Welcome To Case's Column
Let me say a big welcome to all of you for joining me here. I'm going to call these blog meetings Case's Column. I wanted to use "Corner", but that was already taken.
Since 2008, it's been a real privilege to come on here and share some of my life with you, and it's a big world where we live.
In these blogs, I'll just speak whatever is on my mind, but we will be playing within the rules here. I may pick a particular topic, point out an event, or shoot the breeze. I'm a little bit of an essayist at times, so I'll just speak what's on my mind, and I might tell a story or two. Or, I might spew out an opinion or three. There will be some serious moments, some tender, some poignant, but there will also be those moments that you'll just bust out laughing. But, hopefully, everything will be in good fun here. And, of course, there's a place below for your comments and thoughts as we go along here. So feel free to join me for the ride -- I sure as heck hope I'm doing this right and not making any mistakes.
Thanks for taking your time in reading Case's Column. Hopefully, you'll enjoy being entertained by it as much as I've enjoyed putting these writings together. And thanks for the time you spend in City-Data.com, where it's great to be alive!
Regards,
case44
Let me say a big welcome to all of you for joining me here. I'm going to call these blog meetings Case's Column. I wanted to use "Corner", but that was already taken.
Since 2008, it's been a real privilege to come on here and share some of my life with you, and it's a big world where we live.In these blogs, I'll just speak whatever is on my mind, but we will be playing within the rules here. I may pick a particular topic, point out an event, or shoot the breeze. I'm a little bit of an essayist at times, so I'll just speak what's on my mind, and I might tell a story or two. Or, I might spew out an opinion or three. There will be some serious moments, some tender, some poignant, but there will also be those moments that you'll just bust out laughing. But, hopefully, everything will be in good fun here. And, of course, there's a place below for your comments and thoughts as we go along here. So feel free to join me for the ride -- I sure as heck hope I'm doing this right and not making any mistakes.
Thanks for taking your time in reading Case's Column. Hopefully, you'll enjoy being entertained by it as much as I've enjoyed putting these writings together. And thanks for the time you spend in City-Data.com, where it's great to be alive!
Regards,
case44
If Only Fort Stockton Could Be Another Abilene
Posted 04-05-2019 at 08:07 PM by case44
Size matters. Size has been an issue in West Texas in the wrong direction, as many towns there are small. Not only that, but there are some ghost towns, as well. And not too many actual towns are close together if you're south of Interstate 20 and north of Mexico.
And there sits a small town in a location that could offer a hub for the Big Bend area. Why the devil has Fort Stockton not become, at the least, a small city?? For crying out loud, it's on Interstate 10! As nutty as this may sound to some of you, there is a potential for that sort of thing, as San Antonio is 313 miles to the east, and El Paso is 239 miles to the west. And for the record, Midland is 100 miles to the northeast. The emphasis with Fort Stockton is more of an oasis than a hub. It should provide a place of rest for the traveler (Yes, they have hotels now, but I'm talking much more). It should also be a place for many people to raise families. It should have businesses and an economy sustainer. And Interstate 10 runs coast to coast through the southern tier, and Fort Stockton could be another Texas outpost that offers something that no one else in the state has.
What's wrong with about, oh, 120 to 130 thousand people, a few additional tourist attractions, a lively downtown, a historic district, a major university, a thoroughfare plan, a loop highway, numerous restaurants, a ranching center, and thriving commerce? In Fort Stockton? Yes. Restaurants that previously died in this town won't have to anymore. It would become the size of Abilene, another West Texas outpost which has had its own run of success, with a population of around 130,000. As a whole, West Texas needs more people. This region could provide a new frontier and an alternative to the central and eastern parts of Texas, and you know all about those areas. Besides, with that spider-web highway artery system leading in and out of town, Fort Stockton has the potential to be more than just the gateway to Big Bend.
My buddy Paisano Pete, West Texas' favorite roadrunner, could have more playmates....
And there sits a small town in a location that could offer a hub for the Big Bend area. Why the devil has Fort Stockton not become, at the least, a small city?? For crying out loud, it's on Interstate 10! As nutty as this may sound to some of you, there is a potential for that sort of thing, as San Antonio is 313 miles to the east, and El Paso is 239 miles to the west. And for the record, Midland is 100 miles to the northeast. The emphasis with Fort Stockton is more of an oasis than a hub. It should provide a place of rest for the traveler (Yes, they have hotels now, but I'm talking much more). It should also be a place for many people to raise families. It should have businesses and an economy sustainer. And Interstate 10 runs coast to coast through the southern tier, and Fort Stockton could be another Texas outpost that offers something that no one else in the state has.
What's wrong with about, oh, 120 to 130 thousand people, a few additional tourist attractions, a lively downtown, a historic district, a major university, a thoroughfare plan, a loop highway, numerous restaurants, a ranching center, and thriving commerce? In Fort Stockton? Yes. Restaurants that previously died in this town won't have to anymore. It would become the size of Abilene, another West Texas outpost which has had its own run of success, with a population of around 130,000. As a whole, West Texas needs more people. This region could provide a new frontier and an alternative to the central and eastern parts of Texas, and you know all about those areas. Besides, with that spider-web highway artery system leading in and out of town, Fort Stockton has the potential to be more than just the gateway to Big Bend.
My buddy Paisano Pete, West Texas' favorite roadrunner, could have more playmates....
Total Comments 2
Comments
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While we're thinking about population, I'd like to see increases in places like Balmorhea, Pecos, Van Horn, Marfa, Alpine, Crane, Marathon, Sanderson, Shafter, Fort Davis, Grandfalls, McCamey, Belding, Bakersfield, and Sheffield. And that's not to mention the towns that don't currently exist in that part of Texas. Oh, the potential....
Meanwhile, about twenty miles northeast of Fort Stockton, we have this new oil refinery project. It's in this link: https://www.mmexresources.com/project_progress.php
That's the first time in at least three decades that an oil refinery is being built anywhere in Texas.Posted 04-05-2019 at 08:12 PM by case44
Updated 04-06-2019 at 03:32 AM by case44 -
After you've traveled four to six hours on I-10 coming from either direction of Fort Stockton, don't you think you should have a bigger oasis? A larger Fort Stockton would be perfect.Posted 04-15-2019 at 01:28 PM by case44
