The Fascinating Facts and Frenzy in Palacios
When you want a quiet location to soothe your frazzled life, the front porch of a good Bed and Bath (B&B) is important for relaxation. Several years ago, I visited Palacios, TX, looking for a front porch of tranquility. Here’s a little history of what I found and more about it today.
The Peaceful Pelican offers a fabulous view of the water, has seven sleeping rooms, and remains loaded with antiques and good food. The front porch of the Peaceful Pelican truly fit my requirements on my first visit.
Meet Paula Whitney, Owner of the Peaceful Pelican
When I met Paula Whitney, the owner, she had owned the Peaceful Pelican maybe two years. When she retired from her engineering career, she thought about memories of Dubai, Mozambique, South Africa and other exotic locations. She considered returning “home,” where she grew up. Relatives assumed she might return as her mother still lives in a little town in Maine. But cold weather no longer suited her. She had lived in Houston three different times and loved the warmth and diversity of Texas culture. Paula returned to Houston to ponder “what next,” taking time to determine her next step.
Today, Palacios, TX remains a quiet town, yet it is growing. The front porch supplies the ability to let your thoughts wander and disappear into tranquility. The owner and I chatted as it was a big career jump for her, when she bought the B&B.
Affection for birding, outdoor activities, and travel, Paula dislikes the vicious traffic in big cities and hostility in the streets. According to an article in the New York Times, it’s not just retirees who are choosing to relocate to small towns. She loved her career, but was ready for a change.
She decided to try a small town. With more thought, she realized she likes to cook and wanted to look for a small town. Maybe a place where she could put her culinary ability to work by buying a B&B.
When a super deal arose to buy the Peaceful Pelican in Palacios, her business acumen proved valuable. She bought it. She put on her work gloves and steel-toe shoes. Her friends thought she had lost her mind. Not only is she successful, she added several more buildings for people to rent to obtain the tranquility of the location. Now she has a staff to manage and probably works harder than as an engineer. The atmosphere of fun, food, and friendships abound.
Discovering Palacios
On our first visit, the only thing my husband and I did was sit on the porch, eat good food, and visit the people in the museum. We had books to read and a dog to walk. It looked like most people fished or took walks around the town at the edge of Matagorda Bay.
I wrote about how much I loved watching the water and boats. But I never published the words that could have caught your attention.
Ready for change
Times have changed. The Luther Hotel is on the radar for the umpteenth time. I knew very little about the possible fading of the Luther Hotel. People talked for years about restoring this large, old hotel. Or maybe they would tear it down. The townspeople are still waffling. They considered the many possible ways to either knock it down or re-do it. The history begins in 1903 or 1935 when they moved the hotel to the beach. It was popular during World War II as a large platoon of people lived nearby. They say 14,000 of the military strolled the streets of Palacios.
Many entrepreneurs try to picture immediate success with new visitors. They know J.P. Bryan is involved. Those of you who know your history realize he has invested in more than one Texas project in his career. He’s a consultant for oil and gas projects. His philanthropy is well-known to many Texans. He is a multi-tasker “personified.” He refurbished the Gage Hotel and Restaurant and created as many as 26 buildings in that area. He helped Galveston establish a fabulous new museum with a world-wide reputation. Many in Palacios would like to see growth for their town. Others may think the sleepy, little town needs to keep that reputation. J.P. Bryan has hopeful fans who will support his effort. They are already at work restoring the hotel.
Another factor at work in Palacios for growth is the oyster rehabilitation effort, which is not all in Palacios. Everyone loves oysters, especially when near a beach. Palacios Preservation Association plays a major role with its projects. Their staff is spread out with knowledgeable employees and contractors, but the headquarters is Palacios. Already this organization is embedded with an oyster farm. Their leadership is bringing oysters and PEOPLE to a successful, technical research and application to help the area both with oysters, businesses and PEOPLE who want seafood. The large organization is well-respected and will grow as they implement their craft. In fact they are working on a building, a large facility to entice people to come to the area, both to help with the oyster farming or see what is happening, not just to visit Palacios but up and down the coastline. Currently, many extraordinary engineers are working together remotely. Their coordination is bringing new meaning to oyster farms. They are rebuilding the oyster fields with “seeds” along the shorelines and eventually may become the largest oyster farming area in the United States.
What lies ahead for Palacios, TX?
Will it help or hinder the area? Many are excited about the new people moving to Palacios, TX. Watch as this sleepy, serene town may become the fastest growing town in Texas. Check out the information. It will bring new interest in making the seashore more than accessible with the hard work of the organizations’ endeavors.
When I asked, “Will Palacios grow?” the answer was “yes.” Think how long it took J.P. Bryan to complete other projects. Isn’t there a saying, “Rome wasn’t born in a day.” People will enjoy it regardless of any opposition.