This is a story I wrote for The Daily Texan in like 2003. I still try to swing by the ’Bone a couple of times a year.
If you happen to run your finger over a bullet hole in the wall of the Devil’s Backbone Tavern, don’t worry—it’s just a remnant of rowdier days.
Most of the old-timers who shot up the walls and ceiling of the small rock structure are dead and gone, and the ones still around say they are now too old to bother. Instead, they sit back and drink their Milwaukee’s Best Light, the cheapest beer in the house, and tell stories that mingle legend with history.
For instance, the place is haunted. Always has been.
“Oh, there are ghosts, I guaran-goddamn-tee you,” said Robert Kelly, a regular who said he sometimes sees shadowy figures on a steep nearby ridge called the Devil’s Backbone, for which the tavern is named.
Brushes with the paranormal are to be expected in a place like this, where the face of the Devil himself is manifest in a rock mortared into the stonework above the fireplace at the back wall.
In fact, many claim the Backbone—the ridge and the tavern—is the most-haunted spot in the state.Amanda Joan Couve, a bartender who studies sociology at Southwest Texas State University, has had her share of run-ins with the ghost. He tends to stick to the south end of the place, rearranging furniture, turning off lights and causing all-around mayhem, said Couve. On summer nights when the air is still as death, the door that leads to the adjoining dance hall inexplicably slams to and fro. Other nights, before they went ahead and tied it to the wall, the box fan fell to the floor whenever Couve walked nearby.
“It was weird,” she said. “It was like the ghost was mad at me or something.”
Couve thinks the tavern is haunted by a man shot dead as he walked into the bar years ago, when the place was rowdier. But the older folk, who remember those lawless days, tend to agree it’s a Native American killed in some ancient and forgotten Indian battle. Still others say their spooked friends are full of it.
“My daddy, my grandpa and my great-grandpa lived around here, and we never saw anything,” said Floyd Fischer, who spends most afternoons at the table by the window, swapping stories and sipping on a cold beer.
At 62, he’s frequented the tavern for decades, as his father did before him. He grew up along the Backbone, trapping ringtails that fetched $50 at a time when a full day’s labor could bring in as little as a dollar a day.
Today, he lives in a little ranching community on the other side of the ridge named for his ancestors, the Fischers, German immigrants who settled the area in the 1850s. He maintains a spread of land passed down through the generations, and his cousins still populate the area. In short, Fischer is one of the old-timers.
Fischer distinguishes between several different types of folks at the Devil’s Backbone Tavern. You’ve got your old-timers, the people who grew up around the ridge; college kids driving in from San Marcos; bikers; and the newcomers.
First, there are the guys with the Harleys, who in recent years have begun frequenting the place on nights and weekends: “We’re overrun by bikers, but they’re all good people now,” he said. “When I grew up in this country, they rode the old Indian bikes. Now those were bad people.”
Back in those days, if you saw a bike parked in front of the tavern, you didn’t stop. But now the bikers are mostly doctors and lawyers, a fine sort, he said.
Then there are the newcomers.
They’re the folks who made their money at big-city jobs and then retired to places like Wimberley – where you don’t ask people where they’re from, but what part of Houston they’re from – or they live out on Canyon Lake and commute to Austin and San Antonio.
Pretty much anybody who has moved into the area within the past two or three decades is considered a newcomer, it seems. The winding road to the tavern from Wimberley is dotted by billboards advertising Hill Country land for sale, and people continue to take up the offers in droves.
Development is driving up the cost of land in the area, and Fischer said ignorance on the part of the newcomers has transformed the landscape of the region and has even led to an invasion of coyotes.
“In the old days, my daddy and relatives wiped the coyotes out of this country, or you couldn’t raise sheep and goats and make a living,” he said. “They were gone the whole time I grew up in this country, until I retired. Things got populated, and nobody would cut the cedar or do anything, so, hell, they had all the cover they needed.”
While the coyotes move in, the old-timers’ children continue to move off. Fischer said most have to leave to find a living wage.
