Judge Roy Bean Visitor Center

While we were visiting Seminole Canyon State Park, we took a day trip to visit the Judge Roy Bean Visitor Center.  The visitor center is located in Langtry, TX. Inside the visitor center, there are several dioramas where the children listened about the time Judge Roy Bean lived. We watched a short film about the Judge and then headed outside.

Outside the visitor center, we walked through the saloon/billiard hall and the courtroom that Judge Roy Bean called "Jersey Lilly".  Also on the property is the "opera house" which was actually where Judge Roy Bean lived. Judge Roy Bean was known as the "law west of the Pecos". It is said that he was the most colorful justice of the peace and that he ruled with his own brand of justice.

Also on the visitor center's property is a Cactus Garden Interpretive Trail. We took over an hour listening to Jeff tell us about the different plants, trees, and cacti in the garden.  This is where Sierra discovered that the Blind Prickly Pear Cactus was NOT meant to be touched.  We all learned that the Fishhook Cacti was used by Indians to catch fish, the Eagle's Claw Cacti is used to make candy and the Spanish Dagger was used to make string. We found the Cactus Garden to be as enjoyable and as educational as the Judge Roy Bean buildings. 

This was a great place to visit and it was FREE. 

Windmill at Visitor Center

Judge Roy Bean - Jersey Lilly

Opera House - Home of Judge Roy Bean

Woodpecker holes in the Texas Pistachio Tree

Cactus Garden

Armadillo

When we left the visitor center we drove down a rode, where we had a great view of Mexico. The friendly ladies at the visitor center told us that we could get out of the car but not to walk on the trail. The trail is on private property. Ahhh- such a disappointment. The trail looked very inviting and was in good condition. But we decided to be wise and listen to the ladies especially when we saw a bullet holes in the sign next to the trail. Below are some pictures we took before Jeff made us "Get back in the CAR!!!".

When facing this sign, we looked out toward Mexico.

View of Mexico