Granbury, Texas’ Historic Downtown Square

Posted on November 10, 2017 by Administrator

The Granbury Square was packed this evening (November 10th, 2017) with the Opera, the Granbury Live Music Hall, and the weekly Karaoke at one of the Wine Bars. If you have never been to Granbury, this time of year is a great time to come and visit because of the fall weather and all the window display’s in the stores around the square. The Hilton Hotel is right on Lake Granbury and is an easy walk over to the Square. If you come and stay the night, make sure you have breakfast at The Nutshell, its like stepping back in time and the food and bakery is really good. Babes is great for lunch and dinner. Here is the calendar for upcoming events!

Granbury, Texas | Midnight at The Downtown Square

Posted on October 31, 2017 by Administrator

Granbury is a city and the county seat of Hood County, Texas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,978 and is the principal city of the Granbury Micropolitan Statistical Area. Granbury is located 35 miles southwest of Fort Worth, Texas.

Founded in 1887, Granbury started as a square and log cabin courthouse. Many of the buildings on the square are now registered historic landmarks, including the Granbury Opera House, which still hosts Broadway productions. The city name originated from the Confederate General Hiram B. Granberry. Some scholars, to explain why the city name is spelled differently, believe the name Granberry was misread on a document, but recent findings have concluded that Granberry chose to spell his name Granbury.^[5]

Recent expansion of the city was made possible by the damming of the Brazos River in 1969, which formed Lake Granbury, a long, narrow lake which flows through the city.

Granbury and Hood County are rich in Texas history. David (Davy) Crockett‘s wife, Elizabeth, settled in Hood County in 1853 following the Texas Revolution against Mexico. Crockett, as well as other Alamo participants, received 640 acres in land grants. The Crockett family received land in what is now Hood County. Elizabeth Crockett is buried in Acton State Historic Site,^[6] the smallest state park in Texas. A large statue of Elizabeth Crockett marks her grave site. Several of Crockett’s descendants still reside in Hood County.

John Wilkes Booth, according to Granbury legend, moved to Hood County and assumed the name of John St. Helen. A store on the historic town square, St. Helen’s, is named after him.

The music in the video is; “I Don’t See the Branches, I See the Leaves” by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Source: http://chriszabriskie.com/dtv/

Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com/

Texas Towns With Large Empty Buildings | Colorado City, Texas

Posted on October 22, 2017 by Administrator

Texas Historic Towns, old buildings in Texas, turning a dying town around, re-purposing old building, repurposing empty buildings. converting buildings into housing

The State Of Texas has some great, historic towns, but when I see some that once thrived but are no longer doing so, it breaks my heart, and it also makes me curious. I think about all the pioneers that settled there, and why they chose to do so. I also think about what it took to make the town grow, as well as what caused that to change. Why did business stop thriving, or close, which forces some of the residents to move where jobs are a lot more plentiful. I also think about all the great old buildings in those towns that are now sitting empty and the possibilities for re-purposing some of them into economical housing for retirees, who no longer need income to survive.

The Baker Hotel, in Colorado City, Texas could probably be purchased at a good price and restored into a nice seniors condominium project that could include a restaurant, and gathering place on the first floor for it’s active residents and tourists. Would Colorado City’s current leaders be open to that sort possibility, and offer incentives that would attract visionaries and investors? Would those leaders be open to new ideas for their towns that would turn things around? If so, we would like to help.

If it’s built will people come? I look at thriving Texas retirement towns like; Granbury, or Fredericksburg and notice they have a lot of things going on that draw retirees and tourist there, such as all the wineries on 290, and all the great shops in downtown Fredericksburg, which didn’t happen by chance. It look leaders with long range vision and the ability to attract businesses and investors to that great town, who were willing to help develop the vision. Granbury has a lake that runs through town and a charming downtown with lots of shops and dining options available. My family first bought a lake house in Granbury in 1970 and we have seen the tremendous growth over the decades. There are also multiple golf courses in Granbury, which make it very attractive to retirees who are looking to relocate. Spur Texas leaders are taking steps to help turn their town around by rolling out the red carpet for Tiny Home dwellers, and the more folks move there for that purpose the more it will attract new business opportunities. The growth in Spur won’t happen over night, but I believe the tiny homes welcome mat is a big step in the right direction.

