The temptation of a well reviewed Mexican restaurant inspired a trip to nearby Houston, Missouri, to try out Lilia’s Taqueria for lunch. And while there are some great places to visit in the little city (population just over 2,000) like the Bible Museum, multiple parks and an amazing health food store, its streets were pretty empty on past visits. We were shocked and happy to find downtown Houston bustling recently.
The first stop was at the Bible Museum which we discovered last summer by following the inviting signs through its little park off to the side of the museum. I wrote an article in Ozark’s Farm and Neighbor newspaper and a previous post about the tiny, but well stocked museum which is closed in the winter and opens on Easter weekend. The lights were on and we visited with Alice Potter, the docent. She explained that the event in town was for the Emmett Kelly Clown Festival.
Emmett Kelly, honored by the International Clown Hall of Fame and Circus Hall of Fame spent part of his growing years in the city of Houston, Missouri and they named a park as a tribute to him. Emmett’s persona was Weary Willie, a sad clown that represented the depression era times in which he was created. We missed the clown parade, but enjoyed the local merchant’s street displays and the live music. Earlier in the day, one of Emmett’s children, Stasia, had presented awards to art contest finalists.
We made it to Lilia’s Taqueria, which was doing a steady business. The owner, Lilia, was hard at work out front at a stand for the street fair. We opted to eat inside in the brightly colored, simple dining room, after ordering at the counter. We enjoyed fish tacos and a steak in Ranchero sauce dish called Chile Colorado. It was a delicious lunch with generous portions, well worth the short trip, and I mused about future orders.
Full and happy, we headed down the street where a man at a table in front of the Texas County Historical & Military Museum, handed us a copy of the U.S. Constitution and welcomed us to the museum. The 1923 building had old, hardwood floors which enhanced the setting of photos of soldiers and maps of local battles. We viewed displays of uniforms, equipment and one of MREs (Meals Ready to Eat). There was a library, a flag room and a collection of service records from local families. Their downstairs housed a replica of a typical home of the 1920-30s with antiques and products of the time.
Back on the street, people dressed in clown costumes and families wandered to various street displays. Local Piney River Brewing Company was offering Andy’s Root Beer, their signature non-alcoholic drink named for the brewing family’s son, Andy. A woman had a large display of wooden signs with snarky phrases. A display of aluminum can wind spinners caught my eye. As we headed back to the car, I was happy to have a richer view of the little city.
A sunny, spring day inspired visits to a few parks on the way home. We pulled in at Emmett Kelly Park that had a basketball court, pavilions, play structures for kids and a walkway along a creek. From our last visit to Piney River Brewing Company we stopped at Dog’s Bluff Access where some people were fishing from the shore. The pretty waters sit at the foot of high bluffs and it has a rocky beach, perfect for our dog to stretch and walk.
One last stop on the way home was The Narrows, another nature area on the Piney River. Especially since the recent spring rains, the entrance to the beach felt like walking through a green, great hall in a mansion with two walls of trees and a freshly mowed carpet that opened up on the river. Boots are recommended as the sands shift in rain and there can be a bit of low water and high grass to navigate to the reward of a beautiful and mostly empty beach along the river, rich with plant life and fish in the shallows.
Dog and people back in car, we headed home.
