FROM HERE TO THERE AND BACK: TRAVEL DAY 18

Castles and Courthouses
Long, fulfilling day.
First planned stop: Pythian Castle. Not found! The address we had took us to a nature reserve and a locked-up gate:

Well, so all that remains is to describe the place and, with utmost regrets, to upload a photo from the Internet... Pretty incredible right?

In Weatherford, Texas stands the majestic old 93 yr. old castle owned by the Texas Pythians (like the Masons). In the early 20th century, they built a home for widows and orphans of their members in Weatherford, Texas. Considering themselves New World Knights, this home was built in the form of a castle. And this “home” definitely fits the term castle. There are numerous rooms and corridors. Lofty ceilings, hardwood floors and sturdy 19th- or early 20th-century construction are the castle's hallmarks. On the upper floor there is a large main hall with a beautiful carved crown molding and raised dais. The large windows and heavy curtains of this Great Hall speak of fairytales and attendant mysteries.

The Home has suffered over the years due to the economy, but about 50 children still remain on site. Children no longer need to be related to a Knights of Pythias member, but are accepted as the need arises. The Home is not State funded and is operated mostly via donations and volunteers. The Pythian organization supports and organizes fundraises for these children, and most renovations are usually through volunteers and the generosity of the community and others.

The order has over two thousand lodges in the United States and around the world, with a 2003 total membership of over 50,000. Some lodges meet in structures referred to as Pythian Castles.

“The Fraternal Order of the Knights of Pythias are pledged to the promotion of understanding among men of good will as the surest means of attaining Universal Peace. We believe that men and women, meeting in a spirit of goodwill, in an honest effort of understanding, can live together in a spirit of peace and harmony. We seek those who agree with this belief, and have a personal belief in a Supreme Being, to join our ranks in an effort to reach ‘Peace Through Understanding.’"

Some well-known people who have lived in this castle include:

Warren G. Harding, U.S. President

Hubert Horatio Humphrey, U.S. Vice President

William McKinley, U.S. President,

Nelson A. Rockefeller, U.S. Vice President

Franklin D. Roosevelt, U.S. President

Louis Armstrong, Jazz musician, actor

In the same town, we passed by one of the most impressive courthouses we have encountered on this trip.

The town square was laid out at the intersection of the two primary roads approaching town. Instead of the typical layout with streets passing by all four sides of the town square, Weatherford’s square is right in the middle of the roads as you approach from all four directions. When the courthouse was eventually built, is was visible from a great distance as you approached town. This layout makes for a dramatic presentation for the town’s gem, the Courthouse. It is a three-story structure with forth story attic. A central clock tower extends up another three stories. Each of the four corners of the building is crowned with a convex mansard roof. The central clock tower repeats the pattern of the convex mansard roofs and produces a uniformity of style.

The elevation of this courthouse and the dramatic central position it holds on the town square further contributes to its overall grandeur. Certainly, it can be seen from a great distance away, as you approach town from any direction.

Throwback: 43 Years!

A very special reunion for two Finnish girls who had known of each other in Finland and then turned up roommates at BYU! Tytti and I. The way we were... (high school graduation, a big deal in Finland)

And now...

(Loved Tytti's Marimekko wall hanging.)

What a wonderful visit—and revisit to the past. Two Liisas, two lives, two stories, but one in heart and warmth of memories.

Yes, we ended up as roommates at BYU. We were busy with our studies and otherwise not too much involved in each other's lives. Though I do remember one time when our lives got tangled: Liisa got all the praise and credit in the English Department for the A+++ paper I had written, "The Influence of Kalevala on Longfellow's Song of Hiawatha."

And eastwards, ahoy! Not much to be seen. Thought this giant pumping was fun, though: