Women's Costumes

We wrap up Christoval Week with this picture from about 1900. The picture shows a group of women, all wearing costumes. I am not sure what the event was . . .  perhaps a July 4th presentation?

Anyway, I have had a great time looking through these pictures, and hope you have enjoyed them as well.

Woodmen Circle

I have to say I am sad to see we our time this week to look at old Christoval, Texas pictures is quickly coming to an end. I have enjoyed these pictures the last few weeks, and hope that one day I can find more good pictures of the area. Today's picture shows a group shot, around a banner that reads, "Christoval Grove No. 806 Woodmen Circle." For a group called WoodMEN their sure appears to be a lot of women in the picture. I am not sure what type of organization this was, and not sure what a "grove" is.

Tent Revival

Good Wednesday Morning to you all. Hope you all are having a good week. Today's picture shows one of the old time tent revival meetings on the South Concho River in Christoval. The picture looks to be from the 1920's. The tents are not the revival tent, but are the tents people camped in while attending the week long revival meeting.

Looking at all these old revival pictures makes me nostalgic, and it makes me think we should try and get the old tent meetings going again, and bring back this wonderful Christoval Legacy. Hmmm . . . maybe start small, with an Easter Sunrise Service in the park, right where this picture was taken. Thats what we should do, and that is what we are going to do. Consider yourselves invited! 

Camp Revival

Good Tuesday Morning to you. I hope you are having a good week, and maybe enjoying the pretty springtime weather. Today's picture shows a Camp Revival meeting on the South Concho River. You can see the kids having a good time swimming in the river, and you can see some of the camp tents in the background.

Revival Meeting

As you know, we have extended Christoval, Texas week for another week. Today's picture was taken around 1900, and shows a group of people on the banks of the South Concho river. The people were attending a revival meeting. As I read about these meetings, I learned it was not unusual for a hundred people to be baptized at a time in the river. 

Gather at the River

Good Sunday Morning to you all. This morning I feature another Christoval, Texas picture from about 1900. The picture shows ladies preparing a picnic on the shores of the South Concho River. It was part of a week long old-time tent revival meeting.

You see, Christoval used to be a great meeting place for tent revivals and encampments. These types of meetings would run all summer along the South Concho, and thousands of people from all over the country would attend.

My dad shared with me that his earliest memories were sitting on the banks of the South Concho river at one of these revival meetings, sitting in his mother's lap, and listening to the fiery preaching of Dr. George Washington Truett, one of the biggest evangelist of the day. 

These tent revivals and encampments went on from the late 1800's on up into the 1930's. In the 1930's there was a major flood, and it washed out the facilities, and with the Great Depression, there was not the resources or the energy to rebuilt.

The area now is the local hangout, where teenagers go to drink beer and smoke pot on the weekend. To me it is a shame that we had such a wonderful legacy, and then let it go.

Perhaps we should try and restart the tradition of the old tent revivals along the river. Hmmm . . . maybe a sunrise Easter service there would be a start.

Head of the River Ranch

Today's picture shows the Head of the River Ranch near Christoval, Texas in about 1900. The Head of the River Ranch was the hub of ranching activities in the area. I found many fascinating stories about the place, and it is steeped in rich history. The Head of the River Ranch is where the South Concho River comes bubbling out of the ground. It is still in operation today, and I hear it remains a magnificent place. Unfortunately, I have never received an invite to go see it. Hmmm . . . maybe someday.

As I read true life stories about places like the Head of the River Ranch, I am amazed that Hollywood Movies have become so poor and predictable. It is like they keep making the same movie over and over. I wish they would do more on the fascinating stories of real people and places in history.

Main Street, Christoval Texas

Christoval Week continues here at OPOD with this picture of the Barber Shop and Real Estate Office. The picture was taken in about 1900. I wonder if any of these men are the same men on the porch in yesterday's picture. Perhaps a group of men who walked around sitting on porches. The other possibility is that Christoval had two separate groups of porch sitters . . . one that sat at the barber shop, and one that sat at the store.

I am enjoying these pictures so much, I might just have to extend Christoval Week another week.  

Building Dam

This is another picture from Christoval, Texas around 1900. The picture shows men using horses to build a dam across the South Concho River. It is interesting that I can recognize this exact spot today, and it is just a couple blocks from my house. The area the men are standing is where the highway crosses the river today. The big tree on the left is still standing.

Later, the river area shown in the background became "Playland Park", where you could swim, rent paddle boats or canoes, fish, or just have a good time. Where the big tree is, there was a rope bridge which you could use to walk from one side of the river to the other. Playland Park pretty much shut down in the 1980's as kids became more interested in TV and video games than in fun days outside.

Side Saddle

Well, I see no one was successful on the Mystery Person Contest, so I declare myself the winner. I was surprised no one got it. It was Marriner Eccles, the first Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. The Fed Chairman decides how much money to print, so is probably a person actually more powerful than the president. I had intended to make this week "Bankster Week". Do you get it, Bankster, like Gangster, but about the Federal Reserve? I had intended to blow the lid off the secret societies and dark dealings behind the Federal Reserve, but after a little reflection decided it might not be safe to expose such a sinister system at this time. So, I decided to switch to Side Saddle week. Since I only have one Side Saddle picture, and I am using it today, I will have to make it Christoval, TX week.

The picture above was taken in my home town, Christoval, Texas in 1900. This is one of those pictures you have to click on to get a closer look. Notice that the two women are riding side saddle. Also notice the one woman is wearing a Colt 45 peacemaker, and cartridge belt.

I found a treasure trove of pictures of Christoval from the late 1800's and turn of the century. I am learning that this little town came about as close to being the iconic old west town of the movies as you are going to find. There was "flat rock" which was a hideout for the Black Jack Ketchum gang on the South Concho River. There is the "Head of the River Ranch" which was a hub of cattle ranching. There was a train depot in town, general store, blacksmith and much, much more. This week I will be sharing these pictures with you.