A trip back in time

On a recent Saturday, my sister and I enjoyed day tripping over to Jefferson. We knew it would be decked out for Christmas, and it certainly didn't disappoint. Our mother's family comes from this part of Texas. Both of my mother's parents were born right outside of Jefferson, which was a bustling 19th century river port named after President Thomas Jefferson when it was founded in the 1840s. This now sleepy little town is covered in state historical markers all over the central district on homes, businesses and churches.

We had a good time roaming through a variety of vintage and antique shops as well as boutiques. I was happy to find a new piece of milk glass to add to my collection, as well as a large silver tray I plan to use as a base for a spring Easter arrangement to grace our large coffee table. I also stumbled across an old sled and pair of ice skates that I snatched up. Once I gave it a good dusting and added a bow, it was ready to be added to my lake house Christmas decor

We had lunch at Kitt's Kornbread Sandwich & Pie Bar, which I highly recommend. My sister and mother had eaten there the last time they visited Jefferson. Even though we had to stand around and wait for a table to open up, we didn't mind because it's not as if you get to enjoy a cornbread sandwich on the regular. We both ordered the Texan sandwich, which included a tasty homemade chili, cheese and diced purple onions. She got the side of broccoli slaw, while I couldn't resist ordering the dumplings. It was all delicious, and just the fuel we needed to continue checking out the shops we hadn't hit it. 

We asked a shopkeeper where to find the veteran's memorial so we could locate my pawpaw's name, Dolphus Homer Lowe. That's a mouthful. He was always called Slim, his nickname, because he was tall and thin as a rail his whole life. Pawpaw served during World War II. He opted to enlist early in 1942 before the draft called him up. Initially sent to North Africa, and later making the jump to Italy, he was a mechanic working on army vehicles. I can't recall the circumstances, but I remember mother telling me he was hit by shrapnel in the upper part of his leg at some point after he got to Europe. I wish I could get my hands on his service records, but they were destroyed in that 1973 fire in St. Louis where the army's national personnel records were stored.

Jefferson is a charming little place, and we hope to return in the spring to spend a bit more time exploring it. We've got a great grandmother, great aunt and uncle as well as a few cousins buried outside of Jefferson, so we hope to include a trip to the cemetery next time. Plus we'd like to take a boat tour of nearby Caddo Lake. It's a really interesting place, where the trees are covered in Spanish Moss, and I'd love to get some photographs of this really pretty natural area.