June 18, 2024
Growing Up In Bandera
By Glenn Clark
The Bandera Prophet
In my mind I think I'm still living in the country. That's the way it has always been for me here in Bandera. Didn't matter if we lived in town, because you were still considered country. Everything about our way of life back in the day was considered country. Yes, I know it's more in my head than in reality now, but I like it that way.
Occasionally, I get a chance to break away from my daily routine of napping, bird watching and front porch sittin’, and I will venture into the big city to visit two of my great grandkids. I spent nearly 45 years commuting to San Antonio for work, and I was blessed to have had that opportunity. I'm not sure I could handle that today. I begin planning my return to the hills as soon as I get to the Helotes area.
To be honest, I am beginning to feel the same way about Boerne these days. When I was in high school they were our big football rival. Seems like they now have as many school campuses as Bandera has dollar stores. I am grateful though, that Boerne has the medical facilities available so I don't have to drive to San Antonio.
I remember in my teen years just going to Kerrville to the drive-in movie was exciting. All the 90-degree turns have been eliminated from the highway, so it's a shorter drive now than it used to be and a lot less dangerous to travel. We currently have only a short 30-minute drive from Bandera in several directions and we can be in a traffic jam. It's what we call progress!
The problem with so many people wanting to move out of the city toward Pipe Creek and Bandera is they are only expanding their big city way of life. Infrastructure will follow the population growth. Convenience and solitude will never be a good mix when choosing a place to live.
Maybe not in my lifetime of Growing Up In Bandera, but most assuredly we will be swallowed up and true country living will be found somewhere up around Vanderpool. I have said it many times, “We were blessed as a kids to have grown up in the 50s and 60s in Bandera.”
It was truly special.
#406 2024
Occasionally, I get a chance to break away from my daily routine of napping, bird watching and front porch sittin’, and I will venture into the big city to visit two of my great grandkids. I spent nearly 45 years commuting to San Antonio for work, and I was blessed to have had that opportunity. I'm not sure I could handle that today. I begin planning my return to the hills as soon as I get to the Helotes area.
To be honest, I am beginning to feel the same way about Boerne these days. When I was in high school they were our big football rival. Seems like they now have as many school campuses as Bandera has dollar stores. I am grateful though, that Boerne has the medical facilities available so I don't have to drive to San Antonio.
I remember in my teen years just going to Kerrville to the drive-in movie was exciting. All the 90-degree turns have been eliminated from the highway, so it's a shorter drive now than it used to be and a lot less dangerous to travel. We currently have only a short 30-minute drive from Bandera in several directions and we can be in a traffic jam. It's what we call progress!
The problem with so many people wanting to move out of the city toward Pipe Creek and Bandera is they are only expanding their big city way of life. Infrastructure will follow the population growth. Convenience and solitude will never be a good mix when choosing a place to live.
Maybe not in my lifetime of Growing Up In Bandera, but most assuredly we will be swallowed up and true country living will be found somewhere up around Vanderpool. I have said it many times, “We were blessed as a kids to have grown up in the 50s and 60s in Bandera.”
It was truly special.
#406 2024