Touring Through Time Palo Pinto County on Tour Saturday, April 29th…everything you need to know…
Story by Bob Kaspar
Palo Pinto County is alive with history. From the Caddo, Hainai (also sometimes called Ioni), Tawakoni and other Native American peoples whose origins echo into a centuries-old history, through European exploration and the cattle booms of the 1800s, and into the dynamic growth of the modern era, it is a place full of stories.
Pam McQueary and Sandra Crawford are passionate about telling these stories. They are proud members of the Palo Pinto County Historical Commission, which formed in 1963 and is tasked with preserving, protecting and promoting the county’s history.
Both women have deep roots in the county, dating back to the 19th century, and as commission members they’ve been able to connect with their heritage.
Crawford and her husband, Don, own the Johnson League Ranch and Mausoleum, which owes its unique name to its founder, W.W. Johnson. In 1905, he bought a ranch that was an original Texas land grant encompassing one league (4,428 acres) of land.
McQueary’s ancestors lived in Palo Pinto County before it was even formed.
“My daddy, born in 1889, was someone who loved to share his family history with his nine kids,†she said.
McQueary said her fourth great-aunt was once taken in a raid by a Native American tribe. She eventually was released and walked back to her home near the border of Palo Pinto and Erath counties.
It’s stories like these that have motivated commission members such as Crawford and McQueary to organize the “Palo Pinto County on Tour†events, which the historical commission first began conducting in 2007.
The purpose of this self-guided driving tour is to showcase local historic gems, including some on private property whose owners gracefully open their gates to the public during the tour.
This year’s tour will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 29, and tourists will have access to seven sites across the county, including:
- The Magpie Inn in Mineral Wells.
- The Crazy Water Hotel in Mineral Wells.
- The small community of Oran.
- The Old Jail Museum.
- The First Christian Church in Palo Pinto.
- Lover’s Retreat in Palo Pinto County.
- Worth Ranch in Palo Pinto County.
Each site has its own unique story to tell.
Magpie Inn
The present-day Magpie Inn began life as the Tygrett Hotel. Built around 1910, it served as a boardinghouse during the mineral water boom that transformed the city of Mineral Wells into a vibrant tourist destination during the early 20th century. Many of the glass windowpanes and a few of the kitchen cabinets are original, while some of the light fixtures and other cabinetry hail from the famous Baker Hotel. The home’s current owners, Magen and Jeremy Desnoyers, have transformed it into a thriving bed and breakfast.
Crazy Water Hotel
The Crazy Water Hotel also played a central role in Mineral Wells’ past as a magnet for wellness tourism. The hotel was built in 1912 and soon attracted enthusiastic visitors from across the country. Unfortunately, the original hotel was destroyed by a fire in 1924. After a whopping $1.5 million investment, the building was rebuilt, and the Crazy Water Hotel reopened its doors to customers in 1927. It included a sanitarium, a water bottling plant, the Texas-Carlsbad Water Pavilion and two wooded parks. The basement featured a bath department that accommodated 150 visitors every day.
After the end of the local mineral water boom, the hotel shut down. In 1985, the Walker family bought the hotel and transformed it into a retirement community. Eventually, the retirement community closed and the hotel lay dormant for several years. In 2018, the property was purchased by the Nix family and underwent extensive renovations. New life was breathed into the building, and the Crazy Water Hotel is once again a premiere destination in downtown Mineral Wells. The hotel features 54 suites, a ballroom, several boutique shops, a salon, a brewery, and a coffee bar proudly serving Crazy Water.
Oran, Texas
The small community of Oran, Texas, once boasted a thriving mineral water business of its own. It also had hotels and a skating rink. Its origins date back to the 1850s, and it is believed by many to be the first settlement in Palo Pinto County. Oliver Loving and Charles Goodnight are said to have hatched the plan for their famous cattle drives under a pecan tree in Oran, setting the stage for the Goodnight-Loving Trail and providing the inspiration for Larry McMurtry’s classic novel “Lonesome Dove.†Oran prospered through the 1920s, with a large cotton industry and an operation to ship mineral water crystals nationwide. Eventually, Oran’s cotton industry was decimated by the boll weevil, and the town’s population began to shrink. Oran’s residents are proud of their community and invite visitors to bear witness to a major piece of Texas history. The Black Springs Fort was taken from its home in Oran and reassembled on site at the Old Jail Museum in Palo Pinto.
Old Jail Museum
The Old Jail Museum provides visitors with a detailed depiction of life in Palo Pinto County during the 1800s. Located in Palo Pinto, Texas, the seat of Palo Pinto County, the jail was constructed in 1882 from local sandstone. The lower floor features exhibits from the building’s nearly 60-year history as a jail and sheriff’s office. The top floor is packed with a vast collection of Native American artifacts, as well as heirlooms from the county’s rich ranching history. Four cabins from around the county were transported to the museum, reconstructed and turned into living history exhibits.
First Christian Church
The First Christian Church is another fantastic display of late 19th century architecture. As the oldest church building in the county, its worn, white wooden slats harken back to some of the county’s earliest days. The church was organized in the home of a lay preacher in 1857, and the building itself was constructed in 1882. The founders of Texas Christian University also were early pastors here.
Lover’s Retreat
Lover’s Retreat is one of the most popular tour stops. An old footbridge stretches across the winding waters of Eagle Creek as it meanders between towering boulders. Lover’s Retreat was once open to the public, and some Palo Pinto residents fondly recall having family reunions there. Legends abound as to how Lover’s Retreat received its name, with one popular story telling of Native American lovers who hid among the boulders to escape a forced marriage.
Worth Ranch
The Worth Ranch is another site showcasing the rich natural beauty of Palo Pinto County. With rocky riverbanks, verdant forests and towering bluffs, the ranch enchants visitors with stunning picturesque views. For more than 80 years, this Boy Scouts of America camp on the banks of the Brazos River has invited young men from across the country to hone their outdoor skills with activities such as camping, canoeing, rock climbing and archery. As part of the tour, the ranch’s winding trails and canyons will be open to the public.
The members of the Palo Pinto County Historical Commission spend hundreds of hours creating a tour that showcases the vivid history of this storied county, and they invite visitors from Palo Pinto County and beyond to join the tour, explore the stories of their past, and perhaps even create a few new ones of their own.
Palo Pinto County on Tour
Saturday, April 29
9 a.m.-4 p.m.
$20/adult; $5/child
Starting in mid-April, tickets will be available from the Mineral Wells and Possum Kingdom Chambers of Commerce.
Tickets are available at each location on the day of the tour.
For more information, visit www.palopintohistory.com
