In love with HATS!

Last Spring Break we had NO idea where we were going for the week when we got into the car.  We have NEVER and I mean NEVER done that before.  The only thing I had packed were shorts, swimsuits and a some t-shirts.  The Austin lifestyle has definitely rubbed off on us!

We ended up in Sante Fe, New Mexico - Skiing!  It was fabulous, a real winter wonderland.  I had never seen snow like that before.  It was especially exciting in my flip flops.  Yeah we picked up a few items on the trip.

But the real reason for this post is to talk about what we found on our way.  We meandered up 183 and ended up in Brownwood, Texas.  If you are ever in the area you must eat at Underwood's Cafe next to the Ford dealership.  M-M-m-m-m Good!  My son loved the country fried steak and they never quit bringing out the fresh hot made rolls with butter.   We searched for something interesting to see and found it at the Brown County Museum of History.  This place was such a find.  Until 1980 it served as the county jail.  They then turned it into a Museum.  The upstairs is just as it was in 1980 when it was the jail.  Awesome piece of history to see.  They also had an impressive collection of guns. (which the boys liked). And downstairs they had several rooms of women's attire from the turn of the century.  Lot's of hats from the 1940's and 1960's.

There was two rooms full of gun cases.

I can't imagine in the day of no air conditioners having to wear a petticoat under a thick dress.  WOW.

Some wedding dresses on display.

Aren't these amazing?  The one on the right is a wool swimsuit.

I fell in love with this flapper dress from the 20's.

This was entry into one of the cell blocks in the jail on the upper floor.

Look at these steel beds.

Everything looks as if they just decided to close one day and walked out.  It was haunting.

We had plenty of time for fun.  Here my hubby is getting into the part of an ancestor.

Of course our son was also more than willing to play the part!

No doubt an ancestor, here is a picture of the former Sheriff "Jack" Hallmark.  Of course I didn't know until we moved to Austin that Mark had ancestor's in this part of the country.  A great-great-great-great Uncle of his fought at San Jacinto.

We are all history buffs and just love this sort of detour! 

The museum was such a beautiful piece of history.

Happy Tuesday!