We Found Judge Roy Bean’s Grave

Summary

The article describes a visit to the Whitehead Memorial Museum in Del Rio, Texas, where Judge Roy Bean's grave and historical artifacts are located.

Abstract

The Whitehead Memorial Museum in Del Rio, Texas, is home to the grave of Judge Roy Bean and his son, Sam. The museum, which includes the Old Perry Building, offers a glimpse into the late 1800s with various historical displays. The article details the building's past as a mercantile store and its multifunctional use as a courthouse, church, stagecoach stop, and post office. The museum grounds feature a replica of Judge Roy Bean's famous saloon, the Jersey Lilly, where he held court. Despite the lack of concrete information on why Judge Bean's grave is located 50 miles away from his saloon in Langtry, the museum provides a rich historical experience. The author, Julia A. Keirns, encourages visitors to explore the museum, noting the reasonable entrance fee and the authentic experience of seeing a real jail from the 1800s, though it was not used by Judge Bean, who preferred fines and tree-chaining over incarceration.

Opinions

The author finds the museum to be a valuable historical site, worth the $6.00 entrance fee.
The author is intrigued by the unique judicial practices of Judge Roy Bean, particularly his aversion to using jails.
The article suggests that the museum is engaging and interactive, as evidenced by the author's playful act of putting "Rich" in an old jail.
The author expresses a personal interest in the mystery surrounding the location of Judge Roy Bean's grave, finding it "neat to see" despite the lack of clear information.
The author recommends the museum as a must-see attraction, emphasizing its beauty and historical significance.
The author notes the cold weather during the visit, suggesting that a warmer day might enhance the experience for future visits.
The author promotes their own work, inviting readers to join Medium with their referral link and to check out their children's picture books available on Amazon.

The Only Law West of the Pecos

Grave of Judge Roy Bean and son Sam. Photo copyright Julia A. Keirns.

We visited the Whitehead Memorial Museum today in Del Rio, Texas. The main entrance is the Old Perry Building which was the largest mercantile store between San Antonio and El Paso in the late 1800’s.

Old Perry Building in Del Rio, Texas. Photo copyright Julia A. Keirns.

Founded by John Perry, it was built in 1871, before Del Rio was established. The building was also used as a courthouse, church, stagecoach stop, and post office until 1883.

Old Perry Building Church. Photo copyright Julia A. Keirns.

Judge Roy Bean and his son, Sam, are buried on the land, which is now part of the museum.

The town of Langtry where Judge Roy Bean built his famous saloon, the Jersey Lilly, is about 50 miles west of Del Rio. He held court in the saloon and became famous because of his unique, bizarre, and hilarious decisions. He lived out his life by Eagle’s Nest Canyon near Langtry and died at home in his bed in 1903.

I tried to find out why his grave was here, 50 miles away, but couldn’t find any true concrete information. Either way, it was neat to see.

Museum grounds. Photo copyright Julia A. Keirns.

The museum grounds has many displays of items that have been donated throughout the years, along with a building replica of The Jersey Lilly Saloon.

Rich in an old jail. Photo copyright Julia A. Keirns.

I even put Rich in jail. He is such a trooper. This is a real jail from the 1800’s, but it is not one that was used by Judge Roy Bean. He didn’t believe in jails. Everyone paid a fine equal to the amount of money in their pocket. If they had no money he chained them to a tree until someone paid for them to be set free.

Whitehead Memorial Museum Grounds. Photo by Julia A. Keirns.

This is a beautiful area that everyone should see if they have the time. We paid $6.00 to get in — $3.00 each for seniors over 50. The cost is $4.00 each for adults 18–49. It is definitely worth the reasonable price.

It was quite cold today as we walked outside from building to building. If I ever go back it will be on a much warmer day.

If interested, please feel free to check out my children’s picture books for sale on Amazon…

We Found Judge Roy Bean’s Grave

The Only Law West of the Pecos

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