tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9285889415955426052024-03-05T04:49:38.254-06:00The Industrious HistorianThe W. K. Gordon Center for Industrial History of TexasThe Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-928588941595542605.post-3312058583935668082021-01-22T15:23:00.000-06:002021-01-22T15:23:24.325-06:00Thurber Through the Eyes of the Paper<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> By Mary Adams</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="339" data-original-width="1054" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycm7BQIA_44zmNbzKzC5JyTFAK2KXsAhsv3GV1B1OOtMG-OBfOsstUvSywPTuJuQ1PWUVjAQmLv7jAHIAsndP9PQhGHrB0tyVwXKacgKEEP6XnCnev9123hGIjnxnyyRCYVlzViI0C7-V/w640-h206/Thurber+miner+1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">From The Texas Miner, </span><span style="text-align: left;">Portal</span><span style="text-align: left;"> To Texas History</span></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycm7BQIA_44zmNbzKzC5JyTFAK2KXsAhsv3GV1B1OOtMG-OBfOsstUvSywPTuJuQ1PWUVjAQmLv7jAHIAsndP9PQhGHrB0tyVwXKacgKEEP6XnCnev9123hGIjnxnyyRCYVlzViI0C7-V/s1054/Thurber+miner+1.jpg"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>The newness of the town and the
paper combine to give this edition a very positive and encouraging tone. On the
front page the paper carried stories from other areas, such as labor unrest in
Ohio, unemployment numbers and a grim outlook for winter out of Pittsburg,
financial uncertainty of coal mining in France, and a harsh commentary on the
idea of Tariff reform. Though over half the page was taken up with these
political and world news issues, the remainder was a bit more social and mostly
positive. They share the news of the death of Peter Haulenbeck, “kind-hearted,
whole-souled, friend to the masses” who died in New York at the age of 65. It
also talks about, a World Boxing Championship held in Florida where an American
defeated the English title holder, the success of a benefit ball that had been
held locally, the visit of one of “Stephenville’s popular young ladies”, and
the injury of a miner who worked at Shaft #5. The remainder of the paper
carries on in a similar mixture of personal notes of interest, political views,
and advertisements for the local stores. However, there was one article on page
2 that caught my attention, and I feel highlights the youth of the town and use
of the paper to promote Thurber by glorifying life in the town.</span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />In the age of computers, cell
phones, and social media most people have almost instant access to the everyday
happenings of friends or family as well as history making news from around the
world. This was not the case in the days of Thurber. People worldwide relied on
the local newspapers for their news and information. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thurber, Texas had several different
newspapers over the years some of which were <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Texas Miner, Texas Mining and Trade Journal</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Thurber Journal</i>, and later T<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">he Thurber Tiny Journal</i>. Over the next
12 months we are going to look at some of the newspapers from Thurber, Texas. We
will start today with the Volume 1, No. 2 edition of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Texas Miner</i> dated January 27, 1894.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><o:p></o:p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1412" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXd0kvIFMZxRars35qsm_C8Am33Dg-piJo0k3uphLZbiOkpgG7bMtI8fYIrAOQxsKtg7GshbIkX7KqEAe_BgN3BKLs1Yj6EXQYHXalNCzj5VFRzEG-ShRSqcKjKP38xc0sBLLINZ7m8lak/s320/download.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From The Texas Miner Courtesy of The Portal to Texas History </td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXd0kvIFMZxRars35qsm_C8Am33Dg-piJo0k3uphLZbiOkpgG7bMtI8fYIrAOQxsKtg7GshbIkX7KqEAe_BgN3BKLs1Yj6EXQYHXalNCzj5VFRzEG-ShRSqcKjKP38xc0sBLLINZ7m8lak/s2048/download.png"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></a></span></div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr></tr></tbody></table>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is the earliest edition of the
Thurber papers that I have been able to locate, and is possibly the first paper
published in Thurber. Therefore, the paper is very early in the existence of
the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Texas Miner. </i>It is also early
in the existence of the town. Though there had been mines in the area of
Thurber since 1886, it was not until 1889 that R. D. Hunter acquired them and
started the Texas Pacific Coal Company and began building Thurber.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="621" data-original-width="266" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1JXBy1y-wQJru1JIZ1RkWUkyjUw8xym1XKK4MJoc2kzm1DvRHI3BCb1SBqLdDyCkV1zVFCKwHL-ukKka7rH6qgd3sP1AHlDcZAgR6DHjFiRr3YcG-dUt9j1g6oyTHW7vczEY7hsKpxVL/w274-h640/our+town+.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="274" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">From The Texas Miner Courtesy of The Portal to Texas History</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 48px;">The article titled “Our Town” starts with a question, “Where the deuce is Thurber?”, that was said to have been overheard on a railway train. The remainder of the article extolls the virtues of Thurber, starting with the statement that “there are hacks to meet every train to convey the passengers to this town.” The article goes on to discuss the “pile of goods” to be had at the stores and that it was a cash only town, no credit, which meant prices were lower. By mentioning that “every farmer in the county can come to Thurber and sell cattle, hogs, sheep, chickens, or any products on his farm, and get the ‘cold cash’ for them” and then goes on to say he can buy anything from “a needle to an anchor” for “25 to 33 1-3 cheaper” than anywhere else. The author continues to exclaim all the things that make Thurber a desirable place to visit or live with comments about the stores and the clerks that work there, and the men that gather in town, going so far as to claim “a more intelligent looking set of men it would be difficult to find in any town of Thurber’s size in the state.” According to the author the clerks of the store are of the highest quality and the women “are particularly noticeable -- fine looking, as a rule, and neatly, and modestly dressed.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: arial;">One might ask why this author would
go to such extremes to glorify the town and paint such a positive portrait of
life in there. Key to understanding this is to know the town was company owned,
and thus the company also owned the paper. R. D. Hunter purchased the Johnson
mines in 1889 and at the time of purchase he reported that the town that had
grown up around them was little more than a shanty town and rough by nature. He
set out to construct a town that people would want to come live and work in. He
realized that a stable work force was one of the keys to success so he wanted
them to be able to bring their families to live there. He built schools,
churches, made sure the stores were well appointed and even built an Opera
House. This paper began production just 5 years after the change in ownership
and Hunter was still growing the town. Therefore, it makes sense that he would
use the paper to spread the propaganda to promote his town.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth200449/m1/?q=Thurber.%20Texas "><span> </span>You can view this edition of The Texas Miner here.</a> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="text-align: center;"></span></p><p></p>The Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-928588941595542605.post-53725783658477493232020-09-30T13:46:00.000-05:002020-09-30T13:46:06.290-05:00 Archeology in Thurber<p style="text-align: center;"> Archeology in Thurber</p><p style="text-align: center;">By Mary Adams</p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">October is
known as Archeology month and with it right around the corner, I wanted to take
a minute and talk about the archeology of Thurber, Texas. If you are familiar
with Thurber you recognize the remains of the Historic Smokestack on the side
of I-20 that sits half-way between Fort Worth and Abilene. It and the
restaurant which share a parking lot are two of the most prominent remains from
Thurber left standing. But what else is left and what can we learn from it?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMwtZi7QWocMVzK4YWhEj4wOB_1Te3kGAOGx9qnicYs6hzImWyEBs7uLSQh6Kb76Mas0-rKKOKLpKqClziukDIxMdaCpu6XQjQhcYW_5B6WSVN-ZjOZUnclH1xmFSOO1y3FkFBYKITcTye/s2016/Smokestack+1+for+Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMwtZi7QWocMVzK4YWhEj4wOB_1Te3kGAOGx9qnicYs6hzImWyEBs7uLSQh6Kb76Mas0-rKKOKLpKqClziukDIxMdaCpu6XQjQhcYW_5B6WSVN-ZjOZUnclH1xmFSOO1y3FkFBYKITcTye/w400-h300/Smokestack+1+for+Blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thurber's Smokestack. Photo Credit, Mary Adams<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Join me as I
explore what was once the downtown area of Thurber. As one walks around the
parking lot in front of the Smokestack Restaurant you only have to look around
to spot the archeological remains. We can start with the iconic smokestack that
has stood for over 100 years. This is what is left of the electric plant and
ice plant. The Texas Pacific Coal Company that built Thurber decided to provide
electricity to every home in Thurber and thus operated their own electric
plant. Those who lived in Thurber could have electricity in their home at the
cost of $0.25 per drop per month.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1435" data-original-width="1915" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9kgKfk3g1OnOccY-gakNk3cODThUsPZ3YMZ9pimTiALex3z6zch4JCRZcjbIpdClZukLWhxDoUx99szY4YoEhN3Gd5Hprdw1aqaTn2fIEBOkmSGgW6XcPa9sfZQIw9Uv0PUw5tyvFl08/s320/Rail+Lines+1+for+Blog.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remaining Spur. Photo Credit, Mary Adams<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Crossing the
parking lot towards the east end of the restaurant, if you look carefully, you
can find the remains of a rail line. This was a spur that was used to bring
inventory for the Texas Pacific Mercantile operations into town. The train cars
could be parked outside of the General Mercantile Store, currently the
restaurant, or the Hardware Store which sat across the road from the
Mercantile. The stores in Thurber were said to be some of the best supplied
stores in the area and carried everything from cutlery to wagons. <o:p></o:p></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1235" data-original-width="2048" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBYK_NhHZJVvS2T55wx1ckQzS1F0olz09g7meR_JLkPHqcj4uuYwrsGsEDgQtuMIBIvXpVrE8_jgU-Kzyon5Mkc_blNjUxk3O80tLXFTh1FCooDSIXZhppZTHyXqQ4oiRDWzoK9u56M9a1/w400-h241/Studdard+2003.21.25.01+001.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view of downtown Thurber. Studdard Collection, W.K. Gordon Center.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
Smokestack restaurant occupies the newest addition of the General Mercantile
store. Following a fire in 1903 the company built a new brick mercantile
building. The portion that stands today was and addition that was completed in
1906. Now walk down the historic brick sidewalk to the west and you will pass
the remains of office buildings. These buildings housed the offices for the
Texas Pacific Mercantile Operations.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As you cross
the parking lot on the west end of the building you can see the footpr</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">int of a
gas station that once stood in the center. Before the gas station was built
there, this was common area that included a bandstand. If you would like to see
the band stand stop off at the Thurber Historical Park across the interstate,
where it stands today.</span></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1358" data-original-width="1811" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh95PDBxlFNAK6tkMjO0iyDbHFlNx8IuaDayy_l5ne3jF1gXz61GgO6sQscD97O18n3gDXZQ80tHp7CTXmQsAEl3shuQr7_iZxW7KDIYg81kjJgiMlFyHPoqUcr220XQKqfpptb2iDEGeF_/s320/Barber+Shop+1+for+Blog.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barber shop remains, Photo Credit Mary Adams<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Continue
across the parking lot to the metal pipe fence and you will find remains that
include white octagonal floor tile. This is where the barber shop was located.
