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West Texas
Ghost Town
JUNO, TEXASVal Verde County,
West Texas
State Highway 163
1.5 miles south of Ranch Road 189
just west of the Devil's
River
48 miles NW of Del
Rio
Population 10 (est.)
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EE Stricklen Ranch of Juno painted by Carcie B. Stricklen 11-10-1971.
Photo courtesy Ian McGill |
History in
a Pecan Shell
The
supposed origin of the town name had nothing to do with goddesses,
astronomy or rotund women.
According to legend:
There was a café that was run by a man who liked to keep things simple.
Beans were the only food item served and beer the only beverage. When
local patrons would ask "what's on the menu" he replied "Ju know".
The local joke somehow got put on the post office application and
it sounded good to the postal authorities who approved it. |
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Juno
Schoolhouse
Photo courtesy Erik Whetstone, August 2005 |
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A timeline
of significant historic events in Juno
1849: troops were
stationed at nearby Beaver Lake, to protect travelers from Indians.
1880s: the communityestablished itself as a ranching supply center
and the post office opened.
1899: the townsite was surveyed, and fifty lots were laid out.
1901: the town had segregated schools (in the same building) with
a combined enrollment of over 115 students. A hotel was opened and
the town was served by a stage line.
For 40 years the population hovered around 75 people, but in 1966
it had shrunk to only 50. It declined further, until only 10 people
lived there from 1968 to 1990.
In 1984 the last business in Juno closed and the post office has been
closed since 1975.
The story of Juno might have had a happier ending if the café had
only expaned their menu. |
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The
old playground in Juno
Photo courtesy Erik Whetstone, August 2005 |
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Forum
Subject:
Juno Texas
I happen to buy this painting at a garage sale several months ago
near my home in Austin and through a friend stumbled upon your site.
The painting is of the OLD EE Stricklen Ranch Juno Texas and was
painted 11-10-1971 by Carcie B. Stricklen. This information is printed
on the back of the frame. It is a beautiful landscape painting and
I am planning a road trip in the fall to see if I am able to find
it. I hope that you find this information helpful. - Ian McGill,
July 02, 2006
Subject:
Juno Texas
Dear TE, First
let me just say that I got so excited when I came across [your magazine]
and saw a picture of the old Juno school house and playground.
My mother was actually the last teacher to teach at that school.
My family moved to Juno in 1990 and lived there until 1992, when
the school was shut down. I have so many stories to share that I
am not even sure where to begin. I have often wondered if the school
was ever torn down and what became of the Mayfield Country Store
that was just four miles up the road. I also wondered what happened
to the people of Juno after we left. I have especially wondered
what became of my old classmates and how they did at the "big school"
in Comstock.
Some of us were pen pals for a short time but ended up losing touch.
I went through 4th and 5th grade at the school. We were such a tight
knit little group. We would have end of school BBQs, Christmas parties,
Mother's Day lunches, pizza parties for good behavior. My family
lived in a house that was right next to the school. It was owned
by the district and we were told that the district would have it
removed when the school closed.
We used to have a rainy season in Juno. If I remember correctly
it was sometime around September and October. This is the time of
year when the rains were the heaviest. The rain would flood the
crossings and draws making it impossible for the other students
to get to school. So on those days we would have to cancel school.
Another great memory is going out to the flag pole every morning
and raising the flag, then taking it down each evening.
I have not been to Juno since we left in '92 but Juno has never
left my heart. I have plenty more stories to share so if you care
to hear more, feel free to contact me via e-mail. I also have a
photo album of our days at the Juno school house. - Bridget Loza,
Bridget.Loza@wwt.com, Juno Common School District Alumni, Dallas,
Texas, September 08, 2006
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If
anyone has photos or stories of life in Juno that they would like
to share with our readers, please contact
us.
© John Troesser
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