We'll be ridin' in the mornin'

"Historical Social"

We are very excited about an upcoming social we will be hosting at the Flying L Ranch at 5:00 pm on  November 23rd at the Pilot's Lounge. Recently after a long search for any  family members of founder Colonel Jack Lapham we were contacted by two of his grandsons that spent time at the ranch in their youth. They are coming and looking forward to spending time once again in their old stomping grounds.
 You are invited as we look back at some of the early history that helped shape the ranch into what it is today. We continue to have folks come to the ranch that haven't been here in many years that are looking forward to a time of reminiscing and stories of the rich history of times long passed.
 The Pilot's Club members are in the process of renovating the Pilot's Lounge to bring it back to its original state, a building designed by associates of the famous Frank Lloyd Wright architectural firm.
Hope to see you there.
Buck Shannon

on

"Bandera Pass"

Historic Battle at Bandera Pass

In 1841 President Houston appointed Captain John Coffee Hays commander of a special Texas Ranger company. Captain Hays was instructed to put together a company of special forces to contain the Comanche. He was known for improving discipline and morale with solders. He filled his Texas Ranger company with noted Indian fighters which included men such as: Bigfoot Wallace, Ben Highsmith, Creed Taylor, Sam Walker, Robert Addison Gillespie, P.H. Bell, Kit Ackland, Sam Luckey, James Dunn, Tom Galberth, George Neill, Frank Chevallier, and many others well known in Texas frontier history. The Paterson Colt Six-shooters had just been invented and Captain Hays and his men were fortunate to be armed with fifty or sixty of these weapons instead of single shotguns. The Comanche were unaware of these new weapons when they attacked Captain Hays and his company in “Bandera Pass in 1841”. The exact day of the Battle is not known, but the time it occurred is known. Captain Hays and his men, approximately 50 in number, arrived at the pass about eleven o’clock in the morning and were surprised and confronted by a large band of Comanche. Hays’ report indicated his men were alarmed by the large number of comanche warriors. Captain Hays was reported to have ordered his men to “dismount and tie those horses, we can whip them. No doubt about that”. Captain Hays reported that they were badly out numbered, but the new weapons enabled the rangers to hold their ground. The fierce battle began at eleven o’clock in the morning and according to records left by Hays, lasted all day. Both sides finally ended the conflict as night fell. Finally the Comanche retreated and the Rangers followed. Both sides buried their dead. The Rangers lost five men dead and many wounded. The Comanche loses were much greater. The fact that 50 Rangers had held their ground with Colt Six-shooters against hundreds of Comanche warriors marked a change in the way the frontier wars would be fought, and marked the turning of the tide in the war between Texas and the Comanche.

In the 1870’s. Comanche attached buffalo hunters at Adobe Walls in Texas. This attach brought a retaliatory U.S. Army campaign under Colonel Ranald S. Machenzie that defeated and broke the power of the Comanche. The Comanche were forced to surrender and the painful transition to reservation life began. Today, their tribal government operates near Lawton, Oklahoma.

"Bringing Back 1947 At The Flying L"

It was 1947 when the ranch had its grand opening. Life magazine showed up for a fashion show and they had a great day of fun and took a bunch of photos. The photos can be seen on line under Fashion Rodeo Flying L Ranch. I sometimes wonder what it was like that day when the dream of having a ranch that you could fly into became a reality. This was the dream of Col. Jack Lapham a pilot with the Army in WW2. Col. Lapham did a lot of planning which included the Pilot's Lounge seen in the picture and the Villa's here at the ranch that were to look somewhat like an airplane. There was lots of activity and the ranch became a favorite destination for pilots, hunters, cowboys and folks that just wanted to get away from that big  city every once in a while. People like John Wayne, Gregory Peck, The Cisco Kid and Poncho have all had their time hangin' out right here in Bandera at the ranch.
  I have talked to a lot of folks that spent time at the Pilot's Lounge; some had their wedding party there over fifty years ago. One family came back to the ranch, had a reunion and brought thirty- five family members to the same place it all started. What an event it was.
  Ruth Herr rode a horse and buggy from Chicago to Bandera in 1949 and worked at the ranch for two years, that was when they filmed one of the series of the Cisco Kid here. In the Ruth Herr room at the ranch you can see a telegram sent to Ruth and the ranch thanking them for taking care of the crew while they filmed the show.
  I hope you will continue with me on a journey back in time as we bring back life and history to the Flying L's Pilot's Lounge and hangar.
I'll see you soon,
Buck Shannon
                                             A rendering of the Pilot' Lounge

This picture of the Big Oak in front of the main house taken in the early 50's.

"Know These Guys?"

"How Much Does A Horse Cost?"

I hope you enjoy this verson of How Much Does A Horse Cost from one of our guest at the ranch on Tuesday night around dusk at the ole' campfire.                                                    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ELMsDdnK9k&feature=youtube_gdata_player

"Smores' Time"

Every evening around dusk we get the campfire going and break out the smores'.
I was just thinking if we ever stopped doing them we might have a riot on our hands.
The other day John here at the ranch comented that he didn't know of another place
that has a budget of just under $6000 dollars a year just for smores'. Always a great time
for the greatest guest around.

See you there.