Bend, Texas, San Saba & Lampasas County. (original) (raw)
Doss and Sons General Store - early 1900s
"Dry Goods, Clothing, Hats, Shoes, Groceries and Hardware Telephone Exchange "
Photo courtesy texasoldphotos.com
Located not far from a "V" shaped bend in the Colorado River almost exactly halfway between The City of San Saba and The City of Lampasas on Hwy 580.
The biggest structure in the area is the bridge connecting the two counties of San Saba and Lampasas.
The river is cool, shallow and access is available on the Lampasas side for a mere three dollars a day. This enterprise could provide better signage. Enter first driveway past the bridge on the Lampasas side.
A little native stone cube, now overgrown with vines had been the Bend Post Office. It's now across the river. Also on the San Saba side are two monuments. One to veterans who have died overseas, and the other to a local doctor.
The men listed on the memorial died in France, India, Saipan, Okinawa and Camp Bowie. Places far flung from such a tranquil spot.
The doctor was Edward Doss. His marker shows a photo of the Doctor with his Horse "Old Ross" and the carriage in which Ross pulled Doss. After Ross died, the doctor wore out three automobiles in making his rounds and emergencies. He came to the area in 1882 with his wife Arebell and crossed the river uncountable times in every season, day or night. He treated local residents until his death in 1928.
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The old post office TE photo |
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San Saba County Chronicles
Dr. Edward Doss, his buggy, and his horse, Old Ross.
Photo courtesy Harland Moore
by Harland Moore
"In this account of the history of Bend, Texas, it may sound like that my ancestors invented the earth, inhabited it, created Bend, Texas, and hung the moon. It is not my intention to leave that impression, but I can only write what I have heard and learned of them. There are many other pioneer families that contributed to the history of Bend. I will list some of them but I know that I will leave out some. Early family names in the Bend area other than my relatives are: Baxter, Smith, Millican, Cate, Turner, Gibson, Gorman, Marley, Morris, January, Buckhannan, Bearden, Matsler, Byrd, Scott, Lewis, Barefoot, and many more ... next page "
People
From Titanic Texans by Mike Cox
"Two former Texans also died in the infamous disaster -- James H. Bracken and Alfred Rowe. Bracken had lived for a time near Bend, a small town on the Colorado River in San Saba County. Rowe owned a large ranch near Clarendon in Donley County.
Bracken, born in Kentucky in 1881, gained his Texas connection in marrying San Saba county native Addie Greathouse in 1907. Later they moved from Bend to New Mexico, and it was from there that he left for England on a cattle-buying trip. On his way home as a second-class passenger when the ship sank, his body was never identified."
(See full article)
Bend, Texas Forum
- Subject: Bend Texas, Dr. Doss and Harland Moore
I am a physician practicing at _____. I am a family practitioner by training. Several years ago, when I was nearing a burn-out point in my career, I took my family for a camping holiday in Texas. One of the places we camped was at Colorado Bend State Park, and we had a wonderful time.
We went to the small country store outside the entrance to the park in Bend, and I noticed a monument across the road. I went over to take a look.
As I read the inscription, I started to get a lump in my throat. And then I shed a few tears. The monument was erected in the memory of Dr. Edward Doss, a pioneer physician. The monument has a photograph of Dr. Doss and his horse, gives a brief description of his life, and has a poetic quote at the end: "No night too dark or road too long to serve his fellow man".
But what really got me, and still sends chills down my spine, is that the final line reads:
"Erected by those who loved him - July 1965" (This was for a man that died in 1928!!)
Discovering this, completely by surprise, was, and still is, an emotional experience for me.
Finding this monument forced me to rethink my place in the world, why I went into medicine, and who I truly am, way deep down. It made me re-evaluate the true meaning of success. A year or so later, I returned to that monument, just to think things over, again, to try remind myself about that part of Dr. Doss that is in me, buried beneath the myriad complications of modern medicine.....
Through the marvels of the internet, I found texasescapes.com, and some writings by Mr. Harland Moore, who is a descendent of Dr. Doss..... I thought that Mr. Moore might enjoy hearing about this. - Sincerely, __________, M.D., October 20, 2006 - Subject: Bend, Texas
Some of my best times as a kid were spent down on the Colorado River. A place called Barefoots. I can remember going by the house and there was a blue tackle box on the gate. You put your 2 $, yes I said 2 dollars, your name and address and could stay all week. We always went to the tig hole. Right by Leaning Bluff. I hear it's all got facilities now. Back then they didn't even have tables. But I would'nt trade it for the world. By the way my Dad was born at Nix. My Dads name was Robert Carlile. He was born in 1919. - Randall Keith Carlile, April 10, 2005
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