I can just imagine miners leaned back in a barber shop chair receiving a shave
and haircut. Can you? Perhaps after their hair cut they would stop by the Drug
Store next door and get something from the soda fountain located inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There are
many more remains of Thurber that dot the country side in and around the iconic
smokestack. Footprints of past buildings, bricks from supports that have
crumbled, piles of debris from digging the mines, and maybe even a rusted
chamber pot from years past. These are all remnants of a once bustling town
were people from multiple nationalities came together to live and work. <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>The Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-928588941595542605.post-51542211653397140452020-08-31T09:59:00.001-05:002020-08-31T09:59:22.714-05:00The Year 2020<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The Year 2020<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">By Mary Adams</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">As 2019 wound to a close, the outlook was bright for the most
part. The world was entering a new decade. Tokyo was preparing to host the 2020
Summer Olympic Games, the National Basketball Association was in full swing,
political parties were gearing up for a contentious election season, and museums
around the country were getting ready for a spring and summer filled with
events, exhibits, and educational programs. The year 2020 did not get off to
the great start that any of us planned. Instead, it brought with it a whole slew
of challenges, frustrations, and disappointments. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In late December 2019, the news had murmurings about a mysterious
illness in China but the threat was unclear and concern was low. As the New
Year rolled in we learned a little more about it, and the World Health
Organization started asking questions. Though news out of China was still
limited, all accounts indicated a respiratory virus that caused pneumonia-like
symptoms with limited human-to-human spread. By mid-January, the Chinese
identified it as a novel coronavirus but underestimated how it spread or how
contagious it was. The Coronavirus, now known as COVID-19, took the world stage
by late January and it proved to be more contagious than originally thought. As
winter turned into spring people began to realize the challenges that this new
virus would bring. By mid-March, schools were closing along with Churches,
restaurants, and cultural institutions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sports, both professional and amateur, were canceled. National, State,
and Local governments began asking people to stay home and wear masks. For most
alive today, these are unprecedented challenges. There were many questions and
few answers. People debated the best ways to stay healthy. The world was full
of unknowns. Fear and uncertainty abounded. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, history shows that this is not as
unprecedented as it seems. This is not the first global pandemic that the world
has had to deal with. If we could travel back in time to 1918, I am sure we
would hear the same or very similar concerns and complaints.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="850" height="513" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HSS_XsQWVvlYcOgeWbsrGEbpoj6T24HDgRzy7z0M-e8Mr7QsZ28gj_FdImi7_bBxYu9JxvJEmGYJd2gDOlSAZ7e-SdxA3IXL7_CRyMDc0oIBKvYIi0HsWYwrccO6gZ8CNwy3HkP1nX5X/w510-h513/Articles+from+various+Texas+Newspapers+in+Fall+of+1918.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="510" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Articles From Various Texas Newspapers October - December of 1918<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">A little over a hundred years separate the Spanish Flu
pandemic of 1918 and the COVID-19 outbreak. Those who lived in 1918 lacked the
benefit of social media and the instant minute-by-minute updates available on
the internet, television, and radio. Instead, they relied heavily on local
newspapers for their information.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">A
quick search through the headlines of historic newspapers reveals how our
predecessors dealt with the challenges they faced.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In March 1918, there were reports of a flu-like virus that
spread through an Army camp in Kansas. From March to September of 1918, as
World War I raged in Europe, both the United States and Europe logged flu
cases, but the numbers of cases did not raise any red flags. However, in
September 1918 the second wave of flu hit the US. T</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">he virus was virulent and
deadly and spread through entire communities quickly. This prompted many of the
same government actions that international leaders called for in the early
spring of 2020. Governors and Mayors called for their citizens to stay home to
prevent the spread of the virus, mask mandates were issued in cities across the
country, schools closed as did churches and theaters, and stores were told to
limit how many customers were allowed in at a time.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfWevAamPXLzAcqyHov2IN25OSBpSqqOwIOzBPcVeaJTwq-gg3u5i69aLFqkcUlAnlaCrSVHIKGULu5123hzD03wq2Piqzn18E_RawO365rlYBZhKkW8cM0VgNmdp9CApTqRTiG8H4s8L/s987/1918+collage+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="987" data-original-width="844" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfWevAamPXLzAcqyHov2IN25OSBpSqqOwIOzBPcVeaJTwq-gg3u5i69aLFqkcUlAnlaCrSVHIKGULu5123hzD03wq2Piqzn18E_RawO365rlYBZhKkW8cM0VgNmdp9CApTqRTiG8H4s8L/w438-h512/1918+collage+.jpg" width="438" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Articles from Various Newspapers in Texas during 1918. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: 0.5in;">The public’s response in 1918 was very similar to thei</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">r
response this year. Some people followed their government’s suggestions while
others protested what they saw as their overreaching control. There were skeptics
who argued that the numbers were not accurate and many reported cases of the
“flu” where just colds. They even had anti-mask leagues who protested that
masks were not effective at stopping the spread of the virus. All of this to
say that while we are facing challenging times and things have not gone as we
planned in the year 2020 we are not the first generation to have dealt with
such frustrations nor will we be the last.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKem5GnstFSHwlIydN1R0zYf9gXq1KYy8EvfdSCUTYhmGYAQ4mUyOLLAfY3-8W-TWqGg2-xc__qWBQggYDu8ev6G3F5o56elEIwzvgc6Z7eTUdjQOjU6daduLyedXX0Yi7NKsTyth4z8qo/s412/NA_InfluenzaEpidemic_TheDailyHerald_oct_8_1918url_8_19_2020.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKem5GnstFSHwlIydN1R0zYf9gXq1KYy8EvfdSCUTYhmGYAQ4mUyOLLAfY3-8W-TWqGg2-xc__qWBQggYDu8ev6G3F5o56elEIwzvgc6Z7eTUdjQOjU6daduLyedXX0Yi7NKsTyth4z8qo/s0/NA_InfluenzaEpidemic_TheDailyHerald_oct_8_1918url_8_19_2020.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />"Influenza Epidemic in 1789". The Daily Herald. October 8, 1918.<br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-928588941595542605.post-77865415287965167522020-07-31T14:32:00.000-05:002020-07-31T14:34:21.888-05:00In the Search of Something Interesting...<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">In the Search of
Something Interesting...<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">By Kyndall Howard </span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Sometimes we
look at a particular space not realizing that it has changed drastically over
time. The Gordon Center understands this change well. As you walk along the
sidewalk to the front entrance of the museum and look to the north, you will
view a vastly different landscape than you would have a hundred years ago.
Currently, Interstate 20 lies parallel to the building, offering a spectacle of
cars, whizzing by towards their next destination. Beyond that are trees and
pastureland, with occasionally some cattle or other livestock grazing. Rewind
one hundred years and the view would be quite different, consisting of houses,
home gardens, outhouses, laundry on a line, and people and pets strolling
across land devoid of paved roads. As the wheels of time turn, circumstances
continuously change various sites from what they once were, to what they’ve
become now. Historical markers help bridge this gap between the present and the
past.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrazaSIPdv9k2VFQLaJBBqVPaC2zDWxhbMxq9W8kquC5NLZNGcjHHTV-1dJHkDCiFZoMp-U25OZVd1xmbUw8LqxbsJa7mbQ_nZAkCxwZqaqnoA8UcRgFNKU6XiWoxYMviHNTNc5zPBJ0I5/s1600/Studdard+2003.21.30.01+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="1600" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrazaSIPdv9k2VFQLaJBBqVPaC2zDWxhbMxq9W8kquC5NLZNGcjHHTV-1dJHkDCiFZoMp-U25OZVd1xmbUw8LqxbsJa7mbQ_nZAkCxwZqaqnoA8UcRgFNKU6XiWoxYMviHNTNc5zPBJ0I5/s400/Studdard+2003.21.30.01+001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Studdard Collection, image dated 1921. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">For nearly
two hundred years, Texas has kept a running tradition of commemorating places
of historical significance. The first commemorated historical site was
commissioned in 1865 by the State of Texas to mark graves at the San Jacinto
battleground. For the next hundred years, the Texas Legislator funded projects
for various statues and monuments to serve as tributes for various groups,
individuals, and sites of historical importance for Texas. They created the
Texas State Library and Historical Commission in 1909, with instructions that
they collect materials, mark historic sites, and secure the preservation of items
related to Texas history. This marked a true beginning for active commemoration
of statewide historical markers and monuments.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">In 1935, the
Texas Legislature created an ambitious program to mark the centennial celebration
of the Texas Revolution and independence from Mexico. For the grand celebration,
the State placed 1,100 statues, granite and bronze markers and monuments,
memorial museums, and exposition buildings around Texas. In 1953, the Texas
State Historical Survey Committee (now the Texas Historical Commission) was
established to continue the legacy of preserving and commemorating sites of
historical significance throughout Texas. They established the Official Texas
Historical Marker program in 1962, which encourages heritage tourism by
interpreting local and state history and placing markers to help tell specific
stories within Texas history. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Within the
site of Thurber, Texas rest nine different markers that contribute to the
history of the once bustling town. Although the vast majority of the town is no
longer visible, these markers can provide those passing by with a way to
explore what the region offered in the past. Visiting historical markers, such
as these, are an excellent activity to incorporate on long road trips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi849oV9dzZrtZAjvTvegBRcIne2ItrOjCXKVgDRt0zztPAaiIc4a4J5WuIvshzU1vLYftFB0Ick_cF_F7YISOvnZrkRFxnHfIfxC1oiHWqigI6zno54EizsPTuZvqe7pZ-HXx_096u8paR/s1600/markers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1241" data-original-width="1600" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi849oV9dzZrtZAjvTvegBRcIne2ItrOjCXKVgDRt0zztPAaiIc4a4J5WuIvshzU1vLYftFB0Ick_cF_F7YISOvnZrkRFxnHfIfxC1oiHWqigI6zno54EizsPTuZvqe7pZ-HXx_096u8paR/s400/markers.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit to Mary Adams </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Historical
markers are not restricted by location or purpose. They can be found along the
highway, located at buildings, houses, or landscapes. They can commemorate
people, traditions, and places of both large and small historical significance.
Historical markers provide insight along a historical point of view which
allows the traveler a new outlook on what a space, building, or people
contributed to the changing landscape of Texas history. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Still aiming for social distance, yet need an activity to get out of
the house? Searching for historical markers could be just the activity for you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Check out the following resources to discover the Historical Markers of
Thurber and places near you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Why Stop?: A Guide to Texas Historical
Roadside Markers</span></i><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"> by Betty Dooley
Awbrey<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://www.thc.texas.gov/preserve/projects-and-programs/state-historical-markers"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">https://www.thc.texas.gov/preserve/projects-and-programs/state-historical-markers</span></a><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://atlas.thc.texas.gov/"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">https://atlas.thc.texas.gov/</span></a><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />The Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-928588941595542605.post-46720909985795425362020-06-30T15:40:00.001-05:002020-06-30T15:40:41.554-05:00Controlling the Climate <br />
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Controlling the Climate </div>
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by Lea Hart </div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">People who live in Texas know that summer means heat. This
was no different for the population of Thurber. According to the Global
Historical Climatology Network, on July 1 of 1910 Dublin, Texas’s temperature
was 90 degrees Fahrenheit with a low of 69. As of this moment, July 1, of 2020,
Dublin’s temperatures are estimated to be 96 with a low of 74. While there are
over 110 years difference between these two dates, there is a significant difference
between how people stayed cool in these sweltering temperatures. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">One of the main differences between dealing with heat in the
present, and dealing with it in past, was the invention of air-conditioning. The
earliest modern incarnation of the air conditioner was developed in 1902 by Willis
Haviland Carrier. While ancient civilizations have used variations of
evaporative coolers, commonly known today as swamp coolers, Carrier is the
first person credited to build a coolant system for industrial purposes. His
original purpose was not to cool workers in shops, but to decrease humidity for
a printing business. Keeping workers comfortable just happened to be a nice
side effect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1903, the first place to
use Carrier’s new machine to cool its workers happened to be the New York Stock
Exchange. The first air conditioner to be developed for homes (not just for the
extraordinarily wealthy) was in the 1930s and employed the use of a 200 pound
cabinet, and copious amounts of ice. This made device more of a hindrance than
a help. While Thurber did have an Ice plant, the ice it produced was largely
for cold boxcars that would run through Thurber, and local iceboxes. All of
this to say, Thurberites were on their own for cooling themselves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Without the modern convenience of air-conditioning, how did
the Thurber population cope with the blistering heat? One way Thurberites kept
cool was their clothing. The first synthetic fiber was produced in France in
the mid 1800’s, formerly called artificial silk, it became known to be rayon.
