We return to Electra to continue our search for signs of life.

After the plague years, of course, there were many towns like this.

The meeting hall for the K of P, 393:

The Knights of Pythias. "The Knights of Pythias was the first fraternal organization to receive a charter under an act of the United States Congress. It was founded by Justus H. Rathbone, who had been inspired by a play by the Irish poet John Banim about the legend of Damon and Pythias. This legend illustrates the ideals of loyalty, honor, and friendship that are the center of the order.."

Handyman's special:

You have to wonder what the second sory looked like before they beiged it up and put in the windows; it looks like a jail now.

Court is not in session:

Do not trespass signs are posted, and it's all boarded up. I don't know if it was a Carnegie; those usually had smaller porticos.

Some history:

Electra Waggoner was born on January 6, 1882 near Decatur, Texas. Her father, William Thomas Waggoner, was the owner of the Waggoner Ranch in Texas. Her mother was Ella (Halsell) Waggoner. She had two brothers, Guy Waggoner and E. Paul Waggoner. They grew up at the Waggoner Mansion (a.k.a 'El Castile') in Decatur as well as on the Waggoner Ranch.

The town of Electra, Texas was named in her honor.

She died in 1925 at the age of 43.

I assume the story of the Waggoners is still well-known in Texas lore. Electra's tale has details like these:

Waggoner was married three times. Her first husband was Albert Buckman Wharton of the Wharton family of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They had met while she was traveling in the Himalayas.

Of course; everyone was doing the Himalayas that year.

Last week I mentioned how the business district just seemed to sprawl forever? It does. Block after block like this:

Why bother with wires and poles, you might think.

Back to the lives and loves of Electra Waggoner and her first husband, Alburt Wharton:

The couple divorced after nineteen years of marriage. During their marriage, they had two sons:

Tom Waggoner Wharton. He married eight times and died of syphillis at the age of twenty-five.

Man, that takes work. Also:

Albert Buckman Wharton, Jr.. He was a polo player. He married four times and had one son, A.B. Wharton III, a.k.a. Bucky Wharton. He died of cirrhosis of the liver in 1963.

Wonder what was left of the money by the time it all played out.

The main job of this building is to inform you that there used to be a smaller one next to it:

Signs of life: garbage cans.

Double-spouted for goodness.

Richardson Drug. Reliable:

Holiday Park has a Facebook page, but as you might guess, it's rather underpopulated.

One more thing: "Electra Waggoner Biggs, an American socialite and sculptor, was born on November 8, 1912. She was named after her late aunt, Electra Waggoner."

"Her brother-in-law, Harlow H. Curtice, President of the Buick Division of General Motors, named the Buick Electra after her."