February 5, 2009, Double D Ranch. Harper, Texas. Junction.

We visit Junction at least once a year. The town has an interesting history. At the turn of the twentieth Century, the place was busy and growing with tourists coming by train to stay in the resorts lining the rivers. Pecan trees were plentiful and allowed the pecan industry to flourish. The surrounding ranches ran cattle, and were part of the large drives of cattle heading north. But not any more. The town is dying, if not already dead. In just the few years of watching , most down town stores have closed. The two long blocks of the main street has one side of one block where no store is open. It is an amazing spectacle to observe. I could have stood in the center of the main street and not worry about being hit by a car. Out by the Highway there are several businesses, including a famous barbecue. But downtown is dying. My habit is to walk the two blocks of downtown and go into every store. Today it took me no time at all. Now I will watch and see what happens over the next few years. Interestingly enough, the price of country property has not gone down. This is ranching and hunting country, and is still very desirable. Also a lot of people live in the surrounding areas but I guess the ease of driving means that longer distances are easy. The high price of gas perhaps helped, but now gas is cheap so people are hitting the road. The Livestock Auction Barn has closed so now our cattle will have to go the the Fredericksberg Auction House. Poor Junction.

Actually, there are still several lovely and useful stores, but not on the main drag. Alice Anne orders her bird seed from a ranch and feed store in Junction. We go into that store and always buy something. We have purchased books and boots and hats and our friend Pat bought a funky old watch that she wears a lot. It gives her great status to tell her Canadian friends that she purchased her watch at a feed store in Junction, Texas. And there is a large store that caters to the folks who build these fancy big modern ranch houses, with the large stone gates. That store stays in business and seems to be thriving. Certainly I can not afford their prices. They have an expression often used in Texas about city people who come to the ranch just for show. The description of these folks is " Big Hat, No Cattle". And there are two Dollar Stores in town. Many restaurants too, all inexpensive. The question of why some town thrive and some do not is interesting to me. For instance, fifty years ago, Mason and Junction had about the same population and industry, but today, Mason is booming and charming and bustling whereas Junction is dying if not dead. They are both County Seats too, both with lovely town squares and court houses. So next time you come to the Hill Country, visit Mason, where it is charming and with interesting stores, rather than Junction where you will find empty closed buildings. In ten years, perhaps things have changed.