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Visiting Hico,
Texas
Hico, Texas
- Where Everybody is Somebody
For the past twenty-five years I have poked fun of the fact my wife
was born in Hico, Texas. It is one of those places that no one knows
where it is and is not on the highway to anywhere important. The town
slogan is “Where everybody is somebody” but a clever Hico native change
it to “Where everybody is some………Where is everybody?” So after all
these years of Hico jokes, I suggested to my wife that we take a trip
to the famous Hico, Texas and I could see for myself the wonders of
this sleepy little hamlet which nobody seems to know about. Like any
good traveler preparing for a road trip adventure I hit the internet
to discover the wonders of my vacation destination. To my surprise
Hico actually maintains their own website touting all the benefits
of life in their small town. One of their most interesting claims
is Billy
the Kid actually escaped Pat
Garrett’s shootout in New Mexico and eventually settled in this
small out of the way town using the alias of “Brushy”
Bill Roberts. Of course this claim probably doesn’t sit well with
the folks over in New Mexico since they are making tourist dollars
from people visiting the burial site of Billy
the Kid. Wanting to discover more about Hico’s famous resident
I clicked on the link that would lead me to his biography. To no surprise
Brushy
Bill was a colorful character in this small town during the early
1900’s and was easily recognized on the downtown streets. Decked out
with his round broad brimmed and round topped cowboy hat, colorful
bandana around his neck, rough leather vest and tall cowboy boots
Brushy
Bill appeared trapped in the 1800’s in a time of wild west cowboys,
saloons, and outlaws. Whether or not this old cowboy was truly Billy
the Kid he definitely left the town with enough details of his
life to be convincing. |
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Billy
The Kid Statue
Photo courtesy Teri
Brown, September 2005 |
| My next discovery
was the scenery around Hico. A river running through town, lush vegetation,
an abundance of trees, and rolling hills all define the landscape.
Definitely a change from the flat treeless brown vegetation I am accustomed
to. I am beginning to ponder the idea that Hico may be a hidden gem.
At this point I am thinking, “How could this get any better? The town
has a river, lush vegetation, and a famous character to investigate.”
Next to my delight I discover Wiseman House Chocolates are located
here. Chocolate delights made fresh daily from scratch. Just as I
thought this place can’t get any better I see that it is just a few
miles away from Dublin, the home
of the only place on earth still bottling the original Dr Pepper with
the 10 2 4 bottle and Imperial Pure Cane Sugar. For a dedicated Dr
Pepper drinker like me, going to Dublin
is somewhat a religious pilgrimage. So now I have great scenery, Brushy
Bill Roberts, famous chocolates, and the original Dr Pepper. This
place is beginning to seem like heaven. In fact I am beginning to
repent of my jokes regarding this place. As I sit in front of my computer
in a euphoric state as a result of discovering these wonders, I find
yet another golden trinket. Hico is the home of the famous Koffee
Kup café which is listed in Southern Living magazine and motorcycle
road trip websites as one of the best places in Texas for a chicken
fried steak and coconut cream pie. Les Thomas of Southern Living describes
the coconut pie as, “topped with meringue as tall as a cowboy hat.”
Now besides all the other reasons I’ve discovered to visit Hico, I
can add to my list chicken fried steak, coconut cream pie, and a parking
lot full of Honda Gold Wings and Harleys to drool over. After arriving
in Hico it proved to be everything the website claimed. Never again
will I deride the fact my wife was born in Hico, Texas , “Where everybody
is somebody.” - David Pinson, Amarillo,
Texas, July 16, 2007 |
Hico,
Texas Landmarks / Attractions
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Historical Marker:
400 W. 1st Street
First United
Methodist Church of Hico
In 1881, the Rev.
John W. Hearn and Elder L.B. Hickman led 29 members in a newly organized
Methodist church in Hico. The congregation held its early services
in the Hico schoolhouse, and charter members included the L.T. Dillashaw,
J.B. Hillyer, George D. Autrey and D.G. Barrow families. During a
10-day revival in winter 1884-85, evangelist R.R. Raymond helped raise
money for a church sanctuary. Texas Central Railway donated land in
1886 for the use of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, Congregation
of Hico. A sanctuary was completed in spring 1887 at this site. The
structure served the congregation, which had grown to more than 300
members, until 1902-03, when the current sanctuary was built of wood
with handcrafted benches and pulpit. The church held an open house
and homecoming in 1954, showing to former members and pastors a new
education building and remodeled sanctuary, with an enclosed bell
tower and new tan brick façade over the original wood cladding. The
congregation's numbers grew during the 20th century as other area
churches merged their memberships into Hico's. These churches represented
the communities of Carlton, Clairette, Duffau, Fairy and Pleasant
Hill. During its years as a congregation, the church has contributed
to area communities through its many services, including Boy and Girl
First United Methodist Church of Hico Marker image. Click for full
size. By Richard Denney, July 29, 2018 2. First United Methodist Church
of Hico Marker Side view of marker from entrance to church; marker
is hard to see through bushes that have grown in front of the marker.
Scout programs, community dinners, and clothes and food pantry, as
well as its youth, music and education programs, missionary funding,
study and worship.
(2002) |
Bridge
over the Bosque River in Hico.
"There IS a new and better one upstream."
- Jim
& Lou Kinsey |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
us. |
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