2021-10-13 Hico TX

I was on my way to a Texas Ramblin' Roses rally in Glen Rose Texas. It's not a really long drive but I didn't get to leave San Antonio until 2:00PM due to a bunch of last minutes things that popped up and had to be taken care of before I left. So by 2:00, I was really more than ready to leave. I arrived in Hico in time for dinner. So I parked in the big lot for RVs and trucks behind the Koffee Kup Family Restaurant. I took this after dinner so don't be thown by the empty look across the road.

Across the street and just behind this Coffee shop and bakery, is a very large lot owned by the Koffee Kup and used by RVs and big trucks and small trucks pulling trailers to park.

I have boondocked here before and knew it was safe so I dinner and asked about staying. They said it was fine. I parked out of the way right next to the fence separating the lot from the coffee/bakery shop. It really was only about 45 minutes from Glen Rose but I don't like to pull into a park in the dark and disturb other campers and I really wanted to take the opportunity to check out the downtown part of Hico.

I was up and getting dressed the next morning when this truck pulled in. I'm not sure if he was trying to conserve space or afraid of parking by himself, lol.

As you can see, the rest of the parking lot was empty. I was just really happy that he wasn't hauling cattle.

After breakfast and a walk for Harley, I walked down the block to the town center.

 Just before the main street.

The top part of the brick building is the Upstairs Inn. Between the log cabin and Inn is a nice courtyard.

Downstairs holds some shops.

And here is the beginning of the main historic downtown street.

It is actually a divided street with a very nice strip park running down the middle. Lots of places to sit and take in the sites.

You may notice that it looks a little deserted. Many shops are open Thursday through Sunday and this was Wednesday.

This is the beginning of the second block. Somebody needs to find that "I".

Not sure if this Saloon has been around this long. Unfortunately, the Visitors Center was one of the closed places on a Wednesday.

This is a business but not a grocery store. Nice that they are using all of these old buildings.

I did find one very interesting place open, the "Billy the Kid" Museum.

The front of the museum is a little souvenir, gift shop.

This lady was so helpful. She knows the history of Billy backwards and forwards. Billy the Kid really got around in his youth. Supposedly he was killed by Pat Garrett when he was 23......or was he?  Hico residents don't believe that.

Lincoln County New Mexico and Mesilla New Mexico both claim Billy the Kid. So do other places.

Read on for more. Interspersed historical items.

This metal cell was the Hico jail.

One story has Billy the kid killed by Pat Garrett in Fort Sumner NM on 14 July 1881. Hico believes he died in Hico at the ripe old age of 90.

There are several graves. Hico points to the fact that Pat Garrett shot Billy and he was almost immediately buried. In those days, the bad guys were generally put on display in their coffin for a couple of days for everyone to see. Two museums in New Mexico claim the grave of Billy the Kid but both are replicas.

This was the original Billy the Kid Museum in Hico.

Hico's claim is that Billy the Kid lived and died in Hico as Brushy Bill Roberts.

Brushy Bill was married to Melinda. They had no children.

Brushy Bill applied to the governor of New Mexico for a pardon for the crimes committed in his youth as Billy the Kid. He presented a 17 page brief and 22 pieces of evidence but the governor denied the appeal.

This man said he knew Billy the Kid when he was young and saw him many times after he was reported killed by Pat Garrett.

The many faces of Billy.

Why would Brushy Bill petition to be recognized as a murderer, thief, liar, and a wanted many? Why would so many people testify that he was Billy the Kid.   You decide. Hico is convinced. Read on.

It would be an interesting trip to visit all the Billy the Kid sites in your RV. I have been to Lincoln County, Mesilla, and Hico. How about you?

Once a finished my tour, I stopped in at the 2nd Street Bakeshop & Coffee Co. for a cup of coffee. I didn't get another daytime photo of the outside. They have a huge porch with a swing and tables where Harley sat and relaxed before hitting the road to Glen Rose.

They had some good looking bakery items but it was way too soon after breakfast. 

They also have nice inside seating in several different rooms.

On to Glen Rose, the Oakdale RV Park, and the Texas Ramblin' Roses Rally.