HICO, TEXAS

Hamilton County, Central Texas North

31°59'4"N 98°1'50"W
(31.984410, -98.030508)
Junction of US 281, Hwy 6 & 220
21 miles N of Hamilton the county seat
75 miles SW of Fort Worth
26 miles SW of Glen Rose via US 67
20 miles SE of Stephenville
Population: 1,397 (2010)
1,341 (2000) 1,342 (1990)

Hico Area Hotels - Book Here:
Glen Rose Hotels
Stephenville Hotels

Grain elevator in Hico
TE Photo

Hico Visitors Center
Photo courtesy Jim & Lou Kinsey

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.

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

Billy the Kid Museum in Hico
"They say he died in Hico."
- Jim & Lou Kinsey

Dr. Pepper Good for Life painted wall sign, Hico Texas

Hico Ghost Signs
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, April 2004

First Methodist Church
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, December 2005

Bridge over the Bosque River in Hico.
"There IS a new and better one upstream."
- Jim & Lou Kinsey

Downtown Hico
Photo courtesy Jim & Lou Kinsey

Billy the Kid Related Articles:

Billy the Kid's Texas vacation by Clay Coppedge
"... The record holds that former running buddy Pat Garrett killed Billy the Kid in Fort Sumner, New Mexico in 1881 but some people will tell you that Pat Garrett never got it done, that Billy survived, went straight and ended his life as Brushy Bill Roberts in Hico exas.

Brushy Bill Roberts was the main person who said that, but enough people believed him or at least thought it was possible that Hico celebrates Brushy Bill with a Billy the Kid museum.
The Billy the Kid stories just never stop." more

Brushy Bill Roberts by C. F. Eckhardt

Brushy Bill Roberts by Mike Cox

Pat Garrett by Clay Coppedge

Day Trips from Hico

Glen Rose - 26 miles NW via Hwy 220 and US 67. Glen Rose Hotels

Stephenville - 20 miles N on US 281. Stephenville Hotels

Hamilton - 21 miles S on US 281

Meridian - 24 miles E on Hwy 6, another 47 miles to

Waco - Waco Hotels

See Hamilton County | Central Texas North

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Glen Rose Hotels | Stephenville Hotels | More Hotels

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