Austin’s Underappreciated Attraction

With all the things to see and do in Austin, Texas, it is understandable that some attractions are a little more popular than others. The Texas State Capitol Building, Sixth Street, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Zilker Park, and Barton Springs Pool are but just a few of the many sites representative of the city. These great sites, along with hundreds of wonderful places to eat, command the attention of both visitors and locals alike all year long. There is one attraction however, which never seems to show up on any “Top 10 Things to See and Do in Austin” list. And, that’s unfortunate, because it truly is one of Austin’s best kept secrets.

One day last week, I headed over to one of the oldest active military facilities in Texas, Camp Mabry, to see the BG John C.L. Scribner Texas Military Forces Museum. The camp was established in Austin in the 1890’s, and named for Brigadier General Woodford Mabry, who was then the Adjutant General of Texas. Soon after the camp was established, he left his post as Adjutant General, to fight in the Spanish-American War. And, although he died in Cuba in 1899, the camp he established in Austin, and the one which bears his name, is still an active military post, and remains the headquarters for the Texas Military Forces. These forces include the Texas Air National Guard, Texas Army National Guard, and Texas State Guard.

Upon arriving at Camp Mabry, visitors have to stop at the gate and present some form of photo identification to get in, and, in addition, they must consent to having the trunk of their automobile searched. All in all, the security stop at the gate only takes a minute or two, and is not much of an inconvenience, especially given the fact that there is no charge to enter the museum.

I have to admit that I really wasn’t expecting to be very impressed with the museum. I figured there must be a good reason for the relative lack of publicity and visitors it receives. But, I was very wrong. What I found, instead, was something that Austin should be proud of publicizing a little more than it does.

The museum itself consists of both indoor and outdoor displays. The museum was first opened in 1992, after years of careful planning. The museum exhibits thousands of military artifacts, and provides an interpretation of the history of the military forces of Texas. From the Texas War of Independence from Mexico, through a host of other wars throughout this country’s history, the military forces of Texas have played a prominent and important role. This historical role is proudly reflected in every part of the museum. The museum is named for Brigadier General John C.L. Scribner, who served in the Texas Military Forces, and was instrumental in making the museum a reality following his retirement.

The indoor portion of the museum is housed in a large building constructed in 1918, and which served as Camp Mabry’s mess hall for many years. The friendly volunteer docents told me that the mess hall, at one time, used steam in the kitchen. Apparently, at some point there was a steam related death, and, ever since, a ghost has been seen in and around the building, or, so the story goes.

As you would expect, the museum building is filled with uniforms, guns, maps, flags, and battle dioramas. However, since the old mess hall is so large, it also contains cavalry wagons, cannons, airplanes, helicopters, jeeps, tanks, armored vehicles, and communication vans. It even contains relatively obscure displays, like the immersion heater, which ensured that the mess kits of common foot soldiers were kept bacteria free. Additionally, there are numerous handouts which provide information on the military displays at the museum, important Texas battles, Texas Military Forces in World War II, wartime recipes, and a walking tour of the historic sites of Camp Mabry. There is also a small gift store, with books, postcards, and other small items you can purchase to both support the museum and to help remember your visit.

Outside, the military displays are impressive. There are several areas to visit: Armor Row, Artillery Park, and the Static Displays. Armor Row consists of tanks, self-propelled howitzers, armored personnel carriers, bulldozers, mortar carriers, tow vehicles, and many other armored vehicles. Artillery Park consists of American, French, German, and Soviet artillery pieces. The Static displays include both American fighter jets and helicopters. The outdoor display of military firepower and aircraft covers quite an area, so make sure you are wearing your walking shoes.

Sad to say, but the day and time I visited the museum, I was the only visitor there. The good news was, I had the whole place to myself. The bad news was, I had the whole place to myself. The volunteer docents were very accommodating, and eager to show me around. Given that I was the only visitor at the time, they asked me if I enjoyed the museum, and, if so, would I tell others to come visit? Given my positive experience, I told them I would definitely tell others, and, it is a pleasure to do so.

Why more people, both visitors and locals, don’t visit the museum is a mystery to me. Perhaps, it is because it does not fit in with the slogan which Austin brands itself with, that slogan being, “Keep Austin Weird.” There is certainly nothing "weird" about the many thousands of Texans who have served in the military forces of Texas from the 1830's to this present day. And, while the museum highlighting their service may be underappreciated, the historical service of these brave members of the Texas Military Forces is very much appreciated.

The Importance Of Austin In The Life Of O. Henry

William Sydney Porter, who was later to become very famous writing short stories under the pen name, O. Henry, was neither born in Austin, Texas, nor became well known for his writing while living in the city, but there is no doubt that his years living in Austin shaped his life in an extraordinary way.