This fabric was not produced in the United States until 1911 and was primarily
used as trimming (decorative bits sewn on to hems, sleeves, and collars) as it
was not very breathable. It was the 1930’s before rayon gained popularity and
was used for complete outfits. The 1930’s also led to the production of nylon,
which became a staple in women’s fashion. Synthetic fibers are warmer than the
natural fibers from which clothing used to be made. Cotton, linen and even wool
is significantly more breathable than today’s Synthetic fibers and would have
been worn by Thurber’s population.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiplYmTZuKVR23_t6wLHnB0MSO4A_mdVUiwo0JND25dW8Y-6QNJY4YC_Hm52p0aye-3fCJSmPx18K5LOyFL6nWpWsXtWTIFvS3QSrkM2d6aoVvrsphTtyN_eUBR5gHwbquYgiYhAjqVH_Qq/s1600/Lorenz+2004-24-56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1236" data-original-width="1600" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiplYmTZuKVR23_t6wLHnB0MSO4A_mdVUiwo0JND25dW8Y-6QNJY4YC_Hm52p0aye-3fCJSmPx18K5LOyFL6nWpWsXtWTIFvS3QSrkM2d6aoVvrsphTtyN_eUBR5gHwbquYgiYhAjqVH_Qq/s320/Lorenz+2004-24-56.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Bakery Shop in Thurber,<br /> Lorenz Collection </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Another method of keeping cool for Thurberites was home
construction<span style="color: #2e74b5; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">. </span>Historically, larger houses allowed heat to rise keeping the
lower portions of houses cool. Thurber houses, while all similarly built, were
made and owned by the Texas Pacific Coal and Oil Company. These homes had their
widows placed across from one another in order to create cross breezes
throughout the house. Other methods used to keep cool were awnings, which
allowed for the windows to be opened in all types of weather. Larger cities did
their best to accommodate those in apartment buildings with transom windows.
These small windows were placed over the entry doors of apartments and would
open to let in small breezes circulate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>During some seasons, like summer in Texas, covered porches were slept on
in order for the occupants of homes to keep cooler at night.</span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit80vRTxpN-Cs9oSXe30Xbop6HrhWp2-5v4Ebr0Tg7aIqEJxSbIMPrL6gP-f84EorDluaXoUtKgRKXvgO8O7v9zwhP2-aKyEhIjN7gmXuWCtK4UaZ9ge2p-A6NkF6KhmT2l3RMzqp-jD7w/s1600/Lorenz+2004-24-57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit80vRTxpN-Cs9oSXe30Xbop6HrhWp2-5v4Ebr0Tg7aIqEJxSbIMPrL6gP-f84EorDluaXoUtKgRKXvgO8O7v9zwhP2-aKyEhIjN7gmXuWCtK4UaZ9ge2p-A6NkF6KhmT2l3RMzqp-jD7w/s320/Lorenz+2004-24-57.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">General Offices in Thurber,<br />Lorenz Collection</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br />While none of these suggestions sound half as comfortable as
today’s central air and heat, there are still many cities, states, and countries
that use older methods of keeping cool during their warmest seasons. During the
heat wave that struck Europe in 2019 less than 5% of homes and businesses used
central air conditioning. This number may not change much over time, as the use
of AC is a significant cultural difference that leaves the United States
standing alone in its demand. While the people of Thurber are no longer
concerned about keeping cool during the Texas heat, those of who tell the story
of Thurber are. You can experience this yourself at the W.K. Gordon Center for
Texas Industrial History where the temperature is maintained at a steady 70-74
degrees year round. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />The Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-928588941595542605.post-82059079092806213692020-05-29T13:44:00.003-05:002020-05-29T13:45:18.010-05:00“Our story” <br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Our</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> story”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">By Kyndall Howard </span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Graduate Assistant<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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What is the purpose of learning about history? In school we
learn lots of dates, battles, and events. We learn about leaders, and many
kings with the same name but different numbers attached, in an attempt to keep
them straight. But what is the point? There is so much information out there on
so many different things, yet there is also very little evidence of so many
parts of history. So why does it matter? Why should we care? Well, we care
because it is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">our</i> story. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Our</i> story is the
story of human beings. More than just war or political doctrines, history
encompasses the struggles and triumphs of daily life and society, a swirl of
social issues and political banter. Often times, these issues are influenced by
one another, thereby creating constant interactions that redefine how our
history is interpreted. History is so much bigger than what we learn during our
time at school, it is deeper and richer, with so many nooks and crannies that
are waiting to be researched and discovered. And, the discovery of new
information, new insight is what historians strive to accomplish. They look for
the entire picture of what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">our</i> story
is. Our story isn’t just made up of the big battles or government, it is also
ordinary, working people and the lives they lived. <o:p></o:p></div>
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As historians are researching, redefining, and rediscovering
the story of history, museums are housing the artifacts that describe that
story. It is a museum’s responsibility to provide the most accurate picture of
history that explains the past. They are a bridge between historical
scholarship and general understanding of history. Instead of just books
depicting a researcher’s discovery of history, the museum provides small
snippets in a grander picture, punctuated with artifacts, interactive stories,
and replications to provide an accurate description of the historical past
directed towards the general public. The goal of the museum is to show you
history, not just tell you about it, though it does that too. They make <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">our</i> story available for those that would
like to explore it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgizVxj1X9o5eQwHAfFYxLSwcA-vhMwplOLsrw4iegnuRLL5DYhXz44tnTcgFefI0CqoqTIk0xqKYOjVft_iJqNIJVFbewag_PjC84DSLEx1qkNRnOQ_fv1B8DauNLPVwXK3Sh4nSIDpIac/s1600/Gordon+Center+Museum_9223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgizVxj1X9o5eQwHAfFYxLSwcA-vhMwplOLsrw4iegnuRLL5DYhXz44tnTcgFefI0CqoqTIk0xqKYOjVft_iJqNIJVFbewag_PjC84DSLEx1qkNRnOQ_fv1B8DauNLPVwXK3Sh4nSIDpIac/s320/Gordon+Center+Museum_9223.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the W.K. Gordon Center<br />
Courtesy of Tarleton State University </td></tr>
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This relationship with history is one of the most beautiful
and important aspects of a small museum such as the W. K. Gordon Center for
Industrial History of Texas. This museum provides the history of Thurber,
Texas, a company-owned coal mining town that boomed in the 1900s. The center
provides the story of this once flourishing town, because the story of Thurber,
Texas is not about just one company or the mining of coal, it is the story of the
people that makes it unique. The museum strives to provide understanding
throughout all aspects that made the town a home to thousands of people. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Our</i> story is in the company store,
schools, churches, recreational activities, social groups; it is decorated by
the ethnicities of the people, their traditions and interactions with each
other. The story is pieced together with the industries the town provided, the
unions that influenced it, and the demand of the goods the town could create.
Though the physical surroundings of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">our</i>
story changed dramatically when the oil boom drowned the main industry of the
town causing the town to dwindle down to a ghost town, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">our</i> story of Thurber is still alive within the walls of our museum.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yuoK3JbPGSAzwz5aw2FsFW0sDx8OsgAe8CrAir-BzyeTOZiSWLniV_7rH-W9Wdp_k_146gQZj-zFkFUDIRE9it52IaDkKGGvCFys42QE5YvIHFpUNNRodLNeUA11fYI8irJ2z4LPHOVC/s1600/Gordon+Center+Museum_9369.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="600" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yuoK3JbPGSAzwz5aw2FsFW0sDx8OsgAe8CrAir-BzyeTOZiSWLniV_7rH-W9Wdp_k_146gQZj-zFkFUDIRE9it52IaDkKGGvCFys42QE5YvIHFpUNNRodLNeUA11fYI8irJ2z4LPHOVC/s320/Gordon+Center+Museum_9369.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Inside the W.K. Gordon Center</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Courtesy of Tarleton State University</span></td></tr>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Our</i> story, all of
history, is woven in the fabric of people’s lives and all the struggles and
triumphs that went with it. It is the delightful duty of the museum to preserve
that legacy for any travelers that pass through and all the decedents that want
to learn more about the stepping stones of their family history. Because
history is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">our</i> story, it is the
inclusion of all who worked and played on the land, it is our responsibility to
discover and preserve the stories of those people and to share our knowledge
with any who are willing to listen. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />The Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-928588941595542605.post-54834678528218706412020-04-30T14:21:00.001-05:002020-04-30T14:22:07.943-05:00Oh, you work in a Museum…what do you do?<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Oh, you work in a Museum…what do you do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">By Barbara Bogucki</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I was once asked how I “fell”
into Museum work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In reality, the
decision to work in a Museum requires very deliberate choices. Museum Studies
is a very specific field in the academic focus of History that requires course
work in communications, art and even chemistry!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Developing such a specific skill set stands in sharp contrast to the
idea that historians are only interested in the written word, some intangible
concept of old facts and ideas. Historians like me have a strong interest in
material culture, sometimes known as “old stuff.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why? An excellent book,</span> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Public
History; Essays from the Field </span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">answers
that question, “Something in the human psyche seems to motivate people to
preserve objects which</span> <span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">are meaningful to
them, to preserve memory.” That is why I work in a Museum.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">But what does that mean, to
“work in a Museum?” Research historians gather information about objects. These
Museum professionals strive to answers questions regarding an object far
beyond identifying WHAT “it” is. They fill in the blanks regarding WHY it is,
WHO it belonged to and, even, HOW it was made or used. For the public, Curators
and Educators bridge the gap between an inanimate object and its living story.
Management personnel ensure that Museums achieve outreach and education goals. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even retail associates have important jobs and
interact with visitors on a daily basis. At the heart of all this activity, is
the Collection. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvwqZLBjHWWCgjMe6l7eKHlG_mXZopOJQC0AOv2KRkzaoEEQjoNeDPsbWHufAUqetUVaRilXKZis8qwyx8-PpQsuIXyvo0sc3qrBsNOhcRmMOMAXxZBaBYofkMMIMqnGhsFELMsTLWaPSY/s1600/Blog+image+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvwqZLBjHWWCgjMe6l7eKHlG_mXZopOJQC0AOv2KRkzaoEEQjoNeDPsbWHufAUqetUVaRilXKZis8qwyx8-PpQsuIXyvo0sc3qrBsNOhcRmMOMAXxZBaBYofkMMIMqnGhsFELMsTLWaPSY/s320/Blog+image+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">W.K. Gordon Center's Collection Storage</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The “Collection” is the Museum’s
accumulation of artifacts. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These artifacts
require an astonishing amount of care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The old habits of storing objects in convenient attics and basements are
no longer accepted as the best solution. Collections must be evaluated,
recorded and protected from threats ranging from environmental dangers to
vandalism. They have to be cleaned! In addition, everything from light levels,
to temperature and relative humidity must be carefully set to ensure that no
damage is done to objects while in storage. In addition, objects must also be
protected when on display, during transport to other Museums as a loan, or when
handled for research purposes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
specific are the details for collections care, that hundreds of books are
available for consultation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Canadian
Conservation Institute has put together the definitive resource regarding
collections, and indicates that collections care is not just a good practice,
but an exact science as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QhD18GFasfZY2tserx8_Z-9IEJ7xMytUr_mxzKJ_dW_k_jxr7-O25Lc4xfNO3pe9CnA1DWXKZG5IaU97VyYGpr11EUStLbfPjjIV0B1IPSA6CPp24rFr2GrqUxCo_kp6poLgLFnfpUEz/s1600/Blog+image+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QhD18GFasfZY2tserx8_Z-9IEJ7xMytUr_mxzKJ_dW_k_jxr7-O25Lc4xfNO3pe9CnA1DWXKZG5IaU97VyYGpr11EUStLbfPjjIV0B1IPSA6CPp24rFr2GrqUxCo_kp6poLgLFnfpUEz/s320/Blog+image+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">W.K. Gordon Center's Artifacts on display in main gallery. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The role of Museum staff can
summed up by the word “stewardship,” which means “to provide care.” This care
is meant to ensure that an artifact, that was originally designed to last a
handful of years and be cast aside or forgotten, lasts centuries!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be a good steward means to understand that
the Museum, its objects and their story, do not belong to the past, or even to
the present, but to the future! It’s not easy, but it’s what we do. And we love it. </span></div>
<br />The Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-928588941595542605.post-85087724587748664432020-03-31T16:53:00.000-05:002020-03-31T16:53:19.653-05:00A Stay-at-Home Life<br />
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<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #201f1e; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; padding: 0in;">A Stay-at-Home Life<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #201f1e; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; padding: 0in;">by Kyndall Howard </span></div>
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<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #201f1e; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; padding: 0in;">This current spring has brought many changes to the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More and more citizens find themselves
regulated to working from home. This has inspired a look back to the 1900s,
during the height of company towns, to what “working from home” meant for the
many a woman in Thurber, TX. </span><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #201f1e; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; padding: 0in;">For the majority of women in a mining town, work revolved around
maintaining the home and keeping order. Though unpaid, a woman’s labor allowed
the miner to concentrate on his job without the added stress of cooking or
cleaning for himself, to say nothing of watching the children. Many of these
tasks were completed without many of the conveniences society enjoys today.
