RV travels with Rich and Judy: Parkview RV, Fort Stockton, TX; March 31-April 2, 2014

RV Park in Ft. Stockton

Tough little flower in site

We didn't expect much from this one and we weren't disappointed. The restrooms were barely ok at a glance, but the ladies room had no tissue from one afternoon to the next day, one shower had only cold water, and the other had water only from the handicap accessible faucet. The rest of the park was as expected – all sand and no trees or shrubs, just the tough little wildflowers that somehow manage to grow and bloom. Hookups and wi-fi worked, and the price was right.

Another tough little flower

Visitor Center

Grey Mule Saloon

We spent two nights here since the drive here was six hours and we battled a broadside wind nearly the entire way. Luckily there was a little museum we could visit so we whiled away a couple of hours there. Most of it was closed for renovation but we enjoyed what we saw. The Annie Riggs Memorial Museum is housed in an adobe structure built at the turn of the 20^th century and was originally a hotel and boarding house run by a frontier woman of the same name. The museum is 13 rooms loaded with artifacts from the early 1900's as well as archaeological finds from a site eight miles outside town which include tusks of a Colombian Mammoth and projectile points. Next to the front door of the museum sits Sheriff A.J. Royal's desk with blood stains remaining from his murder in 1894. It was thought that local businessmen drew straws for the honor of killing the unpopular sheriff and no one was ever charged with his murder.

Annie Riggs Museum

Butter Churn

On the east side of town is the site of the historic fort for which the town is named. There are only three buildings remaining from the “new” fort built in the 1860's The military presence here began in 1858 but was withdrawn during the Civil War. Confederate troops occupied the fort briefly and by the end of the war, little was left of the post.

Hoosier Cabinet

A true ice box

The post protected travelers and settlers on the numerous roads and trails (including the stage lines) heading west to Mexico and California from San Antonio. The abundant water supply of Comanche Springs made Fort Stockton a regular stop on these frontier crossroads, and it was here that these trails intersected the Comanche War Trail.

In spite of the sadly stark RV park, the sunrise the morning we left was spectacular. Just goes to show you can find beauty where you least expect it.