Who’s Bob Bullock?

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

The grey, cloud and drizzly skies remained with us overnight and are expected to last until Friday, at which time they are predicting a little sunshine.  Highs are expected to be around 7 or 8 degrees Celsius (mid 40’s F)  The weathermen here are about as accurate as the weather prognosticators in Winnipeg, so we’ll have to wait and see.  Anyway, it sure isn’t beach weather.

The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum – OR – The Story of Texas is like so many other things that we have experienced in Texas.  It is Huge.  As you walk up to it you are greeted by the “Lone Star” made of steel or bronze it is at least twenty feet tall.  The entry way as you walk into the foyer is also on a grand scale.

First question I had was, Who is this Bob Bullock? –  A name like that has to be fictional.  Apparently he was a politician who enacted or introduced measures to make the Texas bureaucracy more effective and responsive to the people of Texas.  He loved Texas and Texas history and he was loved by many Texans.  He died in 1999 at the age of 70, and the Texas legislature saw fit to name this grand, new museum in his honour.

After you get over the initial WOW of the entrance you are immersed in the exhibit area.  The first floor is dedicated to the initial migrations of people into Texas, starting with the native people.  It then leads through the European (mostly Spanish) explorations and then the migration of Mexicans and finally the settling of the dry west.  The second floor tells the story of the Texan identity and how it was built by the Revolution with Mexico beginning at the Alamo.   This leads into Texas as an independent Republic and then into Statehood within the United States.  Like other southern states, Texas economy depended on slavery working the cotton plantations and Texas took up with the Confederate States in the Civil War. (Seems like a lot of American history started with Revolutions and wars!)  The third floor leads you through the economic diversity of Texas starting with Longhorn cattle ranching and the role of the cowboy. Cotton and mixed farming and then ultimately the oil boom and high tech manufacturing.

A great museum, but you almost need two days to explore it in depth.  Oh, yeah there were two videos in the Texas Spirit Theatre. (This theatre is a “mini-simulator” type of experience where there are special effects with the seats.)  The first video, “Wild Texas Weather”  simulates the weather extremes in Texas - the lights flash and the seats shake with the thunder and lighting.  The second video, entitled “Star of Destiny”  takes you through an oil gusher and a Saturn V rocket launch.  It talks about the cowboys in the western part of the state who told us of the many rattle snakes in the area.  Just at this point the seat suddenly rises up and you think its a snake.  Well done but not quite Disney quality.  (I’ve just been advised by my editor that I forgot about the plague of locusts that attacked during the “dirty 30’s” segment.  I had seen a number of people in front of me grab at their heads (as did my editor) when the locusts arrived.  My seat obviously malfunctioned as a shot of air was delivered to the side of the head during the locust scene.  How they can manipulate your mind with your senses! Wonderful!)

Some Observations – Texans seem to try to keep their restrooms very clean.  We have yet to experience any with a high “Yuuuk” factor.  Most of them are very clean!  They clean and vacuum outside these big establishments. – WHY??  First impressions?!?  Cheaper labour?!?  Pride in what they have?!?  Maybe they’ve found the secret to getting second visits?  Maybe we’re are just getting older and the way we observe things has become more “mature”.   Have I also mentioned that when we say thank-you to most Texans (actually most Americans we have come across on this trip) reply with “your welcome” not the more commonly heard phrase, “Uh Huh”.  Again maybe just getting old!