A is for Austin

LETTER A

 

I've been pondering how much and what to write about the places I'll share in the next 30 days and have decided to keep things fairly short and share my favorite three things about each place I've visited. Although they may not always go hand in hand with the pictures, they may give you a peek into both the place and to me.

 

Now...let's get started!

Austin has a special place in my heart, as I lived there for 13 years beginning in 1999. Its skyline may have changed over time as the city continues to grow and prosper, but the city is still as friendly as I remember!

 

The (University of)Texas Longhorns football team is probably my favorite thing about Austin or maybe it's how Austin and all of Texas take their football seriously. Regardless, you'll find me in burnt orange most every Saturday during football season.

 

 

 

 A long walk around what I know as Town Lake(now called Ladybird Johnson Lake) in the Spring is another favorite. The wildflowers are beautiful and it's always nice to see Stevie Ray!

 

 

 

 

The food in Austin rounds off my favorites. Their Tex Mex makes my mouth water, and the BBQ is some of the best in Texas!

 

 

From the football to the food, and let's not even get started on the live music, Austin is definitely a wonderful place to visit(and even live)!

 

The Open Road - Final Friday (Non)Fiction

 

The Open Road

 

The middle of nowhere, the open road calls

Mountains, deserts, ocean, it doesn't matter at all

 

As long as I have my partner, pups and camera my side

 The roads open before us, arms open wide.

 

So the open road beckons, and we heed it's call

It doesn't matter where it takes us,

It doesn't matter at all.

 

 

 Make sure to visit YAM HERE for more posts and HERE to get the 2021 rules then join in the FFF fun!!

 

A to Z Theme Reveal - Traveling America

I'm a bit late to the party, but after a little nudge from a good friend, Yam, I have decided to join the 2021 April A to Z Challenge this year. Today I am here to reveal my "theme"

After some thought, I decided to do a photo series on different places I have traveled through in the USA. This will be my first attempt at the A to Z challenge and I am looking forward to putting it together and enjoying other 

A to Z posts!

Travel Tuesday - Downtown Woodland

 Woodland haa an interesting general history, as I talked about last week, but it was fun to delve into the history of a few of the sights I glimpsed along my stroll down Main Street.

With an Old West feel, the Capital Hotel sign marks Woodland's  "oldest commercial building*". The Capital Hotel was also the first hotel to open in town. The hotel may no longer open to visitors, but the downstairs floor is now home to the popular, Burger Saloon restaurant!

*credit

 

 

 Originally the, "New York Store" from 1890 until 1895, the Corner Drug Store was opened by Wallace Pond in 1897. It wasn't until after the Physician's Building was renovated in 1912 building, however, that it was renamed the Corner Drug Company. 

*Read More Here (credit)

 

 

 

 

 Although not as old as some of the businesses, Timothy's Bakery recently celebrated over 40 years in Woodland. It's worthy to note the building was originally opened as a bakery in 1908 though.

*credit

 

 

 

The Porter Building, designed in 1913, is said to be haunted by a group of small children...

It does look a bit spooky, don't you think??

*read more

 

 

 

 

 

Our last stop is the Hotel Woodland. Now a venue for weddings and similar large parties, the Hotel Woodland was ready for guests in 1928. It was initially created to fill the need for a more upscale hotel in the area. Eventually it suffered from disrepair and it wasn't until 1997 that the building went under major renovations making it into the beautiful venue it is today!

 *read more

 

 

 

Thanks for exploring Woodland with me!! 

 

 

Travel Tuesday - Historical Woodland California

 

 

In the past couple of weeks, we have had the chance to finally venture out of the area and do a bit of local sightseeing(socially distanced and masked of course) during our search for our new RV. Our most recent shopping adventure took us near the historical California town of Woodland.

 

 

The County Seat of Yolo County, Woodland was originally inhabited by the Patwin.  A native people who moved into the valley area from the north, the Patwin enjoyed the warmer climate along with the rich farming soil found this central California valley. The Patwin people enjoyed their solitude until the early 1800s when British and American trappers made their way to the area in search of beaver and otter pelts. The trappers found what they were looking for and unfortunately they also passed on a disease which decimated the Patwin.

 

 

 

 

 In the Mid 1800s Frank Freeman acquired the then "Yolo City Store" from Henry Wyckoff with aspirations of building a large trading town for the large grain producing area.  In 1851 Freeman fomally petitioned a post office for "Woodland, CA."  Freeman's wife Gertrude thought the name was perfect for the wooded country that surrounded the area when she suggested it to her husband.

 

 

The Woodland Opera House, designed by San Francisco architect Thomas Welsh, was built during 1885 and opened 1886.  It was the first opera house in the Sacramento Valley, and the center of theatrical entertainment for the large farming community.  Little did they know tragedy would destroy the building less than 10 years later.

 

 

 

 

 

Behind the Woodland Opera District, in the Chinese section of the alley, fire broke out on July 1, 1892.  The flames were fanned by strong winds and, in addition to a block of homes, the Opera House along with businesses along with a large area of Main Street were destroyed. Due to the ongoing country wide depression, people feared rebuilding might not happen. Luckily,  David Hershey and other prominent businessmen of Woodland pulled together to rebuild, not only the Woodland Opera House, but by 1896 the rest of Main Street was ready for business as well!

Join me next week for a walk down Woodland's Historical Main Street!

 

 

Historical Data collected from:

https://strollthroughhistory.com/about-us/history/ 

https://woodlandchamber.org/woodland-history-2/ 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodland_Opera_House