A visit to where Judge Roy Bean dispensed justice -- and booze

Judge Roy Bean, a Western legend frequently referred to as “The Hanging Judge,” was quite an eccentric.

While he dispensed his unique “Law West of the Pecos,” it’s uncertain the judge actually ordered any hangings and unlikely he was as eccentric as actor Paul Newman who played the judge in the 1972 film, “The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean.”

We were spending a couple of nights in Del Rio, Texas, and decided to visit the judge’s old saloon/courtroom/billiard hall approximately an hour northwest in the faded town of Langtry.

The judge’s old saloon and home are now part of a Texas Department of Transportation rest stop a short distance off U.S. 90. The town of Langtry is pretty much history, but the rest stop welcome center is quite impressive, and the judge’s saloon and home are certainly worth a visit.

Annual visitor center visitation of about 40,000 is down from nearly 400,000 before Interstate 10 was completed.

Kentucky-born Roy Bean departed for the West with two older brothers during the late 1840s.

After pursuing some questionable activities in Mexico, California and various Southwest locales, he seemed to find his calling as an appointed justice of the peace for Pecos County. Bean set up shop on a bluff along the Rio Grande in the small tent city of Langtry, a town created in 1882 by a predecessor to the Southern Pacific Railroad. 

Many accounts credit Bean with naming the town for British actress Lillie Langtry, but it had most likely already been named for railroad employee George Langtry.

In Langtry, the judge constructed a wooden structure that served as a saloon, courtroom, billiard hall and, initially, his living quarters. He named the saloon the “Jersey Lilly” in honor of the British actress whom he idolized but would never meet. 

He later built a nearby one-room house he called an opera house, town hall and seat of justice.

Knowing little about the law, Bean dispensed liquor, advice and his own interpretation of justice that, according to legend, included declaring a dead Chinese man who was carrying $40 and a gun guilty of having a concealed weapon. For this, the dead man was fined $40.

The judge gained fame when he helped schedule a heavyweight prizefight on a sandbar in the Rio Grande River, beyond the reach of authorities in Texas where prizefighting was illegal.

Judge Roy Bean died of natural causes in 1903 and is buried in Del Rio beside his son.

Lillie Langtry finally visited Langtry in January of 1904, 10 months after the judge’s death. The judge would have been proud.

Langtry is a fun place to visit. Visitor center employees are helpful with information about Texas travel along with insights on the judge and his time in Langtry. 

The center has six dioramas with holograms depicting important events in the judge’s life.

The original saloon/courtroom and the nearby home built later are open for visitors to tour. The saloon’s billiard room is decorated with a number of historical photos of the judge.

Adjacent to the visitor center, a Cactus Garden Interpretive Trail includes numerous varieties of cacti with labels about each plant. A brochure for a self-guided walk through the garden is available at the visitor center.

Before departing the rest stop, we took a leisurely stroll along Langtry’s main street. The old railroad town described on a plaque as “once bustling” is now down to 14 citizens and seven inhabitable homes. Some of the old crumbling homes, including that of the Torres family that once owned this land, provide for an interesting stroll.

During the return hour drive to Del Rio, we stopped at the Pecos River Overlook to admire the Pecos High Bridge that spans the Pecos River. At 273 feet above the water level, it is the highest bridge in Texas. What an impressive structure!

David and Kay Scott are authors of “Complete Guide to the National Park Lodges” (Globe Pequot). Visit them at mypages.valdosta.edu/dlscott/Scott.html. The Scotts live in Valdosta, Ga.