Whitehead Memorial Museum & Judge Roy Bean, Del Rio, Texas

While in Del Rio, Texas we visited the Whitehead Memorial Museum, which also had an exhibit about Judge Roy Bean. We then stopped at Judge Bean's original exhibit on our way to Big Bend National Park. 

Del Rio, Texas boasts a notable viniculture history, with Val Verde Winery being the oldest continuously operating winery in the state, established by Italian immigrant Frank Qualia in 1883. Del Rio Vineyards also cultivates a variety of grapes, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and others, for both estate wines and as a supplier for other winemakers. 

This bed was purchased from the Ed Block store in Del Rio by Francesco Franki (1842-1911) at the time of his marriage to Angelina Arrigo (1850-1934) in 1901. All eight Franki children were made and born in this bed. Francesco started viniculture in area (viniculture specifically pertains to the cultivation of grapes for wine production).

1875 Beckwith Organ

This is an 1875 Jamestown Territory Centennial Exposition Award Given Organ model made by Beckwith Organ Company in Chicago, Illinois. The Beckwith Organ Company was considered one of the top leading reed organ manufacturers. The Jamestown Territory Centennial Exposition, held from April 26 to December 1, 1907, celebrated the 300th Anniversary of the founding of Jamestown in the Virginia Colony. 

The Victor Victrola 4-4

The Victor Talking Machine Company is an American Flagship recording company headquartered in Camden, New Jersey. The company was founded by Eldridge R. Johnson. In September 1906, Johnson and his engineers designed a new line of phonographs with the turntable and amplifying horn tucked away inside a wooden cabinet. This was not done for reasons of audio fidelity, but for visual aesthetics. The intention was to produce a phonograph that looked less like a piece of machinery and more like a piece of furniture. These internal horn machines were trademarked with the name Victrola. The 4-4 model was introduced in late 1925.

Wilcox & Gibbs "Noiseless Sewing Machine"

In 1856, at the age of 27, James Gibbs had invented a completely new method of sewing. Gibbs manufactured a lower revolving hook to catch the top thread and twist it into a loop to lock it into the fabric with the following thread. This became known as the Chain Stitch.

Murphy Bed

A Murphy Bed (in North America) also called a Wall Bed, pull down bed or fold-down bed is a bed that is hinged at one end to store vertically against the wall, or inside of a closet or cabinet. The bed is named for William Lawrence Murphy (1876-1959), who applied for his first patents around 1900. According to legend, he was wooing an opera singer, but living in a one-room apartment in San Francisco, and the moral code of the time frowned upon a woman entering a man's bedroom. Murphy's invention converted his bedroom into a parlor, enabling him to entertain. This bed belonged to Walter Block.

Strange using an armadillo as a lamp shade

Children's room

Ha Ha -- Jim's in jail

Original Jersey Lilly Saloon

White Frost Sanitary Refrigerator

In the early 1900s, most ice boxes looked like plain wooden cabinets. Before electric refrigeration, they were fitted inside with a space for ice, which had to be topped off regularly to keep food cool and fresh. Designed by Charles H. Boeck in 1906, The White Frost Refrigerator was the only cylinder shaped ice box. A block of ice sat in a compartment under the lid and chilled air was vented into the food storage space below. 

This refrigerator was advertised as being more hygienic -- easy clean curbed enameled steel, food always in perfect condition. It was a better design, better insulated, economical with ice, and had revolving shelves. It was desirable yet affordable -- stylish, special, above-average price payable in installments.

Roy Bean married 15-year old Virginia Chavez in San Antonio on October 28, 1866. Their union brought forth four Beanitos: Roy, Jr., Sam, Laura, and Zulema. They also adopted a son named John. It was Roy's first and last marriage. They divorced around 1880 and Roy left her in San Antonio while he went South.

Washing Machine, circa 1899

Lye soap, made of Lye and Lard Fat were very common in all households. They washed dishes, took baths, shampooed their hair, and laundered clothes with this soap.

This bed was used in the filming of movie "Alamo" (long version). It was presented to John Wayne's daughter at her birthday party.

Wagon Graveyard

This is the final resting place for the wagon's parts, circa 1800-1900.

My name is "Bo"

I am a male Blue and Gold Macaw. I am native to the forests and woodlands of South America. I eat primarily nuts, seeds and fruit. Be careful -- I bite!

Santa's Workshop

This workshop is an example of fantasy and humor in miniature. You have Mrs. Claus' kitchen on the top. She is cooking a crown roast, Christmas sweets, cookies, Cherries Jubilee, chocolate mountains, lime pie and other Christmas treats. It is a snowy cold North Pole day, but the kitchen is warm and cheery and everyone is welcome, even for Harold the elf, who takes out the garbage (potato skins to deter bugs).

In Santa's workshop, the elves have duties but can be mischievous. The mini toys are cute -- made of cloth, paper, porcelain, clay, wood or metal. The shelves are full of "I wants" -- from Santa. Santa is a handmade, clay jointed doll with white mohair. He is napping. The phone is off the hook. An elf "shh-s" a mouse. Bags of mail are stacked up from children around the world. See the bag from Del Rio? Do you think they come to life when everyone is asleep?

What a typewriter!

Caboose

Six Flags of Texas

When we left Del Rio, we headed west on Hwy 90 on our way to Big Bend National Park. We stopped in Langtry to visit Judge Roy Bean's Museum. There are lots of stories Judge Bean, which I found in Texas Highway's Travel: Judge Roy Bean: The Law, the Lies, and Lillie.

Bean has often been confused with "hanging judge" Parker of Ft. Smith (perhaps because their slightly unorthodox or creative sentencing). Bean never actually hanged anyone, although he occasionally "staged" hangings to scare criminals. Bean would prepare a script with his "staff" -- if they were sober enough -- which allowed for the prisoner to escape. Given this "second chance" -- the culprits never appeared before the court again. 

