It’s What You Do In Valley View

As Jack and I left Lockhart yesterday and headed back to Oklahoma, we made a quick stop in a little place called Valley View, Texas – not far before you get to Gainesville.

I had seen a billboard advertising Rustic Ranch – home decor, furniture etc and has a cowboy bronc on it. So of course it has to be cowboy/western furniture and other goodies I think.

We headed off the exit to take a quick peek inside only to find the store was shut on a Monday. Dang it. They missed out on a sale as I spied their wares through the store window.

Across the tiny square (most old townships have a square where the original settlement was made and the centre usually holds the courthouse or park) we do however find ‘Whiskey Hollow‘ a small distillery!

Well you know Jack and I, who can resist happening across a tiny place like this and not going in to check out their distillery and a quick sample of their moonshine.

Generations have carried on this practice and currently four Beasley gents run it. It has been its current location, I thought he said, 4 years – maybe its 40. They have won gold medals for their Best Texas Bourbon!

We tried 4 shots for $5 (shared) – Firehouse – a cinnamon moonshine and mighty fine!, Texas Gold – one of their bourbon’s, Apple Pie – self explanatory, good moonshine, and last but not least Pirates Brew – an odd blackberry, aniseed moonshine – only way to describe it. Tasty and it was the winner to come back with us in a quart jar.

Valley View was also home to Captain Lee. And here we thought it was just our Okie friend’s alias here. Captain L. W. Lee and his wife Mary came from Missouri and settled in this area thus becoming Valley View from the grass prairie atop an outlook to a valley below.

Onwards from here and Jack looked for a stop in Gainesville. We have been through and stopped for coffee many a time here but have never taken in the Medal of Honor Park. A thoughtful well looked after memorial to vets from many campaigns.

Back on the road and we head into Purcell, Oklahoma to check out Butler Antiques which are housed in the old 1895 Love Hotel. Wow, what a collection of things they have! the ground floor and first floor refurbished original hotel rooms house so many antiques often coordinated in their rooms. Your eyes just don’t know where to look.