Anyone who has been around Bandera for any length of time will certainly have stories and memories associated with the Medina River. For us oldtimers it was the ultimate entertainment available while we were going through our younger years. And it was free!!!
It covered everything over the years from holding momma's hand while wading through the shallow water up to learning how to swim at Dripping Springs. Then there were no adults around when we learned to do flips off the swing at the spot known to us and many other generations of kids simply as 'The Swing'. I guess it's a sign of the times that we can no longer swim near the dam where we once were above, below and under the falls in that area. Lord forbid we should walk across the dam to reach the other side!!! So what has changed?
Memories of the OST and Best Yet Cafe on one end of town to the Ranch House and Longhorn Steakhouse on the other end are special to the older crowd who were lucky enough to experience those early times. A slightly younger crowd will talk about the Wrangler and Zeke's while having no recollection of The Chicken Shack. During the 60's the Rio Vista enjoyed a short rebirth on the hill across the river by the dam. The Frontier Coffee Shop wasn't near as popular as the Purple Cow just a few doors down. Does Dude's Drive-in ring a bell? The OST has survived them all and is still my favorite place to dine in Bandera.
Gas was a heap cheaper back in the day when draggin' main was a thing. During the summer when school was out there was an opportunity to make money hauling hay or having a daytime job of some kind to fund everyone's favorite pastime. A break in the Main Street action usually meant we were catching a flick at the Bantex Theater. Some might even remember the Trail Drive-in Theater just outside of town.
All the old gas stations in an earlier Bandera have either disappeared or taken on a new life. What is now called 5 Points is where the Phillips 66 was located when I worked there during my high school years. You won't find any kind of Historical Marker or plaque commemorating that point in time but you can get an excellent burger with fries.
That's the kind of stuff that made my Growing Up In Bandera special to me. Every generation will have their favorite likes and dislikes as Bandera continues to grow and evolve. As you grow old I hope you are blessed with a good memory to take you back in time. It's always a beautiful journey for me.
