My Unofficial Vacation Guide for...Cut-and-Shoot, Texas
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| Where the men are tough, the horses are swift, and the women are soft and where we take a bath every Saturday night whether we need one or not! Source |
In December 2011, I had the intention of spotlighting some cities that don't get much tourism love. My first city to highlight was Compton, California. For one reason 'tother (I'm getting in a hickish mood right about nah), I stopped with that one. I would love to sing the praises of other cities, so please send on your suggestions.
The city I am going to highlight today is one in my neck of the woods: Cut-and-Shoot, Texas.
Cut-and-Shoot, Texas.
You read it right.
I am not from there. I was born in Houston, went to college in Austin, moved back to Houston and now live in a suburb of Houston. I don't live in Cut-and-Shoot.
But, it ain't too far, folks.
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So, if you ever do decide to venture on out to Cut-and-Shoot, do be sure to take our little handy vacation guide with you. Here are some things you will want to know:
HISTORY OF THE NAME: Legend has it that three different churches, two different Baptist churches and a Methodist church, built a "Community House" where all denominations could preach, except Mormons and Apostolics. When Preacher Stamps, a man of Apostolic persuasion, came into town, the townspeople who supported him wanted him to preach at the Community House. Preacher Stamps, a man known for his saloon-loving and dancing ways, was not very respected by some. So, basically, two groups formed- those in support of using the House for all denominations and those who wanted it closed to the Apostolics. Basically, a fight broke out over it and, although no cutting and shooting actually happened, an 8-year-old was heard to say, "I'm going to cut around the corner and shoot through the bushes in a minute!" That line was told over and over again in the retelling of that day and "Cut-and-Shoot" eventually became the town name. In all honesty, is there a more peaceful-sounding or pleasant name for a place? I think not. For more information, go here.
STATS: As of the census of 2000, there are 1,158 people residing in the town. Given that there has been 12 years since that census, let's go crazy and say there are 2,000 people now. An official stats guide on-line told me that of those 1,158 people back then, 0.00% were Pacific Islander. I'm going to go really crazy and say that that number is more like 0.01% now. It's a very diverse place.
PLACES TO STAY IN THE TOWN ITSELF: Nowhere. There are no hotels in Cut-and-Shoot, son. You are going to have to make your way back up the road to the highway and find one there. Bet you can find a Comfort Inn real quick.
THINGS TO DO:
#1: Celebrity Home Tours- There's only one celebrity from the town and it's Roy "Cut and Shoot" Harris, a retired heavyweight boxer. He's 78 years old now and has six kids. It's unclear if he still resides here, so the celebrity home tour will just be you walking around asking people, "Hey, you happen to know where Roy 'Cut and Shoot' Harris lives?" Make sure to wear good shoes. Oh, and just so you know who you are looking for...
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#2: A City Hall visit- We don't mean go outside, so don't get all giddy. Just stand in the parking lot, take a picture in front of City Hall and slap it inside your Christmas card in December.
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You got me. That's an urban legend. It turns out that this wild boar is actually 700+ pounds and was not shot near Cut-and-Shoot, like the urban legend claimed, but it was shot in Turkey instead. It's still a real hog, though, and it's still dang huge. I can promise you there are some large wild hogs running around Cut-and-Shoot, so if huntin' is your thang, get to cuttin' and shootin' while you're visiting.
PLACES TO EAT: You've got three choices: A) Go to Leija's Mexican Food Restaurant (the only actual restaurant in Cut-and-Shoot that I could find), B) Walk inside the Shamrock pictured below and get you a bag of pork rinds and a Big Red or C) Get out your bow and arruh (I promise you that's how it's pronounced in Cut-and-Shoot) and start hog hunting (see #3 above).
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I don't really know why you are still reading. I figured you'd be making arrangements to get your fanny into this town right away. (Fanny. Learn it. People like to use that word in Cut-and-Shoot, too, I promise ye.)