Day Trips & Beyond: November Events Roundup
Learn something new and explore what's out there this fall
By Gerald E. McLeod, 4:10PM, Thu. Nov. 2, 2023
November means it’s time to celebrate chili, sausage, and the holidays.
One of the inspiring stories at the National Ranching Heritage Center in Lubbock is that of Daniel Webster “80 John” Wallace, whose modest cross-shaped board-and-batten house (pictured on the left above) belied his wealth. Born into slavery in Victoria County, Wallace joined the cattle drives at age 15 and went on to become one of the most successful African American ranchers in West Texas. In 1877 he went to work on Clay Mann’s 80 Ranch, where he earned his nickname. While working for Mann as top hand, Wallace took $5 of his monthly pay and saved the rest. At age 25 he went back to school to learn to read, write, and cipher. By 1885 he purchased his own ranch between Colorado City and Sweetwater in Mitchell County. When oil was discovered on his land, he moved into a new house in town so his children could go to school. He died in 1939 at age 74. The ranch is still owned by his descendants.
Ranch learning. It’s understandably difficult to get the stroller set to be interested in the historic architecture encompassed in the National Ranching Heritage Center in Lubbock. Other than the ride on the trolley, there’s not much to hold a youngster’s attention on the 1½-mile trek around the 19 acres with more than 50 structures rescued from ranches around the state and beyond.
That was until last month, when the Cash Family Ranch Life Learning Center opened at the Ranching Center, giving children a place to play and learn about ranching guided by Hank the Cowdog, head of ranch security. Author John R. Erickson, creator of the Hank the Cowdog series of youth books, wrote a set of five books explaining the intricacies of ranching, and the play area is linked to their stories. In the area just outside the main building, young and old get to smell and touch livestock feed, see how a windmill works, learn about solar panels, understand the ecology and wildlife of a ranch, watch a hologram saddle a horse, and just play.
On the west side of the Texas Tech University campus and across the Marsha Sharp Freeway, the Ranching Center includes a museum with an exhibit of costumes from Taylor Sheridan’s 1883 production, plus Western art and artifacts. The real stars of the show are the houses, churches, and ranch equipment. There are buildings from 6666 Ranch, Charles Goodnight’s JA Ranch, the Pitchfork Ranch, plus ranch headquarters buildings, line camp cabins, dugouts, and all sizes of mansions on the prairie. “We are passing on our heritage through stories,” said Communications Manager Adrian Hawkins.
National Ranching Heritage Center, 3121 Fourth St., Lubbock, 806/742-0498. Open daily. Free. ranchingheritage.org
Home of ancients. This year the Aztec Ruins National Monument turns 100 years old. It was established by presidential proclamation by Warren G. Harding on Jan. 24, 1923. In 1987, Aztec Ruins was designated as a United Nations World Heritage Site alongside Chaco Culture National Historical Park and five other prominent Chacoan sites managed by the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management. Not as well-known or as scenic as Chaco Canyon or Mesa Verde National Park, the Aztec Ruins are nonetheless loaded with mystery and beauty.
In New Mexico about 20 miles south of the Colorado border, the ruins have nothing to do with the Aztec people of the Valley of Mexico. In fact, the multistory communal dwellings are probably centuries older than the society in Mexico. The site in the fertile Animas River Valley was primarily built in waves from AD1110 to AD1124 in a similar style as the ruins in Chaco Canyon. It was abandoned by 1150 at the same time Chaco Canyon was depopulated. Then, 100 years later, migrants from Mesa Verde used the previous buildings as a foundation for additional construction. Aztec Ruins were again abandoned around 1252 for unknown reasons.
There is no charge to wander the grounds of the ruins made of stacked sandstone blocks. The rooms are small with 8-to-10-foot-high wood ceilings that remain intact even after centuries in the dry climate. The self-guided tour directed by placards explaining the features follows a path knocked through the walls by pothunters in the 1800s.
The centuries-old stone walls are significant, but the most remarkable part of the Aztec Ruins National Monument is the reconstructed Great Kiva in the central plaza of the pueblo. Earl H. Morris, an archeologist, excavated the ruins for five years, beginning in 1916 when he was 25 years old, for the American Museum of Natural History in New York. As an expert on the ancient civilizations of the Four Corners area, he returned in 1933 to reconstruct the Great Kiva. The exact use of these large, circular rooms built partially underground (there were 29 smaller kivas at the site) is not known, but you get the feeling of walking into an ancient cathedral as you descend the stairs.
