OLD CORA: This is the oldest courthouse in the state of Texas.   Once located in Cora, Texas this structure was moved to Comanche.  I reckon that's a good thing since Cora ain't nowhere no more.
                               

DEMOCRAT TO COMANCHE
Democrat may be done for, but Old Cora
is alive and well in Comanche
Story & Photos by IRA KENNEDY

Everyone in Texas knows that the election of Republican George W. as governor and later as President has had a profound effect on the state and Democrats in particular.
I know Democrats are suffering, I just didn't know how bad it really is.

igel the Land Rover was off an running on all that paved road and Ms. Intrepid's mood had taken a decided turn for the better.  Then we heard this strange noise.  It sounded for all the world like we were being pelted something fierce by rain but it was kinda hard to tell considering that a jillion or so bugs had thrown themselves into our windshield probably hoping to reincarnate to some higher life form.  Sure there were clouds, sorta, but none to account for any real rain like we were hearing. 
       Ms. Intrepid suggested I stick my hand out the window to check for rain which I did then pulled it back in as quick as thought once I remembered my allergic reaction to wasps and such.  I didn't aim to use up all my luck as a passenger seat weather man.
       Finally we settled in to the fact that we were passing through a bug storm even though the noise and any signs of splattered bugs were we out of sync.  Naturally, I started pondering the real possibility of a parallel universe all over again. 
       Once we passed the marker for Hwy 218 we kept our eyes pealed for Democrat cause we saw it on our Rand McNally Texas Highway map like you find in every quick-stop in the state. We slowed down.  Then we slowed way down.   Nothing.  Now, about that parallel universe...
       I reckon you're wondering why we're so interested in Democrat, Texas.  Well, the plain fact is both Ms. Intrepid and I (like the late Will Rogers) don't belong to any organized political party.  We're Democrats. And that's a heavy burden these days. Consider this, the Republicans have a great big elephant renowned for its memory as their symbol.  Democrats have a jackass well known for its stupidity.   Pile on top of that the Republicans have a motto: "The Grand Ol Party". The Democrats ain't got squat.  Now, it seems the only town in Texas named after a political party has gone into hiding. Here I go again, flying off my story...
       The next town Ms. Intrepid had all planned out was Comanche. This being Texas and all I didn't expect to see any real Comanches but I heard tell the town was still there.  Also this was the location for Old Cora, the oldest courthouse in the state.
       We stopped briefly to clean off the windshield and then's when we discovered the whole front of Nigel the Land Rover was covered with dead ants -- winged dead ants.  Nearly as hard as pod peas and smaller than b-bs they are shy on innards which is why we couldn't see them spill their guts once they hit Nigel.   Anyway, we were in a quick-stop getting a soft drink when Ms. Intrepid said something about finding out where Old Cora was.
       Now, hold this picture in your mind for a moment.   The young lady behind the counter looked like she just woke up about five minutes ago in some honky tonk and rushed off to work.  Her platinum blond hair stopped about four inches short of her normal dark brown roots; her eyes were so thick with mascara they looked like two mud puddles, and her false eyelashes were so big I ducked every time she blinked.  And I, being a guy an all -- and an older one at that -- am supposed to ask this young thing (while folks are standing all around) if she knew where Old Cora was?   Fat chance.
       Well, Ms. Intrepid did --  while I slid out the front door pretending I was all by my lonesome and quickly ducked out of sight.
       Old Cora was on the town square which made locating her easy. Now behind bars, once upon a time Old Cora lived in one of them parallel universes where a town named Cora still exists but she slipped through one of them cracks and landed in Comanche. 
       Now this is a pretty interesting spot and you might want to set aside an hour or so just reading all of the historical markers and such clustered around. 
       While you're there make sure you check out the dinosaur footprint in a limestone block near the base of Fleming Oak (there's a marker for the oak but not the critter). And just to the other side of the oak you'll notice a big rock with an iron ring stuck in it and a big chain to finish out the whole affair.   Look close. Then you'll notice these are shackles and this block of rock was probably what passed for a jail house back before folks started discussing and cussing the finer points of cruel and unusual punishment.
       After checking out this outdoor historical library we decided if we were ever going to make it to Dublin we might oughta get gone.

     PAGE 1: HEADIN' OUT /   PAGE 2: SAN SABA
PAGE 3: DEMOCRAT & COMANCHE  /  PAGE 4: DUBLIN
PAGE 5: CLIFTON /  THE MAP

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