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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
More
Traveling Team Rudine
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Topics: Ingram, Texas
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