Maypole alive and well in Beaumont, Texas

My father once bragged that he refused to do the Maypole at his elementary school spring function and I've always wondered what that entailed and just why he objected. Then I participated in one at the Unitarian Church of Baton Rouge and had a blast. Guess it's not much of a guy thing, but if that's the case today's men should forgo the macho attitude and partake. 

You can dance the Maypole in Beaumont this month, on May 13 at the Beaumont Botanical Gardens. This free, third annual event  will take place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and families can wander through the gardens, feed the koi, meet local artists and even encounter a mystical fairy or two along the way, according to the city's press release.  The blessing of the crops and the wrapping of the Maypole with multicolored ribbons by young Beaumont dancers will begin at 4:30. There will be food and drinks available from food trucks.

Cheré Dastugue Coen is a food and travel writer living in South Louisiana who is the author of several Louisiana romances under the pen name of Cherie Claire and the author of “Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History,” “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “Exploring Cajun Country” and co-author of “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.

Thar she blows! Spindletop celebrates 115th birthday

The nation’s first oil boom happened deep in the heart of Texas (actually more like along the southeast coast) and this year the Spindletop gusher, located just outside Beaumont, celebrates its 115th anniversary of the Lucas Gusher discovery that changed the way we use energy. When the gusher blew on Jan. 10, 1901, the flow was so intense, oil spewed forth for nine days before the well could be capped.

The Spindletop Gladys City/Boomtown Museum will celebrate the anniversary of the Lucas Gusher discovery on Jan. 9, 2016, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. as part of the Spindletop Anniversary Celebration. Re-enactors will take visitors back to the early days of the oil rush town with demonstrations and craft-making of blacksmithing, butter churning, soap-making and more and there will be live entertainment and an old-fashioned “drillers’ lunch.” Of course the day won’t be complete without the blowing of the Lucas Gusher.

The celebration continues into the next day, with free admission to the Boomtown Museum all day on Jan. 10.
            For more information, visit http://www.spindletop.org/.

No cats allowed at Beaumont’s Dogtoberfest

Courtesy of Beaumont's Dogtoberfest

            Beaumont, Texas, is going to the dogs.

            From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015, downtown Beaumont will be barking with Dogtoberfest, all happening at Central Bark, the green space between the Julie Rogers Theatre and the Beaumont Public Library. Bring your pooch and a plastic bag.

The fun begins at 8 a.m. with a Puppies and Pancakes Breakfast followed by the “Strutt your Mutt” Parade at 9 a.m. Contests include Master/Dog Look Alike, Cutest Dog, Most Talented Dog, Best Dressed, Best Tail Wagging and Best Howler (human and/or canine). In addition to the contests, Mr. & Mrs. Dogtoberfest 2015 will be chosen from the crowd and the winner of the Facebook Favorite (the canine receiving the most “likes” on the Beaumont Main Street Facebook page) will be announced. A style show showcases adoptable dogs dressed in Ruff Lauren and Canine Klein. Want to tell Fido’s future? Madam Poodle Paw reads paws. How about some pampering? There’s the Day SPAW and shopping at Neiman Barkus.

Courtesy of Beaumont's Dogtoberfest

For kids, there’s Pappy’s Barnyard with pony rides, a petting zoo and activities kids can do with their pets. A Bone Appetite Food Court exists near the Fountain of Woof and Puppy Dog Lane features dog rescue groups and canine advocates sharing information and awareness.

Admission is free but a minimal donation is required to compete in contests, participate in games and enjoy refreshments. All proceeds and sponsorships benefit the revitalization efforts of Beaumont’s historical downtown.
            For more information, call BeaumontMain Street at (409) 838-2202 or visit www.dogtoberfestbeaumont.com.

Golden Triangle of Texas an unusual collection of fun

Groves Jail

          The southeastern-most point of Texas butts heads with Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico, while providing for water access into the state’s interior. They call this area consisting of the cities of Beaumont, Port Arthur and Orange the “Golden Triangle,” for it was here that oil was discovered at the famous Spindletop outside of Beaumont in 1901. Other towns within the Golden Triangle are Groves, Port Neches and Nederland.

Like many other spots in Texas, there’s plenty of weird to go around here, and I always seem to find them when asking simple questions, such as “How did the small town of Groves get its name?” My tourism contact informed me it was due to the pecan trees growing there, which, ironically, are not the income producers they once where but the town still hosts an annual Pecan Festival every fall. The thousands of pecan trees were planted in this small Texas town by the Griffing Brothers Nursery and when the land was subdivided, the land company called it “Pecan Grove.” Here’s where the weird comes in, the s was later added “after development representative and pioneer Port Arthurian Asa Groves,” according to Wikipedia.

Beausoleil House interior

How’s that for irony.

Over in Port Neches (the latter sounds like Tenacious), there’s a tiny building on Grigsby Street with a historical marker out front. This two-cell jail was built during World War I to operate as a branch of the county jail, constructed for the large price of $2,218. If you’d get a good look at this building, that seems high even for today’s standards. What’s even more surprising is its size, appearing like something out of a western comedy with the drunk hanging his hands through the railing and promising to be good.

Across the street in the RiverFrontPark overlooking the Neches River lies the Beausoleil House, or La Maison Beausoleil, an authentic Cajun home (and a fabulous example of early Cajun craftsmanship) built around 1810. The house originated in St. Martin Parish, Louisiana, but was donated to the Les Acadiens du Texas, “a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of the culture and language of the Acadian people,” and moved here via by barge. The house is open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends or by special arrangements.

One other great aspect of Port Neches’ RiverFront Park is Tugboat Island, a playground designed by children, built by volunteers, funded by donations and ADA accessible. This baby is huge and wonderfully creative, supposedly the third largest playground of its type in the nation and one sure to make kids squeal with glee.

Beausoleil House

So in the Golden Triangle of Texas, you can visit one of the largest playgrounds in the country next to the one of the smallest jails, enjoy a Pecan Festival in Groves named for trees no longer there but also a person who happened to be named Groves and a historic home that arrived by barge.

Next up on the Weird South blog, we look at the three giant religious monuments in Port Arthur, Texas. You won't want to miss this.

Cheré Coen is an award-winning travel writer specializing in the Deep South. She is the author of "Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History," "Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana" and "Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana" and co-author of "Magic's in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets." She also writes Louisiana romances under Cherie Claire, including "A Cajun Dream" and "The Letter." Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.