Quick. What pops into your mind when you think Dutch? Treat? Rembrandt? Sex and drugs? Well, whatever you envision you probably aren’t thinking Tex Ritter are you? That is unless you live in Nederland, Texas, and happen to know who is Tex Ritter.
For those of you who do not know, Tex Ritter was a singing cowboy. He was much unlike the whistling cowboys, or the mumbling cowboys, or the clicking Kalahari bushmen cowboys. Trust me. Tex Ritter was a singing cowboy and country-western star who also spawned the late John Ritter. Perhaps he spawned the future “Three’s Company” and “Eight Simple Rules” star while swimming upstream. But enough with the fishy explanation of whom Tex Ritter was. I’m afraid that doesn’t get us any closer to why we should associate the Dutch with Tex Ritter.
The best I have been able to piece this puzzle together is that Tex Ritter lived at one time in Nederland, Texas, which is nestled among the cornucopia of petrochemical plants between Beaumont and Port Arthur. Nederland — which sounds one hell of a lot like “Netherlands” — was invented by a railroad tycoon who wanted a settlement for Dutch immigrants. Thus, we have the Dutch connection to Nederland and perhaps to Tex Ritter. Maybe.
Tex Ritter Park — home to this Dutch-like windmill (actually a museum that is air-conditioned)– is a rather scenic park in downtown Nederland. The windmill seems to have lost portions of its blades, perhaps yet another victim of Hurricane Rita. Also, Tex Ritter has been dead for more than 30 years. But that shouldn’t change anything. I don’t really think you can have enough Dutch windmills in U.S. parks named for singing cowboys. I mean, it all makes total sense to me. Sort of.