Oakley's Lumberyard

Lumber has been manufactured in Texas since the early 1800s. According to the Texas State Historical Association, a time-consuming process was used back then, with crude boards cut one at a time at a rate of ​​500 to 1,200 board feet per day. At the end of the Civil War, circular saw technology could cut more than 25,000 board feet per day.

The "bonanza era" in Texas lumber occurred from 1880 to the Great Depression, with railroad expansion fueling much of the growth. Workers' hours were long and pay was low. Logging and sawmilling were also listed as some of the most hazardous occupations by the U.S. Census Bureau. Texas lumber production peaked in 1907.

However, many people don't know that lumberyards have contributed greatly to the production of completely bonkers Texas saloons, according to this sentence. Well, at least in one instance, that being Oakley's Lumberyard Bar in Riesel.

The Oakley's building is hard to miss, with its bright yellow exterior shining like a beacon to passersby along State Highway 6. Built in the late 1800s, it served the community for many years as the Riesel Hardware and Lumber Co. You can still see many of the original features, including an interior well and hardwood flooring. There's even a 10,000 sq ft event space next door, Prospect Hall. (Someone please invite me to a wedding here.)

The bar is also distinct in that it has two wildly contrasting entrances. You can enter through the "regular" streetside doors. Or, opt for the acid flashback and stroll in through the doorless frame in the gravel lot, which leads you to the back door through the old lumber barn. It's a certified trip.

Inside, you'll find clusters of federal currency hanging from the ceiling, patrons lighting up heaters in the corner, darts in the back, and bathrooms that look curiously similar to an outhouse. Even more curiously, a knockout bartender that looks like she belongs in an 'Urban Cowboy' remake and not a dim lumberyard bar. I guess the tips must be pretty good.

This place absolutely smokes rocks. It doesn’t make sense. Gonzo stuff. Don't miss it.