This required a decision to be made - it was one thing to drive past a movie set that was 46 years old - even if an important movie set - it is entirely another to drive by a historical place, one rooted in the history of the West and in the history of Texas. Therefore a decision was made to stop and visit Langtry even if it meant we had to drive like "bats out of hell" to make it to our hotel in Fort Stockton at a reasonable hour later that evening, knowing from experience that "small town Texas" restaurants close early with the exception of the "fast foodies".
Langtry was well worth the stop and anyone traveling that part of Texas should plan on making a stop there. The historical site is operated by the Texas Department of Transportation and not by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, which was a surprise. Surely the stories and legends that came out of Langtry fall into the Wild Life category. Here is a link to the TDoT website: http://www.txdot.gov/travel/safety_rest_areas/srahome.htm?sranbr=120&dir=X&title=Judge%20Roy%20Bean%20Visitor%20Center
If memory serves me correctly a number of movies were made about the good judge, but I can only find the link to one http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068853/ as well as links to a number of documentaries http://retrovision.tv/freevideo/judge-roy-bean-3-episodes and although they are not the greatest of the silver screen they are fun to watch: Just do a search for Judge Roy Bean movies, but do not forget the other person that is important in this story - Miss Lilly Langtree / Langtry - the Jersey Lilly. Here are a number of links http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lillie_Langtry; http://www.lillielangtry.com/Intro.htm; http://www.lillielangtry.com/;
A number of books are also available about the good judge and his life in Langtry, some of it surely factual, some of it legend, some of it hyperbolae; http://www.amazon.com/Judge-Bean-Country-Jack-Skiles/dp/0896723690, and here is the link to a website about the Judge and Langtry; http://www.judgeroybean.com/jrbhistory.html
Below are photos from that interesting stop in Langtry, which in 2006 still had a population of 36 people and a post office.
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| The famous Saloon and Court House of Judge Roy Bean |
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| An outlaw at the bar - obviously before he got in trouble |
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| The star of the place - notice the sign in the back. The good judge had his priorities straight. The sign reads, in order of importance; "No Shooting, Cutting, Fighting or Loud Cussing allowed., and Absolutely no Spitting on the Floor." |
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| The local flora and fauna. |
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| The wood above my wife's head says "Ice Cold Beer" Think about this. The nearest town with Ice making capability in those days is at least 47 miles away in Dryden, or perhaps even further away if it came from Sanderson. Imagine driving a horse wagon with ice covered in straw and hoping there would be some left by the time you reached Langtry in order not to upset the "good judge". |
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| The Opera House built for Lilly Langtre - there is some question as to whether she actually ever performed there. |
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| The Langtry post office and general store. Unfortunately it was closed when we got to the door, as they close at 4 PM. |
We saw many road-runners, a few Jack Rabbits, some deer and lots and lots of vultures eating their fill of road kill. Here is a link to Fort Stockton http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Stockton,_Texas
It must be said that no visit to Fort Stockton is complete without visiting Roadrunner Pete
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