Albany shines in ‘The Daytripper’
Albany took center stage this past weekend when The Daytripper—the popular PBS travel series hosted by Chet Garner—featured the community in its latest episode. Filmed during the Fort Griffin Fandangle in June, the show premiered statewide on PBS over the weekend and debuted on YouTube Monday evening.
Throughout the half-hour episode, Garner guided viewers through a day spent exploring Albany’s history, culture, and hospitality. His first stop was Vintage Vanilla, the 1929 drugstore and soda fountain on Main Street, where owner Betsy Parsons shared stories of her family’s connection to the store. She explained that her father was one of its early pharmacists and that it was here her parents first met—her father working behind the pharmacy counter and her mother in the adjoining dress shop. Parsons also recalled Albany playwright Robert Nail’s well-known quote: “You can never be who you’re supposed to be until you know who you’ve been.” Over ice cream and chicken salad, Garner reflected on how the shop preserves that very sense of local heritage.
The show then turned to the Old Jail Art Center, where Executive Director Patrick Kelly introduced Garner to Albany’s impressive art collection—one that includes works by Renoir, Picasso, and Paul Klee. Kelly described how cousins Bill Bomar and Reilly Nail repurposed the former jail in 1982 to house their family’s art. Garner marveled that such a small town could hold a collection that rivals major city museums.
From there, The Daytripper rolled into the Flying A Car Club, where Ronnie and Donnie Anderson showcased part of their collection of restored vehicles. The brothers told Garner that their goal is not only to preserve classic cars but to bring visitors into town and support local merchants.
The episode then shifted to the Fort Griffin State Historic Site, where site director Eric Abercrombie shared stories from the frontier outpost once known for its rugged living conditions and dangers. Garner visited the reconstructed Shaughnessy Saloon—where Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday first met—and learned about the fort’s role in cattle drives and the buffalo hide trade.
Nearby, longhorn caretaker Frank Sharp introduced the State of Texas Longhorn Herd, descended from the original cattle that once roamed the frontier. Sharp explained that the herd’s genetics date back to the earliest days of Texas ranching and that the animals are now considered critically endangered. Garner said “It’s amazing to see something that’s living and breathing, yet it’s part of our history.”
As evening fell, the crew sat down for dinner at The Ice House, where owner Melissa Williams shared how her mother turned the town’s former ice-making plant into a restaurant known for its mesquite-grilled steaks and famous bread pudding. Garner praised the authentic setting, saying it offered an ambiance “you could never recreate with new construction.”
The episode concluded beneath the lights of the Fort Griffin Fandangle, directed by Lorna Ayers. She told Garner the outdoor musical—recognized as the Official Play of Texas—has involved generations of families for more than 80 years. Her own family alone spans four generations of cast members. Garner described the Fandangle as “much more than community theater,” calling it the heart of Albany’s identity and a living expression of the town’s history.
By the end of the program, Garner had sipped sodas, toured museums, met longhorns, and laughed with locals—all while capturing the spirit of a small town that takes pride in who it has been and who it continues to be.
