By Bonnie and Bill Neely
Although we have been in Jefferson, Texas, many times through the years, we always stop in this beautiful, historic town. Jefferson was the fifth or sixth town established in Texas, with its beginning about 1840. Having been recently acquired from the Caddo Indians, this site was a perfect docking point for steamships with supplies coming from New Orleans, St. Louis, and other places on the Red River. With the shipping of goods from the states on the Atlantic seaboard so important for early settlers in the West, Jefferson grew to a population of around 30,000 people. It is on the banks of the Big Cypress Bayou.
The Red River Raft, as it was known in the early years, was a vast logjam on the Red River which, according to the Caddo Tribe, had been there for over 100 years. It had been impossible to break up until 1879 when the newly formed Corps of Engineers used the just invented nitro glycerin to blast the logs and permit the river to flow freely. However, no one foresaw that this would lower the depth of the Red River and make it impossible for the ship trade to reach Jefferson. A few years earlier the Robber Baron Jay Gould had tried to establish his railroad to make Jefferson an important stop. However, because of the excellent River trade, the town refused to permit the railroad to come there. Gould warned that the citizens would deeply regret this decision, and sadly, when the Raft was broken up the town population ultimately diminished to around 3,000 people. We were fascinated to see The Atlanta, the opulent private rail car owned by Jay Gould, which is permanently on display, adding much to the feel of the historic era. And the R.D. Moses Model Train Layout is in a building that looks like an early train station. Train lovers of any age will enjoy this exacting model train village scene.
The poignant and lovely historic walk through the town today, whose population is under 2,000, is so beautiful with homes, hotel, stores, churches from the mid 1800’s so well-preserved. The magnificent trees along the town’s streets make the setting refreshing, even on a hot summer day. The Excelsior House Hotel is the oldest hotel in Texas and has been in continuous operation since 1858. You can stay in one of fifteen guest rooms beautifully furnished with priceless period antiques (but also equipped with all the modern features you need, including cable TV and great wi-fi.) This beautiful hotel has hosted many famous people through the years: Ulysses S. Grant, Oscar Wilde, Rutherford B. Hayes, Lady Bird Johnson, Steven Spielberg, to mention a few. Many parties and important events have taken place in the beautiful grand ballroom and the fountain courtyard. In 1961 the Jessie Allen Wise Garden Club, with the association of the Excelsior Foundation, began operating the hotel as a non-profit. Although our schedule did not permit a stay overnight in Jefferson, we enjoyed a tour of these exquisite facilities, marveling at the opulence of the 19th Century.
For a Must-See stop on a Jefferson walking history tour every visitor will be fascinated by the old mercantile store. The huge array of merchandise displayed in the ages old Jefferson General Store include souvenirs, toys, groceries, and much more is so interesting. It would be impossible to see everything because the store is so filled, and the ice cream is a delicious treat.
We just happened to park in front of The Grove, built in 1861, now on the National Registry of Historic Places, now a bed and breakfast. Enormous trees in the yard shelter a lovely white carriage. Later we learned this is the most haunted old building in town. It had been the home of different families through the years. Several owners could see the “Lady in White” ghost woman walk through the walls and pass through halls that no longer existed but were in the early drawings of the home. She was apparently on a quest to check her children sleeping in their bedroom, which no longer exists. Numerous guests have seen the apparition, heard non-existent children playing, and heard footsteps on the stairs. What a story! We wish it had been open when we were there! Haunted Ghost Tours is a fascinating walk through the paranormal activities in this historic town featured in several ghostly movies.
NOTE: If you enjoy our monthly features here, we hope you will also order our travel book: Real Ventures: Did We Really Do That?!! by Bonnie Burgess Neely. With five stars everywhere online (AmazonBooks; Barnes&Noble; Google;ITunes and wherever books are sold). Our true travel stories will give you MANY LAUGHS and some GASPS of things that happened to us as we drove mileage equivalent to 3 trips to the moon or around the earth’s equator 25 times, taking in 9 countries including all over the USA, Canada, and Central America. Give yourself and loved ones this gift of fun leisure time reading!
IF YOU GO TO JEFFERSON, TEXAS: https://theexcelsiorhouse.com/, https://texastimetravel.com/directory/jefferson-historic-ghost-walk/, https://visitjeffersontexas.com/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay_Gould, https://visitjeffersontexas.com/history.
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