10/29/2026
Throwback Thursday…
The first photo was taken in the mid 90's and the second photo is a very recent one of A-Battery Noblemen.�Since 1974, the Dixie Chicken has been the heart of Northgate and the oldest, most iconic bar in the district. Originally a pool hall, it was transformed into a bar after local businessmen Don Anz and Don Ganter invested about $7,000 to renovate it. They renamed it Dixie Chicken after the Little Feat album, and the decor—swinging doors, heavy wooden tables carved by generations of Aggies, pool tables, dominoes, and walls full of character—was inspired by a Jerry Jeff Walker album cover.
When the bar opened on June 15, 1974, it quickly became a favorite hangout for Texas A&M students—including two then-unknown musicians, Robert Earl Keen and Lyle Lovett.
The Dixie Chicken is also the birthplace of the unofficial Aggie tradition of ring dunking. In the late 1970s, a student accidentally dropped his brand-new Aggie Ring into a pitcher of beer—and a friend challenged him to drink it to get the ring back. A legendary tradition was born.
Founder Don Ganter passed away in 2004, just days after the Chicken celebrated its 30th anniversary. Today, his daughters Katy Jackson and Jennifer Ganter keep the legacy alive.
