Bicentennial in Texas (Arlington, Tex.), Vol. [3], Ed. 1 Thursday, January 1, 1976 Page: 2 of 7
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How do Texans celebrate?
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mimes in a pageant called A Com- lift one heavy log and put it in place.
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Valley
Pedernales
near
Liberty Square in Sinton, no longer a downtown eyesore! (Courtest imperial Fotos)
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The young boys helped the men, and
the children ran and played on the
park swings."
Chairman McWilliams brought 3
clean stones for the stew, recalling
the story of the beggar who made
"stone stew."
believes their dedication of markers
bearing the symbol may be a first.
Arbor Day will also be celebrated
in Temple in a special way.
-
has been selected for the Bicen-
tennial Arbor Day program for it was
in this Central Texas city that both
forestry and Arbor Day in Texas had
their beginnings.
Eliza Bishop in Crockett sends this
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Center is free to visitors. An adjacent
It is particularly fitting that Temple tour of craftsmen at work includes
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Fredericksburg. The first Texas wine
festival was held in October and
included a grape stomping contest
and German oompah music.
If you're near Shiner, stop by and
see the 32,000 pound cannon the
Bicentennial committee has acquired.
It was an Army surplus howitzer and
now sits in Welhausen City Park,
mon Witness. The players portrayed
the early European refugees and
pilgrims who came to America in
flight from religious oppression.
Freedom Hall, the last addition to
the Carson County Square House
Museum was dedicated in September
in Panhandle. The Hall will house
Bicentennial exhibits throughout the
year, as well as memorabilia of the
pioneer era and exhibits on the
development of the plains area.
Restoration is now complete on the
Haversack Winecellar, in the Upper
replacing the town's old cannon
which was donated to the scrap metal
drive in World War II.
In this Bicentennial year, many
communities in the state are honoring
native sons and daughters in special
ways.
Did you know that Scott Joplin,
composer of the music used in "The
Sting," was born in Texarkana? In
November, that city paid tribute to
Joplin by unveiling a sculptured bust
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From one end of Texas to the other,
from El Paso and Dallas to Dilley and
Fink, Bicentennial events and projects
are in full swing. How are Texans
celebrating? Let's look around the
state.
In Houston, the Bicentennial Trail
opened in November. Trail markers
and a map route motorists through
the agricultural, industrial, historical,
and geographical elements of the
Houston Gulf Coast. Points of in-
terest: the first sugar refinery in
Texas, the Lynchburg Ferry, and the
spot where Texas won its in-
dependence.
The folks in Van Horn have begun
a community choir called the
Freedom Choir. Among their num-
bers: "The Sow Took the Measels."
A cultural center for Bay City is
becoming a reality, thanks to the
recent donation of a square block of
idea: in addition to all the various
Sweethearts and Queens who ride in
the Houston County Bicentennial
parades, they have a crew of Minute
Men, so the young men are not left
out. In another project, local men
competed in a beard growing contest.
Money was raised for "shaving
will really be an occasion according to
chairman Frances Stovall because
other trees will also be dedicated —
the Andrew Jackson magnolia, given
to the commission by Lady Bird
Johnson and Congressman J. J.
Pickle, and the LBJ Memorial
magnolia, given by the Young En-
vironmentalists of San Marcos. The
three trees will receive permanent
markers bearing the national
Bicentennial logo. Mrs. Stovall
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of him cast by Mrs. Brownie Leslie.
During the ceremony, which also
marked the 107th anniversary of
Joplin's birth, a few of his more
famous pieces were played, "Maple
Leaf Rag,” "Bethena Waltz" and
"Cascades, as well as excerpts from
his opera "Treemonisha."
Shades of the past in Little Elm:
Bicentennial Committee Chairman
Clyde McWilliams tells about the
rebuilding of a log cabin in the park
there which, when finished, will
become a museum for Little Elm. The
townspeople are doing it themselves
as a Bicentennial project. McWilliams
describes one Saturday's work. "The
women dressed in old-fashioned
dresses and sun-bonnets, and brought
homebaked pies and cakes and other
goodies. In a large black iron pot
hung on a mesquite branch tripod, the
women made old-fashioned stew, and
everyone who came was asked to
bring a can of something for the stew.
The men brought hammers, saws, and
other tools to use in raising a log
cabin.
