From legendary musicians and iconic cowboys to the setting of a history-making TV series, check out the region’s connections with fame with a visit to some notable attractions.
The show that bore the same name as the Texas city in which it was set put Southfork Ranch on the map. Located in Parker, Texas, the building was thrust into the limelight by the mega-popular television series Dallas,which ran for 13 years between 1978 and 1991. Filled with daytime soap opera-style drama and cliffhanger season finales, Dallas became one of the longest-running, most successful shows in television history. Tour the famous ranch for yourself, a must for any Dallas buff. You’ll see memorabilia from favorite characters and be taken back to unforgettable episodes, as well as enjoy an insider’s view of the characters on a fully guided tour. For more information, visit
www.foreverlodging.com/foreverinfo.cfm?PropertyKey=93&ContentKey=2923.
Significant contributions to western culture and rodeo are acknowledged at the
Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame in Fort Worth. Fittingly housed in a 1912 brick barn, the Hall of Fame honors each inductee with a dedicated booth displaying personal items. Notable names you’ll recognize include Texas-born actor Tommy Lee Jones, country music star George Strait, and former baseball pitcher and current president of the Texas Rangers, Nolan Ryan. Added to the ranks this year are
Myrtis Dightman who is widely recognized as the most accomplished African-American cowboy of the 1960s, renowned Charro (horseman) Jerry Diaz, bareback rider Jack Ward and western entertainer Tom Lucia. The Hall of Fame also offers a host of intriguing exhibits including the Sterquel Wagon Collection, featuring more than 60 restored wagons, carriages and sleighs, and the Applewhite-Clark exhibit, a showcase of legendary figures that played key roles in the state’s independence from Mexico. For more information, visit www.texascowboyhalloffame.org.
Venture out to Lubbock, the birthplace of an American music icon. Buddy Holly is remembered for his black horn-rimmed glasses and classic hit songs like That’ll be the Day, Peggy Sue and Everyday. The Buddy Holly Center celebrates his life and works with a gallery showcasing memorabilia that includes songbooks, tour itineraries, clothing and other personal effects. Raised in a musical household, the young Holly was a fast learner when it came to playing instruments; he picked up guitar, banjo and mandolin all by the time he entered junior high school in 1949. He pursued his musical career with determination, but his life was tragically cut short in the 1959 plane crash that also claimed the lives of rock and roll stars Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper. The center also features a gallery that presents a variety of exhibits related to the music of West Texas, and offers art and music education outreach programs. The center is closed Mondays and major holidays. For more information, visit www.buddyhollycenter.org.
Nacogdoches boasts two claims to fame – it is the state’s oldest town, and it’s also the location of the Sterne-Hoya House. Now serving as a museum and library, the Sterne-Hoya House is considered to be the state’s “oldest frame house of major historical significance still standing on its original site” where it was constructed in 1830. Its builder and first resident was Adolphus Sterne, a well-known merchant and a leader in the Texas Revolution. Famous guests once hosted in the home include Sam Houston and Davy Crockett. The house became home to the Hoya family during the Victorian Era, and many of their original belongings, gifted to the museum, can still be seen, along with antique furnishings from the era. The house also features one of the state’s earliest wine cellars. Tours are offered Tuesdays through Saturdays. For more information, visit www.ci.nacogdoches.tx.us/departments/shmuseum.php.
Step into the limelight; investigate some of the area’s famed locales.
