Catching Up; Yet again

Deen and Ham Underwood at the dedication of the new General Bravo

 

marker

Well it's another Saturday morning, and as usual I seem to be behind the power curve. 
For those that have not heard, our own Deen Underwood had a fall last week end and broke her hip.  Right there and then the Doc's replaced her hip, and she's recovering as well as can be expected.  From last I heard, Deen will be recovering for several weeks before they start rehab.  Our prayers and thoughts are with her.  There was some good news to go along with this though.  A friend of the Underwoods made a $1000.00 donation to their efforts to place and replace markers at Concordia Cemetery.  With the arrangements the Underwoods have made with Sonny Zambrano, that means at least 5 additional markers that can be set.  I do find it ironic that the Underwoods have done more to replace missing or destroyed markers at the cemetery than the Concordia Heritage Association in the past year.

Amongst other news, Had guests Tarna Blackhelm, and Billy Murray onboard this morning's OWEP-Radio show, discussion history and paranormal investigation.  Now folks might ask why I considered this.  Well.... Any good paranormal group researches the locations of their investigations, leanring as much as they possibly can prior to the actual "hunt".  And along the way, they build up a considerable data base of local history.  And after the little incident at Commissioners Court Monday, I thought it'd be a great idea to bring on the folks from GHOST-EP. 
Didn't hear about or see it?  Well GHOST-EP through Facility Manager Monique Aguirre went before Commissioners Court  seeking permission to conduct an investigation inside the court house after hours.  As the Commissioners were leaning towards denying permission, the lights in the court room, lobby and a good portion of the court house went out.  Once they realized it wasn't a joke or a trick, the request was approved unanimous.  That's when the light went back on.   I'm going to attempt to link the County's video archive here for those that wanna watch.  Is kinds trippy!

So for the time being, Take care, may God Bless, and Keep your powder dry!

Here we go again....

5 May 2011

Been a long week or so, had a lot going on.  And as you read this, the Prairie Flower, Buckaroo, and I should be up in Shakespeare; doing our thing.

Last week end, April 30^th, Jimmy Portillo and Chris Shatan were on hand at the El Paso Museum of History for the premier  of issue #5 of “Hell Paso: The Dallas Stoudenmire Story.”  I admit, I haven’t had a chance to read through #5 from cover to cover yet, but glancing through it remains a crisp new approach at a major series of events in El Paso’s Old West history.  Was a pretty good turnout, 50 or so folks, to look over the books and purchase the series.  Chris did a free sketch for anyone buying all 5 at the museum that day.

14 May 2011

The tours at Shakespeare went well. Had a good group of folks come visit.    Work is going along slowly, but steadily.  The April Living History Tours saw the first opening of the Dance Studio to the public.  Kay Shannon conducted that portion of the tour.

May 21^st will see the second episode of OWEP Radio to feature live guests.  Chris Medina and the crew from GHOST-EP be on hand to discuss how history plays an important part of ghost hunting.  It ought to be an interesting show.

So until next time. You all take care, May God bless, and keep your powder dry....

Catching Up

As some of you may have noticed, I haven't been keeping up with this lately.  There's good reason.  I have been busier that a one legged man in a butt kicking contest.  Earlier this month I received word that I was needed to do the regular monthly Shakespeare Ghost Town tours.  So looks as iffn I'll be heading to Lordsburg once a month for at least this summer. 
Easter Week end was the first Living History week end at Shakespeare.  Had over 125 folks come visit and take the tour.  This marked the opening of the dance studio for the first time.  Kay Shannon conducted that part of the tour, with yours truly leading the folks the rest of the way. 
This after noon sees the premier of issue 5 of "Hell Paso: The Dallas Stoudenmire Story" from Jimmy Daze Comics.  Jimmy Portillo and his crew will be on hand at the El Paso Museum of History to talk about the series, and to autograph copies of the comics.
Also this week, the first two video clips for Old West El Paso Video were posted on You Tube.  They are rough, but hey, it's the first editing I have done since 1979.  There are more to follow as I collect footage and find time to edit and post the clips.  I am shooting at 5 minute clips, covering events and places connected to El Paso and Old West History.   Hopefully sometime this week I will be able to add the video page to the website.

So for now, you all take care, may God bless, and keep your powder dry....
Between two trips to Shakespeare, and school, I have to admit I am one pooped Lil Cowboy. 

