Grapevine, Texas

The Texas flag flies everywhere.  Grapevine, TX 2/3/19
dwm photo

The community was named for the wild Mustang grapes growing in the area when European settlers by way of Missouri moved into the area in 1845.

That was around the time the Republic of Texas joined the United States.

Those nine years of independence after control by other countries - Spain, France, Spain (again), and Mexico (1520 - 1836) are where the state gets some of its identity and independent nature.

An original frontier cabin which dates
back to 1845.  It was sold in 1868 to a
family who lived in it until thee 1940s.
It was moved to downtown Grapevine
in 1976.  2/3/2019 dwm photo

Grapevine, Texas is on the northern side of Dallas - Fort Worth and home to vineyards, attractions, and businesses.  It is home to part of the DFW International Airport.

The downtown maintains a look where time stopped in the late 1950s or early 1960s.   There are family-owned businesses of all kinds.  There is a tourist component to it, no doubt, but the shops don't feel touristy.

There are markets.  I tasted some Gelato and bought a bottled orange soda at Napoli's and picked up Kettle Corn from the Farmer's Market down the street in a building where the roof was lined with hanging bunches of drying red chili peppers.

There are new elements downtown as well.  The TexRail system delivers folks from the airport to downtown Grapevine and the train is expected to grow around the area.

Sadly, the Grapevine Vintage Rail Road doesn't operate in February, so we missed out on it.  It looks like fun.

This was hanging outside
a downtown store. Texas
sized, indeed - it had to be
10 - 15 feet long! (dwm)

There is a vintage movie theater on the main drag and two clock towers chiming every 15 minutes.

As you might expect, the area was originally cattle country, but over time cotton, grain, and vegetables were grown and sent out on the Cotton Belt Railroad.

It was the arrival of the railroad that gave the town its name.  Before that it was known as Dunnville for its Postmaster, Solon Dunn.

The new TexRail leaves the station.
2/3/2019  dwm photo

The shopkeepers are polite and are quick to suggest other places to visit.

There are many places to sit and relax along the street.  My favorite was a park with a beautiful Gazebo perched on a perfect bed of turf.  I'm describing it as turf, because there is no way it was actual, living grass.  The flowers in the bed around the Gazebo were real.

A "Calaboose."  It was built in 1909
for the sheriff to imprison those he
arrested instead of having to take
to another jail.  At the same time
they bought him a pair of hand-cuffs.
2/3/2019  dwm photo

For me, the most unexpected stop on the street was the old calaboose.  Strong and sturdy, I bet it is a good place to ride out a storm.

Grapevine is a fun and interesting place to visit.  I saw an old Blacksmith shop, looked inside a frontier cabin and read up on windmills at the other end of downtown, and indulged in a decadent dessert I'll write more about on Tuesday, February 26.

We did actually walk inside one of the many local wineries, but missed out on getting a taste of the local fruit.

Best of all, Grapevine is a short shuttle or Uber ride away from the Gaylord Texan.