社評1226 藍帽花之故鄉 德州小鎮的傳奇

藍帽花之故鄉 德州小鎮的傳奇

第一次來到這座南方小鎭---教堂山鎮是今年春天快近尾聲的時節， 藍帽花仍然長滿在鄉間小徑旁， 起伏的山丘和稀落的南方宅院 ，充滿了鄉村之寧靜。

教堂山鎮人口只有六百多人， 係於一八四七年時建市， 主要是美國南方綿花和農產品之轉運站，不幸在一八六七年時因為一次大温疫几乎毀盡了這座小山鎭。

不論任何城鎮自稱是藍帽花之鄉， 但多年來每年四月中旬在教堂山鎮上的藍帽花嘉華年會是被公認為最大最好的官定節日， 每年節日到來時 ，來自全國各地的遊客擠滿了小鎮的街道， 滿山遍野的藍帽花， 琳瑯滿目的手工藝品和德州烤肉之飄香， 有如回到西部牛仔之時光。

教堂山鎮位於從休斯敦通往德州首府奧斯汀之第二九O州際公路上， 並且在一九八五年被全國歷史認証協會認定之國家歷史重點區 ，鎮上一家教堂山銀行成立於一九O七年是德州最老的一家銀行。 時至今日仍然稟持一百多年來為社區農工商業服務之宗旨， 即便是在大蕭條時期也從未歇業 ，充分展現銀行對社區之貢獻和依賴。

我們走在鎮上 ，兩旁許多是被保護之古老建築 ，多半是來自德國和波蘭的早期移民 ，我們都先後來到這塊土地， 都熱愛這裡的郷間小徑和花香， 誏我們大家共同再次共同努力，譜上歷史之篇章 ………

Chappel Hill The Legendary Texas Town

The first time we came to this small Texas town, Chappel Hill, was at the end of April. This year, the bluebonnets still fully cover up and down the hills.

Situated in the heart of Stephen F Austin’s original colony, the Chappel Hill area attracted settlers from the original families of the old South.

This small town is part a small rural unincorporated community in the eastern part of Washington County, Texas. It is located along U.S. Highway 290, about a fifty-minute drive from Houston. The land is some of the oldest Anglo-settled in the state.

Chappel Hill today has a tourist economy that attracts visitors with restored homes, the Bluebonnet Festival and an Independence Day Parade and the Main Street Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In the district is one of the oldest banks in Texas-- Chappel Hill Bank on Main Street. The bank was chartered in 1907 and has operated continuously in the same location in Washington County since its inception. In 1989, the bank officially amended its charter and changed the name from Farmers State Bank to Chappel Hill Bank. The core values that attracted people in 1907 are still the cornerstone of the Chappel Hill Bank today.

Today as we walked around this historical town again among all the old historical buildings, we felt as if we too are also a part of history in this great land.