Best Overall Climate City In Texas?

[king's highway]

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Marfa is a strange little town.



I did a little digging on Marfa and found the following interesting information.

Seems Marfa's artist inclination may have began with German POWs...
but then, Hitler too was an artist.


One of the more weird explanations of the Marfa lights concerns
German POWs held at the Marfa Army Airfield who had escaped.


When I did a search for more info... I came across this:


" Even the German Luffwaffe has a presence here – several of its officers, serving time as World War II POW’s at Fort D.A. Russell’s Building 98, painted panoramic murals of the Marfa Plateau. "

Marfa, Texas Chamber of Commerce


"Building 98 is specifically known for the hauntingly beautiful murals painted during WWII by two German POW's of General Irwin Rommel's (The Desert Fox) elite Afrika Korps, who were billeted at Fort Russell after their defeat by General George Patton's Third Army in North Africa."

Marfa, Texas Chamber of Commerce (http://www.marfacc.com/art/foundations.php - broken link)



Photos of historical marker/building 98

Building 98, Fort D.A. Russell Marker



Photo of mural room in building 98

WetCanvas - View Single Post - Building 98 Mural Room






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[catman]

You're making me want to take another trip out to Marfa/Alpine/Ft Davis even more! I love it out there.

[king's highway]

Originally Posted by catman

You're making me want to take another trip out to Marfa/Alpine/Ft Davis even more! I love it out there.

I was born in west Texas [Odessa] but haven't been out west for years.

Marfa's climate is as perfect as it gets.

Marfa's climate and Nazi murals would be my only attraction.

Unless there is something else to tempt me.

I checked real estate websites and what few houses are for sale are quite expensive
[compared to similar houses here in the Dallas area.]

So, maybe there is more to Marfa than meets the eye.



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[Cathy4017]

There isn't that much available in any of the 3 places, so it's going to be more expensive. There does not seem to be much in the moderate ranges at all.

I've been disappointed with what I've researched online, and I'm probably going to plan a trip down sometime in September or October.

It may come down to having to build, but I really don't want to go down that road again.

[king's highway]

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

There isn't that much available in any of the 3 places, so it's going to be more expensive. There does not seem to be much in the moderate ranges at all.

I've been disappointed with what I've researched online, and I'm probably going to plan a trip down sometime in September or October.

It may come down to having to build, but I really don't want to go down that road again.

In a town so small how easy/expensive would it be to build and furnish a house ?


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[Cathy4017]

The cost of living in Alpine is surprisingly expensive. I don't know about Marfa or Fort Davis, but it would be my guess that they'd both be comparable to Alpine in COL, with the added expense of having to drive to Alpine/Midland/Odessa/Fort Stockton for some things.

I have not talked to any of the area builders yet, so I don't know.....but I suppose I'll find out if I cannot find what I want otherwise. I would most likely choose Alpine to avoid so much driving.

[king's highway]

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

The cost of living in Alpine is surprisingly expensive. I don't know about Marfa or Fort Davis, but it would be my guess that they'd both be comparable to Alpine in COL, with the added expense of having to drive to Alpine/Midland/Odessa/Fort Stockton for some things.

I have not talked to any of the area builders yet, so I don't know.....but I suppose I'll find out if I cannot find what I want otherwise. I would most likely choose Alpine to avoid so much driving.

Let us know how the search goes.

You hit on another point... living in small town west Texas requires a lot of driving just for necessities.

Me, I've been spoiled by the big city. The older I get the less I like to drive long distances.

According to the CoC website there is only one grocery store in Alpine... not sure if there is any in Marfa ??

Without competition, prices would be higher.


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[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by king's highway

Let us know how the search goes.

You hit on another point... living in small town west Texas requires a lot of driving just for necessities.

Me, I've been spoiled by the big city. The older I get the less I like to drive long distances.


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I hear that. Midland is not comparable in size to Dallas, but for a city of 100K+, it offers a LOT, and I never needed to drive anywhere for anything I needed.

Alpine is going to be a different story. I will be making periodic trips to Midland from time to time, but at least I know where everything is, so that's not a huge deal-breaker for me.

I'll just have to learn to plan ahead, and realize that not everything is just up the street or across town any more. Whether I want to do this badly enough to live in Alpine remains to be seen.

I'll keep you posted....