True Women Book Tour

Magnolia Hotel
Welcome to Seguin, where history comes to life in True Women, by native Janice Woods Windle. What began as a family cookbook to give to a son and his bride turned into "epic tales of war and adventure, love and murder, violence and redemption." The mini-series first aired on CBS.

The True Women Cookbook tells how the novel came to be written, adding more pictures and stories to the recipes.

Hill Country, based on the life of the author's remarkable grandmother, opens with LBJ's memorable visit to the family home.

The latest family-lore and fact-based historical novel, Will's War, relives the trials of the author's grandfather during a wave of anti-German hysteria. Many scenes are set in Seguin.

The best way to see the sitesis on a guided tour, to visit some places otherwise not open to the public. Contact the Chamber at 830-379-6382.

If you cannot schedule a tour, follow the self-guided route to the marked sites.


1 - Bettie Moss King Home
920 E. Court Street

Turn into the parking area in front of the barn to view the house where Janice Woods Windle grew up.
"My mother, Virginia Woods, still lives in the family homeplace. It was the home of her grandmother Bettie Moss King from the day she married, in 1887, until the day she died, in 1945,just after the end of World War II. A few months later, my mother, my father, Wilton Woods, my littlebrother, Wilton, and I moved into the home."

"True Women was conceived here. I flew from El Paso once or twice a month to work at the dining room table. In the book, my great-grandma Bettie King is one of the three main characters. When the mini-series was filmed, she was one of 130 or so speaking parts - but was cut in the editing.

"Originally this house had three rooms. A dogtrot became the hall when a long dining room and a kitchen were added. Finally, the Greek Revival porch was put across the front."
from the True Women Cookbook


"Whoopity, whoopity . . . the sound I heard above the pecan trees in June, 1948, just before my tenth birthday. I remember the voice to this day: HELLO DOWN THERE, GOOD PEOPLE! THIS IS LYNDON JOHNSON, YOUR CANDIDATE
FOR THE UNITED STATES SENATE.

The day the helicopter landed, our yard was filled with milling voters and local Democratic candidates hoping to ride his coattails. A Western band played "Rose of San Antone." The street was linedwith cars decorated with crepe paper streamers and posters . . ."
from the Hill Country


"The house was there. Standing ageless, solid, fine. Bettie walked onto the porch, touched one of the high white pillars, and looked up at the blue ceiling. She had never felt more secure, more protected. The house on Court Street would be there breathing, living, guarding the family, generation after generation forever."
from the Will's War



  
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