Paris, TX

5/14

As Sheri went to work, Ken & one of their part-time caregivers for Uncle George had things to do, Gary & I headed for the Maxey House, the home of a former Confederate general & state senator, that is open for public tours. He also fought in the Mexican-American tussle. The house is closing for a 10-month renovation under the supervision of the state. Very much needed. After the interesting tour, we headed for a car wash. Even though the heavens were preparing to open once again, Gary decided that getting the road grime off the truck was necessary. This car wash was fully automated. Just select the type of wash you want and the machines do the rest. It was pretty cool. Works really well & wish we had one at home. Also wish there was one the coach would fit in. In spite of the clouds, the guys decided to hit the links. They got in 3 holes & the drenching rain began. The bedraggled golfers returned. After a dinner & good conversation lasting late in the evening, we returned to the coach &, yes, slept like babes. The bed in our coach is soooo comfortable!




		The Sam Maxey house in Paris. Read about him above. The bricks are part of the walkway around the house & the fence has been there for a looong time. It was a five acre property originally. He built this 4 bedroom home that he & his wife occupied for years. His adopted daughter then married the fellow across the street and, on the death of Sam’s wife, the daughter & hubby moved in. It was after her death in the 60’s that the home was turned over to the state.



			The keepers of the Maxey house do not allow interior photos to be taken, but Gary spotted this photo at their bookstore. They graciously allowed us to take a picture of the picture of the dining room. An unusual aspect to this home is most of the furnishings are original. This made the tour more meaningful, as there were stories about how some of the furniture came to be there.





		Thought this well-maintained, old rod-iron fence was unusual. This is part of the yard of the house across the street.




		In the neighborhood of the Maxey house stands this neglected beauty. Makes you want to buy it & restore it. Beautiful lines & detail, just being left to rot.


		This is the house across the street. Designated an historical landmark, it is privately owned & not open to the public. Beautifully maintained.


		This grand, impeccable home is immediately next door to the Maxey house.

	We went to the car wash. Read all about it above. I was fascinated by the pastel colors of the final stage of the carwash, gel-coat sealer wax.

5/15

Rain threatens once again. The guys are going to try again with the golf after Uncle George’s caregiver arrives. 93-year-old George lost his wife about 2 years ago & cannot live on his own. Mild dementia demands that someone be with him all the time. He’s a sweet, personable guy who’s a bit muddled. Ken & Sheri opened their home to him as the alternative was a nursing home & they couldn’t bear to do that. This morning I’m shooting pictures of Ken’s man-cave & contents while Gary & Ken examine Ken’s pride & joy, a 2009 Dodge special edition thingy. It’s really quite astounding to see all the work & care Ken puts into his two very special cars. A little coach cleanup finishes my morning while Sheri is at work.


	Our friends’ lovely home in a tree-filled neighborhood. Behind the tree on the right is the driveway where our ‘Roadhouse’ is parked.


	Gary is brushing away the excess rainwater sitting on the slide’s awnings.




		Ken’s Man Cave. Containing his 1933 Chevy Coupe & his 2009 Dodge limited edition muscle car. The Cadillac has a Norstar engine, making it rather special, too.




	Molly, who should be herding something, is a bright & cheerful 2 year-old with never-ending energy. A very special dog..




		Ken explains the finer points of his Dodge. It only has 600 miles on it. I might add that Ken has another garage with the everyday transportation parked there.




		Above & Below: Portraits of a happy man.




	Left: A painstaking restoration of a REAL gas pump decorates Ken’s Man Cave. Above: Some of the many awards the Coupe has won.


	This immaculate & beautifully detailed Chevy Coupe has not a speck of dust on it. It looks down on the world from its lofty position on the hydraulic lift and waits for its opportunity to be shown again.

5/16

A few words about Paris, located on the Red River. Historians had a lot of different ‘legends’ about who named the town & why. Investigating these stories proved possible, but each story was ultimately debunked. So the mystery remains.

About 26,000 people reside here. The railroad runs through it, providing relatively inexpensive access for shipping large goods or large quantities. There seems to be a strong component of local small businesses. There is also a regional medical center, a division of Kimberly-Clark, a division of Campbell soup and a large pipe manufacturing company that probably constitute the major employers in the area. You’ll find a Walmart, Walgreen’s & CVS, along with 3 or 4 of the major suite-type hotels & some interesting local restaurants, as well as a couple of chains. Just about anything you need can be found here. Some enchanting architecture is seen on some of the old businesses & homes. Did I mention that there might be some ranching going on here, too?

It is quite warm here in the summer and there are many, many trees literally making a canopy over most of the town. Some of the trunks on these trees are huge, showing their age & that they were planted long before air-conditioning. Paris has had a very wet winter & spring, so consequently there are healthy-looking green fields with grasses waving. The wildflowers & bushes are bursting into bloom. The gently rolling hills of East Texas are very scenic, very peaceful. Lots of frisky squirrels bounding from one tree to the next & racing across the ground in Ken & Sheri’s gracious neighborhood while mockingbirds trill in the trees.

The town participated in & survived the Civil War. There are many statues, etc., commemorating the civil war in and around the lovely town square. As with so much of the south, cotton was a major part of the economy back in the day. It brought wealth & jobs. It brought a worldliness to Paris from the entrepreneurs & investors who came here from all over. There is a wonderful, rich history to this town. Check it out: www.paristexas.com

We have enjoyed meeting some friendly Texans with their famous good manners. They are basic folks with a deeply ingrained sense of independence, faith, hard work and generosity of spirit. A nice place. We’ve enjoyed our time here.


	As we walk around Ken & Sheri’s neighborhood we are laughing at the antics of the squirrels that are fairly common here. Busy with gathering nuts & racing around chasing one another, they seem to have boundless energy.




	‘Please, oh please, just throw my toy one more time’, sweet Molly seems to say with those expressive eyes. So, Gary did.




	This very old sign adorns a small cafe across from the county courthouse.




	The Lamar County Courthouse. Built in 1917 to replace the fire ravaged 1897 courthouse, the pink marble from the first was salvaged for use on the second.




		Bass Reeves, born in slavery, served in the Confederate army, emerged as one of the most famous Federal Marshalls roaming the territory of Oklahoma & bringing outlaws to the courts of Fort Smith AK & Paris TX. An experienced gunfighter, he killed 14 men in the line of duty. He was considered the most outstanding peace officer of his time. He is enshrined in the Cowboy Hall of Fame.



		The lower walls & post are the original marble. The steps are also marble. All brought back to new with the restoration of this building. Sheri leads the way as we explore the courthouse.




		This fire escape was probably in place for the 4th floor, where the prisoners were kept while awaiting trial.



				I just loved the soft light of these beautiful fixtures.


	Up on the third floor, I saw a glass door. Peeking in, I discovered we were on the balcony level of a large courtroom. As it was in session, we couldn’t go in. What a grand room! I’ve never seen a balcony in a courtroom.




				One of the old light fixtures outside the courthouse. Lovely detail on the metal.



	Across from the courthouse, these aging buildings appear to be on their last legs. But don’t count them out. It looks like restoration is alive & well in downtown Paris.




	‘The sons of Texas who fell in battle’, ‘the women of the south whose devotion sustained us’, ‘our heroes of 1861-1865’ are a few of the sentiments expressed on this Confederate war memorial constructed in 1903. It also includes the busts of 4 of the leaders of the Confederacy. Paris actively participated in the war and this memorial is displayed on the grounds of the courthouse.



				A well-rounded town must have one of these.


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