Hi Peggy... I did find the place and yes, your description was more accurate - it's a beer joint in the grittiest sense of the word. When I drove by, there were dozens of huge pickup trucks parked out front and along the side of the road. Apparently, it was BBQ cook off day at the Rattlesnake! I got out of my little Saturn rental car (fortunately with TX plates), exchanged my NY Yankee ballcap for one with a generic label, and cautiously approached the entrance. Inside the dank space I surveyed the old timers at the bar and felt a little better - ordered a tall cool Lone Star beer and had a couple slurps. Aaah... The BBQ was winding down 'bout then and I went out back to try and start a conversation with the folks out back. The men were finishing up some of the brisket and offered me a piece. It was mostly fat but very excellent tasting. I asked if anyone knew of any headstones out back and one of them said "Yeah, hop in my vehicle and I'll show ya." So we rode back into the tract behind the bar down some bumpy FM road and eventually got to where Ron had seen some stones. We asked the farmer if we could trespass and he said sure. The stones were not the ones I wanted to find, unfortunately, but the experience was one of a kind. My time in Williamson County was short, but I did make it to the Round Rock gen. library and spent a couple hours perusing the collection. Came up with nothing. I looked through all the cemetery indexes and history books, even the whole Chsiholm Trail series. I did find a ref to M. Collins who had registered his cattle brand ("EC") in 1870s but I don't think my Meshack Collins would have owned much in the way of cattle since he was more of a sharecropper. The county clerk didn't have anything either. I'm sure they're all buried out in some pasture somewhere in an unmarked grave. That's ok. They're in my hearts too. ERic >>> "Peggy Tombs" <pbt@tstar.net> 10/13/00 11:55AM >>> Eric, You put it so nicely by saying Rattlesnake Inn was a saloon/grill. We always called it a "beer joint". My father owned this establishment back in the '40's and was the owner that added the concrete slab/patio used for dancing in the hot summer. He also added the grape arbor in the back and served bar-b-q and fish frys on the tables set up. He wanted the business to become more a family establishment rather than a bar for men. It was about this time that their were so many Fort Hood soldiers patronizing the place and fights were very frequent. So frequent in fact that the US Army made Rattlesnake Inn "off limits" to soldiers and have been told that that ruling is still in existance today. You probably have already left to come to Texas for your trip but if not and you have a hard time finding the joint, please give me a call. I may still have the deed when Dad purchased it. Oh, so many stories come to mind when I think of Rattlesnake Inn. In fact, I think there was an article recently in the Georgetown paper about the place. Let me hear from you, Peggy Blackmore Tombs ----- Original Message ----- From: "Eric Hausamann" <eghausam@gw.dec.state.ny.us> To: <TXWILLIA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, October 13, 2000 8:34 AM Subject: Re: [TXWILLIA] Rattlesnake Inn > Anna... I had gotten some good information from a few people back in June. I don't have their responses, 'cept in hard copy, so I can't forward electronically. Basically, it's a saloon/grill located halfway between Georgetown and Florence on Hwy 195 just past CR 239 if you're going west from I-35. Address: 6060 Hwy 195, Florence, TX 76527. (254) 793-8198. > > I had a Collins ancestor who may have lived near there and was buried nearby. It's funny you wrote; I live in New York State and I'm going to San Antonio for business this weekend. Monday Oct 16, I'm going to be driving through Georgetown to try and find the Rattlesnake Inn. I'll take some pictures and try to get some info. Email me back and see what I find out. > > ERic > > >>> "annaprice" <annaprice@compaq.net> 10/13/00 12:14AM >>> > I remember a query several months ago about the Rattlesnake Inn in > Williamson county. Any information would be appreciated - location, time > period, anything else. > > > Thanks, > Anna HOUSTON PRICE > Presently seeking HOUSTON, HOWELL, OWEN. TUCKER, WRIGHT > 512-231-0640 > > > >