Past and present in Fort Davis

Southern Living, Aug 1999 by Price, Carly L

DON'T MISS

* Stepping back into the days of the Old West at Fort Davis National Historic Site.

* Visiting the Overland Trail Museum and its restored frontier kitchen and barber shop.

* Driving the 75-mile scenic loop of State 118 and State 166 around Fort Davis.

* Horseback riding at Prude Guest Ranch.

* Touring the Neill Doll Museum, located in a beautiful Victorian house and now containing a two-room bedand-breakfast and a museum with antique dolls, furniture, and buggies.

A trip to Fort Davis, Texas, is a visit to another time, when folks amble and chat, and shop owners may decide to close up in the middle of the day because, well, just because. But the same West Texas residents who enjoy this slow pace are making scientific leaps and bounds that could change the future.

With the Kids

When your kids get impatient with this time warp, you can hop in the car and cruise into the future. Along State 166, white windmills turn with the strong West Texas breezes to generate wind power for nearby homes. Also you'll see a giant, shiny solar panel following the sun, just like a basking sunflower.

The characteristic clear nights keep astronomers' eyes fixed on the skies above McDonald Observatory, which hosts star parties on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday nights at sunset. Daily viewings of the sun are scheduled at 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Once a month, the general public can look through the huge 107-inch telescope (reservations are required); (915) 426-3640.

The Shopping List

Adobe Hacienda Gallery showcases WWII sculptures, drawings, and illustrations by Bill Leftwich. Javelinas and Hollyhocks, a colorful and funky gift shop, sells everything from scented soaps to books, in addition to great educational toys for kids. Next door, The Brass Boot offers Southwestern style jewelry. The Hotel Limpia gift shop boasts a wide selection of home and garden accessories. Limpia Creek Hat Company makes custom hats.

Dining Details

Food options in town are plain but filling and tasty. For breakfast dine on 2-inch-high biscuits and TexMex favorites such as huevos rancheros at The Drugstore. The Hotel Limpia Dining Room offers a few creative soups and entrees in addition to steak and chicken. The Blue Mountain Diner bakes fresh bread and tasty desserts. Reata, 30 minutes away in Alpine, is about as close to gourmet as you're going to get. This restaurant, whose sister location is in Fort Worth, serves up fantastic contemporary cowboy cuisine.

Staying Power

The Hotel Limpia, $79-$160, is a comfortable inn filled with antiques in the heart of Fort Davis. Call (915) 426-3237. Old Texas Inn, $65, features six themed rooms upstairs and an oldfashioned soda fountain, restaurant, and gift shop downstairs. Rooms have private baths. Call 1-800-328-4768.

Indian Lodge, $55-$85, is located in the Davis Mountains State Park. Call (915) 426-3254.

The Veranda Country Inn Bed & Breakfast, $80-$145, is a modest and quiet operation with a homey feel near Main Street. There are no phones or televisions in rooms; all baths are private. Call toll free 1-888-383-2847.

Prude Guest Ranch, located 6 miles from Fort Davis, offers an indoor pool, tennis courts, hiking trails, horseback riding, single rooms, family rooms, suites, and group bunkhouses. Call (915) 426-3202

Insider Tips

Tourism in Fort Davis is booming. The local chamber of commerce estimates more than 100,000 visitors per year come through-quite a load when there are fewer than 300 rooms for rent in the area. Call far in advance to make reservations.

Although a visit to Fort Davis is laidback, it may be a bit of a hassle to get there. Reaching West Texas by land is a long haul; it's best to splurge on a plane ticket into El Paso (220 miles) or Midland-Odessa (165 miles) and drive the rest of the way.

For More Information

Fort Davis Chamber of Commerce, PO. Box 378, Fort Davis, TX 79734; 1-800-524-3015, www fortdavis.com. Carly L. Price