Walkabout With Wheels Blog

Sunday, April 21, 2024

The Cotton Gin Festival in Burton, Texas

Eric and I wanted to visit the Texas Cotton Gin Museum in Burton, Texas. We just happened to go there the weekend of the Cotton Gin Festival.

Visitors take Horse

Drawn Wagon Rides.

Locals display their Cars and Trucks...

Ford Model T Cars in front of

a 1960s Pickup Truck.

This Ford is very interesting.

It's a 1963 Ford Econoline

Pickup Truck.

A 1945 World War II Willys Jeep

1934 Buick Coupe

Vendors' Tents line the street.

Children are invited to be

Farmers for a Day.

We walk past the Cotton Patch.

I am reminded of the fields we

drove past in Mississippi.

Burton's Historic 1914 Cotton Gin

This building Texas was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991 and has been recognized by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers as the earliest survivor of an integrated cotton ginning system used in the United States.

Cotton, full of seeds, sits in a

wagon, waiting to be moved

into the Gin.

A Bale of Cotton, ready to be

sold, sits on the dock, waiting

to be picked up & taken to

market.

A Cotton Picking Machine

The Texas Cotton Gin Museum

Cotton was picked in the 1800s

by Slaves & Share Croppers.

The Seeds were picked out by hand until Eli Whitney patented the Cotton Gin in 1794.

The original Cotton Gins were

small & processed more Cotton

than picking by hand, making

the crop viable on a larger

scale.

Cotton Bales were weighed before

they were shipped to market.

The Industrial Revolution allowed Cotton to be deseeded by large scale powered engines. Burton's Cotton Gin was built in 1914 with a Steam Engine. A Bessemer Oil Powered Engine replaced the original engine in the 1920s. A total of 59,899 Bales of Cotton were processed Cotton at the Gin until 1974, when it closed.

The Gift Shop

The US produces 35% of the world's Raw Cotton and is a major Exporter throughout the World.

Saturday, April 20, 2024

Hound Song Brewing Co. in Columbus, Texas

Eric & I went to Hound Song Brewing Co. for Beer Tastings.

Outdoor seating beneath

the awning.

I wonder if this building was built as a Car Dealership.

The Beers on Tap

Beer Tasting Racks &

Bottled Beers.

Our friendly server &

the Beer List

The Brewing Vats are a

few steps from the Bar.

Hound Song Swag

Eric & his hero, Hank Hill.

Eric & I with our

Beer selections

Eric chose the Czech Dark Lager, Neighborhood Bully New Zealand IPA, Pecan Killa Imperial Pecan Brown Ale, Conundrum Doupelbock, and Dublin Two Step Dry Irish Stout. I chose Dublin Two Step, Czech Double Backbone Dark Lager, Conundrum, Haygrazer Kolsch German Kolsch Style, and Golden Lager.

Snacks with our drinks -

Crispy Brussels Sprouts with

Bacon, Dried Cranberries,

& Crumbly Goat Cheese.

Dee-licious!

The Bohemian Pretzel Bites

with Pimento Beer Cheese

Spread was amazing!

Did we have a favorite Beer? Yes, Conundrum. We really liked Dublin Two Step. Eric liked Pecan Killa. He was not a big fan of Neighborhood Bully or Czech Dark Lager. I Really liked the Czech Double Backbone and Haygrazer Kolsch. The Golden Lager was OK.

Just one more thing... Eric and I shared a taste of BBA: 003 Bourbon Barrel Aged Chocolate Stout. It is delicious!

We brought this Crowler

of BBA: 003 home to

enjoy later.

Hound Song Brewing Co. has a great selection of Beers and some yummy snacks. Whenever you're in Columbus, Texas stop by and explore their their finely crafted Brews.