Paula was/is the best tour guide Paris, Texas could every want or need.  She had our tour well planned, and we so enjoyed our visit.

First stop was the Sam Bell Maxey home which is a state historic site.  Sam Bell Maxey was a West Point graduate and Confederate general.  After the Civil War, Maxey’s good friend Ulysses S. Grant aided him in obtaining a pardon so he could practice law and hold public office.  He later served two terms in the U. S. Senate.

The home is unique in that the furnishings are original to the home.  This Charles Eastlake chair and matching parlor set are signed on the arms.

This side tabletop has the most beautiful inlay.

The Maxey home was the first home in Paris to have a bathroom – with indoor plumbing I might add.

Be still my heart.  My favorite piece in the home was this silver dinner bell.

We then visited the Evergreen Cemetery where beautiful stone statues and headstones mark the graves.  The most famous of these statues is a twelve foot statue of Jesus wearing cowboy boots.

I have heard that the man who made this statue did not know how to carve feet in sandals, so he put boots on Jesus.  The native Texans in this group loved the boots.

I would love to spend more time in the cemetery because there are so many beautiful grave markers.  These lambs touched us.

The next stop of the day was at the Holy Cross Episcopal Church.  Be still my heart.  This church looks as if it is an abbey in Europe.

Gorgeous stained glass windows illuminate the sanctuary.  Paula worships in this historic church.

A member of the congregation, John E. Lee, was kind to guide us on the tour of this beautiful church.  This intricately carved pulpit came from England.  

How interesting to know that the carver had a sense of humor and carved a church mouse into this pulpit.

Carved crosses on the ends of the pews in the choir loft were breath taking.

Be still my heart!  This is so pretty.  Remember, this church is in Paris, Texas.

I would have loved to have heard the bells that were silent on Good Friday.

No trip to Paris would be complete without seeing the Eiffel Tower.  This Eiffel Tower which is adjacent to the Love Civic Center is appropriately topped with a red cowboy hat.  What fun is that!  Friend BB so wanted to see this and have her picture made here.  BB looks so good here!

We only had time to stop and shop in one store while in Paris – Green Boutique.

Everything in the store is considered “green” products.  It is a very interesting store, and they have wonderful things.

Okay, some things are strange like paper and frames made from elephant poop.   That is recycling taken to its limits.

No, we did not see everything in Paris, Texas.  Paula says the Methodist Church is also beautiful and she wanted us to see it, but it was also closed for Good Friday.  I guess we will just have to go back.

Blessings to you and yours,

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Paula!  Yyou are wonderful.  We so enjoyed our day, and you are such a fantastic tour guide.

Getting to spend time with good friends was the best part of the day.