Lost Cities on the '281

Image via Wikipedia

I love traveling on highways that take me to places I've never been before - I also love traveling these same highways when they take to favorite places I have visited before: Beginning with this article, I am planning an on again/off again series of articles about the small and large towns and cities along these highways and the areas surrounding them that help to shape who or what they are now.

Through the years, in my travels (with rare exception), my favorite highway has been the '281.

US Highway 281 is a highway that bisects the United States, connecting Boca Chica Blvd in Brownsville, Texas to the International Peace Garden at the Canadian Border, just north of Kelvin, North Dakota.

Image by jmtimages [hopeful] via Flickr

The '281 is a legendary highway to me, filled with memories of quiet late night drives taking me home to San Antone, and early morning runs outward from San Antonio to various destinations both on the '281 or on nearby highways that connect to it.

Destinations South of San Antonio include cities like McAllen, Alice, and Pleasanton. Passing through beautiful San Antonio, continuing Northward for the far greater portion of the highway's length: Blanco, Johnson City, Hamilton, Hico and Stephenville.

"These are a few of my favorite things..."

I've left out too many to name and am only covering the part of '281 where I have done most of my traveling (primarily in central Texas). Small town hamburger stands full of homemade goodness, and Tex-Mex mom and pop shops, roadside fruit stands and historical markers of Texas history.

"It's Bluebonnets and Indian Paint Brushes,"

More to come later....

GDW