William Porter was born in North Carolina in 1862, and while he was still a teenager, became a licensed pharmacist. In a time period when the disease tuberculosis (then called consumption) took many lives, many people from the eastern part of the United States who were afflicted, or thought they were, travelled west thinking that the drier air would help their condition. Such was the case with Porter, who moved to Texas in 1882 after developing a cough.

For the first few years in the state, he worked on a ranch a considerable distance south of Austin. While on the ranch, he performed a host of odd jobs, but also spent considerable time reading. As with many good writers, Porter was first and foremost a reader.

In the mid-1880’s, he made his way to Austin. In the ensuing 16 years he lived in Austin, he held many jobs, including as a draftsman at the Government Land Office meticulously drawing maps, and as the publisher of a newspaper he started called The Rolling Stone. The shaping of his destiny, however, came from neither one of these jobs, but, from other events, which subsequently occurred in Austin.

Among the happiest events in Porter’s life were his marriage to Athol Estes, and then, the subsequent birth of his daughter, Margaret. The later events, and the most unpleasant, were the circumstances around him being charged and convicted of embezzlement from an Austin bank (many think the charges were without merit), where he worked as a teller, and, the death of his wife from tuberculosis.

Upon his embezzlement conviction, he was sentenced to several years in prison, and was transported to a penitentiary in Columbus, Ohio, to serve those years. Given his pharmacy license, and his knowledge of pharmaceuticals, he was assigned to the hospital ward of the dismal prison, where he had plenty of time to write. Ashamed of his conviction, Porter began writing in prison under the pen name, O. Henry.

His many stories, published while he was in prison, became quite popular. By the time he was released from prison in 1902, he was quite a successful author. He continued that success when he moved to New York City, where he published many more short stories, known for their plot twists and ironic endings. The most notable of these stories, are the “The Gift of the Magi,” and “The Ransom of Red Chief.”

His heavy drinking, which first became apparent during the Austin days, became even more pronounced after his release from prison. Despite his literary success, he died broke in 1910, when he was just 47 years old. His death came as the direct result of his heavy alcohol consumption.

His daughter, Margaret, also became a writer and a promoter of her father’s memory after his death. Unfortunately, she too, like her mother, died relatively early in life of tuberculosis, and was buried next to her father in O. Henry’s birth state of North Carolina.

O. Henry’s home in Austin is a well preserved museum, with many of the original furnishings still present. Managed by the City of Austin, it is located downtown on East Fifth Street, although its original location was a little over a block away on Fourth Street. Today, the land which was the site of the home on Fourth Street is taken up by a hotel. There is no charge to get into the museum, and the museum employee who took me through the house was unbelievably knowledgeable about O.Henry’s entire life (not just the Austin events), his family, the house, and his writings. She was very thorough in her answers to my questions, and I was extremely impressed. While you should expect this from any docent at a historical site, such is not always the case.

Thus, while Austin was the home to O. Henry for only a third of his life, the experiences which took place in the city were exceptionally important to him. These events, both good and bad, although transpiring over a relatively short period of time in his life, shaped who he became, and served as the catalyst for him being one of the great short story writers of all time. That’s an irony that O. Henry would have appreciated.

Highland Lakes Air Museum

The Highland Lakes Air Museum is located in the hill country town of Burnet at Kate Craddock Field. The museum is managed by the Highland Lakes Squadron of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF), formerly, the Confederate Air Force. Most particularly focused on the World War II era, the museum also displays artifacts from other military conflicts since that time. The museum is proud of the fact that it focuses on the contributions of the average combatant, leaving to others who want to tell the tale of the military’s “sure enough big shots.”

Because it is run by volunteers, the museum hours are mercurial, so it is probably best to make sure the museum is actually open before making the trip. But, even if you find it closed, there is an impressive display outside in the Viet Nam Memorial Garden. The garden displays aircraft of the Viet Nam era, along with an M60 battle tank, a couple of M114 howitzers, and a Nike missile.

The most exciting part of the museum is that the local members of the CAF maintain working World War II era aircraft which they offer for public flights. For those willing to pay the very reasonable fee, they can enjoy an adventure in the sky in a Douglas C-47, the open cockpit Fairchild PT-19, or, a North American AT-6/SNJ Texan. The CAF also holds the annual Bluebonnet Air Show every April right there on, and over, Kate Craddock Field.

One of these days soon, I’m going to take a ride in one of the squadron’s aircraft, and experience what my Dad did, when he was just a young man during World War II, training as a naval aviator over the skies of Texas before he shipped out to combat in the Pacific Theatre. That day will be a reliving of history which is both personal and full of meaning to me.