“There’s no jobs around here unless you work in the bar or at a convenience store,” he said. “I don’t know what else there is to do but drive a school bus or something.”
Fischer’s only daughter, now 38, found work in Austin and later in San Antonio.
“It was the same way when I grew up,” he said. “When I got out of the military, I said, ‘What am I gonna do? Go back to cutting cedar or shearing sheep and goats?’ No. I went to state work and retired from there, so I can get a pension and all that.”
He worked for the state in San Antonio for 30 years, coming back on the weekends to help the family. When he retired, he moved back for good.
Now he shares his table at the Devil’s Backbone Tavern with all classes of people, rubbing elbows with developers and retirees. They claim to be a little more laid back than the people who haunted the tavern in its early years.
The tavern sits near the tail of the Devil’s Backbone, a narrow, winding ridge in northeastern Comal County that tears through two river basins, the Blanco and the Guadalupe. The ridge, wide enough for a two-lane ranch road and a little shoulder, for years was the vein of commerce between San Marcos and the town of Blanco.
Built in 1932 on the site of an old blacksmith’s shop, the tavern had originally been a stop at the base of a treacherous stagecoach trail.
People from Hays County, which was dry, began flooding the tavern on the edge of Comal County—the only place for miles where a person could get a beer. Johnny Jenkins, 59, remembers growing up in nearby Wimberley. He and his friends would hang out in the parking lot trying to convince patrons to buy them a few beers, and they succeeded more often than not, he said.
These days, Jenkins is welcome inside the establishment. He meets up with his friend from San Marcos, Rusty O’Bryant, the retired owner of a plumbing supply store who donated the trough in the men’s restroom.
They usually play shuffleboard, another holdover from the rough-and-tumble early days, but lately their opponents have stopped coming by. So instead, Jenkins and O’Bryant sit at a back table drinking Milwaukee’s Best.
“I’m retired, and it gets boring at home,” Jenkins said.
Currently, Jenkins and O’Bryant are mad at one of the bartenders, so they time their visits to coincide with Couve’s work schedule.
But even in the midst of their bartender boycott, they know things will not escalate to the point where pistols are drawn.
“Once in a while we get pissed off at one another and raise hell, but that doesn’t last more than a day or two,” O’Bryant said. “We’re too old to fight.”
This story was originally published Aug. 12, 2003, in The Daily Texan, the student newspaper at The University of Texas at Austin. The featured image is courtesy of Flickr user yep.photo.
10,729 responses to “Legend of the Devil’s Backbone Tavern”
I’ve discovered a treasure trove of knowledge in your blog. Your unwavering dedication to offering trustworthy information is truly commendable. Each visit leaves me more enlightened, and I deeply appreciate your consistent reliability.
Your writing style effortlessly draws me in, and I find it nearly impossible to stop reading until I’ve reached the end of your articles. Your ability to make complex subjects engaging is indeed a rare gift. Thank you for sharing your expertise!
I’m genuinely impressed by how effortlessly you distill intricate concepts into easily digestible information. Your writing style not only imparts knowledge but also engages the reader, making the learning experience both enjoyable and memorable. Your passion for sharing your expertise shines through, and for that, I’m deeply grateful.
Someone essentially lend a hand to make severely posts I would state. This is the first time I frequented your website page and so far? I amazed with the research you made to create this actual publish amazing. Magnificent process!
Thanks for the auspicious writeup. It in fact used to be a amusement account it. Look advanced to far introduced agreeable from you! However, how could we keep up a correspondence?
Thanks alot : ) for your post. I would really like to comment that the expense of car insurance varies from one insurance policy to another, for the reason that there are so many different facets which play a role in the overall cost. One example is, the make and model of the car will have a massive bearing on the purchase price. A reliable aged family car will have an inexpensive premium over a flashy fancy car.
F*ckin? remarkable issues here. I?m very glad to peer your article. Thank you so much and i’m taking a look forward to touch you. Will you kindly drop me a e-mail?