Women shopped for needed groceries to feed their entire family, including
additional members or boarders staying in their home. Prices at the company
store often created stress and creativity for women to overcome. The women
would often provide meals for the men outside of work, to take with them on the
job. In those days, mealtime was a long process of preparing the meal to cook,
from scratch, and often on a wood burning stove or an outdoor Italian oven.
Many women maintained a garden to help keep the household in vegetables, and
they would later can and preserve the produce for use during the colder months.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGsMgsRiuc9AD-e6MXa2GITk5TcHyEp7MHh0pZ6ZB8RD4A_lt9f0-iT2-1ieo2O39Y5lky3Kt3uNPQxT6DM9xdIbrhaha6YdUxeipVgKUFLtZq2XkGhBsfa6jWw4YSB7NOf5n-g-Dd9HC_/s1600/Jordan+Collection+2003-23-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="910" data-original-width="621" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGsMgsRiuc9AD-e6MXa2GITk5TcHyEp7MHh0pZ6ZB8RD4A_lt9f0-iT2-1ieo2O39Y5lky3Kt3uNPQxT6DM9xdIbrhaha6YdUxeipVgKUFLtZq2XkGhBsfa6jWw4YSB7NOf5n-g-Dd9HC_/s400/Jordan+Collection+2003-23-12.jpg" width="272" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jordan Collection</td></tr>
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<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #201f1e; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; padding: 0in;">Unpaid, working women were also tasked with keeping the house
clean and tidy. They would air out the house, scrubbing and washing the home
from top to bottom. All dishes used for cooking and eating would be hand washed
daily. They would likewise gather laundry to keep their families in clean
clothes and linens. Once again, this process of laundry meant that women would
labor over washtubs, and use their own strength for scrubbing dirt and grime
form the garments. Once washing was completed, they would hang the wash on a
line outside for the sun and wind to dry.</span><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Some women ran boarding homes in company towns that would provide them with
income and tenants a room and board. The tasks of running such a business consisted
of the same duties they employed within their own home, with the added benefit
of income to help provide and maintain stability for their family. This allowed
for women to run a business while working from home.</span><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxpKEjWJpYw-MgER1X3Wd50HkDjX9ITWLf6h-gCwaum0r-4D8tROld9_BVYM5hCWTE0ijXTmE9SrFYlXzbgsf-fGntaJxfD6ENmkK2wXWbsUQaelNnVI9gyBzvEQSTTcUJNT4ftulAbYzn/s1600/Jordan+Collection+2003-23-21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="638" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxpKEjWJpYw-MgER1X3Wd50HkDjX9ITWLf6h-gCwaum0r-4D8tROld9_BVYM5hCWTE0ijXTmE9SrFYlXzbgsf-fGntaJxfD6ENmkK2wXWbsUQaelNnVI9gyBzvEQSTTcUJNT4ftulAbYzn/s400/Jordan+Collection+2003-23-21.jpg" width="260" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jordan Collection </td></tr>
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<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #201f1e; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; padding: 0in;"><br />
Aside from duties of home maintenance, many women would create items to be sold
to fellow members of their community. Many of the items the household used or
needed were handmade. Women would make extra items to be sold or traded for
other items that they could not make or did not have the talent to make.
Through this women were able to do more things at home that would allow for
extra income or the ability to obtain other items needed for the home at lower
cost than through purchase from a store.</span><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #201f1e; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; padding: 0in;">Life in a company town was filled with hardships and the
redundancy of everyday tasks that were integral for efficient and effective
organization of the home. Everyone had different duties that required attention
and proficiency to get the tasks done. While many in our society today are currently
facing the issue of redundancy at home, we can harken back to the days of a
company town, and how there are many tasks, within our own four walls today, that
can fill our days with the satisfaction of a job well done.</span><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />The Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-928588941595542605.post-67629761196654477272020-02-28T13:26:00.000-06:002020-02-28T13:26:57.470-06:00Intrigue Within Thurber's Inner Workings by Lea Hart<br />
<br />
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The W.K. Gordon Center opened to the public November 1,
2002. Since its opening, the museum has received various donations in order to
tell the story of Thurber. On April 8 of 2003, nearly twenty years ago, a call
was received at the W.K. Gordon Center in reference to papers once owned by a
Mr. S Mims.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This call led to obtaining
one of the most intriguing collections at the W.K. Gordon Center to date. It
shows that Thurber, usually touted as a place of harmony, was not immune to
internal struggles. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Mr. Shadrach Mims worked in the Texas Pacific Coal Company
as Secretary and as Treasurer for twenty five years, however the files do not
necessarily contain his day to day duties as an employee of the T&P C. Co.
The donated papers are correspondence to S. Mims, largely from Edgar Marston,
and a few from Col R.D. Hunter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Col.
Hunter was the first T&P Coal Co. President and Edgar L. Marston, the
Colonel’s son-in-law, who had been connected with the Texas & Pacific Coal
Company since its origination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
believed that Marston took over as President of the company in 1899 when Col.
Hunter retired at Col Hunter’s request. The donated letters, seem to tell a deeper
tale.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The letters in the collection are but one side of a story.
Part of this collection contains both personal and work correspondence, letters
and telegrams, from April to December of 1899. The second half contains tax
documents and legal papers from a banking error regarding mineral rights, and a
most amazing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Daily Coal Report</i> from
February 19<sup>th</sup> of 1912 which reports that mine number 11 yielded the
most coal for the day at 445.45 tons.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The correspondence portion of this collection suggests
company intrigue, something that usually remained well hidden in official
Thurber documents. Once again note that the entirety of this correspondence is
one sided, The W.K. Gordon Center does not have any collection containing
responses to these telegrams or letters from either R.D. Hunter or Edgar
Marston, and there is no knowledge as to if any exist. Therefore, we as
observers can only speculate as to the full goings on that occurred within
these dates.</div>
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Here is a brief summary of the numerous documents, the first
of which begins inauspiciously:<o:p></o:p></div>
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…we all know that no man can do his
duty either as President, Vice-President, Secretary, or even mining of Coal if
he allows himself to indulge in whiskey drinking which is the tendency of too
many of our friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Edgar
L. Marston, April 15, 1899<o:p></o:p></div>
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Months pass before the next form of correspondence during
which Col. Hunter assumes his office, after recovering from a stroke, without
consulting the Board of Directors, of which they “take exception to.”</div>
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The board
of directors also did not approve of Hunter’s choice of assistant or attorney.
Within this same month, Hunter is also trying to sell his 5000 shares of stock
in T & P Coal Co. By August, intrigue is in full swing as a letter from
Marston to Mims quotes,<o:p></o:p></div>
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I have written you another letter,
which you must show in the greatest confidence to the Colonel… Let him read it
in your presence and take the letter and destroy it in his presence so that he
cannot ask to have it to show… <o:p></o:p></div>
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As we have no copy of this, referenced, letter, we can only
assume that it was destroyed, as Marston requested.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Further letters reveal that Marston believes
that Hunter’s attorney and assistant hold a vast amount of sway in Hunter’s
confidence and that he is disregarding the interests of the Board of Directors,
and the stockholders in New York, in favor of his attorney and assistant.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span> </div>
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I have your letter of no date,
suggesting that I be careful not to mention your name in any way that would
hazard your present relations to Colonel Hunter. You can depend upon this that
I shall be exceedingly careful, appreciating your position. As Colonel Hunter’s
friend and mine you are in a position to do both of us a service, for you know
Colonel has no better friend than I am and it is your influence that must be
used to counteract the influence of [Hunter’s Attorney] and [Hunter’s
assistant], who I know are for themselves first and the Colonel afterwards. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 8;"> </span>Edgar
L. Marston, October 20, 1899<o:p></o:p></div>
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The final letter is from October 27, 1899 in which Marston
thanks Mims and asks for a full report, in person, next time Marston is there.
He also states <o:p></o:p></div>
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This places the stock entirely in
the hands of people here in New York who will run the company from this end,
represented there by Gordon and yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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The final telegram, and the last of the correspondence, is
dated November 8, 1899. It tells Mims to assist the Assistant General Manager (Hunter’s
assistant) in every way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However it came
about, the year of 1899 concluded with Col. R.D. Hunter retiring and his
son-in-law Edgar L. Marston stepping out of the roll of V.P. and into the role
of President. <o:p></o:p></div>
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After studying the full range of documentation, it is
possible that Edgar Marston, after noticing Hunter’s decline upon resuming his
office, used his position as Hunter’s son-in-law, with the help of Shadrach
Mim’s connection as friend to Hunter, to convince Hunter to retire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is unknown if Marston, who was
Vice-President at the time of these letters, intended for himself to be
immediately placed in the role of President at the Colonels <span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">retirement</span>,
or if the decision was truly made at the Colonel’s request as indicated by most
of our secondary sources.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is obvious,
however, that Hunter’s retirement was felt by Marston and Mims, to be in the
best interests of the Company.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />The Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-928588941595542605.post-83778901164725872482020-01-20T15:47:00.000-06:002020-01-28T15:48:22.677-06:00Part Two: Coal formation<br />
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By Kyndall Howard </div>
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As noted in the previous blog, coal was such an important
part of times past, that it materialized in myth and legend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But for Thurberites, the real magic of coal
was to provide them with a livelihood, as well as serve their own needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This blog focuses on the formation process
and variety of this interesting substance. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The process of coal formation begins with the production of
peat. Though referred to at times as peat coal, this is not technically coal,
but the very beginning of the coal making process. Peat, which is a soft
substance made of partly decayed plants, and sometimes mineral deposits, turn
into coal over time under high pressure and heat. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The three main types of coal are: anthracite, lignite, and
bituminous. Anthracite is the highest quality yet also the rarest form of coal.
