Hootin' Anni's Day Trippin'

About | Theme: ""WATER" | Roll
Next week "BRIGHT"



I live just blocks from water 24/7/365!!


For the week's prompt I thought I'd share a trip along the shores of south Texas. It's all just about an hour from home. While the carpets in the house were drying from being shampooed, Bud and I drove up to Rockport, Texas [a favorite area of mine; it's such a quaint, quiet, wonderful fishing village setting] and visited the Maritime Museum [water themed, right?]. And then, afterwards, we drove a bit farther up north along the shore to a small town, Fulton, Texas.

Now in Fulton, there is an historical mansion just a few feet from the bay! The only thing that separates the mansion from the bay is a two-lane city street. The street is right on the shoreline ---cross the street, and you're on the mansion's property. The house itself can be toured at certain days of the week, and at certain hours; operated by the Texas State Historical Commission---

The home is unique for the fact it was built in the late 1860s and had running water [flushing toilets too!], a central heating [each room had a fireplace but not any fires or chimneys---all designed where the large furnace in the cellar would shoot the heat by force through the fireplace openings and heat each room...then recirculate through air ducts and travel through the walls to heat through all the other faux fireplaces -- and 'air conditioning' unit and an indoor kitchen.] Back in those days this was 'unheard of'. All designed by the husband, George W. Fulton. And it's a massive three story beauty, with a basement. The kitchen, tho most homes of this magnitude would have been separate from the house itself [in case of fire], was in the basement. I could go on about the history of this magnificent piece of architecture, but I don't want to bore you ---

The Fulton family was very prominent in this area. A huge multitude of acres [at one time larger than the massive King Ranch] belonging to the family; beginnings of a large cattle ranch and many innovative patents [such as the refrigerated 'boxed' areas on ships for transporting processed meats around the coast of Texas, etc.] This home has withstood many-a-hurricanes!!

All photos are captioned with a mouseover ---









Read more on the mansion HERE

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Then, for a 2nd dose of 'water related' photos, the maritime museum in Rockport....
[also with mouseover captions]







Read More on LaSalle and the LaBelle[his flagship] HERE