Poking around Packsaddle

Fleda V. Starr Smith was born in 1891 in the community of Packsaddle,

Fleda V. Starr Smith in 1921

Texas. That piece of information started our road trip from Keller to Llano and back. Actually it put into motion a whole host of escapades that have led to a lot of interesting information, but not a lot of clarification of one of the family mysteries – just what did the initial V in Grandmother’s name stand for? Grandmother told stories about growing up in the Llano area, none of which I now remember, but I didn’t realize just where that was and I don’t suppose I ever asked what her middle name was. I did find that she was no relation to Belle Starr, but there lies another tale and perhaps another road trip. Recent Texas maps weren’t particularly helpful in locating Packsaddle; thankfully Google Maps has come along and although the little town isn’t on the map, Packsaddle Mountain is.

By and By in Baby Head

Near the former town of Baby Head

In our research for this short road trip, Dave ran found Baby Head Mountain on Google Maps. Being the curious person that he is, he had to see what had been written about the area. He was a bit appalled to find that the information about Baby Head was just as grizzly as the name implied. And after what he’d read, Baby Head became a destination rather than an aside to our road trip.

To Tunisia – somewhere in Texas

Dido was a legendary queen of Carthage in Virgil's Aeneid. She killed

Pasture land near Dido

herself when Aeneas left her. That didn’t stop folks in Texas from naming a town after her. Now a ghost town, Dido has lots history and still is connected to the community.