It holds little volatile matter and has a high concentration of carbon. It is
slow to ignite with little loss of heat, making this a long lasting form of
coal. This type of coal can spark a very hot blue flame. It is a hard black
coal that radiates a semi-metallic, glossy sheen. In the United States, there are
a few seams in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Philadelphia and a small concentration
in Colorado and Arkansas. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Lignite, also known as brown coal for its dark to black
brown coloration, is the lowest grade of coal. It contains the least amount of
carbon concentration, though it has more than peat alone. It is sometimes risky
to mine Lignite as it is capable of spontaneous combustion, causing hazardous
accidents underground. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Between anthracite and lignite, lies the bituminous rank of
coal. The first seam of coal (Coal Seam No. 1) in Thurber’s section of Texas,
stretched about eighty miles across numerous counties. Bituminous is a black
color coal that ranges from shiny (though not as luminous as anthracite) to a
duller composition (the duller color resulting in a subbituminous ranking). This
coal is dense and compact causing a high heating value that was an ideal and
commonly used rank in the electrical and industrious age of United States
history, which spanned Thurber’s lifetime. <o:p></o:p></div>
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This, and the previous blog, highlight that this seemingly
unassuming substance has many stories to tell. From the saga of its formation,
to its appearance in story, coal was the very essence of Thurber.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />The Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-928588941595542605.post-57802865138401047692019-12-17T14:43:00.000-06:002019-12-17T14:43:20.557-06:00Part one: The Softer Side of Coal<br />
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Part one: The Softer Side of Coal<o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s that joyful time of year! A time when we deck the
halls, hang stockings on the chimney (with care), bake (and eat) lots of
Christmas goodies, and sing lots of off-key Christmas carols with family and
friends. And if you were perhaps not on the best of behavior this year, you
might find a lump of coal in your stocking. As a town of immigrants,
Thurberites would be familiar with the many Christmas traditions surrounding
this mysterious substance.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There are lots of legends depicting the origins of coal at
Christmas time. A 13th century Sicilian and Italian tradition follows the witch
La Befana, who gathered gifts for Jesus after seeing the bright star in the
sky. Unfortunately, she never found him and, instead, travels around every year
looking for him, leaving toys for good children and coal for bad. As a town
whose largest population was made up of Italians, the story of La Befana would
have been a holiday staple.<o:p></o:p></div>
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La Befana </div>
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Other coal traditions began in Holland during the 16th
century. Instead of stockings they placed clogs by the fire to be filled with
treats or small toys, yet would receive coal if they were naughty. Other
sources identify with 19th century England, when coal was the most common
source of fuel. Instead of it being a punishment, poor families would get coal
if they were lucky. <o:p></o:p></div>
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While you enjoy the festivities of Christmas time and
participate in all the fun traditions and legends that make the holiday season
memorable, think about the different components that make those traditions just
a bit more fun. And if you happen to wake up to lumps of coal come Christmas
morning, <span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">take comfort in that fact that you can
impress your loved-ones with your new-found knowledge!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />The Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-928588941595542605.post-24298214614082949212019-11-30T01:50:00.000-06:002019-12-07T09:18:32.744-06:00Christmas Memoriesby Mary Adams<br />
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Christmas Memories<o:p></o:p></div>
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As the holidays
approach, people tend to reflect more on memories and stories of years gone
by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the Director of the Gordon Center
I have been extremely blessed with the opportunity to listen to, record,
preserve, and share memories of Thurber. Some of the memories and stories of
Thurber come to us through casual conversations with museum guests, and others
are collected through planned oral interviews. As the holiday season is upon us
I thought it would be fun to share some of these memories. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The first comes
from Mrs. Leona Roberts. Several years ago, I was privileged to meet Leona when
her niece brought her to one of our Sunday afternoon programs. Mrs. Roberts was
born in Thurber in 1925 and she shared the following holiday memory with us.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“When
I was 3 or 4 years old, my dad took me and my oldest brother Christmas shopping
in Thurber. He had an old car with a trunk.” She explained that while “Mother
kept the baby at home… Daddy sent us to look around to see if there was anything
we wanted Santa Clause to bring us. I picked out a doll with a pink dress and
bonnet and Grady a train on tracks that they had in the store.” She went on to
recount that later, after they had gotten home from their shopping trip, she
walked by the car and saw something sticking up so she unwrapped it and found a
desk with chair and a chalkboard for her brother and she found a doll for her.
“I carried that doll in the house and Daddy was not happy. He told me ‘you take
that doll into the living room and put it on the mantle and if Santa Clause
thinks you’ve been good enough he will leave it; if not he will give it to
someone else.’”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Records
indicate that the toy store was a special area set up for the holiday season,
though the location changed from year to year. Some records indicate it was
above the General Mercantile, however, Ed Bryant, in the oral interview with
Dan K. Utley, places it above the Drugstore. “But all the upstairs was
storehouse. But before Christmas time, along in November, that was the toy
store, and Mama would take us upstairs, and that whole top floor of that big
old drugstore building was nothing but a display of toys. You talk about
heaven, man. That was next to it. And we’d go there and we’d just drool over
those things.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>While
these two memories conjure wonderful images of children enjoying the Christmas
Toy Store, Lilly Gibson’s favorite childhood holiday memory is of the Christmas
tree at home. In her oral interview with Dan K. Utley she recounts, “And I’ll
never forget the first time we got to put candles on our Christmas tree. We had
‘em where you could fasten ‘em<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>on a
limb, but it was kind of dangerous if the tree was getting old, and my dad –
asked him if it would be all right if we put ‘em on, and he said, ‘I tell you
what. You can put ‘em on this time and I’ll take my three gallon water bucket
and stand right outside the door. If one of ‘em catches something on fire, I’ll
just let the tree have water.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, we
had a real pretty Christmas tree that year.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>These
three stories focus on Christmas, but there are many more stories about life in
Thurber that have been painstakingly recorded and preserved. While there are
extensive company records that detail day to day operations of the coal mines, brick
plant, mercantile operations and other business related transactions, there are
few that talk about the daily life of Thurberites. Therefore, the oral
interviews and stories that have been recorded, provide us with a small glimpse
into the lives of the people who made their home in Thurber.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />The Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-928588941595542605.post-7838424609424689402019-10-31T15:38:00.000-05:002019-12-07T09:18:21.147-06:00Lighting Up Thurber…by Kyndall Howard<br />
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Over a hundred years ago Texans walked in a land void of electrical conveniences. It wasn’t until the early 1880s that Texas claimed an electrical power plant, after which it was a slow process for industrial development. By the turn of the century, small privately-owned generating systems dotted the state. The coal mining company town of Thurber claimed this small feat. In fact, it wasn’t until the organization of rural electric cooperatives in 1936, when Thurber hit the end of its decline, that electrical usage became more widespread across all of Texas.<br />
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The year 1895 proved to be a ‘bright’ year for Thurber as company machinists graced its residents by building a small electric light plant. This action placed the company town as one of the first in West Texas to have such an industry. Built within a machine shop from scratch, this first dynamo (or generator) only reached a few essential shops, such as the opera house and some of the executive’s homes. However, in 1901, the operation established a big direct circuit generator, followed, a few years later, by an additional alternating current to accommodate the growing town. This allowed residential homes to obtain electricity on a wider scale. Every house was fitted with both circuits as electricity followed the installation of these new dynamos, which followed a rotating patter of ‘night’ and ‘day’ currents. According to certain sources, the direct current (DC) switched on in the evening. This system was invented in the late 1800s and offered a consistent current of electricity from either a generator or battery, to a fixture. The alternating current, a transformer that rotated power between low and high voltages and was better for sending electricity over larger distances, most likely operated during the day though various sources contradict each other on exactly when each circuit was used. In addition, a source claims that there was a set time of 4:00 pm for the circuit to switch, while another claims the cycle of the sun governed the change. Either way, the actions of the switching from day and night currents became a memory that remained with Thurber residents long after only a ghost town remained.<br />
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Monthly, company employees paid 25 cents per fixture bulb, which was deducted straight from their pay, for an endless supply of electricity. Other company conveniences, such as churches, received electricity and other utilities for free. Eventually, the entire town of Thurber became fully electrified, placing the town as one of the first towns in Texas to accomplish this feat.<br />
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Immediately adjacent to the power plant, the company established an ice plant, combining the two into one establishment. In 1908 and 1909, this joint plant underwent renovations. The ice plant received new coal boilers and stokers, and workers built a 148 feet smokestack that remains standing today. Seven years later, the boilers were switched from coal based, to being fitted to fire with natural gases from local sources and the electric power added to the AC generator. The power plant housed the official clock and steam whistle for the town, one of which emitted a loud shriek over the town to govern the workdays.<br />
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As darkness in our night’s sky continues to get lengthen this time of year, appreciation for electrical conveniences becomes especially welcomed. Most likely in much the same way that the folks in Thurber appreciated the innovated conveniences employed in their company town. If you find yourself driving along I-20 in Erath County, keep an eye out for the one remaining, perhaps lonely smokestack, still standing as a reminder of Thurber’s once “bright” past.<br />
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The Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-928588941595542605.post-49723793068064070312019-04-26T13:39:00.001-05:002019-04-26T13:41:14.431-05:00The History of Thurber in 12 Photographs: Playtime in Thurberby: Mary Adams<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbaXSIgyVDozK7ag2_9CbvYGfytqC0xzthXQy98CONHwRwRKvssh9mXHOURtQr_iybgcAAxP8SvqLlvJWGowWWC4IECi7ajc7yZ4lfepN2W9J5jBV6Q_kuNcxBnPdFLf78MnlGwn-oPoj/s1600/Cooey+8-2008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Thurber Tigers Baseball Team, ca. 1908-1910 Cooney Collection" border="0" data-original-height="1297" data-original-width="1600" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbaXSIgyVDozK7ag2_9CbvYGfytqC0xzthXQy98CONHwRwRKvssh9mXHOURtQr_iybgcAAxP8SvqLlvJWGowWWC4IECi7ajc7yZ4lfepN2W9J5jBV6Q_kuNcxBnPdFLf78MnlGwn-oPoj/s400/Cooey+8-2008.jpg" title="Thurber Tigers Baseball Team, ca. 1908-1910 Cooney Collection" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thurber Tigers Baseball Team, ca. 1908-1910<br />
