illuminated by a chandelier of glowing red
glass. Red glass is noted to be a sign of wealth
and it’s like standing under pink moonlight.
Grandpa loved seeing the old phone booth in
the religious room, and he shared a story with
me that I have never heard before. He told me
that when he was dating my grandmother he
would use a phone booth exactly like the one
on display in the museum. He remembered
how it would only cost five cents to make a
phone call. Grandma confirmed that his story
was true when she said, “He wouldn’t talk. I
would tell him to say something and he’d say
‘Something.’” The old-fashioned kitchen was
Grandma’s favorite, it’s where Annie Riggs was
famous for baking her peach cobbler. I assume
that Annie Riggs was like the Paula Deen of
West Texas. We were told that she actually
owned the very first electric stove in all of Pecos
County. Grandma told me that she’s watched
movies where the hotel only had one kitchen
and the guests would all sit down at the table
for breakfast. Grandma really enjoyed being
face to face with an actual old-fashioned hotel
kitchen. After viewing all the Old West kitchen
appliances we headed outside to the newly-
revamped Annie Riggs courtyard.
Renovating this historic landmark was a
notable project for Fort Stockton, and the most
monumental renovation is the completely
remodeled courtyard. Fort Stockton has kept
this courtyard well-preserved for many years
and it now has a brand new look, gleaming
with desert sand. As I stood there in the midst
of the new courtyard I felt like I was standing
out in the Wild West. There wasn’t a tumble-
weed rolling by or a horned toad darting across
the sand, but it felt like true gunslinger territo-
ry. The old brick walkways have vanished and
the new contemporary sand surfaces have
transformed this area into something fresh. It
still has that old western feeling, but it now has
a cool modern atmosphere.
Another big renovation is the new stage built
on the other outdoor space of the museum. It
stands unused and ready for the upcoming
Summer Off The Patio Concert Series. This
live music event will take place on Thursday
evenings at 7:30 p.m., and it’s free admission!
Wine and refreshments will be served as visitors
enjoy some live music beneath the breezy
desert night sky. The new director of the Annie
Riggs Museum, Melba Montoya, has been a
wonderful help to me for getting information
and answering questions. She has been very
kind and welcoming, and she gave me the
schedule for the upcoming concert series as
soon it became available. The lineup this year
is Drew Kennedy on June 12th, Bill Ward on
June 26th, Kenny Maines on July 10th, Casey
Yeager on July 24th, Mike Blakely on August
7th, and Junior Vasquez on August 21st.
Before we left the museum we made one last
stop at the gift shop where Grandpa and I
bought matching arrowhead necklaces. Not
only has this visit been entertaining, but it also
became personal with our souvenirs. I will
always remember Grandpa when I wear this
arrowhead necklace and think back on this day.
My mom and my sister also bought matching
souvenirs. They purchased a pair of earrings
that look like little guns. I won’t say which one
of them is sheriff around these parts, but they
both looked stylish.
A wise man once told me, “We are living in
the good ol’ days today.” Let’s not think of the
past as the good old days, but let’s create them
here and now. Summertime is known for
evenings filled with hammock swinging,
s’mores eating and tiki torches glowing. I invite
you to bring your family to the Annie Riggs this
summer to enjoy a different type of summer-
time evening with us here in West Texas.
The Annie Riggs Memorial Museum is
located at located at 301 S. Main Fort
Stockton, Texas. Punch that address into your
GPS, throw some beef jerky on the dashboard
and come on down!
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Third Quarter 2014