Sale on the Trail
2017-05-06 | Hwy 21
Sale On The Trail

By Donna McCollum

SAN AUGUSTINE, TX (KTRE) - The Kings Highway is hosting the king of all garage sales. It's called Sale On The Trail. Land owners and businesses from Natchitoches, Louisiana to Crockett, Texas hold yard sales, flea markets, festivals, trade shows, sidewalk sales,etc. along the famous trail. The road dates back to the 1600's, so why not use it to sale old stuff. "Looks like something a person couldn't live without right there," commented E.K. Sowell of Nacogdoches as he loads a container of some kind in his car.

Husband's flatbeds are turned into tables. Lots of money is made. Some things are free, like kittens and puppies. Garage sale signs dot the highway and keep buyers on the right track. "We're still going to...where we going, dear?," asks a Lufkin woman to her husband. "'Mah-lahm', is that how you say it?" Actually it's milam, but that's not as important as having fun getting there. "It's a pretty day and the drive is nice," said Norma Jones of Alto.

A good place to take a break is the Halfway Inn, once an old stage stop between Nacogdoches and San Augustine. Famous people slept here. "In the upstairs room Sam Houston slept there and had his leg treated by a doctor from Chireno," shared a volunteer. Now it's where shoppers stop in their SUV's to check out bargains. A couple of young men on horseback travel like the first explorers. Event planners don't care how you get here, just as long as you come. "I think this is a start of something that's going to be great for the El Camino Real," said Liz Ware, a member of the Trail Partners. The group includes tourist directors from cities all along highway 21.

This story ends in San Augustine, but true bargain hunters carry on. The Sale On The Trail succeeds in mixing something old with something new. The Sale On The Trail will become an annual event. Mark the first weekend in May on your calendar!