Alligators on the Mind

courtesy Aultman Collection, El Paso Public Library

I attended the meeting at the convention center Tuesday on the overhaul of San Jacinto Plaza.  I missed the presentation of what Foster and his crew envision for the plaza.  I do know that there are a group or two out there that really want the alligators returned downtown.  Personally, I could see it iffn there was an economical, practical way to build a habitat down there.   That or they let me feed any kids caught abusing or molesting the reptiles to the alligator's.  Some how I don't think either one will happen.  People have changed over the years, and the gators would never be safe from us humans, so maybe we are better with the statue now standing in the center of the plaza.  Surprisingly, no one bothered to mention how El Paso came to have alligators in the plaza in the first place.

One of the men I have had the honor to meet and call friend over the years was Jack Blackham.  Jack was a character in of himself, and I could fill a couple of posts just on him.  Today's story though deals with his grandfather, Hamilton Raynor.  Now Ham was one of two brothers that made their way to El Paso.  Brother William, or Will was a deputy under Jim Gillett in 1882.  Ham arrived in 1883.  Fall of 1884, Ham Raynor took a job as Deputy Sheriff up in Hunniwell, Kansas for the cattle season.  In a dispute over a red headed dance hall girl, Ham was seriously wounded, his assistant, Ed Scotten suffered a mortal wound, lasting just long enough to be brought to El Paso.  Anyways, Ham returned to the Dallas area to recover, and he was soon back in El Paso.  Hamilton Raynor became one of the original "Ankle Biters" here in El Paso, and was responsible for getting the American Kennel Club to recognize the Chihuahua as a separate breed of dog.  According to Jack, Ham was also the one responsible for the alligators in the plaza.

Shortly after his return to El Paso, the folks back in east Texas sent him a cigar box.  Inside that box were three baby alligators.  There were fun enough while there were small, but once they had some size on them the gators weren't so much fun anymore.  Like anyone else, Ham hauled the critters out to the plaza and dumped them in the pond.  The novelty of the alligators struck a chord with the community and there they stayed.  At first the swamper from a saloon on the plaza was detailed to haul the critters in at night during the winter, to keep them from freezing.  One night the swamper neglected to police up the gators.  Next morning there they were, showing no ill effects of a night out in the cold.  From then on the alligators were left on their own out in the pond.

The trio became an icon of El Paso.  Generations can remember them basking in the sun, or floating in the pond.  But as times went on, the folks around here changed.  Wasn't unusual for the Dean of  Texas Western Tech/UTEP to arrive to find an alligator lounging in his office.  Kids and hooligans poked and prodded the gators with stick, eventually putting out an eye of one alligator.  So by the 1965 the reptiles were moved to the El Paso Zoo.  For many years there wasn't a reminder of what we once had, until the Art League commissioned  Luis Jiménez to create a tribute to the alligators.


Because my memory is like a sieve, a did a quick search on goggle, and found that Wikipedia actually does have an article on the plaza, and the alligators.  Their version does not quite jive with mine.  But thats the fun of history, agreeing to disagree.


Untill next time, Take Care, God bless, and keep your powder dry!

Labor Day Weekend 2010

 I was clearing out the posts and found this one in the archives that I hadn't published.  Figured iffn it was worth keepin', it was worth postin'.

Well, Hell must have frozen over this year. For the first time since 1996 I will be here in El Paso for Labor Day Week end. Due to financial considerations, and home issues, I had to cancel my annual pilgrimage to the "Town Too Tough to Die." Dave and Millie Cookson, and Marilyn Weaver of the Paso del Norte Pistoleros willl be heading down to judge the parade. Dangerous Dave will fill in for me as Judge.

This will be the 29th annual Rendevouz of Gunfighters. I am proud to say I have attended most of them. In the beginning the costuming was blah to say the least. My running joke was that when the "dance hall girls" asked if you wanted to see their "plums", they had to lift their skirts. In the six years I have been judging the parade on Sunday, the attire has improved dramatically.  Every once in awhile I see a throw back to the "Bad old Days", but not very often.

I have met some wonderful people there over the years as well.  The Traywicks have always been gracious and supportive.

I'm gonna miss it.  But come Hell or High Water I'm gonna make it next year!!!!!