Cooney Collection</td></tr>
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Thurber, Texas, a company owned coal mining and brick making town, provided jobs for workers from all over the world. We spend a lot of time talking about the town, the Company, and the people who moved to Thurber because without these three entities there would be no history to discuss. Thurber was more than this; it was also a family town. With workers came families and children. The Company provided schools for these children but we all know there is more to life than work and school, we all need some playtime. The adults of Thurber had their playtime in a variety of areas including the saloons, fraternal groups, baseball and heated games of bocci ball, but what about the kids? Children and games go hand in hand. The opportunity to play allows children to develop skills needed as adults, such as cooperation, communication, and problem-solving skills. So what did Thurber children do for fun?<br />
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<a href="http://theindustrioushistorian.blogspot.com/2017/05/americas-game-on-texas-plain.html" target="_blank">Baseball was a very important pastime for adults and kids alike.</a> Thurber had many different baseball teams throughout its history. The Company even sponsored semi-pro teams who traveled to area towns to compete. This month's picture shows a group of boys with their bats and gloves dressed in their Thurber Tiger uniforms indicating that there were also teams for young boys who enjoyed the sport.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjarLwsxW8XZbOu_mHckpHR6n4B3x9e25-NRXbrRbdzPzmR29LbVZMfhdPZ1UM0GjGIh0-abarRcgG1P-SwS3xtssixZjNAfI4ztaQYCLgrd_3QL0AkoZMJHrLn76asGbqLL3XmkUabadzG/s1600/UTA+Special+Collections.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Children playing in Thurber street Courtesy of University of Texas at Arlington Special Collections" border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="700" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjarLwsxW8XZbOu_mHckpHR6n4B3x9e25-NRXbrRbdzPzmR29LbVZMfhdPZ1UM0GjGIh0-abarRcgG1P-SwS3xtssixZjNAfI4ztaQYCLgrd_3QL0AkoZMJHrLn76asGbqLL3XmkUabadzG/s400/UTA+Special+Collections.jpg" title="Children playing in Thurber street Courtesy of University of Texas at Arlington Special Collections" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Children playing in Thurber street<br />
Courtesy of University of Texas at Arlington Special Collections</td></tr>
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Organized sports were not the only forms of fun that entertained the children of Thurber. Yoyos and tops were great ways to pass time. Girls often played games like hopscotch, jacks or jump rope. However, they also played marbles with the boys and according to Mary Franks, a former Thurber resident, “the girls were just as good as the boys.” Some of these activities could be quite cutthroat. Children would modify store-bought toys to give them a competitive edge. For instance, driving nails into the center of tops would make them spin faster. Sharpening the nail also increased the potential of splitting their friend's top. Many of these games were played “for keeps” allowing the victor to take away their opponents game pieces.<br />
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Kids who did not have money for store-bought toys took what might be considered trash and turn it into a toy that provided hours of fun. For example, a tin can could begin a game kick the can or be made into stilts with the addition of some twine. If a ball couldn't be found for stickball inventive children would take old hosiery and layer it around something heavy in the center to create one. There were also games like hide and seek or wolf over the river (red rover) that large groups could play. Kids interested in showing their strength, speed, and dexterity would often start races or games of leapfrog.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwwrn1hL9df7IfJXEgJ3o_PM51NX8wFSaORMUfBwfP4dTXmE3zwSwSbhMo4G5zG-Bvu7sIJSDijnpwm3Ezgi0wR0c_YtMAe_Jn3X0j9l9lqtkv-ENFtuNEp8e5AapFzKZkBmBMPkmw71Ys/s1600/Sides+2003-31-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Thurber child, Meredith Sides posing with his collection of toys O. M. Sides Collection" border="0" data-original-height="971" data-original-width="1447" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwwrn1hL9df7IfJXEgJ3o_PM51NX8wFSaORMUfBwfP4dTXmE3zwSwSbhMo4G5zG-Bvu7sIJSDijnpwm3Ezgi0wR0c_YtMAe_Jn3X0j9l9lqtkv-ENFtuNEp8e5AapFzKZkBmBMPkmw71Ys/s400/Sides+2003-31-10.jpg" title="Thurber child, Meredith Sides posing with his collection of toys O. M. Sides Collection" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thurber child, Meredith Sides posing with his collection of toys<br />
O. M. Sides Collection</td></tr>
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Various forms of play, whether organized sports or individual pursuits helped the children of Thurber become active adults as they developed a sense of their own abilities while creating close bonds with their friends and future coworkers.<br />
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The Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-928588941595542605.post-1266211227066060202019-03-29T15:18:00.000-05:002019-03-29T15:18:06.801-05:00The History of Thurber in 12 Photographs: A Candid Look at the Life of Joe Butlerby Lea Hart<br />
In the early 1900s, Thurber saw a rise in candid photographs. Funny moments and snapshots of everyday life became increasingly popular, and remain so today. These moments captured by Thurber locals show us a much different story than factual census records; these photographs show us their personalities. This month we are focusing on an image of Joseph “Joe” Washington Butler. Joe was born to John Martin Butler and Marguerette Angie Washburn in April of 1885 in Stephens County Texas. How or why Joe ended up in Thurber is unknown to us; we can infer that he needed a job and found one as a coal miner. According to his family, Joe was a great man with a sense of humor who worked hard between his days off as a miner in Thurber.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_zqmNDaGOyxjjHVHTZ0rAgXyqlEgJOwCTS9YD_PIXmNaN1JqVqpIoejMpfIQRQZ3z-ya064zAI8iV1S8d46zR9WQL0U18m0X27-hT8naFb8QnIoYefyqIx0TfX2_YWjrlJ__ezcJtmd1/s1600/Copeland+Beers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1122" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_zqmNDaGOyxjjHVHTZ0rAgXyqlEgJOwCTS9YD_PIXmNaN1JqVqpIoejMpfIQRQZ3z-ya064zAI8iV1S8d46zR9WQL0U18m0X27-hT8naFb8QnIoYefyqIx0TfX2_YWjrlJ__ezcJtmd1/s400/Copeland+Beers.jpg" width="280" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joe Butler (far right) having a beer, ca. 1910<br />Copeland Collection</td></tr>
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This photograph of Joe and two friends after a long day in the mines is from around 1910. His slight form and boyish looks originally made us wonder about underage drinking in Thurber. However, Joe would have been in his mid-twenties when this photograph was taken. Despite the constant state of flux in drinking laws in Texas, Joe would have legally been enjoying his after work beverage. The second photograph shows even more of Joe’s charm as he slightly smirks leaning against a Thurber building.<br />
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While Joe is listed as living in Mingus in the 1910 and 1920 censuses, we have little information about his life between these years. We have found his draft cards from World War One and World<br />
War Two though during WWII he lived in Stephens County. In a letter from the photograph’s donor regarding the collection, she recalls a few facts about Joe from family members who knew him. Her letter recounts that Joe served in World War II, never married, and took care of his mother until her death. After his time in Thurber, Joe went on to work on a farm in Stephens County and later owned a gas station in Caddo, Stephens County.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUlYvhpi-RcDCrPm-U1wLygIpwnYsEodMda5UgFySmVAFdwwSZeLW7LXDKKA67Lhp1qs0gVMTIxd8b6tLPuaOLVqRaPdMqXNUhGFLuuqfwjXWgviFKaIlUq8Pw0Xc2PlH52sjRjjRCnntv/s1600/Copeland+leaning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1075" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUlYvhpi-RcDCrPm-U1wLygIpwnYsEodMda5UgFySmVAFdwwSZeLW7LXDKKA67Lhp1qs0gVMTIxd8b6tLPuaOLVqRaPdMqXNUhGFLuuqfwjXWgviFKaIlUq8Pw0Xc2PlH52sjRjjRCnntv/s400/Copeland+leaning.jpg" width="268" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joe Butler, Thurber, Texas<br />Copeland Collection</td></tr>
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While researching Joe’s life our staff submitted an archival request with the National Archives in order to learn more about Joe during this time in his life. Specifically, we are looking for Joe’s public military records to have a fuller picture of his life. We have his draft registration cards but hope that the extensive military records at the Nation Archives could shed more light on Joe’s life. This research could potentially take several months. However, even if the archivists do not find information on Joe’s service that does not necessarily mean that he did not complete military service. In 1973 a fire destroyed roughly 16-18 million Official Military Personnel Files. Losing this much historical data is a great loss for historians, genealogists, and family members hoping to piece together stories of the past.<br />
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Legal documents such as birth and death certificates, census records and marriage licenses all prove a person’s existence. Semi-stoic family portraits, school, and license photos add more tangibility to a person’s presence. All of these help historians build a picture of a person’s life. However, historians love finding candid photographs like this one of Joe Butler. They help us get a glimpse into the personalities of people who are long gone, adding life to what can sometimes seem like dry vital statistics. Photographs like this one help us realize we have more in common with people in the past than we realize while opening up new avenues for research.The Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-928588941595542605.post-76986952043650021082019-02-22T14:21:00.001-06:002019-02-23T09:49:55.086-06:00The History of Thurber in 12 Photographs: Cultivating Minds in a Company Town<br />
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Cultivating
Minds in a Company Mining Town<o:p></o:p><br />
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February is often affiliated with
the concept of love, whether it is through loving significant other or
ourselves on Valentine’s Day, or by loving our fellow man by recognizing Martin
Luther King Day. This month let us focus on loving education and being thankful
for the opportunity to teach and be taught by others. The town of Thurber was
not only for the men of the mines and brick plants. <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600"
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1m4HPU3AD8lTwsK501naqXBHud5DdV4o_n3FO0L4R9xtweIxCYrlndCVTuJKs0fGSq5cniK46bs5bDh9xsqoR65F499_Qb2Q6XKVBJ35o3TvmL02MwZLx_1xD04oT8Ov-UdMtTO8FUMo1/s1600/b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="619" data-original-width="937" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1m4HPU3AD8lTwsK501naqXBHud5DdV4o_n3FO0L4R9xtweIxCYrlndCVTuJKs0fGSq5cniK46bs5bDh9xsqoR65F499_Qb2Q6XKVBJ35o3TvmL02MwZLx_1xD04oT8Ov-UdMtTO8FUMo1/s320/b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
In 1906, a new public school was built
south of the new Thurber Main Street with the financial support of the Texas
Pacific Coal Company. TP provided the school building and ensured the funds to
employ teachers and meet educational standards of Texas. Descriptions of the
school illustrate a two- story frame building with individual rooms for each
grade. As enrollment increased, new rooms would be added on to the existing
structure. One student from Thurber remembers a mulberry tree in the front of
the school yard where the students would have mulberry fights during free time.
Other than staining their clothes with mulberry juice, students of Thurber
school enjoyed playing games such as Bocci ball and baseball at the end of the
street. High school students enjoyed playing handball in unorganized teams and
eventually had several organized sports teams.<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Students that attended the Thurber
school remember attending class with students of varying nationalities such as
Polish, Mexican, and Italian decent. The town consisted of a public school, a
segregated school for children of African- American miners, and a Catholic
School.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On average, there would be
roughly 10 children per classroom. The public school was known for their
patriotism and had the students stand for the pledge of allegiance every
morning before class began. On Fridays, there would be spelling matches to test
the students spelling skills. The students would be split into teams and each
student would be given a word to spell. If the student spelled the word
incorrectly, they would be asked to sit down and not advance to the next round.
