Pictured: The Apple of God’s Eye Church on Railroad Street. This edifice, before it was born again and converted into a church, it was the most dangerous blues joint in the world for about a hunnerd years.
Also pictured, “Blues Alley,” home of the annual Blues Fest. This building is now a blues museum with lots of authentic stuff from blues master Mance Lipscomb.
(Yes, Jitterbugger grew up in serious blues country. And you wonder why he can’t stop his jitterbug feet from constant jittering?
Now you know.)
Also pictured: Air view of The Sangster House, one of the town’s many fine restored old houses.
More info on the town below the pix.
(also check out www.navasotabluesfest.org)
Yes, Jitterbugger’s hometown is a most historic and beautiful Texas hamlet with lots of tourist attractions–it’s got a lot more than a blues museum and a beer joint turned church. Here’s more from Wiki and other Web sources:
Navasota is a city in Grimes County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,789 at the 2000 census. In 2005, the Texas Legislature named the city “The Blues Capital of Texas,” in honor of the late Mance Lipscomb, a Navasota native and blues musician.
Navasota is located on a bend of the Navasota River, near its junction with the Brazos River at the intersections of Highway 105 and Farm Roads 3090 and 1227. It sits approximately 25 miles south of Bryan-College Station. It is connected to those cities, as well as Waco and Houston, by State Highway 6.
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Navasota has many shops & artisans in its picturesque historic downtown district, typified by antique and gift shops housed in classic stone and brick structures, restaurants, live plays at the Sunny Furman Theatre, and first-run movies at Miller’s Theater. Blues Alley is in the heart of the downtown district, and offers music lovers an in-depth study of the local blues music heritage. Blues memorabilia, museum exhibits, art, vintage music and radios, and much more can be enjoyed in this budding cultural center. Free Live Music by Texas’ best songwriters and musicians is always just around the corner, each Friday and Saturday night at local restaurants such as the Corner Cafe.
Those inclined to golf will love the highly acclaimed Pecan Lakes Golf Club, numerous parks throughout the city, and close proximity to Bluebonnet Country Golf Club near Stoneham. Thousands of Cub Scouts learn about nature and camping at Bovay Scout Ranch, and travelers from all over the world love to visit the cradle of Texas independence at Washington on the Brazos State Park, and the Star of the Republic Museum there. Stagecoach rides are often available at the Fanthorp Inn in nearby Anderson. The George Bush Library is less than a half -hour away in College Station. Several wineries dot the county, including the new Retreat Hill Winery near Whitehall.
Navasota is relatively famous for its historic Victorian homes. Numerous grand, two story mansions line Washington Avenue, the main residential and commercial thoroughfare through town. Another historic edifice is Brule Field, a Great Depression era WPA project (Works Progress Administration) built into a natural amphitheater out of native stone. It served as the primary grid for the local high school football team, The Navasota Rattlers, until the new stadium was constructed in 2006. Several native stone churches near downtown are also excellent examples of pioneer Victorian architecture. The original downtown district is a colorful and classic piece of living history, built in the old shotgun style, with old Victorian fronts facing one another as they line Washington Ave.
The Horlock History Center is the flagship of Navasota history, and offers visitors a chance to experience the grandeur of Victorian lifestyle and craftsmanship. This 1892 Eastlake cottage was built by Robert A. Horlock for his wife and ten children. Exhibits inside display the life and work of these industrious Texas entrepreneurs. Open by appointment, tours can be specially fitted to each group’s interest, and are arranged by the City Tourism Director.
The city is also home to two LaSalle Statues, including a bronze monument, dedicated in 1936 by the DAR, to celebrate the explorations of the famous French explorer. The second is a stone bust placed behind downtown, on Cedar creek, which was donated to the City by the French government in 1978. Supposedly, La Salle was murdered by one of his men somewhere near present day Navasota, while looking for the Mississippi Valley and the way back to French held lands near the Great Lakes. After numerous voyages, explorations of the Mississippi valley, trading ventures and several mutinies, La Salle’s bones are believed to have found their resting place in the Navasota Valley.
SEASONAL ATTRACTIONS
Spring: Navasota once advertised itself as the Bluebonnet Capital of Texas. Visitors flock to the area each spring to view the famous Texas Bluebonnets. A modern hybrid planted by the State is always in abundant supply along local highways. And in the surrounding countryside, two different native species of Bluebonnet blanket the pastures, along with Indian Paintbrushes, Primrose, and many other Texas wildflowers, beginning in mid-March. There is also a rare wildflower that grows nearby known as Navasota Ladies’ Tresses.
Summer: For fourteen years, the city has hosted the wildly successful Navasota Bluesfest, a gathering every August of blues musicians and enthusiasts which honors the memory of internationally recognized blues man Mance Lipscomb, who recorded numerous albums and lived in Navasota all of his life. The celebration raises money for college scholarships for local students.
Fall: For decades, throngs of revelers have converged near Plantersville at the famous Texas Renaissance Festival, which dominates the southern end of the county every October and November. Many deer and hog hunters come to the area as well during deer season.
Winter: A popular new Christmas tradition has sprouted just a few miles north of town, where Santa’s Wonderland entertains thousands during the Christmas season. Carload after carload cruise through an explosion of acres and acres of fantastic Christmas light displays.
Thanks for the “tour” of Navasota. My wife Norma’s practice teacher at Baylor (1958) was Bennie Lou Weaver, who returned to your town later. They were bee-keepers, as were my cousins in Georgetown. We lost touch later, but remember her as very helpful, in that final summer of Norma’s B.A. studies.