This is the first post about old Texas towns that once thrived, but have a lot potential turn around possibilities. Part of our vision with Texas Tiny Homes is to create residential communities for retirees in towns that have a lot to offer. Restoring an old hotel in a town like Colorado City is definitely something we would consider and be interested in helping create a new vision. Working with city leaders to create a new vision for their towns is also something we are interested in doing.

The History of Colorado City, Texas, the county seat of Mitchell County, is on the Colorado River, Lone Wolf Creek, U.S. Highway 20/80, State highways 208 and 163, and the Missouri Pacific Railroad, thirty-eight miles east of Big Spring and twenty-three miles south of Snyder in the north central part of the county. It has been called the “Mother City of West Texas” for its early origin as a ranger camp in 1877 and for its prominence as a cattlemen’s center. In 1881 the town was chosen county seat and acquired a station on the new Texas and Pacific Railway. Local ranchers hauled in tons of buffalo bones for shipment to the East and loaded their empty wagons with provisions purchased from pioneer merchant William H. “Uncle Pete” Snyder^qvand others. When the town was granted a post office in 1881 Prince A. Hazzard became the first postmaster. Water was hauled to town from Seven Wells and elsewhere and sold at fifty cents a barrel. The first school, conducted in a dugout in 1881, was moved to a building the next year, and soon a new building was built.By that time the town had between 200 and 300 residents and was a cattle-shipping center. Ranchers drove their cattle to Colorado City from as far north as Amarillo, from as far south as San Angelo, and from eastern New Mexico. Great herds were held until rail cars were available. After shipment, cowboys were free to enjoy the town’s amenities. Between 1881 and 1884 its five saloons multiplied to twenty-eight, and other businesses showed the same growth. The population was estimated as high as 6,000 in 1884–85. The boom slowed after the 1885–86 drought, however, and the 1890 population was 2,500.

In May 1881 W. P. Patterson, a prominent rancher, was shot down by Texas Rangers^qv. Citizens blamed the shooting on the rangers’ feud with cattlemen, and the ranger camp was moved from town to Hackberry Springs, twenty miles southwest. When Amarillo developed with the arrival of the Fort Worth and Denver Railway in 1887 and when the Santa Fe Railroad reached San Angelo a year later, business in Colorado City declined sharply. During the 1890s salt mining was important to the local economy, but salt declined in importance after 1900.A second boom between 1900 and 1906 followed the influx of farmers. The population of Colorado City was 3,000 in 1906. By 1910 the town had a new public school, a waterworks, and an electric plant. In 1914 the population was estimated at 1,500, and the town had two banks and a newspaper, the Colorado City Record. Though the drought of 1916–18 adversely affected local farmers, interest in oil increased. In 1916 the Consolidated Oil and Gas Company of Colorado was organized by local bankers, businessmen, and merchants to develop the area’s oil and gas resources, and by 1920 oil production was a part of the local economy. The Col-Tex Refinery began operation in 1924. By 1926 a city hall had been built, the streets were paved, and a new sewage system was in operation.

In 1931 Colorado City had an estimated population of 4,761 and 200 businesses. By 1940 the population had increased to 5,213, but by 1945 the number of reported businesses had declined to 120. In the late 1940s increased oil activity in Mitchell, Scurry, Coke, and Borden counties caused some growth, and by 1949 the number of businesses in Colorado City had increased to 176. During the mid-1950s a drought, the longest on record, affected the area’s agricultural production, particularly of cotton. In 1955 the population was 6,774. Lake Colorado City, five miles southwest, was built in the late 1940s, and Champion Creek Reservoir, six miles south, was built in 1959. The population was estimated at 6,400 in 1965. The Col-Tex Refinery closed in 1969, but in the early 1970s new industries were established, including a meat-packing operation and a mobile-home plant. Colorado City had 5,300 residents and 126 businesses in 1975. In 1990 it had a population of 4,749, a hospital, and 104 businesses. Local attractions include the Colorado City Historical Museum, the Colorado City Playhouse, and an annual rodeo. In 2000 the population was 4,281, and the community contained 234 businesses.

