Dime BoX & da Q

Dime Box & more Good BBQ, June 17th
The Area around present day Dime Box, Texas was originally a Four League Grant given to Stephen F. Austin for bringing the first three hundred colonists to Texas. Originally the Dime Box area was called Brown’s Mill in 1869, after Joseph S. Brown it’s located at the west end of County Road 429, it’s one mile south of The El Camino Real, State Road 21.
Record’s show that Brown’s Mill had a post office as early as 1877 with Brown as postmaster, there was confusion with the town of Brownsville, so they needed a name.
Many people had used a wooden box at Brown’s Mill to send and receive mail and also request other items, leaving a dime in the box for service rendered.
A suggestion was made to call the area Dime Box, so on December 28, 1883 it got its name.
I first learned of Dime Box when reading ‘blue highways’ A Journey into America by William Least Heat-Moon, he writes about his travels around America in 1979, he went clockwise around the US in a small van,I am going counter clockwise in a 2000 Honda Insight, go figure.
He(Heat-Moon)wrote a story of the town barber Claud Tyler, he was an old time barber in a small town, his joke’s and local knowledge were fascinating.
He says that when business was good, he had a shop as good as any shop as in Texas, he says that he listened to a million stories cutting those old squirrels’ heads. “a Barber’s the third most lied-to person, you know," Heat-Moon asked “Who’s first”, the Barber “Man’s wife is first anywhere in the world, Priest is second”.
Not much of a town now, rusty silos at the old train station, the old shops almost boarded up, people are trying, the Historical Center was closed, the sign said that they should be open, the sign said go across the street, ask for any elder lady, I did, she made a call, and in a short while they opened the center for me, I am alone. The fellow and his wife , as well with other’s are trying to keep their history alive here, we had a fun talk, the Community as a lot of Czech people, he even afforded me some of his homemade sausage, he said it’s OK, not thinking I was going to see friends in Louisiana that would just love his sausage.
I have noticed other sausage makers ,too. There is Barton’s and even Dime Box sausage.
In town I barely noticed a Jake’s Bar-B-Que, open Sundays, Pit Bar-B-Que Brisket, Pork, Chicken, Sausage and Ribs, it’s Saturday. I was able to talk to Jacob Beran the owner, and a few locals hangin; around the shop.
Up the street the market I asked for help with the Historical center, I noticed local black men sitting around eating BBQ, I went back, I am glad a did, $2.25 for BBQ pulled pork on white bread, wrapped in foil, let's just say I did not get very far before that sandwich was gone. Great Sandwich.
Early this morning I left Austin, it rained a bunch, it was dark in the morning, no bright sun, nice for me, Oregonman notices that Texans and Californians drivers are wimps when it comes to driving in the rain, it’s nice to see then slow down. “Good lord willin' and the creek don’t rise”. Here High Water poles go to 5 feet, Skate could handle half a foot, try me!
I say good-bye to Bill and Janine, a beautiful couple, in love, flowing together and as themselves, it’s nice to observe, the sweetness of harmony.
I get my usual four shot latte, now were talking and driving out of Austin, back on the journey to wander, heading to the Southeast, a take 290 E two lanes out of Texas, then SR 21 to Old Dime Box, then to Dime Box on County Road 429, then back to SR 21 to 290E then on to SR 105, trying to make time to get to Sulfur, Louisiana, and stay with friends for Kerrville, the ride is pheasant, the back roads are the best, 290 is a Austin to Houston connection, I go over Houston, I only experience little traffic here, 45 miles out, pass Washington at Brazos, a very historic area here in Texas history, Bluebell Ice Cream is the Bomb here, good stuff, over the Trinity River, thru Batson, sighs of shrimp and Bayou country, East Texas and Southeastern Louisiana, on to Texas 12, pass Beaumont, Texas across the Sabin River, smell of gas in the air, oil county, SE gulf coast, on to LA12 to Deweyville, on the Acadia Trial, south on LA 27S, pass the Boiling Point Restaurant.
On to Louissana, I pull in after a long day's drive, and a day when I am not in Texas, almost a month in Texas, little did I know.
Back for a moment in Texas. Best B-B-Q the Planet reads the sign, ROCKIN'R B-B-Q at the junction of Texas SR 321 & SR 105, in Cleveland, a man in a chef’s coat, it's his shop, in the back of a gas station store and in an adjacent building, the smokers are going outside, Ronnie & Janice Reeves are the owners, I order the brisket, we start talking BBQ,what me talk, he starts to give my samplers, and telling me his secrets, I share my knowledge and he is of like mind, some chefs won't share. He is great, we talk for about an hour, BBQ, on being a chef, the good, the bad, and then he gives me 4 CD's of local musicians, I need to keep in touch with Ronnie.
Did I Mention the Brisket was Heavenly!
55.9 MPG/ 365.3 mile traveled