George Ranch
Today we went to George Ranch Historical Park, which was very cool. We saw a blacksmith, a 1830s rancher and his home, an 1890s sharecropper, and four cowboys loading six longhorns into a trailer.
The longhorns were grouchy and didn't want to be loaded. The cowboys had a heck of a time getting them in, and finally they just moved four and came back for the other two. Those are some big cattle. The cowhorses were very nonchalant, much more so than their riders.
The 1830s rancher (Mr. Jones) was the best. He was really in character, he was funny, and the kids enjoyed it. We solemnly pinkie-swore not to reveal exactly who taught us this, but now the kids and I know how to say "You smell like a stinky buffalo" in the trading sign language of the southern plains from that time period. We can also offer to trade longhorns for bears, among equally useful phrases.
The sharecropper told us about his hogs, which included some of a specific breed (Spanish hogs from an island in Georgia) that lots of settlers had, and one formerly-feral hog who liked to have her back scratched. We helped clean his mule harness and we saw his tiny cabin. After the 1830s "dog-run cabin" it was surprising to see a smaller, crummier house. He helped explain to the kids that being a sharecropper basically meant being free but dirt-poor, with zero prospects for yourself or your children.
We also looked at an 1860s home (with the scandalous wallpapered bedroom, just imagine wallpaper in a room that only you and your husband would ever see! How decadent!), an 1890s Victorian home, and a 1930s ranch home (for the wealthy ranch owners) with its outbuildings (including a tree house for their niece that was bigger than the "bach house" where the cowboys congregated for meals and rest). In theory, this family was very good to their workers (sharecroppers got to keep 35% of their crops, cowboys were well-fed and got a new set of clothes every 6 months) but freeyow, the inequity makes my teeth hurt.
Anyway, it's fun to tour, and we had gorgeous weather: overcast with thunder, but it only rained briefly in the early afternoon, so it was cool and breezy with almost nobody else there. Perfect.
The longhorns were grouchy and didn't want to be loaded. The cowboys had a heck of a time getting them in, and finally they just moved four and came back for the other two. Those are some big cattle. The cowhorses were very nonchalant, much more so than their riders.
The 1830s rancher (Mr. Jones) was the best. He was really in character, he was funny, and the kids enjoyed it. We solemnly pinkie-swore not to reveal exactly who taught us this, but now the kids and I know how to say "You smell like a stinky buffalo" in the trading sign language of the southern plains from that time period. We can also offer to trade longhorns for bears, among equally useful phrases.
The sharecropper told us about his hogs, which included some of a specific breed (Spanish hogs from an island in Georgia) that lots of settlers had, and one formerly-feral hog who liked to have her back scratched. We helped clean his mule harness and we saw his tiny cabin. After the 1830s "dog-run cabin" it was surprising to see a smaller, crummier house. He helped explain to the kids that being a sharecropper basically meant being free but dirt-poor, with zero prospects for yourself or your children.
We also looked at an 1860s home (with the scandalous wallpapered bedroom, just imagine wallpaper in a room that only you and your husband would ever see! How decadent!), an 1890s Victorian home, and a 1930s ranch home (for the wealthy ranch owners) with its outbuildings (including a tree house for their niece that was bigger than the "bach house" where the cowboys congregated for meals and rest). In theory, this family was very good to their workers (sharecroppers got to keep 35% of their crops, cowboys were well-fed and got a new set of clothes every 6 months) but freeyow, the inequity makes my teeth hurt.
Anyway, it's fun to tour, and we had gorgeous weather: overcast with thunder, but it only rained briefly in the early afternoon, so it was cool and breezy with almost nobody else there. Perfect.