Langtry, home of Judge Roy Bean, the Law West of the Pecos

On Thursday, we had about a 3 hour drive (took us about 4 hours with stops) from Hondo to Langtry.

When we did our epic journey around Texas with our dads in 1992, we arrived in Langtry after the visitor center was closed (I guess 5pm). We had stopped for gas in Del Rio and discussed staying there for the night, but opted to push on (we were making miles as well as memories!).

My notes from our photo book about our "epic journey around Texas".

The reconstructed "Jersey Lilly" where the Judge dispensed justice.

The Texas Visitor's Center has a pretty garden with a lot of local plants, neatly labeled. If you look closely, you might see Miss Doozie parked right outside the fence (just to the left of center).

This display captured the essence that I got from Judge Roy Bean's enforcement of the law:
"He searched the body of the victim and found a revolver and forty-one dollars in cash. 'It is the duty of this court to confiscate this here concealed weapon, which is a dam' good gun, because it's legally ag'inst the law to carry a gun, especially a dead man. And in view of the evidence, I find it the court's duty to fine the offender forty-one simoleons for carryin' concealed weapons.' "
-- Ruel McDaniel, Vinegarraon: The Saga of Judge Roy Bea, "The Law West of the Pecos"

 

Langtry is located at that point where the Rio Grande makes its big curve southeast.

After the visitor center had closed, a couple from Switzerland came along. They decided to spend the night here too - planning to visit the exhibit the next morning.

On our way out of Langtry I got a picture of the "motel" that we decided not to stay in when we visited back in 1992. I so distinctly remember that time. Peggy had said that she would travel in the back seat of the van and "not say a word". When we were stopped outside this place contemplating whether we should stay, not a word came from the back of the van... but I could *feel* that Peggy was thinking the same as me... "We really can't be staying there, can we?" It looked like a gas station that had taken the garage bays and made them into motel rooms. There *were* 3 rooms (which is how many we needed), but we moved on...