Aztec Ruins National Monument is an underutilized and even less understood relic of the past. Although it is much smaller than the ruins at Chaco Canyon and not as picturesque as the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings, the Aztec Ruins are much more accessible. The park headquarters and museum, which are in the adobe house that Morris built at the site, are less than a mile through a residential neighborhood from the highway between Durango, Colo., and Farmington, N.M.
Aztec Ruins National Monument, Aztec, New Mexico. Open daily. Free. nps.gov/azru/index.htm
Travel Notes
Leaf Peeping. It’s time once again for staff at Lost Maples State Natural Area to publish their weekly report on the changes at the state’s most-watched fall colors. As of late October the maples hadn’t started turning gold yet, but cold, wet weather should bring on the changes.
What could possibly go wrong? They’ve been shooting anvils in Hamilton for 105 years, so they should know by now how to do it safely, if there is such a thing. There definitely is a thing called the American Legion Anvil Shoot at American Legion Cunningham Post 222 in Hamilton on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, from 5 to 8am (yes, that’s am). Free breakfast will be served after the shoot. The tradition started in 1918 after World War I. This is how it works: They stack two heavy anvils with a load of gunpowder in between, then shoot at it until the gunpowder explodes and the top anvil goes flying. Sound like fun? Evidently it was a common game played in pioneer times to celebrate special events.
Welcome home. To be honest, the Homestead Fair in Elm Mott, just north of Waco, had grown so crowded that nobody went there anymore (my apologies to Yogi Berra). For the 36th edition of the farm, arts, and food festival, traditionally held the weekend after Thanksgiving, the Christian community that hosts the fair has expanded it to three weekends, Nov. 24-26 and Dec. 1-2 & 8-9. That should spread out the crowds and make the family-friendly festival more enjoyable for all.
We’ll see. Texas did not benefit from the El Niño weather pattern this summer as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had predicted, according to an article in the Brazos River Authority newsletter. Instead of a wet, cool summer, we had the second-hottest summer on record. Lakes Belton, Georgetown, and Proctor saw significant decreases while Lake Stillhouse was at its lowest level since it was built in the 1960s. The elevated fire danger resulted in 1,148 wildfires burning 129,133 acres. The unnamed author quoted John Nielsen-Gammon, director of the Southern Regional Climate Center at Texas A&M, as predicting a wetter and cooler winter than normal this year.
Other November Events
Jump to a region: Big Bend | Gulf Coast | Hill Country | Panhandle | Piney Woods | Prairies & Lakes | South TexasBIG BEND
Frank X. Tolbert-Wick Fowler Original Terlingua International Chili Championship Nov. 1-4, Terlingua, abowlofred.com
Terlingua International Chili Cook-off Nov. 1-5, Terlingua, casichili.net/terlingua-263648.html
Shumla Treks Nov. 4, 5, 18, Comstock, shumla.org
Artwalk Alpine Nov. 17-18, Alpine, artwalkalpine.com/artwalk-alpine-2023
GULF COAST
Lone Star Rally Nov. 2-5, Galveston, lonestarrally.com
Greek Festival Nov. 3-5, Corpus Christi, fb.com/greekfestivalcc
Surfside Kites and Sandcastles Nov. 4, Surfside, fb.com/groups/445777642154789
Explore Bowhunting Nov. 11, Needville, tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/brazos-bend
Father of Texas: San Felipe de Austin’s 200th Anniversary Nov. 11, San Felipe, thc.texas.gov/historic-sites/san-felipe-de-austin-state-historic-site
Treasures by the Sea and Kite Fly-by Show Nov. 11, Surfside, visitsurfsidebeachtx.org
Chris Shepherd’s Table to Stage With Katie Parla Nov. 13, Houston, stageshouston.com/table-to-stage
Bird Banding Nov. 18, Lake Jackson, gcbo.org
