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 Across the Street Diner in Corsicana. Source: Visit Corsicana.
Summer has officially dug its claws in. But when the mercury climbs, and the cicadas' hypnotic drone is loudest, the fizziness of a freshly carbonated soda is at its most potent. It’s also when the slurp of a frosty ice cream concoction is as near perfection as a cold beverage ever achieved.
We've rounded up 11 of the last remaining old-fashioned soda fountains in Texas where the sodas are hand-mixed, and the milkshakes slide across the counter with a cherry on top. And for fun, we threw in a little history about the origins of the soda fountain, including their suspiciously casual attitudes toward opiates in the nineteenth-century!
 The Eyes of Texas no. 118, May 30, 1981, KPRC-TV. Texas Archive of the Moving Image.
Genius comes in many forms. Some people innovate in science or mathematics, while others leave their mark on literature or music. And some create a soda fountain beverage so perfect that its legacy persists for over a century. This month’s main spotlight of historic soda fountains includes the San Augustine Drug Co., known by many for the famous Grapefruit Highball that soda-jerk-turned-pharmacist Casey Jones invented in 1928.
You can observe genius at work in the above video clip of Jones showcasing yet another unusual talent in his arsenal. The video was unearthed by our friends at the Texas Archive of the Moving Image (TAMI), whose partnership with the Texas Historical Commission is just one exciting aspect of the Smithsonian traveling exhibit tour that we’re launching in San Augustine next month. The exhibit, “Crossroads: Change in Rural America,” will travel to seven small towns across the state through June 2025.
Learn more about the Smithsonian tour, the Film Round-Ups, and the in-person screenings we have planned. And if you happen to live close to one of the seven stops on the tour, bring your home videos to be digitized for free by the professionals at TAMI!
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Upcoming Events
- July 25: Ancient Landscapes of South Texas, Port Isabel
- Explore 50 million years of natural history and 15,000 years of cultural history of the Rio Grande Valley.
- July 25:"Shrek" Movies at the Lighthouse, Port Isabel
- The Port Isabel Lighthouse is a Texas Historical Commission State Historic Site and the only Lighthouse open to the public on the Texas Gulf Coast.
- July 25: Cocktails & Culture: Sharks, San Antonio
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Jump into an evening of aquatic adventure at the Witte Museum!
Be transported to tropical shores with complimentary beer and cocktails inspired by the spirit of the sea and provided by our local community partners.
- July 26: 64th Annual Sahawe Summer Ceremonials, Uvalde
- 64th Annual Sahawe Summer Ceremonials held at the Sahawe Outdoor Theatre on the Corner of South Wood and East Garden across from HEB.
- July 26: Quilt Hop, Bonham
- The Bonham Quilt Hop takes place from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Sam Rayburn House will be open and free for guests to visit during this time, but only the quilt display areas on the first floor of the House will be available to view.
- July 27: Antique Tractor Pull - Hot Summer Nights, Boerne
- The AgriCultural Museum and Arts Center is hosting their summer antique tractor pull event.
- July 27: Marvelous Marbles, Brazoria
- Come out to Levi Jordan Plantation State Historic Site and try your hand at marble making and playing some classic marble games!
- August 1-3: 88th Annual XIT Rodeo and Reunion, Dalhart
- The XIT Rodeo and Reunion features a variety of events, including the World’s Largest Free BBQ.
- August 3: Flags over Texas, San Felipe de Austin, San Felipe
- Come learn about flag symbolism, different groups flags, and then make your own paper flag to take home!
- August 3: Roots of Refreshment: Lemonade, West Columbia
- Join us at the Varner-Hogg Plantation State Historic Site for the next installment in the Roots of Refreshment drink series.
- August 3: Campaign Briefing: Peleliu, National Museum of the Pacific War, Fredericksburg
- Join us on August 3rd to examine the big questions of the campaign.
- August 8-9: The Camels are Coming!, Fort Martin Scott, Fredericksburg
- The Camels are Coming to Fort Martin Scott State Historic Site! Join us to meet Doug Baum and the Texas Camel Corps! Programs will be held daily at 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 6 p.m.
- August 17-18: Ice Cream Social at the Kreische House, La Grange
- Join sites staff and volunteers for a refreshing cup of ice cream at the Kreische House! Choose from a variety of flavors based on historic recipes and trends from the late 1800s.
- August 22-24: 101st Annual Motley-Dickens Old Settlers Reunion & Rodeo, Roaring Springs
- This time honored weekend includes live music, WRCA Sanctioned Rodeo, RHAA competition, shopping vendors, goat roping, a parade.
- August 31 - September 1: Corn: Field to Table, Barrington Plantation, Washington
- Take in the sights, sounds, and smells of our corn crop undergoing the transition from field to table! Activities may include shucking, shelling, or grinding corn, and cooking demos.
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