Reviewin' the House of Ewing

I watched Dallas back in the late 70s &  80s, and  the again over  the last few years as I acquired DVDs of the  legendary TV show. ( I am at the end of series  9, Debbie is still doing Dallas. ) I was a "Dallas" girl, NOT a "Dynasty" girl.

So I guess it was almost as silly as Pommie "Neighbours" fans going all the way out to see "Ramsey Street" in Melbourne, but I wanted to see the most famous ranch on TV,  Southfork.

We had booked into the Southfork Hotel, which is affiliated with Southfork Ranch -  a  very popular tourist attraction. So we drove a  little north out of the  big city  to a town called Plano.

The Hotel has a Dallas Theme going. One of  the restaurants there is the Cattlemen's Club, familiar to other fans of Dallas no doubt.

 

We did not eat here, but  in the morning we had breakfast in  Remington's Restaurant. This was adorned with large framed photographs of  the TV shows main stars, taken recently at a reunion.

In fact the stars had been at Southfork only  a week or so before us, to film a new Dallas show about the grown  John Ross & Christopher. The lady in the restaurant told me  that the staff had been asked if  they wanted to be extras!! Although she did not do this she was able to tell me  that Linda Gray was  lovely and Victoria Principal  - was stuck up!!  Sadly no comment about Larry Hagman though.

Our breakfast was great by the way, I love American Buffet breakfasts.  I tried  the grits and was not really impressed, but then the same lady specially  made some for me , how  she said they were supposed to  be made, a  kind of milky warm porridge, but made of ground corn and eaten with syrup.

It was a short  drive to Southfork Ranch, through lovely green rural areas. It was an overcast  day, and very muggy.  The Dallas area can get very humid. 

Before we joined a few others on the tour of Southfork we were beset upon by a  photographer who took my photo in the studio style set up.  He asked me who my favourite from  "Dallas" was, and even though I said Lucy or JR, he plonked a hat on my head and sat me in Bobby's ( Patrick Duffy ) chair. I think he believed all females loved Bobby the most.

 ...and this is Cameron & me, but I think Cameron ought to be wearing  bib & brace, have a piece of hay in his mouth  and be called Cletis. ( My C&W name is Rayette, named after Karen Black's character in 5 Easy Pieces.)

The actual Ewing Mansion is much smaller  than it apppears  on TV.  The outdoor scenes were filmed here, and  most indoor scenes were filmed in LA. The Theme from "Dallas' was played over and over again as we were  told the story of the home while sitting by that famous pool. I kept thinking about Sue Ellen  lounging here with a drink, or JR pushing  Cliff Barnes into the pool from the balcony. I would have loved to have jumped in myself!

We were then lead through the home, and here are a few photos of the inside.

Lucy Ewing's room, or how it might have been as imagined by designers of this tourist  attraction.

 We also strolled around the  outside grounds, and checked out  the gift shop and museum. It is interesting to recall being told that the ladies of Dallas would often have to be dressed up in  massive fur coats in that oppressive humidity. The make-up people would have been extremely busy too!

Jock Ewing's Cadillac

Something  I really liked!!! - Texas shaped tiles paving the outside of gift shop.

Sue Ellen's saddle

 

So that was about it, all very amusing. I bought  a few postcards and then  we left good ol'

 Southfork for further adventures, but not before getting a  photo of  that famous entrance!!

Now  that I am back  home, watching Dallas is a  bit surreal, having  seen all those places from the show, the tall office  buildings and the ranch. What fun!!! Back in the 80s, I would never in  a million years have thought I'd be doing all that. ( and I still have Dallas items from those days too !! )

Dallas  intro - season 9 below

http://youtu.be/i8pvz_caupQ

The Real Road Trip Begins. Riders On The Storm

Friday May 20th, and we headed out of the more populated areas, which was a relief. We were really on the road  now. No huge multi-layered freeways and traffic jams for  some time. Off into the Texas country side. Small towns here we come, and cowboys!!! Where are the cowboys???  (We hadn't  seen any yet, except an older chap in Plano who was dressed up like a real outlaw, with gun.)
We had  no commitments until May 26 ( a  hotel booking ). This was our first taste of REAL FREEDOM, something I would come to realise later on. True freedom. On the Road. That Wide Open Road.
And now our "Bible" for the trip started to become extremely useful - Rand McNally  USA Road Atlas 1993.  I bought this in a second hand shop at least 12 years ago, and I spent many hours pouring over  the pages taking in the smallest details and dreaming that one day I would use it . That day had come.

Bad photo!!

As big  as Texas. On and On..Southern Great  Plains

We had our only "accident" in the town of Denton. ( always take out the proper car insurance folks!!! We didn't have to worry  about this prang at all ). We had been stocking up on various items in the  local Walgreens store, then  an  old man ran straight into our car and took off. Hit and run!!! However it was also here we discovered Almond Joys, and became addicted very quickly.  

 Since we had arrived in Texas,  we had being hearing very serious weather warnings, including in  the area we had planned to head to. The sky darkened , suddenly  we were in the most incredible downpour. We could not see much in front of us and had to take it really slowly for a while. It seemed it would go on endlessly, but there was something rather of exciting about this!!