Nativity Exhibit Nov. 24-Dec. 10, Port Lavaca, fb.com/p/annual-nativity-exhibit-100086458226649
Cistern Illuminated Nov. 25-Jan. 7, Houston, buffalobayou.org
HILL COUNTRY
Wurstfest Nov. 3-12, New Braunfels, wurstfest.com
Still Making History Cemetery Tour Nov. 4, Georgetown, williamsonmuseum.org
Texas Furniture Makers Show Nov. 3-Dec. 15, Kerrville, kacckerrville.com
North Shore Craft Beer Fest Nov. 4, Lago Vista, northlaketravischamber.org
Fossil Fest Nov. 4-5, Round Rock, austinpaleo.org/fest.html
Folkfest Nov. 11, New Braunfels, texashandmadefurniture.com/folkfest
Art Squared Arts Market Nov. 11, San Marcos, artsquaredmarket.com
Texas Book Festival Nov. 11-12, Austin, texasbookfestival.org
Come and Taste It Nov. 16, Gruene, grapevineingruene.com/comeandtasteit
Inspired Minds Holiday Bazaar Nov. 17-Dec. 23, Buda, inspiredminds.art/holidaybazaar
Fall Colors Hike Nov. 18, Johnson City, bambergerranch.org
Country & Western Dance Nov. 18, Spring Branch, anhalthall.com
Daniel Pardo in Concert Nov. 19, Fredericksburg, fredericksburgmusicclub.com
Swing Dance Lessons at Gruene Hall Nov. 21, Gruene, gruenehall.com
Dickens on Main Nov. 24-25, Boerne, dickensonmain.com
Sounds of the Season Nov. 25, Boerne, cavewithoutaname.com
Christmas in Comfort Nov. 25, Comfort, comfortchamber.com
PANHANDLE
The Art of Texas State Parks Nov. 1-Feb. 18, 2024, Canyon, panhandleplains.org
World Championship Ranch Rodeo Nov. 9-12, Amarillo, wrca.org
PINEY WOODS
REEL East Texas Film Festival Nov. 9-12, Kilgore, reeleasttexas.com
German Sausage Festival Nov. 12, Umbarger, stmarysumbarger.com/german-sausage-festival
PRAIRIES & LAKES
Vignette Art Fair Nov. 3-4, Dallas, texasvignette.org
Billy the Kid Film Festival Nov. 3-5, Hico, billythekidfilmfestival.com
Bastrop Field and Fun Fest Nov. 4, Bastrop, tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/bastrop/park_events
Pearl Bluegrass Jam Nov. 4, Gatesville, pearlbluegrassjam.org
Texas Monthly Barbecue Fest Nov. 4-5, Lockhart, texasmonthly.com/event/2023-tm-bbq-fest-lockhart
Fall Japanese Festival Nov. 4-5, Fort Worth, fwbg.org/japanesefestival
Round Top Wine Fest Nov. 3-5, Round Top, exploreroundtop.com/winefest
Texas Renaissance Festival Nov. 4-26, Todd Mission, texrenfest.com
Scottish Gathering and Highland Games Nov. 10-12, Salado, saladomuseum.org
Eastside Market Nov. 11, Waco, eastsidemarketwtx.com
Patrice Pike in Concert Nov. 17, La Grange, thebugleboy.org
The World’s Largest Book Nov. 20-Dec. 1, Dallas, iamtx.org/the-i-am-texas-book-tour
Lost Pines Wassail & Small Business Saturday Nov. 25, Bastrop, visitbastrop.com
Homestead Fair Nov. 24-26, Waco, homesteadfair.com
Texas Barbecue Blowout Nov. 30-Dec. 2, Paris, texasbbqblowout.com
SOUTH TEXAS
Ofrenda: Juan O’Gorman and a Legacy of Muralism Nov. 1-30, San Antonio, samuseum.org
Dobie Dichos Nov. 3, Oakville, dobiedichos.com
Texas Butterfly Festival Nov. 4-7, Mission, texasbutterflyfestival.com
NatureFest Nov. 4, San Antonio, greensatx.org/nature-fest
Dine & Dance Nov. 5, 19, Helotes, liveatfloores.com/allevents
Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival Nov. 11, San Antonio, briscoemuseum.org/yanaguana
Lonesome Rose 5th Anniversary Nov. 15-19, San Antonio, thelonesomerose.com
Ranch Hand Weekend Nov. 17-18, Kingsville, ranchhandweekend.com
Ranch Hand Breakfast Nov. 18, Kingsville, king-ranch.com/visit/special-events
The Velveteen Rabbit Nov. 18-Dec. 24, San Antonio, magiktheatre.org
Gerald McLeod has been traveling around Texas and beyond for his "Day Trips" column for more than 25 years. Keep up to date with his journeys on his archive page and follow him on Facebook.
A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.
Gerald E. McLeod, May 31, 2024
Gerald E. McLeod, May 3, 2024
June 28, 2024
June 21, 2024
Day Trips, National Ranching Heritage Center, Cash Family Ranch Life Learning Center, Hank the Cowdog, Aztec Ruins National Monument, Great Kiva, Lost Maples State Natural Area, Veterans Day, American Legion Anvil Shoot, Homestead Fair
