THC heritage tourism historic Bankhead Highway initiative Page: 2 of 4
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or those with blind walls) with Bankhead interpretation and historic photographic murals. The panels
offer visitors a glimpse into the past that allows them to see the town in which they stand as it was
nearly 100 years ago. An archival photograph, usually culled from the local history museum, library,
or an historical reference book, is enlarged and then superimposed with a short description of an
interesting element in the photo. The "mystery" portion of this exhibit encourages the viewer to get
involved by asking an intriguing question about the photograph or the buildings depicted in it, then
comparing it to the contemporary scene. The idea is to get visitors looking, thinking, and talking to
discover something new for themselves.
Using thematic interpretation and photographs from the Franklin County Historical Association's
archives, Mount Vernon's local historians and graphic talent are collaborating to create interpretive
murals on Bankhead and related Mount Vernon downtown history. These enliven empty storefronts
(such as Lowry Furniture) and develop Bankhead history for local residents and visitors alike,
illuminating through interpretation how this history matters.
Video Memoirs (Mount Vernon)
Video memoirs are an audio-visual extension of the history-mystery panels. They allow viewers to see
the town through an historian's eyes via a smart phone, iPad, or similar device. In essence, they
provide storytelling in the digital age. Videos incorporate oral histories of featured building owners or
their descendants, recalling memories of life and business along the Bankhead Highway, as it passed
through Mount Vernon. These brief histories also leverage Franklin County Historical Association's
photographic archives that can be woven into the video imagery. The videos will be posted online by
the Franklin County Historical Association for visitors to view on their mobile devices or on their
home computers.
Stray Days (Weatherford)
This is a revived heritage festival for the whole family. An open-air farmers market brings back the
meeting-in-the-square of producers and consumers. Each quadrant of the Parker County Courthouse
square represents a different decade in Bankhead Highway history. The "dress rehearsal" June 6,
2016 includes food and craft vendors, downtown businesses, actors in period costumes giving
performances related to Bankhead Highway history in Weatherford, period music, a classic car rally
and cruise, horse-drawn carriage rides, Billy the Bull (courtesy of the Championship Bull Riding
Assoc.), and several businesses converting into Speakeasies for the period event (Sweet Springs
Winery and Twisted Snifter). Over time it may grow to include: live bands, dance performances,
outdoor films, games, a cutting horse presence, and other heritage events and offerings. The first full-
fledged festival will take place September 23-24, 2016.
Bankhead Classic Car Rally and Cruise (Weatherford)
Leveraging the interest of car enthusiasts and the historical tie between classic cars and the Bankhead
Highway, this cruise begins as a car rally in the Parker County courthouse square on Friday night of
the Stray Days celebration. Owners are on hand to talk to visitors about their beautiful, historic
machines. Car Clubs may provide opportunities for visitors to ride in the classic automobiles as a
revenue generating activity. On Saturday morning, the cars file out of the square and circle the
courthouse in a short procession as they embark on a cruise along the Bankhead Highway to Mineral
Wells or other surrounding Bankhead towns. This offering brings into focus the quintessential
experience of driving the Bankhead Highway, and it highlights Weatherford's unique asset of having
the longest stretch left in Texas of historically signed Bankhead Highway, whose pastoral viewsprovides motorists a glimpse of what it was like to drive the Bankhead across Texas in the early-mid
20th century.
The Classic Car Rally and Cruise complement Weatherford's recently opened Vintage Grill and Car
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Mallory, Randy. THC heritage tourism historic Bankhead Highway initiative, text, 2015~; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1924169/m1/2/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.