Storm in Denton County, Texas, May, in the area we were in. Not my photo, but this was what it was like, but MUCH  worse!!!

 Paranoid thoughts of tornadoes hit us both, here we were in an  area of Texas which is right bang-smack in  the famous " Tornado Alley".

No sooner had Cameron steered us safely through this almighty storm, than we were all of a  sudden in quiet, clear and calm weather again. Sadly this was not so for many many others, as this was part of the tornado that would devastate much of Missouri over  the next few days.

Into The Twilight Zone, and Loving It!! part one

Highway 287 heading north west to the Oklahoma Border, storm has  moved on and we  and pass this fascinating  construction.

Well, it was our "first" huge grain silo in the USA, and really reminded us of  the classic 50s movie "Picnic" ( which is set in Kansas, but never mind, that is only one state away). Attebury Grain is a big deal here, as far as I can make out. I liked it anyway.

Our journey took  us to the town of Wichita Falls, Texas. We took  a wrong turn on the freeway, and what a  blessing. We were thrown back into the olden days - 50s, 60s.. and much earlier. How fabulous! Downtown Wichita Falls is a place I would beseech anyone travelling this way to stop  and take a wrong turn at too!!! 

We  began our obsession  with old signs here - dead neons, decrepit neglected ones. Faded remnants  from the past. And the buildings!!! Most seemed to be deserted  or boarded up - it was Friday afternoon. Where was everybody??

Downtown Wichita Falls. Looks like it would be happening..but it was mostly deserted!

Well, the bar was still open it seems!

A human! Right corner of building.  What else to  do but flop down next to the Bail Bonds building for the afternoon??

Can't imagine business is thriving here!!

The few modern cars spoil the atmosphere, but something  must be going  on..

 The Big C Appliance Store, a lovely olden days  building. Looks fine from the front!

But it is falling apart  at the side..who cares for it now???

Hello!! Train Spotters rejoice!!! Wichita Falls Railway Museum - but it was closed, with not a soul around.

Are they still in business??? Nothing to suggest they are. Run by zombies at night???

This took up a whole block - but what was it once upon a time ?? A department store?? A Bowling alley??

Are they really open??? Or has it been left like this for years??

 

ssshhh - I think I can hear a pin, or a 12 1/2 gauge 4d nail , drop

Into The Twilight Zone, and Loving It!! part two

So  we continued our exploration, looking for a few signs of life in downtown Wichita Falls,Texas. We were really captivated by this town. Here are a few old houses:

Boarded up - but there's a pussy cat! I reckon people  live here too..

The Munsters lived here - or did Norman Bates?? Fantastic old home!!

They've got wood

 and I guess  some folks still go to church?? Texas has been called  the buckle of the Bible Belt!

Plenty of  churches here, or there are  other forms  of entertainment, like  this lovely, old Wichita Theatre, which is still happening!

This fabulous building  is a Texas Historical Landmark & was built in 1908 

Wichita Theatre at right, back in busier times , and unless my eyes deceive me, it is 1965 because the Jerry Lewis movie The Family Jewels is on at the cinema!

We came across an open Antique store, the  Mansion II Antique Mall, which, hooray,  was  open, so we couldn't resist a look inside. What a wonderful jam packed place. There were three other  humans  in here also,  the manager,  a rather crazy woman who followed me around and talked non-stop  at 100 miles per  hour and a  young man, her son I think, who was desperate to buy a Nazi Knife.

Not my photograph

Rather battered Osmonds  lunchbox. Maybe an Alice Cooper fan blackened Donny's eyes? WHAT??

Owner - Kenneth Cunningham ( not my photo )

How cool is this!!! But the possible damage on the flight home, or even just in my case travelling around,  prevented me from buying this, and many other beautiful old knick knacks.

I bought one item from this case..plus a framed  copy of the item below.

For  the history of this sign, and other derogatory, negative caricature "Drunken Injun" items click on green link below

 The Drunken Injun

Number  plate covered fence

We were  not quite finished with Wichita Falls yet, in fact we could have spent several days exploring this place. But we had to press on, but not before taking a few photographs of this fabulous diner, the Pioneer, also closed!!!

Sneaky "through the window" photographs

I can see a "ghost" in here - the  "image" of a man's face, but I do  have a vivid imagination.

Maybe this photograph sums  up why Downtown Wichita Falls seemed so neglected. The Freeway - cause of the decline of so many small towns. Of course  there is  the general USA problem with the economy too. But we would venture off  freeways in many many other places  to find  once thriving towns that were now almost like ghost towns. Newer areas were built that had  the housing estates,  big shopping  malls, chain Hotels & motels,  and fast food restaurants, and that was where the people mainly  were.

It is very sad to see  this how happened, and a really good warning to Australian. Hey- you in charge take note!!! The Freeway and the car, all in a big  hurry to get somewhere else and  leave all these amazing places behind to crumble and die. We  were so lucky to catch quite a few glimpses of America's past. I want to go back. We loved Wichita Falls, Texas, and we would love many more towns like  this as we continued our wonderful road trip - over  the border  into Indian Territory , Oklahoma and onto Route 66!