falls from Spanish Influenza.

Lucy was born 1897 and passed 1936.

The Red River South, a tributary of the Mississippi in Texas, 

Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana.

 

Hubby is getting ready to fly.

And away....

we go!

It has been fun being in Wichita Falls, and it reminds me of West Texas where my dad's place is. Fun fact: founded in 1876, Wichita Falls was named for the Wichita Indians and the low-water river falls that existed there until 1886, when they were washed away by a flood. 

Wichita Indians are part of the Plains Indians.

What their homes looked like.

Before the flood.

We also had fun Saturday night as I told you earlier, Jelly Stone Wichita Falls love Halloween. Here are more pictures of how much fun they had here.

A scary dragon!

We had a fun time at Trick or Trunk - gave out some candy. Now we can get ready for October 31st. Hoping they will have Trick or Treaters in Kingsville.

Today, we are heading out to Leander, Texas to stay at a KOA for six days. I can't wait, Art and Caroline will be there as well. It will be fun to get together with them.

If there is something special you would like me to take a picture of, please let me know!
 
Drop a comment for me and let me know your thoughts on the blog.
 
God, the RV & me...