This really answered my drawback, thanks!
Thanks for the ideas you have discussed here. Furthermore, I believe usually there are some factors that will keep your auto insurance premium lower. One is, to contemplate buying motors that are inside the good report on car insurance providers. Cars which can be expensive are definitely more at risk of being stolen. Aside from that insurance policies are also using the value of your car or truck, so the more expensive it is, then the higher your premium you make payment for.
Excellent blog you have here but I was curious if you knew of any forums that cover the same topics discussed in this article? I’d really love to be a part of community where I can get responses from other experienced individuals that share the same interest. If you have any recommendations, please let me know. Cheers!
This article resonated with me on a personal level. Your ability to connect with your audience emotionally is commendable. Your words are not only informative but also heartwarming. Thank you for sharing your insights.
I’ve discovered a treasure trove of knowledge in your blog. Your unwavering dedication to offering trustworthy information is truly commendable. Each visit leaves me more enlightened, and I deeply appreciate your consistent reliability.
I visited various websites except the audio quality for audio songs present at this web page is truly wonderful.
?????? ??????? ??? ????? ?????? ??????? ??????????? ? ?????? ????.
Hello There. I discovered your weblog the use of msn. This is an extremely neatly written article. I will make sure to bookmark it and return to read extra of your useful info. Thanks for the post. I will certainly comeback.
I wanted to thank you for this wonderful read!! I definitely enjoyed every bit of it. I have you saved as a favorite to look at new stuff you post…
?????? ???????? ??????????? ????? ? ???????????? ????????? ????? ??????. ??????, ??? ????? ?????? ???????? ??? ??????, ??? ? ??????? ??????????????? ????.
After looking into a handful of the articles on your website, I really appreciate your way of blogging. I saved it to my bookmark webpage list and will be checking back soon. Please check out my web site as well and let me know your opinion.
Your blog is a true gem in the vast expanse of the online world. Your consistent delivery of high-quality content is truly commendable. Thank you for consistently going above and beyond in providing valuable insights. Keep up the fantastic work!
Your passion and dedication to your craft radiate through every article. Your positive energy is infectious, and it’s evident that you genuinely care about your readers’ experience. Your blog brightens my day!
This article is a real game-changer! Your practical tips and well-thought-out suggestions are incredibly valuable. I can’t wait to put them into action. Thank you for not only sharing your expertise but also making it accessible and easy to implement.
This design is wicked! You definitely know how to keep a reader entertained. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Great job. I really loved what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!
????? ???????? ? ????? ??????? ? ??????????? ????????, ???????????? ?????????? ?????????? ??? ??????????.
Thanks for the tips shared in your blog. Yet another thing I would like to talk about is that weight reduction is not supposed to be about going on a fad diet and trying to shed as much weight as possible in a few months. The most effective way to shed pounds is by acquiring it slowly but surely and obeying some basic suggestions which can enable you to make the most out of your attempt to drop some weight. You may understand and already be following some tips, yet reinforcing expertise never hurts.
In accordance with my study, after a foreclosed home is bought at a sale, it is common for any borrower to be able to still have some sort ofthat remaining unpaid debt on the loan. There are many loan providers who aim to have all charges and liens paid by the upcoming buyer. However, depending on a number of programs, legislation, and state laws there may be many loans that are not easily settled through the transfer of personal loans. Therefore, the obligation still falls on the customer that has had his or her property in foreclosure process. Many thanks for sharing your notions on this website.
? ?? ????? ???????? ???????????? ? ????????????? ???? ??????. ????? ??????????? ??? ?????? ? ?????????? ??????????, ??????? ???????? ?????? ??????????? ????????? ? ???????? ? ?????? ???????. ??????? ??????? ?? ????? ????????????? ????????!
? ???????? ?????? ?????? ???? ? ??????.
Thank you for the good writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to more added agreeable from you! However, how could we communicate?