"Sometimes it required six men to
a
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msumExas mannags
land. A Bicentennial project, the
center will house their County
Museum, the Art League, and
Community Theatre.
Bicentennial Plaza on the Cour-
thouse Square in Midland will be
dedicated in January. It is a Horizons
project.
A major project in Austin is a black
heritage exhibit composed of 1,000
photographs, documents, and printed
information illustrating the con-
tributions and culture of Austin's
black citizens. It is aimed primarily at
the youth of Travis County and will be
used in Austin schools.
In special ceremonies January 1,
1976, the Emancipation Proclamation
was read in the rotunda in our state's
capitol. The commemorative
ceremony also featured a musical
litany, traditional spirituals, and
music by the LBJ High School Band.
Attorney General and Mrs. John L.
Hill were special guests at a Bicen-
tennial Fashion Show in San Marcos
in October. Local stores provided the
clothing and models were escorted by
"men in uniform.” A military theme
was used to mark the 200th an-
niversary of the U.S. Navy. "Liberty
tea" was served at intermission.
Proceeds went to the local committee
for refurnishing a room in the historic
Cock House.
Also in San Marcos, a special Arbor
Day ceremony will be held for the
planting of a "Liberty Tree" donated
by the Texas Forest Service. The day
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Wish we all could have beer, n
Galveston in December. The Island
celebrates the holiday season all
month in a gala festival called "Joy to
the World." Conceived as a Festival
USA project for the Bicentennial three
years ago, "Joy to the World” is now
an annual event.
"Joy” began as a one day arts show
and now lasts several weeks with top
exhibits, dramatic productions,
concerts, and tours. "The Dickens
Evening on the Strand" was a
highlight of the '75 celebration.
Shops and stalls along the Strand
were decorated in the manner of
early 19th century London. Visitors
were encouraged to dress the part,
too.
Among the treats during the
"Dickens Evening": baked apples,
Norfolk Biffins, and chestnuts were
sold on the street; a town crier, street
urchins, and pick pockets did their
things, as did mimes, jugglers, and
sweeps; Punch and Judy were there,
along with Sairey Gamp, the nurse.
To complete the theme, Alfred Hyslop
performed "A Christmas Carol" in the
Wharf Theater.
bread baking, silversmithing,
weaving, etc. There is a small charge
for the tour.
A spectacular two hour religious
Bicentennial celebration was held in
Dallas in November. Participants: a
processional of a thousand civic,
business, religious, and community
leaders; a massed choir and brass
ensemble; and representatives of the
Chicano, Anglo, Indian and Black
communities cast as actors and
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hurricane in 1970. One wall depicts
our national heritage — a battle
scene, the Liberty Bell, Betsy Ross
scenes. Texas heritage is painted on
the other wall — the six flags of
Texas, the massacre at Goliad, Sam
Houston, Stephen F. Austin. A
star-shaped flowerbed set in the
middle of the square was filled with
blue and white flowers by the Garden
Club.
The Tigua Indian "Living" pueblo is
now completed and open to the public
in El Paso. Possibly the only project of
its kind, the Tigua Arts and Crafts
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permits,” with proceeds going to
Christmas lights. Eliza also wrote us
about their "freedom eagle” which
falls in the same category with Jean
Kasper's cannon in Shiner (read on).
The eagle is "10 feet tall, six feet
wide and gracefully perched on a
mammoth log. He's also plastic
covered (for weather), patriotic of
manner and parade broken.”
An original Gilbert Stuart portrait
of George Washington is being
purchased by Ei Paso as a Bicen-
tennial project. The drive to obtain
the $100,000 needed is called
"Operation George,” and will begin
in earnest in February. The portrait is
one of the top ten paintings done of
Washington and is in excellent
condition. Chairman Janice Windle
reports that a local bank donated a
large truck to be converted into a
mobile art museum environmentally
controlled so the painting will not
suffer damage.
"Liberty Square” in Sinton is a
must stop for those driving the Texas
Coast. Two Sinton artists designed
murals on the walls of what was
formerly a downtown eyesore — a
demolished building toppled by a
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Bicentennial in Texas (Arlington, Tex.), Vol. [3], Ed. 1 Thursday, January 1, 1976, newspaper, January 1, 1976; Arlington, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1563465/m1/2/?q=Lamar+University&rotate=90: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .