Bits and Pieces

May 6, 2024

Sometimes we visit a place or see something interesting that is not part of one of our normal adventures. Often, we are just going about our routine business and spot an interesting landmark or historical marker. Other times we will explore a sideroad that we previously bypassed. So, we end up with a lot of pictures that don’t fit into any greater context.

From now on I will compile these mini-adventures into posts called “Bits and Pieces.”

Mount Capers Cemetery

One day, while coming back from visiting family, we decided to take a detour down Old Staley Road. We’ve driven Old Staley a few times, but had never explored Mount Capers Cemetery Road, which branches off the eastern end near FM 980 in San Jacinto County.

Surprisingly, Mount Capers Cemetery Road ends at Mount Capers Cemetery. Along the way we came across a few patches of pine saplings. Longleaf pines were relatively common in parts of East Texas until they were cut out by lumber companies in the early 20th century. These saplings may be longleaf pines but could be a hybrid of longleaf pine and loblolly pine called Sonderegger pine. The trees in the background are probably loblolly pines, which are very common in this area.

A group of pine saplings stand alongside a road. Most are too young to have developed branches. All are covered in long pine needles. — Longleaf or Sonderegger Pine Saplings

A hurricane fence and gate at the entrance to a cemetery. A sign reads, "Mt. Capers Cemetery Association, before digging a grave please call a trustee," with contact information and a disclaimer that they are not responsible for accidents or injuries. — Mount Capers Cemetery

Mount Capers Cemetery historical marker. A link to the text is in the caption. — Mount Capers Cemetery historical marker.

There were a lot of wildflowers here when we visited.

A cemetery. Several headstones are visible. The historical marker stands among many bluebonnet flowers. — Mount Capers Cemetery

A tall juniper tree stands in the Mount Capers Cemetery. — A tall juniper tree.

Headstones and wildflowers in the Mount Capers Cemetery. — Mount Capers Cemetery

Headwaters of the West Fork of the San Jacinto River

I consider the San Jacinto River–specifically the west fork–an important fixture in my childhood. I visited many points along its course in East Montgomery County when I was young–exploring, berry picking, and fishing.

At the time of this writing, the West Fork is flooding many parts of Montgomery and Harris Counties due to unusually heavy rainfall. Floods along this river are not uncommon, though. The main route of the Coushatta Trace ran through parts of the San Jacinto River basin below what is now Lake Conroe. The natives used an alternate “upper” trace to bypass the southern route during floods. The Upper Coushatta Trace ran near the current route of TX-30 in Grimes and Walker Counties.

The West Fork starts in Walker County near the route of the Upper Trace. According to the San Jacinto River Authority, the USGS, TopoZone, and a cool historical map that I found, the official starting point is at a culvert on TX-30 near Satcher Lane.

A muddy creek extends a way before turning out of sight in the grass and trees. — This is the beginning of the West Fork of the San Jacinto according to several maps.

The dam of a livestock tank is visible in a grass-covered pasture. — I think there is an argument to be made that a livestock tank, the dam of which is featured in this image, is the source of the West Fork.

Tilley’s Tap

When the Houston and Great Northern Railroad approached the City of Huntsville, Texas in the early 1870s asking for a bonus to build their line through town, the city refused. As a result, the railroad bypassed the city and established the communities of Phelps and Dodge (named after the railroad’s construction company) nearby. Huntsville business leaders decided they wanted a connection to the railroad, so they chartered the Huntsville Branch Railway in 1871, and the next year built a line that connected Huntsville to the H&GN in Phelps. The railway merged with the H&GN in 1873.

The Huntsville Branch Railway historical marker. A link to the marker text is in the caption. — Huntsville Branch Railway historical marker.

Most of the line in town had been abandoned by the 1980s. In 2014, I visited a portion on the east side of the Sam Houston State University campus and took the pictures below. The roadbed and track had been damaged by floods over the years.

Twisted railroad tracks run across an eroded, overgrown roadbed. — Tilley’s Tap

This portion of the line was removed in 2017 during the Town Creek Drainage Project, which greatly reduced flooding in the area. A portion of the line is still in operation on the east side of Huntsville. It serves a couple of construction materials facilities.

Whimsical Stuff in Trinity, Texas

After exploring a site in Trinity, Texas (which will be covered in another post), we drove down Cannon Street on the southeast side of town and spotted this interesting building:

A shed in the style of an old-timey saloon stands in a small pasture. — Ruprert’s Saloon. I wonder who patronizes this establishment.

A man sits among a herd of goats. — Ruprert’s Saloon is popular with some local goats.

Across the street we got a sermon, of sorts:

A sign on the side of a metal building reads, "Prayer is the best way to meet the Lord, but trespassing on this property is faster." — Prayer or Trespassing: you choose.

Highway Patrolman Audie A. Isbell

A simple monument stands along the tree line on the southbound side of TX-19, a short distance south of Knox Circle Drive. I’m certain that I have noticed it before while driving but dismissed it as a utility box. One day, while riding as a passenger, I saw the Seal of Texas. So, we turned around and took a closer look.

A monument to Audie Isbell. The text of the monument is quoted below. — Audie Isbell monument on TX-19

Highway Patrolman Audie A. Isbell died in a car accident while pursuing a speeder. The monument reads:

WE THE PEOPLE
OF THE STATE OF
TEXAS
ACKNOWLEDGE AND
THANK TROOPER
AUDIE A. ISBELL
FOR THE GREAT
SACRIFICE HE
MADE TO KEEP
THE PUBLIC SAFE.
HIS EFFORTS WILL
STAND THE TEST
OF TIME. MAY GOD
BLESS HIS SOUL
APRIL 7, 1955

He is buried in Concord Cemetery near Iola, Texas.

Grave marker that reads, "Audie A. Isbell; Texas; Pvt 244 Base Unit AAF; World War II; July 17, 1917; April 7, 1955." — Audie Isbell grave marker

Lighter Topics

Turning to lighter topics, here is a picture of an excellent banana split that I got at Daisy’s Diner in Riverside, Texas:

A delicious banana split! — Mmmmm! Delicious!

And to wrap up, below is a picture of my mother-in-law’s cat. Warning: cuteness overload may occur.