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/blogger.g?blogID=928588941595542605" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/blogger.g?blogID=928588941595542605" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVcK3RI6Iyf-ja09Gf817SyZLPoQY_kwzdR4cP2htm8ByxFCX9Bz87NTGQIyL8KGjQefb4FQWkVs8NeWdd91wpdCRJQEoz4wTUUkNQlLPGaCK1br282kYTda-jZh1bxGqLNivFSi4LlLY0/s1600/a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="1082" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVcK3RI6Iyf-ja09Gf817SyZLPoQY_kwzdR4cP2htm8ByxFCX9Bz87NTGQIyL8KGjQefb4FQWkVs8NeWdd91wpdCRJQEoz4wTUUkNQlLPGaCK1br282kYTda-jZh1bxGqLNivFSi4LlLY0/s320/a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
By 1911, there were 694 students
enrolled in the Thurber school system. The school was considered to be first-
rate and taught eleven grades for students aged 7 or older. The boom in number
of enrolled students decreased during the miners’ strike of 1921. Regardless of
decreased enrollment, Thurber school was still thriving in 1928 and was a top
rated 12 grade school. In 1933, the closing of the brick plants significantly
impacted attendance at the Thurber school. By 1934, only 7 grades were taught
at the local school and high school aged students were bused to the school in
Strawn. In 1937, Thurber school was no longer functioning as its own entity and
what was left of the school equipment was sold or donated to surrounding school
districts. The end of 1937 brought about the closing of the Thurber school
entirely and what was left of the Thurber school district was consolidated into
Huckabay Rural High School. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />The Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-928588941595542605.post-71541109802820624582019-01-25T11:32:00.000-06:002019-01-25T14:32:48.505-06:00The History of Thurber in 12 Photographs: So Much More Than a "Dirty Place"by Shae Adams<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2kiwnv3_ddj8pxJFR1AKLMfV9y-bJCyNeQ6i3dYLNPM2c5sN_eTaeqnJWTJkgC3SmHoRwQ3ZIAqoha0e8eYcca8lIsmnJivYeEwQzDmUgG8kGvexiqjcoJip5rDfQJL_Yc2IIT4itCQS/s1600/Purchase+2005-19-05i.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="821" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2kiwnv3_ddj8pxJFR1AKLMfV9y-bJCyNeQ6i3dYLNPM2c5sN_eTaeqnJWTJkgC3SmHoRwQ3ZIAqoha0e8eYcca8lIsmnJivYeEwQzDmUgG8kGvexiqjcoJip5rDfQJL_Yc2IIT4itCQS/s640/Purchase+2005-19-05i.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1907 Thurber Postcard with view of the town from the south<br /><i>Gordon Center Collection</i></td></tr>
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<br />Last year our blog explored the history of Thurber in twelve objects from the Gordon Center Collection. While we love the artifacts in our Collection, photographs donated by families with Thurber ties far outnumber our 3-dimensional objects. To honor the stories told in those pictures we’re using 2019 to explore our large photograph collection.<br />
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We thought we’d start with a photo showing the whole town during its heydey. This 1907 postcard gives us a view of Thurber from the south. Several smokestacks rise up from dirt streets between wooden houses. (Despite having a brick plant in town, Thurber residents never had the luxury of paved roads.) The writer of this postcard apparently held a dim view of the Company owned town: “A mining country. Doesn’t it look like a Dirty Place.”<br />
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Perhaps some people might look at this photo and agree with that writer. Others might dismiss it as just another snapshot of a typical rural Texas town at the turn of the century. However, once you learn Thurber’s history that “Dirty Place” transforms into so much more. Those wooden houses become populated with the stories of immigrants, coal miners, brick makers, white collar officials, union organizers, self-taught geologists, rambunctious children, and hard-working, hard-living adults.<br />
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From 1886-1936 an estimated 10,000 residents called Thurber home. The Texas and Pacific Coal Company owned the mines, stores, homes, church buildings, and schools. Immigrants from twenty different countries found their way to Thurber, setting up pockets of international communities in the heart of Texas coal country. In 1903, the entire town unionized connecting Thurber laborers to blue-collar workers across the United States. The growing preference for oil instead of coal and the economic hardships of the Great Depression eventually signaled an end to Thurber by the mid-1930s.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEWXOPuHPdQinAJCpBaqaJ5lzfqJhwoqg4hcjOnfnwR9QCMXTDMrMIv443jUiygELutvFjJscBYtg7Cp15oOh52JeENYgB3C36K7VYGCOwcKa3OfpbRHs2FD78YTXTzGGLUwnnrfNgrVDz/s1600/Thurber+Today.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEWXOPuHPdQinAJCpBaqaJ5lzfqJhwoqg4hcjOnfnwR9QCMXTDMrMIv443jUiygELutvFjJscBYtg7Cp15oOh52JeENYgB3C36K7VYGCOwcKa3OfpbRHs2FD78YTXTzGGLUwnnrfNgrVDz/s400/Thurber+Today.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thurber today; the town may be nearly empty but the memories and stories<br />of residents remain.<br /><i>Photo courtesy of the author</i></td></tr>
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When closing the town Company officials may have sold off the houses, buildings, pipes, and wiring for the town, but the memories and stories remained for relocated residents. Even today, we have visitors with fond childhood memories of Thurber. They often share family photographs with us as a tangible way to preserve the history of this once booming coal town.<br />
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We hope you’ll journey with us through Thurber’s photographic history this year. If you want to learn more, we invite you to stop by the museum for a visit or join us for one of the many programs we host throughout the year. If you have any photos from Thurber’s history you’d like to share with us, feel free to reach out to us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/wkgordoncenter/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="mailto:GordonCenter@tarleton.edu" target="_blank">by email</a>, or phone at 254-968-1886.<br />
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Join us for our first<a href="https://www.tarleton.edu/calendar/gordoncenter/#!view/event/event_id/62743" target="_blank"> Night at the Opera House</a> event of 2019 on<b> Saturday, February 9, at 6:30pm</b> with our screening of “Night at the Opera.” Enjoy an evening full of high society, matchmaking, and chaos in this Marx Brothers movie from 1935. Widely hailed as one of the greatest Marx Brothers films, it’s sure to bring laughter and love to your date night. This event is free and open to the public, but space is limited; reservations are highly recommended. You can reserve your seat on our <a href="https://www.tarleton.edu/calendar/gordoncenter/#!view/event/event_id/62743" target="_blank">online calendar</a>, or by emailing us at <a href="mailto:GordonCenter@tarleton.edu">GordonCenter@tarleton.edu</a>.The Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-928588941595542605.post-18325637552964018162018-12-18T11:13:00.003-06:002018-12-18T11:13:35.734-06:00The History of Thurber in 12 Objects: Scraps of Memory<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9bPrUznEdGZbNSLW0zw3eG37ecCMQh9ItrzcCliyCwJLf1TiIAr5_dxIdTMrlKLiiszDjTJrmtKh5KvCtoNxnqqtJUaO66CfgIq3WiVW_e6p8s55oZy6OgfY9_IOj5ZHMhnV8BcJNUuAR/s1600/Scrapbook+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Cover of blue scrapbook with gold insert reading "School-Girl Days: A record Book"" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1229" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9bPrUznEdGZbNSLW0zw3eG37ecCMQh9ItrzcCliyCwJLf1TiIAr5_dxIdTMrlKLiiszDjTJrmtKh5KvCtoNxnqqtJUaO66CfgIq3WiVW_e6p8s55oZy6OgfY9_IOj5ZHMhnV8BcJNUuAR/s400/Scrapbook+Cover.jpg" title="School-Girl Days: A Record Book" width="305" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sybil Rutherford's Senior Year Scrapbook<br /><i>Gordon Center Collection</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">by Shae Adams</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">As one year ends and another begins, we take time to look back on the past 12 months. Today that might mean enjoying a video of our memories on Facebook, flipping through old diary entries, or scrolling through photos on our phone. I love this beautiful facet of being human: the desire to hold on to scraps of our past. A scrapbook created by Thurber resident Sybil Rutherford exemplifies this need of individuals to collect pieces of their own history.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Sybil Rutherford grew up in Thurber, graduating from Thurber High School in 1924. She spent her senior year filling a scrapbook with observations of life at school, dance cards, graduation invitations, and snapshots of friends. This artifact gives us a unique glimpse into the day to day life of a teenager in Thurber. I was delighted to discover small details of life usually left out of the history books while looking through Rutherford’s scrapbook. For instance, almost every note in the book refers to Sybil by her nickname, Red, and often mentions her fiery red hair. I loved finding her full dance card from the Thurber High School Senior Dance, evoking images of a perfect night with classmates and sweethearts.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxhYkqAVAh7jNGlksLy6JgV1jBm-Gy5r_lh6hDz6di7Q24RHw6l5VlzKkZi71WHdVJKus933GV5GRN5DwG_4D8cZwNghEahHuGQFqlkTdysaEV7antInxhXBgOSeYBpNzLxpvrDcrH7FgZ/s1600/Bennington+Evening+Banner+Graduation+Scrapbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Newspaper ad offering senior year scrapbooks" border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="298" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxhYkqAVAh7jNGlksLy6JgV1jBm-Gy5r_lh6hDz6di7Q24RHw6l5VlzKkZi71WHdVJKus933GV5GRN5DwG_4D8cZwNghEahHuGQFqlkTdysaEV7antInxhXBgOSeYBpNzLxpvrDcrH7FgZ/s400/Bennington+Evening+Banner+Graduation+Scrapbook.jpg" title="Newspaper Ad " width="221" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newspaper ad for scrapbooks in<br /><i>Bennington Evening Post<br />Courtesy Library of Congress</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The scrapbook itself tells us about the importance of this kind of keepsake in the early 20</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> century. The Reilley & Lee Co. Publishers in Chicago mass produced “School-Girl Days Record Books,” designed and illustrated by Clara Powers Wilson beginning in 1910. Newspapers advertised the books as graduation gifts for prices as low as $1.25. The books gave prompts for things to include in your memory book such as, “My Classmates: their Photographs, Autographs, and Nicknames,” and “Proms, Dances, and Hops.” The front page also included a space for class information such as “Yell, Motto, Colors, Flower, and Description of Class Pin.” (Rutherford used this section humorously; she claimed the Class Yell was “Help we are sinking!” while her Class Pin description read “We didn’t have one but if we did have one it would look like hell.”)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Changes in photography also made scrapbooks like Rutherford’s possible. Photography in the mid to late 1800s required cumbersome equipment suitable only for professionals in studios. During the 1880s, George Eastman began revolutionizing photography by inventing new types of film, development techniques, and cameras. In 1900, the Eastman Kodak Company released the Brownie camera. Portable and affordable (most sold for about one dollar), the Brownie made amateur photography a practical hobby for many Americans. The new ease taking pictures led to the popularity of scrapbooks like Sybil Rutherford’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2qqtZNwsMNmcaCRe30VrPkfih4ACpnXu992GGHzFc1-cwje87A60FtQI8PwZlo5u0SB8nccv-bN1VmfY0mP1pJmBePA7yLU5cYvQbAEYPZrBiGtxohwLhWYALqVXg8VaQBW9SiukvhTc/s1600/Scrapbook+Snapshots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Two pages of a scrapbook with a variety of casual snapshots with Kodak Snapshots written at top." border="0" data-original-height="1154" data-original-width="1600" height="459" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2qqtZNwsMNmcaCRe30VrPkfih4ACpnXu992GGHzFc1-cwje87A60FtQI8PwZlo5u0SB8nccv-bN1VmfY0mP1pJmBePA7yLU5cYvQbAEYPZrBiGtxohwLhWYALqVXg8VaQBW9SiukvhTc/s640/Scrapbook+Snapshots.jpg" title="Kodak Snapshots of Sybil Rutherford and Friends" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Changes to photography made snapshots like these possible.<br /><i>Gordon Center Collection</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Whether you’re reflecting on your year digitally or with a scrapbook of your own, we wish you a happy New Year! We hope you make it one to remember. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Please note, the Gordon Center will re-open on Wednesday, January 2, for another year of history, science, art, and so much more! </span></div>
The Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-928588941595542605.post-73764348096459065992018-11-30T15:03:00.001-06:002018-11-30T15:03:03.122-06:00The History of Thurber in 12 Objects: A Taste of Thurberby Lea Hart<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEircA4S2i6PC9Bxnryx8hP__itwH2Lqo7nf4eR6kfYpl7QS02VYv_iGgZkxn1ZQZlfVEOFLJzsrRsbWO99VuvYZPzH0oUsKxrWFEU0g5XSYLxnmuYtwgGLWNhO7Leiaq6CK90hjNJtNXMfb/s1600/Clay+and+Rabbit+Recipes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A clay rabbit posed next to a 1930s recipe leaflet entitled Rabbit Recipes" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEircA4S2i6PC9Bxnryx8hP__itwH2Lqo7nf4eR6kfYpl7QS02VYv_iGgZkxn1ZQZlfVEOFLJzsrRsbWO99VuvYZPzH0oUsKxrWFEU0g5XSYLxnmuYtwgGLWNhO7Leiaq6CK90hjNJtNXMfb/s400/Clay+and+Rabbit+Recipes.jpg" title="" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our museum mascot Clay horrified at the Rabbit Recipe<br />leaflet.<br /><i>Jacobson Collection</i></td></tr>
