The Post Man

 Post Cereals has been one of the giants in the breakfast game for quite awhile now.  From Grape Nuts to Fruity Pebbles, everybody has a favorite.  But cereal dynasties aren't born, they're made.  And this one was made by a guy named C.W. Post.  If you look into his life you'll find out that he wasn't always such a great guy but but that milk of negativity wasn't enough make his legacy soggy enough to deny him a statue...and I just happened to visit it recently.

 And there he sits, perched high upon his throne, welcoming visitors to the Garza County Courthouse in Post, TX.  Yes, he has a town named after him.  And, yes, he named it after himself after he founded it.  Of course, it was originally called "Post City" and it was meant to be a paradise based on his utopian vision which involved prohibiting alcohol and recreational fornication.  But currently, it's not that different from any other small Texas town.

 

 

Right behind the statue is a Texas Historical marker.  It reads:

     "Internationally known creator of Post Cereals, advertising genius, inventor and innovator, founder of Post City in 1906. Through the purchase of the Curry Comb Ranch and adjacent land approximating 225,000 acres he began his dream of building self-contained model community of towns and farms. Mr. Post financed, supervised and built town without profit to himself. Settlers were offered ownership of business or farm sites far below cost. Mr. Post planned community of debt-free private ownership in every field of endeavor, and sought to make his vision true to its purpose."

 

I'm sure this isn't the only monument to a cereal magnate but my travels have yet to take me to Battle Creek, MI to investigate further.  If you want to visit Post's town (and his statue) you can find it in the in the vicinity of the middle of nowhere in the southern end of the Texas panhandle.  Don't forget the milk!

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

 Previously:

Smokey Bear Top 5  - -  Burn Notice

 Legends never die, they just burn out.  And with that bit of bumper sticker wisdom, it's time for a road trip!  This time I found myself in Capitan, NM, the final resting place of the legendary Smokey the Bear.   He's spending his eternal reward at Smokey Bear Historical Park which, in addition to Smokey's remains,  also includes a a short nature trail, museum and gift shop.  

 Here we see his final resting place.  Just like Smokey, it's humble and unassuming.  There's a wood carving of young Smokey as they first found him stuck in a tree during a forest fire and a plaque with information about his life and his life's work: preventing forest fires.  A little further down the trail is a monument to fallen firefighters as well as benches and overlooks providing a tranquil experience.

 The Museum/Gift Shop is a much lighter way to pay homage to Smokey and his life.  It's full of every kind of memorabilia you can slap a bear's face on.  Games, dolls, books, toys and collectibles from throughout the years are on display to show how fully Smokey worked his way into popular culture (no ashtrays though).

Sadly, none of these items were for sale but they had a few souvenirs available for the Smokey-loving traveler.  It's easy to lose track of time as you soak in the Smokey-themed ambience.  The nostalgia is palpable and emotions can run high as life and death converge on small New Mexico town.  If you find yourself on the road in that area I would definitely recommend stopping by and paying your respects.