News
Willow City couple take vacation to Willow City
Scott Wagar
02/25/2014
In January, Sherwood and Cyndie Haakenson of Willow City went on vacation to non-other than Willow City where they had the time of their lives visiting and getting to know the people of the small rural town, along with learning their agriculture culture.
No one can question that Willow City, N.D., is a fun place to be as the Haakensons know, but for the local couple their visit to Willow City wasn’t in North Dakota, but deep in the heart of Texas.
The Haakenson’s trip to Willow City, Texas, came about due to the 125th Anniversary of Willow City, N.D. in 2012 when a group of residents from Willow City, Texas, came to North Dakota to celebrate the town’s significant birthday.
Sherwood Haakenson was part of the committee which planned the celebration and gave tours to the guests of their sister town while in North Dakota. Through Sherwood and Cyndie Haakenson’s time with the residents of Willow City, Texas, they made lasting friendships, which in January brought the Haakensons to their town’s namesake.
“We had gone to Arizona for about a month in January and decided to come home through Willow City, Texas and visit that area for the first time,” Cyndie Haakenson said. “So, we arranged to stay with two dear friends of ours who came up for the 125th anniversary, Dudley and Cookie Althaus, and they arranged a surprised party for us with all the people who came to the celebration in North Dakota, along with their family and friends, at the Willow City School house in Texas.”
“The people are really friendly and we had a very nice time with them,” Cyndie Haakenson continued. “We enjoyed our visit very much because they were all very welcoming and friendly.”
Willow City, Texas, is about the size of Barton, N.D. and has a small gathering of houses, one general store, a weekend bar and a fire department.
“They have a newly updated and efficient fire department there because they are in a three year drought and fire is a serious danger there. And, they are so rural and isolated in that area they really have to keep up with their fire fighting.
“However, Willow City, Texas, is in a picturesque area,” Cyndie Haakenson said. “It’s in the Texas hill country and right in the middle of Texas blue bonnet country, which is Texas’s state flower.”
Cyndie Haakenson added that the blue bonnets inundate the area late in the spring, which brings a number of tourists to area of Willow City, Texas.
Touring the area came at the hands of Dudley Althaus, who of the entire delegation which came to North Dakota is the only individual who was born and raised in Willow City, Texas.
Like Sherwood Haakenson’s tours of the Willow City area in North Dakota, Dudley Althaus’ tours granted the Haakensons some interesting sights to see in what is considered one of the most unique geological centers in Texas with canyons, creek beds and a multitude of wildflowers.
The area also includes the well know town of Luckenbach, Texas, made famous by country singers Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson who sang the song titled, “Luckenbach, Texas,” which the Haakensons found to be an interesting town.
For Sherwood and Cyndie Haakenson, their trip to Willow City, Texas, was a memorable vacation and one they will never forget.
“We really enjoyed it,” Cyndie Haakenson said. “It was really a fun trip because they are fun people down there.”
For Cyndie Haakenson, she said that it will not be long before she returns to Willow City, Texas, because she plans to head down there in the spring to see the blooming of the blue bonnets.