Spring Training 2022 - Day 76

We left the RV Park about 10:00 am and headed south to Abilene, TX. It was a fairly easy drive through a lot of open country, under cultivation, but not much growing at the moment. It appears most of the land we passed grows winter wheat which is dry land wheat and grows later in the year.

We passed through Anson, TX, a town north of Abilene that has an interesting history, it is about 20 miles north of Abilene and is the county seat for Jones County.  It is also somewhat famous.

Anson is home to the "Texas Cowboys' Christmas Ball", a three-night event held the weekend before Christmas. The first ball was held by M.G. Rhodes at his Star Hotel in Anson in 1885 and annually thereafter until 1890, when the hotel burned down. The event happened sporadically until it faded away during Prohibition. Teacher and folklorist Leonora Barrett revived the event in 1940. The dance was (and still is) held in Pioneer Hall, a Works Projects Administration project from the Great Depression. Music is usually provided by Michael Martin Murphy, a semi-famous country singer and his band.

Anson also may or may not have been the inspiration for the movie "Footloose" and, as of 1987, still had an enforced "no dancing" law on the books that is/was only lifted for the annual Christmas dance. An effort was made in 1987 to change the ordinance to allow supervised dancing, which was successful. The conflict was the basis for the book, No Dancin' In Anson: An American Story of Race and Social Change, by University of Texas professor Ricardo Ainslie.

Anyway, it appears to be a neat little town with a lot of old buildings, especially the courthouse in the middle of town. Not a lot of people present however. It is a Monday though and maybe some are at home practicing their moves for the Cowboys Christmas Ball - or watching Footloose again for hints.  Other than that, who knows?

We are staying at a KOA RV park just off I-20W in Abilene.  I recall staying here many years ago, but cannot remember exactly when.  We have changed our travel plans slightly and will head west on I-20/I-10 tomorrow to Van Horn, TX.

Dinner again in the RV.  Weather looks O.K.  - No rain or severe weather in sight, just have to deal with the wind from here on.