Mountain City Montage
by PAULINE TOM
Hit the streets. Stream on over to the city’s vacant lot on Saturday morning to celebrate Mountain City’s 160th Birthday! 10 a.m. - noon.
This will be a birthday like none other. Buy as local as it gets – from the Mountain City Farmer’s Market. Learn who’s buried in Mountain City. Learn the story of Mountain City’s incorporation and why we do not have fire hydrants. Buy a hot dog. See the “Mountain City Cooks” cookbook. Flip through 13 years of “Montage”. Eat cake.
For kids – face painting, jump castle and more.
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2010 is also the 160th birthday for the U. S. Census. In 1850, 27 percent of Texas residents were slaves.
Just think, males in this community probably voted in the statewide election that determined Austin, the temporary capital, would be the site of Texas’s capital for the next 20 years.
Late in 1850, Congress established the Texas/New Mexico border (which took away 1/3 of the land Texas claimed at the time) and paid Texas $10 million to pay off debt to Mexico.
Interesting tidbit: Armadillos entered Texas from Central America in 1850.
Interesting wildlife occasionally hits the streets in our “little city, still somewhat out in the country.”
•••
In a single day, Amy Hilton received five reports of coral snakes. On pavement the “red and yellow kill a fellow” coloring startles… as well it should.
James Hill did a double take and snapped a photo with his phone when he ran upon an EIGHT INCH frog on Live Oak Drive. Best I can determine, it’s a bullfrog.
A Great-crested Flycatcher’s profile and demeanor atop a tall hackberry caught my attention last week. Since then, I’ve heard him “Wheeeeep.” They should be nesting here in May.
Painted Buntings returned to Mountain City this week! As with the flycatcher, I first caught the profile and demeanor. A few minutes later, feathers of many colors flashed in the sunlight.
Sally Wilson sees a small red fox in her backyard on a regular basis. She’s on Maple, backing up to the ranchland.
•••
Remember when Mountain City used to have a red fox family on Juniper, on the vacant lot?
Remember that I need tidbits? 512.268.5678 or [email protected]
Thanks! Love, Pauline
