The Historic and Antique District

My town, Plainview, is a small, friendly community in West Texas. The best kept secret in this town is the historic and antique district. Plainview is celebrating its 100-th birthday, so 2007 is very special for us, and there are many events planned in the downtown area for every month of this year.

One of the most recent events was a scavenger hunt sponsored by the local radio station. It involved clues that required you to research the history of downtown Plainview that ultimately led to a cash prize. The downtown streets are lined with quaint antique shops and retail stores, and it also boasts the famous Rockin' R steakhouse. Each antique shop has a helpful, friendly staff and countless antiques and treasures sure to suit anyone's taste. Small town hospitality is rampant, and anyone passing through is treated with the utmost respect, just as if they've lived here for years. The Rockin' R steakhouse has a variety of delicious food to tempt your tastebuds. From tender sirloin steaks, salads and chicken to their guacamole hamburger, salad bar, and jalapeno strings, any guest of the restaurant is certain to find something to their liking, not to mention the unsurpassed service and very reasonable prices.

Downtown Plainview is no stranger to history, either. Areas of downtown at the site of the Running Water Draw have been excavated because many nomadic tribal tools and weapons have been found and date back to almost 9,000 years ago. Coronado and Cortez passed through what is now downtown Plainview on their expeditions for gold and silver. Paleo Indians were once settled here, and a Civil War general led a revolt against Quanah Parker and the Comanches to run them out of the area that is now downtown Plainview. The county itself is named for famous Battle of San Jacinto hero, Lt. John Hale. The entire town of Plainview was built around our historic and antique district as ranchers moved in permanently in the early 1900's. To honor those ranchers, Plainview hosts a cattle drive annually, driving hundreds of longhorns through the middle of the downtown area on Broadway Street.

The historic Fair Theater is also nestled downtown amongst antique shops, and is home to a variety of performers from Elvis, Patsy Cline and George Burns impersonators, to pageants, and has been a place for many famous artists in the past, such as Jimmy Dean. This is Jimmy Dean's hometown, and his own "Plainview star" is situated on the sidewalk in front of the theater. The now condemned Hilton Hotel also still sits, casting a haunting shadow over the downtown area with no remnant left of its once lavish splendor.

The centennial events will continue throughout the year to commemorate the birth of this great town and celebrate its history, as well as its future. Plainview is an outstanding community where neighbors help neighbors and I wouldn't dream of raising my children in any other town but this one.