Atlanta Texas

A replica of Bessie's plane. (Not to actual size.) 

Polly, Bonus Dad and I spent a bit of time at the Atlanta Historical Museum Tuesday afternoon, where we learned all sorts of fabulous Atlanta Texas facts. 

Atlanta Texas is about 20 miles from my house. It was founded as a rail stop, half way from Jefferson (a port town on Caddo Lake) and Texarkana (a rail stop), many moons ago. The city was named after the one in Georgia. 

The notable folks from Atlanta include: 

Bishop Joseph Strickland--the Bishop for the Diocese of Tyler, and the man who often publicly calls out the Pope for not adhering to Catholic doctrine. We East Texans have a fabulous Bishop. We Catholics do not have a fabulous Pope. 

Tracy Lawrence--a Country Singer. 

Drew Stubbs--Major League Baseball player. 

Ellen DeGeneres--That one.

The first African American pilot--Bessie (I can't remember her last name) also came from Atlanta. She started a flight school in the 1920s. 

Several other folks: one being a Greenbay Packer. 

Bonus Dad nerding out on the Queen Bess

The museum was the size of a single-wide trailer, only because it was a single-wide trailer. The Chamber of Commerce resided at the far end of the building for meet and greets and meetings. In addition to a replica of Bessie's plane, we saw the usual artifacts that go into small-town museums: black and white pictures of town leaders, tools and supplies donated or unearthed from the area and a map or two.

Honestly, the museum was more interesting than I expected. But then again, most small town museums actually are. I highly recommend checking out a few. Bonus Dad and I have hit several in Northern Michigan over the years. And we are working our way through several in this part of Texas as well. On his next visit, I think we'll make a point to get to the Civil Air Patrol Museum in Mount Pleasant.  

Of note, in the 1970s Smokey and the Bandit Movie, whose plot solely consisted of having Burt Reynolds drive from Texarkana to Atlanta without being arrested, it should be pointed out Bandit was heading to Atlanta Georgia. Otherwise, he'd have arrived in less than a half hour. 

Also of note, we found an Italian restaurant in Atlanta that I've been told by Ruthie the Corona is "excellent." My family is going to check it out this weekend.