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.
6,533 responses to “Legend of the Devil’s Backbone Tavern”
Thanks for your posting. One other thing is when you are disposing your property by yourself, one of the problems you need to be aware of upfront is when to deal with house inspection accounts. As a FSBO vendor, the key concerning successfully switching your property as well as saving money with real estate agent commission rates is awareness. The more you know, the softer your sales effort will likely be. One area that this is particularly critical is assessments.
This is without a doubt one of the finest articles I’ve read on this topic! The author’s thorough knowledge and zeal for the subject are evident in every paragraph. I’m so thankful for stumbling upon this piece as it has enhanced my understanding and ignited my curiosity even further. Thank you, author, for dedicating the time to produce such a outstanding article!
I’m not sure why but this site is loading extremely slow for me. Is anyone else having this issue or is it a problem on my end? I’ll check back later on and see if the problem still exists.
Hi there! This blog post couldn’t be written much better! Looking through this article reminds me of my previous roommate! He always kept talking about this. I will send this information to him. Pretty sure he will have a good read. Thank you for sharing!
Another important component is that if you are a senior, travel insurance pertaining to pensioners is something you should really look at. The elderly you are, the harder at risk you happen to be for having something awful happen to you while in another country. If you are not necessarily covered by some comprehensive insurance cover, you could have many serious challenges. Thanks for discussing your suggestions on this blog site.
I’m really loving the theme/design of your site. Do you ever run into any internet browser compatibility issues? A small number of my blog readers have complained about my blog not working correctly in Explorer but looks great in Opera. Do you have any solutions to help fix this issue?
Everything is very open with a precise description of the challenges. It was definitely informative. Your website is extremely helpful. Many thanks for sharing.
Thanks for your posting on the traveling industry. I would also like to add that if you are a senior considering traveling, it’s absolutely vital that you buy travel cover for seniors. When traveling, elderly people are at high risk being in need of a healthcare emergency. Having the right insurance coverage package for the age group can protect your health and provide peace of mind.
bouncing ball 8 casino login
Howdy! I simply wish to offer you a huge thumbs up for the great information you have got here on this post. I’ll be returning to your blog for more soon.
Giving you the best News is very much imptortant to us.
It is perfect time to make some plans for the future and it is time to be happy. I have read this post and if I could I desire to suggest you some interesting things or advice. Maybe you could write next articles referring to this article. I desire to read more things about it!
I wish to show some thanks to the writer for bailing me out of this setting. Just after searching throughout the online world and getting advice that were not beneficial, I figured my entire life was gone. Existing without the strategies to the problems you have fixed all through your good site is a crucial case, as well as the kind that would have negatively damaged my career if I hadn’t noticed your site. Your competence and kindness in playing with all the details was very helpful. I’m not sure what I would have done if I had not encountered such a thing like this. I can also at this moment look forward to my future. Thanks for your time very much for the expert and result oriented help. I won’t hesitate to refer your blog to anybody who should get guide about this subject.
This is the perfect blog for anybody who wishes to understand this topic. You understand so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I really will need to…HaHa). You certainly put a new spin on a subject that has been discussed for a long time. Excellent stuff, just wonderful.
I’m really inspired along with your writing abilities as neatly as with the format for your weblog. Is that this a paid theme or did you modify it your self? Anyway stay up the nice high quality writing, it is rare to see a great weblog like this one today..
I have witnessed that fees for internet degree specialists tend to be a terrific value. Like a full Bachelor’s Degree in Communication from The University of Phoenix Online consists of 60 credits from $515/credit or $30,900. Also American Intercontinental University Online offers a Bachelors of Business Administration with a overall program feature of 180 units and a tuition fee of $30,560. Online studying has made getting the degree far less difficult because you might earn your current degree through the comfort of your home and when you finish working. Thanks for other tips I have learned through your web site.
I would love to add when you do not surely have an insurance policy or perhaps you do not remain in any group insurance, chances are you’ll well gain from seeking aid from a health broker. Self-employed or individuals with medical conditions normally seek the help of the health insurance broker. Thanks for your blog post.
I have realized that in video cameras, unique detectors help to {focus|concentrate|maintain focus|target|a**** automatically. The actual sensors associated with some cams change in contrast, while others utilize a beam with infra-red (IR) light, particularly in low lumination. Higher spec cameras oftentimes use a mix of both techniques and probably have Face Priority AF where the photographic camera can ‘See’ some sort of face while focusing only in that. Thank you for sharing your notions on this site.
bookmarked!!, I like your site!
We have a do-nothing-president I myself will not give him the honor of the title..
