November 11, 2018
Devil’s Backbone Tavern 4041 Farm to Market 32, Fischer, TX (Comal County) has a large billboard pointing the way. Even so, we pulled into the parking lot just prior to Devil’s and ended up at Riley’s on the Backbone. It wasn’t a waste, but when we finished dancing, eating and visiting, we made our way to the original destination – Devil’s Backbone. The original tavern was built in 1937 after prohibition ended. The building was originally a blacksmith’s shop and a stop on the stagecoach trail back in 1890.
The atmosphere is interesting – old wooden tables, shuffleboard, wood burning stove and a jukebox for music. The ceiling is covered in one dollar bills that people signed, dated and stapled to the ceiling and walls. We added ours.
The wood floor by the bar was donated by Kevin Fowler during the refurbishing, completed just a month prior to our visit.
We found the dance floor to the left of the wood burning stove and the old Frigidaire refrigerator.
The floor is concrete, with some variances in the slope. A few tables line the dance area, pool table in the corner and the band stage is raised. An illuminated sign lets you know the upcoming bands.
If you read the history of the tavern you’ll find it’s supposed to be haunted. The only spirits we saw were in bottles and on tap. You may have a different experience. The Devil’s Backbone refers to 400 miles of raised hillsides and eroded limestone along Balcones Fault. Somewhere I read this area was created about 3,000 years ago in an earthquake. It’s a beautiful drive.
Old Baldy, Lone Woman, Lone Man and Mount Edith are all visible from the Boy Scout observation point on the Emilyann Theater grounds (Wimberley), next to the Veterans memorial flags.
We had a pleasant drive, nice dance (s) and good conversations on this trip. We’ll see if we get on another dance floor to two before the year ends. Until then, we’ll be on our local dance floors practicing old & new moves.
Dancing Across Texas 