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Stonehenge
II is in Ingram,
Texas at GPS N30 04.358 W099 14.870. Al Shepperd fathered Stonehenge
II. His thinking probably started out to build a copy of the thousands
of years old edifice in England - but it didn’t end up that way. You
see the original was built over hundreds of years, which makes it
have many “Fathers”. Here in Ingram
(not England - the name is close but we get no cigar), the copy design
began to change to meet the conditions.
The whole idea was started when Doug Hill found a massive limestone
rock on this land and stood it up on end. Al asked Doug to embellish
this rock by building an arch behind it. Eventually Al asked Doug
to search the land to find other building rocks to construct a TEXAN
STONEHENGE. Doug found no suitable rocks.
At the Ole Ingram Social Club the rock elicited jokes and comments
among the locals for months. Al eventually became dissatisfied with
the stone/arch creation and had it removed. The grandma barkeeper
at this local “watering hole” would only need to see a patrons face
to know their beverage and where they would sit. If you were one of
the longtime regulars that sometimes sit at the BIG TABLE – she might
also plant a toothless kiss on your lips. But I have digressed.
Al and Doug decided they could make their own stones from re-bar and
lathe covered with gunite concrete for their stonehenge. It may not
have dawned on Al at the time but he had just created his legacy.
The project design was now changed to accommodate what was necessary
to begin construction. The new drawings concept was to capture the
essence of the original monument, not the nuisances of the detail.
Nine months later the construction was completed and accepted by Al
Shepperd. |
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The Ole Ingram
Social Club
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine, May 2013 |
People
travel to THE STONEHENGE in the hope of discovering its meaning. Al
Shepperd died without writing his reason for building STONEHENGE II.
Most TEXANS are at least subliminally familiar with the TV show “Austin
City Limits”. Beginning in 1977 and for the next 30 years the ACL’s
theme song was London Homesick Blues/Home With The Armadillo
written by Gary P. Nunn.
From Brownfield,
Texas and a winner of many awards - Gary’s time at Abbey Road
Studio recording was his experience for this song. You will recognize
the lyrics start “Well when you’re down on your luck and you aint
got a buck in London you’re a goner. In the 3rd verse the lyrics
say Well, I decided that I’d get my cowboy hat and go down to Marble
Arch Station. ‘Cause when a Texan fancies, he’ll take his chances.
Chances will be taken, that’s for sure.”
It could be that Al Shepperd exercised his Texan’s trait of taking
chances. And I believe Gary P. Nunn’s song lyrics encouraged Al Shepperd
to build his TEXAN STONEHENGE simply by taking his chances.
© Ken
Rudine, June
6, 2013 Column
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