June 2010 _________________________________________ Carolyn Ernst, President
FROM THE PRESIDENT:
I was rereading my Grapevine's Most Unforgettable Characters book
recently. (You can't ever read it too many times!) Two items really attracted my
attention.
First I read information from an issue of the Grapevine Sun that was reprinted
on page 21: "Dirt moving set to start at Grapevine. Bulldozers, motor scrapers, draglines,
tractors and giant earthmoving equipment were being assembled Tuesday for the first
construction phase..."
No they weren't talking about "The DFW Connector." The date was January 9, 1948
and they were reporting on the new Grapevine Reservoir Dam. Alas, the Grapevine Sun
is no more, but the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has been regular in its reportage
of progress on "The Connector." The dam brought about many changes to our community.
What consequences will we see years from now due to the construction of this massive
highway interchange?
I like to open the Unforgettable Characters book at random to read,
so I next skipped back to page 576 of the book where I found a charming story by
Marshall Daniel, son of Jesse Jackson Daniel and Llora Elsie Lindsay Daniel: "...Robert
Thweatt was the iceman for a long time. I used to go with him to deliver the ice
at times. The ice blocks that he carried on the truck weighed three hundred pounds
each. I remember one time that I was astride a block of ice, and he looked around
to caution me and ran into the ditch. I rode the ice as it slipped off the truck.
I wasn't hurt, but it sure scared Robert. He didn't let me ride the ice after that..."
Since the façade of our new museum will be the Grapevine Ice Company, we would
like to capture as many memories as we can about that ice house building and its
operation. If you have some anecdotes or pictures of it, please share them with
us. These personal reminisces will make the "ice house" museum come alive for our
visitors.
I am extremely disappointed that I will be out of town for the June 28 meeting.
It should be a humdinger! Joe Wright will tell us about the Grapevine Basket Company—and
knowing Joe, he will probably have some other things to say also! Take good notes
and tell me about it when I return to town.
Carolyn Ernst, President
FROM THE 1st VICE PRESIDENT:
Once again we have had a busy month in our museum. During Main Street Outdoor Adventure
(May 21-22-23), there were 542 visitors who came into the museum. For the entire
month of May we saw visitors from England, Brazil, Russia, Sweden, Canada, Italy,
Venezuela, South Africa, and Austria as well as various parts of the United States
for a total of 3,014 visitors! As public schools wound down the first of June, we
had several school field trips in the past few months which included tours in our
museum. What a great way to learn about your hometown! With the summer months being
here and the sun already scorching, why not bring your own children and grandchildren
into the Grapevine Historical Museum one day. It is open seven days a week! (And
... it is air-conditioned! A real plus in this Texas heat!)
We are on our way, folks! At our May 14th Executive Board meeting, the Museum Committee brought their suggestion to work with Museum Arts of Dallas to create the new museum focused on the stories of the people who have made Grapevine the community it is. The board approved this proposal.
On May 19th, we officially signed a contract between Museum Arts and the Grapevine Historical Museum for Phase I - the Concept Design for the new museum. We are eager to get started! The contract obligates us to a $25,000 payment—neither the cheapest nor the most expensive proposal we had. It was the most innovative, capturing the charm of our Museum in the depot, yet updating other exhibits.
Once we have completed this segment of our journey, we will begin our capital fundraising campaign. The fabrication, and installation is priced at $300,000 - $400,000, depending upon the final Design Concept we approve. We certainly will have more to share with you when we approach this phase of our project. But first things first...we must complete our design stage of development.
Lary Brown and Charles Paramore from Museum Arts met with us on May 28th as we shared our plans with CVB Director, P.W. McCallum. The CVB occupies the "ARPCO" building into which the Museum will move and P.W. will be overseeing its renovation for us. Charles showed a prototype model for the new Museum. We are excited that P.W. shares in our enthusiasm in the proposed design.
On June 4, Museum Arts staff members joined the committee in initiating the first steps of our planning. We will be working with Jenny Holland of Museum Arts as we create the stories to be told about our exhibits. This will be a very busy and exciting few months for us. I'll update you in August on our progress! We look forward to your continued support as we create a truly exciting design for our Grapevine Historical Museum. The prototype model of the museum will be on display at the next meeting, June 28. Although it is very preliminary, and subject to many changes, it will give you an idea of our direction.
Pam Price, 1st Vice President / Curator
FROM THE 2nd VICE PRESIDENT:
REMEMBER that there is NO MEETING IN JULY. We always take a break in July
but look forward to returning on August 23rd! There are several really
interesting programs being planned for the rest of the year. Once dates are set,
I will have them posted on this website so keep your eyes open for more definite
plans to be given out.
