Petrified Wood Station, Decatur, TX

During our recent trip to St. Jo, TX, we took a detour off the highway and ended up going through downtown Decatur. It is about 1 hour northwest of Dallas. We were excited to come upon a great complex of buildings completely covered in petrified wood. I'd never seen anything like it.

Apparently the property started out as a camp site on the outskirts of town. In 1927 the owner added a gas station, and two years later he added a diner for travelers. In the early 1930s 5 cabins were built. Then, in 1935, locally quarried petrified wood was used to side the exterior of all the buildings. This, understandably, helped to make the complex a tourist attraction in it's own right. However, the construction of the interstate that bypassed the town spelled the eventual closing of the diner in 1964, the cabins ten years later, and the gas station by 1989. But a granddaughter of the original owner restored the property in the early 1990s. The diner (known as the "Whistle Stop Cafe") again serves up food and the gas station is used as an office.



If you happen to be in the area, get off the highway and take a peek at the Petrified Wood Station. It will be well worth your 15 minutes. -Carrie