Sherman & Stanley-Fisher

When my Torie Montana was a teenager, I once became teary eyed when telling her about Sherman's 1864 March to the Sea. She proceeded to call her dad at work.

"Mom's teaching me history and she's crying."

What can I say? Sometimes history moves me.

I verged upon teary again last night when Suzanne and I stayed at the Stanley-Fisher Bed and Breakfast on Matagorda Bay. It was a momentary wave of emotion, mind you. Originally built in 1832, this was one of the first homes in Texas.

What its walls have seen! Aside from various presidents, it's believed Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston were once guests. It served as a hospital when the Civil War raged and for a time the parlor was the largest room in Matagorda and so was used to lay out the dead.

I can't help but think that the sensitive souls among us can feel the richness of a building whose walls have housed so much of life for so long.

And, of course, since Suzanne is friends with the owners, Rick and Peggy Stanley, we were pretty lively ourselves and so can honestly say we might now be a part of the history of the Stanley-Fisher.

The Stanleys are so gracious and fun you feel like old friends before breakfast is over. It's also a bed and breakfast even a man firmly opposed to the concept of such establishments would feel right at home in. You might want to visit www.stanley-fisher.com if you plan on stopping in on SE Texas.

And about that Sherman crying incident. In all fairness to me I must tell you that only several months prior I had been at the St. Louis Historical Society's library. I had in my hand the original diary of a southern woman writing as Sherman's troops camped on her lawn. Her words and thoughts were still fresh in my mind!

Lastly, as you can see in the above picture, we do have a travel companion - asked along at Suzanne's request. He graciously allowed himself to be photographed shackled in the only remaining jail cell at the LaGrange Chamber of Commerce. He appeared delighted to be included for tea at Oh George's in Angleton. And thankfully he wasn't the least put out when I almost forgot him near the cannon at the Stanley-Fisher. He's kind of growing on me.