The "We'll leave the light on for you" Award - Majestic Theater, Eastland

Most Innovative Restoration of an Endangered Building Award - The Prison, McKinney

Most Painstaking Restoration and Improving the Face of the Town Square Award - Jubilee House, Athens

Town That Looks Most Like A Model Train Layout From The Air Award - Ballinger

Best City Logo Award: Kingsville

Best Murals Not Found In A Post Office - Breckenridge

Best Mural We Found in a Post Office this Year - El Campo

Best Whimsical Mural Depicting a Town - Andy's Restaurant, Gatesville

Best Photo Used in a Travel Brochure - Old Milam Co. Jail, Cameron

Best Business Theme Using a Local Hero that Happens to be a Horned Toad -
Rip's Diner, Eastland

Best Haunted Railroad Station Used as a Chamber of Commerce - Edinburg

Best Downtown Café for Bringing People Downtown on Sunday Award - Mattie's, Decatur

Best Restaurant for Bringing People Downtown at Night Award - Fuente's Mexican Restaurant, San Angelo

Best Promotion of a Local Oddity Award - The Paris Chamber for providing a postcard of a local cemetery statue portraying Jesus wearing cowboy boots.

Friendliest Genealogical Society - Caldwell County, Luling

Best 20th Century Ghost Town - Thurber
Best 19th Century Ghost Town - Indianola

State Agency with Largest Number of Gruntled Employees - General Land Office, Austin

Hardest Working Wildflower Association - DeWitt County

Still Cheerfully Doing Their Job at 4:59 Award - Breckenridge Chamber of Commerce

Standing Up for Preservation Award (Tie) -
Citizens of Wharton County for fighting to keep their County Courthouse, Breckenridge for fighting to keep their brick streets.

Towns on the Edge of the Horizon with Rough-hewn Charm Award (Tie) - Menard / Mason

Friendliest Small Town Newspaper Staff - Smithville Times.

Best Small Town Newspaper Article - Smithville Times series of interviews with local school children.

Best Small Town Bookstore South of Waco - Main Street Books, Bastrop

Best Small Town Bookstore North of Waco - The Book Gallery, McKinney

Best Bookstore In An Under-populated Area - The Lynch Line, Albany

Best "Making It Happen" Award (Tie) -
Shelly Hargrove, Main Street Manager, Breckenridge
Gabrielle Gonzales, Main Street Manager, Gatesville

Efficiency and Thoroughness Award (Tie) -
Aida Hernandez, Edinburg C of C
Mario Bazan, Edinburg C of C

Best Publication on Texas - Los Caminos Del Rio. Texas Historical Commission

Most Attractive Business Card - Missy Pollard, former Main Street Manager, Taylor

Most Attractive Lobby of A Former Hotel - The Cactus, San Angelo

Town with The Most Aggressive Geese in the River - San Angelo

Librarian with a Cause (he started the library) - H. Ben Johnson, Moulton

Small Town Hotel with the Most Interesting History/ Owners - The Von Minden, Schulenburg

Silliest Name of a New Business That Still Makes You Laugh Award - Wash-A-Terrier Dog Grooming, Farmersville

A Note to Recipients: Just because you don't receive a plaque or trophy from Texas Escapes for your excellence, doesn't mean you can't go out and buy one. Just make sure the Trophy Shop is a member of the Chamber of Commerce.

December 1999

Reader's Comments:
Friday, February 04, 2000
I loved reading through all of your awards, it makes me just want to jump in a car and take off on a major texas roadtrip. I know of some of those spots, but others I don't, and I'm now curious. GOOD JOB! - Shelly H.


TEXAS TOWNS