Population in 2014: 4,133 (87% urban, 13% rural). Population change since 2000: -3.5%

Median resident age:	38.9 years
Texas median age:	34.4 years

Zip codes: 79512.

Estimated median household income in 2015: $50,421 (it was $22,842 in 2000)

Colorado City:	$50,421
TX:	$55,653

Estimated per capita income in 2015: $20,542 (it was $15,591 in 2000)

Colorado City city income, earnings, and wages data

Estimated median house or condo value in 2015: $34,312 (it was $28,500 in 2000)

Colorado City:	$34,312
TX:	$152,000

The Areas of Compromise for $99K Site-Built Homes

Posted on October 4, 2017 by Administrator

Texas Tiny Homes has a goal of offering you some of the most affordable, but also luxurious small homes in America, which is no easy task in today’s booming economy. Because of the high cost of construction, and cost of the land the average price of a new home in America is now, $368,000. New home construction has been booming for the past 6 years, especially in Texas, and because of that there is a shortage of skilled trades, construction workers and construction materials, and affordable lots.

In an effort to accomplish our “$99K Starting Price” goal in Granbury, Texas some compromise is going to be necessary, but the last place the compromise will show up is in the quality of construction, the attention to details, and the luxury features found in all of our home plans. One of the areas of compromise require smaller, less expensive lots, which we are now purchasing in older, but deed-restricted, HOA communities, located outside of the city limits. These communities do not have city property taxes,which is good, but they do not have city water and sewer.

These communities have brand-new, site-built homes, as well as older, site-built homes, along with brand-new, as well as older manufactured homes. Some of the older, manufactured homes are being replaced with brand new homes, so these communities are similar in trend to some very popular tear-down neighborhoods in East Dallas, Preston Hollow, Park Cities, or Oak Cliff, Texas. In some of the booming, tear-down neighborhoods in Dallas, there are million dollar homes being built right door next door to 60-year-old, $150K thousand dollar homes. Having said that, the lots we are purchasing are hand-picked and are the best of the available lots in each community. Our goal will provide new life to these older communities, as well as growth.

Another part of the compromise to obtain our “$99K starting price” goal is based on the size and cost of the lot, as well as how to handle the black and grey water waste (sewage). The larger the lot the more expensive they are to purchase, which is the case with most land acquisitions. Smaller lots are less expensive, but one of common draw backs to the smaller lots, especially in Texas, which came about after these communities were developed is; a typical new home requires having to purchase several smaller lots to accommodate a large, and expensive, aerobic septic system. We believe our approach will work well, as do the experts we have consulted with; including the health department of Hood, County.

Texas Tiny Homes, starting price, site-built, luxury homes in Granbury are only slightly over 600 air-conditioned square feet, and only have one bathroom, or one and half bathrooms, a kitchen and washer and drier, and were designed for one or two persons to live in comfortably, and economically. These small luxury homes do not require a typical, costly, septic system, nor do they need two lots, which make the homes much more affordable. We are not willing to publicly provide our plans for working around the typical two lots, and one large septic system requirement scenario, but will say that a composting toilet, and a grey water irrigation approach will be two of the options in achieving the $85K starting price. Composting toilets are very much a part of off-grid living around the world, and there are many models and brands to chose from that seem to be very popular with the tiny and small house movement.

The Sun Frost CS composter system incorporates a sleek interior toilet and two 55 gallon batch composters outside to finish the composting process. Food scraps increase biodiversity and actually makes the composting process more effective.

The Sun Frost CS composting system does not require a drain field or have large electrical requirements to evaporate liquids. The only electrical requirement is about 2 watts for a ventilation fan. The fan can be provided in DC for solar applications or AC for grid tied installations. Odor in the bathroom is controlled by two methods, covering the toilets contents with saw dust or peat moss and a fan powered ventilation system. Even without a ventilation system, covering the content of the toilet with sawdust has proven itself effective. For many years, a similar home built toilet system outlined in the “Humanure Handbook” effectively utilized this strategy. With the incorporated ventilation system the Sun Frost CS is even more odor free than a conventional toilet, since the odors produced while using it are expelled directly outside.

For a single user exclusively using the CS it will take about 1 week to fill the 5 gallon interior storage container. If only solid waste is added the toilet will take more than 2 months to fill the interior container.

With this batch composting system one exterior drum is filled while the composting process is completed in the second drum. The 55 gallon composter only requires the addition of a dry material, such as wood savings. Wood shavings are readily available in feed and pet stores. Effective composting requires aeration (mixing), proper moisture content and warmth. Mixing in the 55 gallon drum is easy with the stainless steel “cork screw” type mixer provided with the kit. The exterior drums are also insulated to keep the compost warm, which speeds the composting. During winter months under very cold conditions the contents of the drums may freeze. Human manure and food scraps can still be added to the drum, composting will continue during warmer weather. A scoop, provided with the kit, makes emptying the drums a simple matter. When emptied the contents of the drum smell and look like healthy topsoil.

If composting toilets are not something you would be interested in we have other options including standard type toilets that we can discuss, which will be a little more costly for you over the long run, but will not effect the starting price of our new homes. Click this contact link and send us an email stating your interest, and we will get back with you right away.

Telluride, Colorado

Posted on August 26, 2017 by Administrator

(click on images to enlarge)

Telluride is tucked into a box canyon surrounded by 13,000 and 14,000-foot peaks. The town of Telluride is just eight blocks wide and twelve blocks long. Because of its significant role in the history of the American West, the core area of Telluride was designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1964. This listing is the highest level of historic status available from the United States Secretary of the Interior. These sites are so special that they are eligible for consideration to become national parks. With the town’s colorful Victorian-era homes, clapboard storefronts, boutiques, art galleries, gourmet restaurants, historic buildings and more, Telluride is a delight to explore. Our citizens are committed to preserving Telluride’s historically significant architecture, open space, traditional design elements and, most of all, Telluride’s small-town mountain lifestyle.

The town of Telluride is the county seat and most populous town of San Miguel County in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Colorado.^[5] The town is a former silver mining camp on the San Miguel River in the western San Juan Mountains. The first gold mining claim was made in the mountains above Telluride in 1875 and early settlement of what is now Telluride followed. The town itself was founded in 1878 as “Columbia”, but due to confusion with a California town of the same name, was renamed Telluride in 1887, for the gold telluride minerals found in other parts of Colorado. These telluride minerals were never located near Telluride, causing the town to be named for a mineral which was never mined there. However, the area’s mines for some years provided zinc, lead, copper, silver, and other gold ores.

Telluride sits in a box canyon. Steep forested mountains and cliffs surround it, with Bridal Veil Falls at the head of the canyon. Numerous weathered ruins of old mining operations dot the hillsides. A free gondolaconnects the town with its companion town, Mountain Village, Colorado, at the base of the ski area. Telluride and the surrounding area have featured prominently in pop culture. It is the subject of several popular songs. It is especially known for its ski resort and slopes during the winter as well as an extensive festival schedule during the summer.

The Telluride Historic District, which includes a significant portion of the town, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is also one of Colorado’s 20 National Historic Landmarks. The town population was 2,325 in the 2010 United States Census.^[6]

Black Bear Road is a notorious jeep trail that starts from 11,018-foot (3,358 m) summit of Red Mountain Pass on U.S. Highway 550 (between Ouray and Silverton) to Telluride. The Black Bear Road crests at Black Bear Pass, elevation 12,840 feet (3,910 m). The road descends over a set of infamous switchbacks as it navigates the heights above Telluride. The road passes Bridal Veil Falls, Colorado, the highest waterfall in Colorado. The trail/road can be hiked, biked or jeeped.