I truly love your blog.. Very nice colors & theme. Did you develop this amazing site yourself? Please reply back as I’m hoping to create my very own website and want to learn where you got this from or what the theme is named. Appreciate it.
I have learned some new things by your weblog. One other thing I’d like to say is the fact newer laptop os’s often allow a lot more memory to be used, but they as well demand more storage simply to operate. If someone’s computer could not handle far more memory and the newest application requires that storage increase, it might be the time to shop for a new Laptop or computer. Thanks
Sarah is top notch and does her utmost to give us availability quickly, listening and responsive.
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful post with us.
I’m really enjoying the design and layout of your blog. It’s a very easy on the eyes which makes it much more enjoyable for me to come here and visit more often. Did you hire out a designer to create your theme? Great work!
When I originally left a comment I appear to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on each time a comment is added I receive four emails with the same comment. There has to be a means you are able to remove me from that service? Thanks a lot.
Oh my goodness! a great write-up dude. Thanks a ton Nevertheless I am experiencing issue with ur rss . Do not know why Can not sign up to it. Is there anyone obtaining identical rss problem? Anybody who knows kindly respond. Thnkx
In a world where trustworthy information is more crucial than ever, your dedication to research and the provision of reliable content is truly commendable. Your commitment to accuracy and transparency shines through in every post. Thank you for being a beacon of reliability in the online realm.
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!
This is a topic that is close to my heart… Best wishes! Exactly where are your contact details though?
Very good info. Lucky me I found your website by accident (stumbleupon). I’ve saved as a favorite for later.
Hi! I just wish to give you a huge thumbs up for the excellent info you have right here on this post. I will be coming back to your site for more soon.
Aw, this was an exceptionally good post. Taking the time and actual effort to create a really good article… but what can I say… I procrastinate a whole lot and never seem to get anything done.
Very good article. I’m facing some of these issues as well..
I couldn’t agree more with the insightful points you’ve made in this article. Your depth of knowledge on the subject is evident, and your unique perspective adds an invaluable layer to the discussion. This is a must-read for anyone interested in this topic.
This is the right webpage for anyone who really wants to understand this topic. You realize a whole lot its almost hard to argue with you (not that I really will need to…HaHa). You certainly put a brand new spin on a topic which has been written about for years. Excellent stuff, just excellent.
Thank you for the good writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to more added agreeable from you! By the way, how could we communicate?
Hi! Do you know if they make any plugins to safeguard against hackers? I’m kinda paranoid about losing everything I’ve worked hard on. Any tips?
I have recently started a site, the information you provide on this website has helped me tremendously. Thanks for all of your time & work.
You’ve made some good points there. I looked on the web for more info about the issue and found most people will go along with your views on this web site.
I’ve found a treasure trove of knowledge in your blog. Your dedication to providing trustworthy information is something to admire. Each visit leaves me more enlightened, and I appreciate your consistent reliability.
I’m continually impressed by your ability to dive deep into subjects with grace and clarity. Your articles are both informative and enjoyable to read, a rare combination. Your blog is a valuable resource, and I’m grateful for it.
I have learn several just right stuff here. Certainly value bookmarking for revisiting. I wonder how so much attempt you put to make the sort of wonderful informative website.
??? ??????????? ??????????????? ????????? ??????, ??????? ????????? ???????? ????? ????????? ?????? ?????????.
Youre so cool! I dont suppose Ive read anything similar to this before. So nice to discover somebody with original ideas on this subject. realy thanks for starting this up. this web site is a thing that is required on the net, somebody if we do originality. beneficial job for bringing something new to the internet!
I can’t help but be impressed by the way you break down complex concepts into easy-to-digest information. Your writing style is not only informative but also engaging, which makes the learning experience enjoyable and memorable. It’s evident that you have a passion for sharing your knowledge, and I’m grateful for that.
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.
Thanks for your post made here. One thing I would really like to say is always that most professional domains consider the Bachelor’s Degree as the entry level requirement for an online college degree. Even though Associate Diplomas are a great way to start, completing your own Bachelors reveals many doorways to various jobs, there are numerous internet Bachelor Diploma Programs available through institutions like The University of Phoenix, Intercontinental University Online and Kaplan. Another concern is that many brick and mortar institutions present Online variants of their certifications but commonly for a substantially higher amount of money than the institutions that specialize in online diploma programs.
Would you be fascinated with exchanging hyperlinks?
Good post. I learn something new and challenging on blogs I stumbleupon on a daily basis. It’s always useful to read through content from other authors and practice a little something from other sites.