Bean never sentenced anyone to the penitentiary. If anything needed doing in Langtry -- the prisoner would do it. If there was nothing to be done, the prisoner could take it easy by simply being staked out in the sun.

One of the area's most colorful and legendary residents was Judge Roy Bean. Justice was swift and Judge Bean's word was the Law West of the Pecos. The first Justice of the Peace in Pecos County, the judge was a legend even in his own time.

Preserved by the Texas Department of Transportation, the original Jersey Lilly saloon-courtroom, named after Bean's idol, Lillie Langtry, still stands in Langtry, providing travelers with a historic view into the past. 

Visitors can learn about some of the legendary escapades of Judge Bean, including his successful promotion of the Maher-Fitzsimmon prize fight in February 1896 in defiance of the United States and Mexican law. Court was held in the saloon, where he displayed pictures of "The Jersey Lilly," British actress Lilly Langtry, who he never met. She visited the town at his invitation, but made it after Judge Bean's death.

The silver spike that connected the transcontinental tracks of the Southern Pacific's Sunset Route was driven a short distance away at Dead Man's Gulch in 1883. The tracks stretched from New Orleans to San Francisco, opening a southern route west.

Lilly Langtry

Lillie Langtry

Roy Bean was born in Kentucky. He was a trader in Mexico, was mining in New Mexico when the Civil War broke out he was a spy and scout. He joined the Texans in the command of Gen. John R. Baylor during the 1861-1862 Arizona-New Mexico campaign. He organized an irregular company called "Free Rovers." He took part in the capture of 800 Federals. After 1862 he was a Confederate freighter, hauling cotton to Matamoros from San Antonio and bringing into Texas wartime goods: guns, ammunition, medicines, cloth, shoes and food. 

In the pre-Langtry days in San Antonio, Roy Bean used to haul and sell milk. In order to increase profits, he added creek water to the milk. When the buyers started noticing minnows in the milk, Roy seemed as surprised as the buyers. "By Gobbs," he said, "I'll have to stop them cows from drinking out of the creek."

In 1882, Roy Bean was appointed Justice of the Peace for Precinct 6 (then Pecos, now Val Verde County) where he tamed the rough frontier town of Langtry, where he spent the rest of his life. Roy Bean may have been a heavy drinker and a shady character, but he came highly recommended by Texas Rangers, who felt he "had what it would take" to bring the law "West of the Pecos."

Bean enjoyed his tough reputation and he kept his kindness hidden. Throughout the years, he took some of the fines and much of the collected goods and gave them to the poor and destitute of the area, doing so without it being known. He even took money collected in the Jersey Lilly and used them to buy medicine for the sick and poor in and around Langtry.

Explaining why he had helped so many people, Roy Bean explained it this way to his friend: "Well Dodd, I haven't been any goldang angel myself and there might be a lot charged up to me on Judgment Day; and I figure what good I can do -- the Lord will give me credit when the time comes." He was very sincere in this belief and it was the sum and total of any religious statement from Roy Bean.

An owner of a Langtry restaurant owed Bean money and when he didn't pay, Bean waited until the restaurant was full, he then took his place by the door and had each customer pay him for their meal. The last few customers paid the interest.

One story about Roy Bean is when he fined a dead man $40 -- the exact amount that was in the corpse's pocket. Less known is the fact that the $40 bought a casket, headstone and paid the grave digger's labor. He did, however, keep the man's gun for use as a gavel.

Eclipse Windmill

This rare 10-foot model P Eclipse windmill was sold about 1900 by Fairbanks, Morse & Company. It is one of many that played an important part in the development of West Texas. Windmills provided the power to bring vital, pure, thirst-quenching water to the surface. The reliable, long-lasting eclipse enabled the Texas pioneers to conquer and possess this land. This wooden tower, bought as a kit, was shipped out on the railroad and erected at the well site.

Roy Bean's billiard table legs

Roy Bean died on March 19, 1903, after a heavy drinking spree in Del Rio. He returned home at 10am and died that night at 10pm. The real reason he died was he simply lost the will to live. Bean could not adjust to modern times. The thing that sent him on his binge was the start of construction on a power plant on the Pecos River. He used to say that times were changing and he was being left behind.

Along with all the memorabilia at the museum, there was also a garden where these plants were:

Beargrass

Beargrass is used as a roofing material and for making baskets and brooms.

Century Plant

Blooms after about 10 years, but like other agaves, it dies after it blooms. A similar species produces tequila in Mexico.

Claret Cup

Hedgehog, strawberry cactus. It has beautiful red flowers about April 1, followed by a tasty fruit utilized like strawberries.

Ornamental Agave

This native of Mexico is used as an ornamental plant in Texas. Like other agaves, the plant dies after it blooms.

Pitaya

Strawberry cactus; it has large snowy purple blossoms in May, followed by fruit somewhat similar to strawberries.

Sotol

The leaves were used by Indians to weave mats. The heart of the plant can be baked and eaten and alcohol produced from it.

Spanish Dagger

Flowers and fruit are born on large stalks and are eaten by humans and animals.

Teawood

Kidney weed; popotillo; boiled by "curanderos," or healers, to make a tea for treatment of kidney or liver disorders.

Texas Mountain Laurel

Poisonous red beans were ground to kill fish or strung on string to decorate Christmas trees.

Leather Plant

Rubber weed; used as a chewing gum substitute. Juice used for hardening gums, removing tooth stains, treating sores and stopping flow of blood from minor wounds.

Texas Pistachio

The only place in the United States where this tree grows naturally is near the mouth of the Pecos River. Female trees produce tiny, inedible seeds.