Friends of Pecos

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

HISTORIC DISTRICT Etc...SAN ANGELO, TEXAS












The Concho River runs thru town with many pretty parks, gardens and walking trails...population 100,000.
Eggemeyer's General Store is HUGE and wonderful...if you are familiar with San Marcos...it's like the Paper Bear but 10 times bigger!
Concho St. makes up most of the historic district.
Miss Hattie's Bordello was a hopping place from around 1900 to 1946 at which time the Texas Rangers closed the place.
It has Miss Hattie's cafe next door and both places can be rented for events.
The Cactus Book Shop is Elmer Kelton Central...he lives in San Angelo and in case ya didn't know he's the best author of western fiction ever.
This town is like San Marcos but much better in that it still has a small town feel. Even though it has a college the city isn't taken over by it like SWT in San Marcos.
I could live here...it's very pretty.
It's smack dab in the middle of Texas with nothing around it at all for miles.
It's very wooly (sheep) with lots of cattle and some horses.
There are 2 lakes nearby.

THE CACTUS HOTEL. SAN ANGELO, TEXAS









In 1928 Conrad Hilton built this hotel.
It was one of his first Hilton Hotels and is currently one of the best preserved and has 14 floors.
The shops on the bottom level off of the lobby house an art gallery, 2 cake shops, a cafe, hair salon etc.
Five floors are "private"...hmmm....what're they doin' up there?
Two floors are apartments.
One of my favorite artists, James Gill lives and works in the Cactus Hotel.
There many offices on other floors...including: San Angelo Hospice, cultural affairs council, San Angelo Symphony, KCSA radio etc.
The hotel hosts many weddings and other gala affairs.

FORT CONCHO. SAN ANGELO, TEXAS






Established 1867.
Built of mostly native limestone.
Had 40 buildings over 1600 acres.
At full strength supported 400-500 men.
In June of 1889 the last of these soldiers marched away.
Today it is one of the best maintained and restored forts in Texas.
It now consists of 23 original and restored structures.