Mark your calendar now for you certainly do not want to miss our June 28th
program. Grapevine's very own Joe Wright will present an evening you will want to
see. His topic is "The Grapevine Basket Factory, Cotton Gin, Sheep & Chicken Rancher."
Of course, that can encompass a variety of things, so be there to hear Joe's reminiscing
about Grapevine from his eyes as a lifetime citizen. Joe will tell us about his
grandparents, Jesse H. "Granddad" and Effie Wright, whose home acreage was also
home for a multiple of business operations that were carried out to make a living.
We'll learn about the intricate operations, manpower, and machinery involved in
the manufacturing of handle baskets from cottonwood tree veneer. Other Grapevine
subjects will be shared at this meeting. You won't want to miss this bit of Grapevine
lore!
Most of the town (now a city) loses site of our main focus due to the promotion
of the next big hotel, restaurant, or business that might be coming. The aspect
of our history makes Grapevine what it is today, and makes it stand out among the
neighboring peers. We, as a group, and others sometimes forget one of the main aspects
the Historical Society is here to promote. Thanks to all involved with the museum
presentation program for helping us remember – Pam Price, Helen Jean Lucas
Reed, Carolyn and Paul Ernst.
A sincere thank you goes to Pam as well as to those of you who were recognized for
your contributions as docents in our Grapevine Historical Museum. This was a well-deserved
tribute to each one of you. Along with a Certificate of Appreciation, each of our
docent received a shirt with an embroidered "Grapevine Historical Society"
logo on it. These shirts were a donation by members Tim and Margaret Harper
in honor of Tim's mother and museum docent, Janie Harper. What a treat each of our
docents received. We truly appreciate your generosity, Tim and Margaret! I have
been to the Grapevine Historic Museum, and have enjoyed seeing those things that
mean so much to me about our history. It was enjoyable to have the museum brought
to us by Paul & Carolyn, Helen Jean, and Pam. Each of them had a very personal touch
to your role as a presenter and revealed each of yourselves as a true and knowledgeable
Docent. Thank you for all the effort that went to your presentation. What an enjoyable
evening we all had!
Our meetings are at 7:00 p.m. in the Meeting Room of the Grapevine Public Library.
Come join us! This is a great way to learn about your community, meet others, and
spend an interesting evening. You may contact me at 817-920-9790 with your suggestions
or visit www.grapevinehistory.org.
Tommy Simmons, 2nd V.P./ Program Chairman
FROM THE TREASURER:
| April 30, 2010 checking account balance |
|
$18,926.59 |
| April 30, 2010 adjustment (deposit of) | $62.75 | |
| April 30, 2010 adjusted checking account balance |
|
$18,989.34 |
| May Receipts | $ 1,629.14 |
|
| Balance |
|
$20,618.48 |
| May Disbursements | -$15,849.23 |
|
| May 31, 2010 checking account balance | $ 4,769.25 | |
| 2 CDs | $17,137.16 |
|
| May 31, 2010 GHS total funds |
|
$21,906.41 |
A complete report of receipts and disbursements for May will be available at the June general meeting.
Margaret Wood, Treasurer
FROM THE MEMBERSHIP CHAIR:
The current membership is 162 family/individual and 15 business/organization for
a total of 177 total members. There is still plenty of time to join and reap the
rewards of membership for this year. You can mail in your dues or bring them to
our next meeting on June 28!
Why not give your dad a membership to the Grapevine Historical Society? Or invite
your friends and families to join us. On the Grapevine Historical Society's website
you can find a copy of the membership form: www.grapevinehistory.org. Mail in your
2010 membership forms to the Society at:
Grapevine Historical Society
P.O. Box 995
Grapevine, Texas 76099-0995
Janis Roberson, Membership Chairperson
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Remember that there will be No Meeting in July – See you August 23, 2010.
Attend our upcoming general meeting: Monday, June 28, 2010 at the Grapevine Public
Library, 1201 Municipal Way, Grapevine, Texas 76051 and hear Grapevine's own Joe
Wright as he shares memories of the Basket Factory and other businesses
run by his grandfather Jesse H. "Granddad" and his wife Effie Wright. Read our 2nd
Vice-President's article for more details.
Grapevine Historical Society Books: Need a GIFT IDEA? Why not buy Dad one
of our books about Grapevine?
1. Grapevine's Most Unforgettable Characters. Our book is on sale at the
Grapevine Public Library. The book costs $85.00. You can pick up your copy there
or order it by mail. (Add an additional $5.00 for postage and handling).
2. Grapevine Area History. There are still copies of our first book available
at the Library. They cost $70.00. (Again, add an additional $5.00 for postage and
handling). Order forms are available at our meeting as well as our website:
www.grapevinehistory.org.
Book Order Forms can be found on this website. Mail orders should be sent to:
Grapevine Historical Society
P.O. Box 995
Grapevine Texas 76099-0995