Texas Highways – It's On My Mind

Chas.suit.1.jpg November 6, 2015 (Friday)
Many years ago, Baylor University tried to protect its lawns by putting down little decorative signs that read, “Kwitcherwalkenona Grass.” At first glance, we students thought the school had invested in some new kind of grass. A second glance, however, revealed that the sign was a humorous way of saying, “STAY OFF THE GRASS!”
In time, though, the powers that be decided that the concrete walkways needed to reflect the normal routes taken by the students as they moved from classes in one building to those in another. So new ones were built where the students were already walking. Problem solved. The sidewalks are probably still there today.
This led to some sharp turns, in places as much as 90 degrees. Such sharp turns resulted in accidents as the vehicles traveled at faster speeds. So the more heavily traveled roads were improved. Ultimately, the roads got so crowded that new roads, called freeways, were added to the system. Now those roads are glutted in some places and the experts are trying to figure out how to move people in a better way.

Some of our old roads still carry their original designation, such as OST (Old Spanish Trail) and OSR (Old San Antonio Road). The OSR runs from Mexico to the opposite side of Texas. It is also known as Camino Real (Royal Road). * It is also known as State Highway 21–I drove on part of it a couple of years ago. Nice road. I’ve driven on OST in Houston hundreds of times. We owe the Spanish and French our thanks for some of our roads.

Sometimes roads tell a story. Oletha is 15 miles southeast of Groesbeck. Long ago, a trail was made from one country home to the next, then to the next, etc. In 1950 when the road was paved, it simply followed the old route, resulting in a paved road with many sharp curves, also resulting in accidents through the years. Later on, it was mostly straightened and is a safer road today. The road , F.M. 937, is now near the western shore of Lake Limestone, built on the Navasota River in 1978.
A brand new modern and straight road was built from F.M. 937 to the Sterling Robertson Dam, which was created on property formerly owned by Wanda’s father. In the old days, when I was courting Wanda, I drove to her house near the location of the (then) future dam. Back then it was definitely not a straight road. Nor was it paved. It had several sharp turns, many muddy places and a stretches of loose sand. Several barbed wire “gates” had to be opened and closed. I passed the test. I got to her house. She was there only on weekends when her family used it as a second home, but I was in the community as pastor only on the weekends, so it worked out fine. A lot has changed over the years. The area is easily accessed by good roads and is now located on the lake.

A lot more could be written about Texas roads, but this little blog can only whet your appetite to learn more on your own. There’s much to know about Texas.