Its like you learn my mind! You appear to understand so much about this, like you wrote the book in it or something. I think that you just could do with some percent to power the message house a little bit, but instead of that, that is fantastic blog. A fantastic read. I’ll certainly be back.
whoah this blog is wonderful i love studying your posts. Stay up the great paintings! You already know, a lot of people are searching around for this info, you can aid them greatly.
Güvenilir bir medyum için bizi tercih ediniz, medyum haluk hocam?z sizler için elinden geleni yap?yor.
Güvenilir bir medyum için bizi tercih ediniz, medyum haluk hocam?z sizler için elinden geleni yap?yor.
Güvenilir bir medyum için bizi tercih ediniz, medyum haluk hocam?z sizler için elinden geleni yap?yor.
Your enthusiasm for the subject matter radiates through every word of this article; it’s contagious! Your commitment to delivering valuable insights is greatly valued, and I eagerly anticipate more of your captivating content. Keep up the exceptional work!
Your blog has rapidly become my trusted source of inspiration and knowledge. I genuinely appreciate the effort you invest in crafting each article. Your dedication to delivering high-quality content is apparent, and I eagerly await every new post.
Your unique approach to addressing challenging subjects is like a breath of fresh air. Your articles stand out with their clarity and grace, making them a pure joy to read. Your blog has now become my go-to source for insightful content.
Hi! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any trouble with hackers? My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up losing several weeks of hard work due to no data backup. Do you have any solutions to prevent hackers?
Your passion and dedication to your craft radiate through every article. Your positive energy is infectious, and it’s evident that you genuinely care about your readers’ experience. Your blog brightens my day!
Your dedication to sharing knowledge is unmistakable, and your writing style is captivating. Your articles are a pleasure to read, and I consistently come away feeling enriched. Thank you for being a dependable source of inspiration and information.
I simply wanted to convey how much I’ve gleaned from this article. Your meticulous research and clear explanations make the information accessible to all readers. It’s abundantly clear that you’re committed to providing valuable content.
Your style is so unique compared to other people I have read stuff from. Many thanks for posting when you’ve got the opportunity, Guess I’ll just book mark this blog.
Almanya köln medyumu haluk y?ld?z hoca sizlere ne iyi medyum hizmeti veriyor…
you might have an excellent blog right here! would you wish to make some invite posts on my blog?
Thanks for the strategies you have shared here. In addition, I believe there are numerous factors that keep your car insurance premium all the way down. One is, to take into consideration buying automobiles that are within the good report on car insurance providers. Cars that happen to be expensive are more at risk of being stolen. Aside from that insurance policies are also depending on the value of the car, so the more pricey it is, then the higher the particular premium you only pay.
I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for the wealth of valuable information you provide in your articles. Your blog has become a go-to resource for me, and I always come away with new knowledge and fresh perspectives. I’m excited to continue learning from your future posts.
Your dedication to sharing knowledge is unmistakable, and your writing style is captivating. Your articles are a pleasure to read, and I consistently come away feeling enriched. Thank you for being a dependable source of inspiration and information.
Sweet website , super layout, really clean and utilize genial .
It is appropriate time to make some plans for the future and it’s time to be happy. I have learn this put up and if I may just I desire to recommend you some fascinating things or advice. Maybe you can write next articles relating to this article. I desire to learn more issues about it!
Thanks for the publish. My spouse and i have often seen that the majority of people are needing to lose weight since they wish to appear slim along with attractive. Nevertheless, they do not generally realize that there are more benefits for you to losing weight also. Doctors assert that obese people suffer from a variety of ailments that can be perfectely attributed to the excess weight. The great thing is that people who definitely are overweight and suffering from various diseases can help to eliminate the severity of the illnesses by losing weight. You’ll be able to see a steady but notable improvement with health if even a small amount of weight reduction is obtained.
One of the more impressive blogs Ive seen. Thanks so much for keeping the internet classy for a change. Youve got style, class, bravado. I mean it. Please keep it up because without the internet is definitely lacking in intelligence