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When friends and family gather together for the holidays they usually gather around food. With the holidays approaching we decided to bring out an artifact that families still use today: a recipe. Leaflet No. 66 “Rabbit Recipes” from the U.S. Department of Agriculture made its way into a Thurber household and we are willing to bet that more than one family made its recipes. The recipes inside this booklet range from a broiled rabbit with lattice potatoes (now known as waffle fries) to the less popular rabbit liver paste. Many in Thurber supplemented their household by adding some kind of food production, whether it was a vegetable garden or a small chicken coop. Those who didn’t raise their own animals would trap them for food and then for pelts. Regardless of the game used for holiday meals, food still played an important role in festive celebrations.<br />
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Holiday food traditions relied on what was available locally. In our research, we have found holiday menus that include game such as quail, red duck, and even oysters. While oysters probably don’t show up on your holiday table today, the Texas Pacific Mercantile and Manufacturing Company supplied Thurber with them weekly while in season. One consistent holiday staple from the past to today seems to be cranberries. Cranberry growers harvest their crop from September to mid-November making them a perfect addition to any Thanksgiving menu, showing up on menus well before 1900. The popularity of cranberries grew when Marcus L. Urann began selling them nationwide as canned jelly in 1941. (If you need some holiday trivia, Urann later convinced other cranberry farmers to join a cooperative which became the National Cranberry Association the Association changed its name to Ocean Spray in 1957.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UOXH4tIAD0I3sQiv6CgZGBoQWKWT_55u6L_CVBbiWdtbs7p-pneGyC3dktgHWD5JXIUuIYFPKMuKKD4M5pSZ172oedc0SYTKx5nTwJyGOfw0PqJ322C2Cuy1jIJPiO9J8ZhfzzAomA3O/s1600/Rabbit+Pie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Page from 1930 Rabbit Recipe Leaflet showing a recipe for Rabbit Pie" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1199" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UOXH4tIAD0I3sQiv6CgZGBoQWKWT_55u6L_CVBbiWdtbs7p-pneGyC3dktgHWD5JXIUuIYFPKMuKKD4M5pSZ172oedc0SYTKx5nTwJyGOfw0PqJ322C2Cuy1jIJPiO9J8ZhfzzAomA3O/s400/Rabbit+Pie.jpg" title="" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Jacobson Collection</i></td></tr>
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While the core of holiday meals seems to be fairly standard, the true difference amongst meals lies in social classes. The holiday fare in the homes ofThurber’s upper echelon featured multiple courses avoiding the foreign foods brought by local immigrants. Thurber’s white-collar families stuck to more traditional American holiday meals like turkey, dressing, fresh vegetables, and a few desserts to pick from. On the other hand, coal mining families in the area would typically have a more basic meal consisting of a meat and vegetable, with one or two sides and a dessert. Immigrant families added a taste of home to their holiday celebrations with foods from their culture. Italian immigrants would have added a seafood pasta dish while Polish immigrants may have made pierogis reminding them of the family and friends they had with them in Thurber as well as those still back home.<br />
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Regardless of whether rabbit, turkey, or oysters took center stage, food, family, and fun were still the themes of the holidays. Even in the toughest of times Thurber’s citizens still gathered around a table with loved ones to celebrate the season. Much like today, Thurber residents gave thanks for what they had while digging into a home-cooked holiday meal.<br />
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If you're interested in adding rabbit to your holiday menu you can look through this leaflet online through the National Archives: <a href="https://archive.org/details/rabbitrecipes66yeat/page/n1">https://archive.org/details/rabbitrecipes66yeat/page/n1</a><br /><br />Speaking of food, drop by the Gordon Center this holiday season for our events with free food! Join us on Sunday, December 2, from 2:00 pm-4:00 pm for Cookies with Santa. Share a cookie with the man in red while getting your photo taken. Then join us on Saturday, December 8, at 6:30pm as we welcome the Irish Rogues band out for an evening of live music, food, and fellowship. Both of these events are free and no reservations are required.<br /><br />
Happy Holidays!The Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-928588941595542605.post-91191837974772966572018-10-26T15:46:00.000-05:002018-10-30T15:46:44.106-05:00The History of Thurber in 12 Objects: Dr. Spratt and his X-Ray Tubeby: Corey Holbert<br />
Dr. J.T. Spratt Sr. was the original owner of an X-ray tube that is now a part of the Gordon Center collections. Dr. Spratt tended to a number of patients in Pecos and Mingus. Practicing near a mining town Dr. Spratt may have conducted X-ray examinations of miners who became sick or injured while working. Although X-ray technology was elementary during Dr. Spratt’s time he could have used X-ray imagery to further his knowledge and inform patients about their health.<br />
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Maintaining good health would have been a major concern to residents and coal miners alike in areas Dr. Spratt practiced. Working in coal mines poses major health risks. Besides freak accidents and mine shaft fires, miners were exposed to massive amounts of coal dust for extended periods of time. The inhalation of coal dust can culminate into a disease known as “black lung”. There is still no known cure for this disease aside modern cancer treatment using radiation or simply quitting your job and hoping for a recovery.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOBXLhTBF_2vgAQftcdj_-cEwClcIE5l-lE6-ANtrgSiOGf_jH-2Elb8vuB1u5Dt6LCHpeAvCNAaFZnGxXjZeKetoM0_tuSVVvYRfQyj5tRuS9A6lTj9uIdgV74r66xUcSSptiJusn3DkA/s1600/2004.28.03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="637" data-original-width="1600" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOBXLhTBF_2vgAQftcdj_-cEwClcIE5l-lE6-ANtrgSiOGf_jH-2Elb8vuB1u5Dt6LCHpeAvCNAaFZnGxXjZeKetoM0_tuSVVvYRfQyj5tRuS9A6lTj9uIdgV74r66xUcSSptiJusn3DkA/s640/2004.28.03.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">X-Ray Tube owned by Dr. J.T. Spratt<br />W. K. Gordon Center, Hinton Collection</td></tr>
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In her book, <i>A Way of Work and a Way of Life</i> author Marilyn D. Rhinehart informs us in 1910 891 males were employed as coal miners and 140 additional men were listed as having occupations related to coal mining within Texas and Pacific coal mining operations. Rhinehart adds that same year miners worked an average of 242 days while each man mined an average of 1.36 tons per day. The sheer amount of work made coal miners more susceptible to developing black lung. Although Dr. Spratt would not have been able to provide a direct cure for the disease his use of X-ray imagery enhanced his ability to care for patients.<br />
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The history of the X-ray began in Germany. In 1895 German physicist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen accidentally discovered a new ray. He began calling his discovery X-rays because of their unknown nature. Röntgen discovered that X-rays were a form of radiation that had the ability to penetrate the inside of the human body. His work revolutionized the medical field. For his discovery of X-rays Röntgen received a Nobel Prize for physics in 1901.<br />
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The X-ray tube has multiple names: it has been known as both a Crookes tube and Coolidge tube. Historians credit Sir William Crookes with inventing the X-ray tube which was subsequently named after him in the late nineteenth century. The use of X-ray radiation for clinical imaging was first used in the Crookes tube. William Coolidge later improved the quality of the vacuum on the Crookes tube by using a thermionic effect from a tungsten filament to produce electrons.<br />
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Dr. Spratt brought sophistication to his medical practice by using an X-ray tube. The new technology enhanced his ability to treat patients. The X-ray tube provided answers to medical issues that existed long before its invention. Röntgen, Crookes, and Coolidge contributed to the development of X-ray technology used in this Texas coal mining town that assisted doctors in treating their patients. By looking at history as an interconnected web of events we can better see the beautiful, complicated connections between people across the world and through time. The Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-928588941595542605.post-42868255078204890822018-09-28T15:34:00.004-05:002018-09-28T15:34:53.505-05:00The History of Thurber in 12 Objects: "Dear Diary"-A Teenager in Thurberby Lea Hart<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Dlzl0_WrAM0I3kqk0_OQlFIeLnU1DfDUKSQZq9FfyTjHpwGOemKnmCVGdpPlGurzmvCqA6ItoVRN6xXSrLWsgpP1EQcjlROElADJKhbsoVQTevb80Nn_cPGPDk60mSw5NLjl-wrvVDZV/s1600/Dorothy+Bayer+Diary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1091" data-original-width="1600" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Dlzl0_WrAM0I3kqk0_OQlFIeLnU1DfDUKSQZq9FfyTjHpwGOemKnmCVGdpPlGurzmvCqA6ItoVRN6xXSrLWsgpP1EQcjlROElADJKhbsoVQTevb80Nn_cPGPDk60mSw5NLjl-wrvVDZV/s400/Dorothy+Bayer+Diary.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diary of Dorothy Bayer beginning when she was 14-years-old.<br />Jacobson Collection</td></tr>
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Diaries serve as historical objects that give historians a primary source based on a single person's memory. Whether keeping a journal for a class assignment or reading the words of Anne Frank, diaries are objects that everyone has come across at some point in their life. They have been used to record daily life for hundreds of years and most likely will continue to do so. While diaries do not give us traditional research information like tax records and marriage licenses, they do give us memories of neighbors, school friends and the ordinary details of day to day life. A donor recently gifted the Gordon Center a diary with such memories. In this instance, the writer was a 14-year-old girl from Thurber: Dorothy Bayer Hoid.<br />
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The diary in question measures roughly five by four inches and no longer has a cover after years of wear. The month and date are printed at the top of each lined page and is segmented into five spaces by a red line with 19 in each right corner allowing the former Miss Bayer to write in the remainder of the year. The diary covers the years 1937, 1938, a small bit of 1939 and 1945. Such a wide date range gives us the unique experience of watching someone grow up years after they’re gone.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSSW8TLucFXTsmdHHcqUZxyYUJ_oN6QGbQqIDbqh1a1oB7mfWPXgCU7B5Rf8JHqBMHIsc2t-RQ3TNeyuR1hhJCUU4TzC_8O3Ifth3T-pSlPDqd6G9hZFi7pdbg5A-eVS3anxFRVgskF4OV/s1600/2-2+Dorothy+%2528on+far+right%2529+witht+he+playmates+she+grew+up+with+in+Thurber.+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="968" data-original-width="1600" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSSW8TLucFXTsmdHHcqUZxyYUJ_oN6QGbQqIDbqh1a1oB7mfWPXgCU7B5Rf8JHqBMHIsc2t-RQ3TNeyuR1hhJCUU4TzC_8O3Ifth3T-pSlPDqd6G9hZFi7pdbg5A-eVS3anxFRVgskF4OV/s400/2-2+Dorothy+%2528on+far+right%2529+witht+he+playmates+she+grew+up+with+in+Thurber.+001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dorothy Bayer (far right) with some of her Thurber friends<br />Jacobson Collection</td></tr>
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We are currently transcribing the diary and have yet to fully read through all of Dorothy’s memories. The diary encompasses everything from her dislike of school to the home remedy of all minor illness (and horror of most childhoods) castor oil. Some of her early entries include looking at vacant houses in Thurber as most people were moving away, and her disappointment that a friend left without notice. Like most teenagers today she preferred to sleep in while she could before school started up again, and when classes did start back she occasionally overslept. Mentions of playing with her sister Betty Lou and brother Teddy, frequently fill the pages. One in entry gleefully tells that Teddy was not happy about losing to Dorothy in baseball.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLyDgWVOXOsloV2_X6WM2FB36h2VTXbRM37Atk2mXErgnJCVZfi9o00KnjfcNGcFbwDiNwRvbV2_4FC9ybndFsRhGeleVvNbVekEmIoK6Qvl59nTV2efQh1W3416sO30ywUucufdsJ-ih/s1600/1-7+Betty+Lou+Bayer%252C+Ted+Bayer.+Theofores+second+wife+was+Dorey.+Her+daughter%252C+Rose%252C+married+Theodores+son%252C+Herbert.++001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="990" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLyDgWVOXOsloV2_X6WM2FB36h2VTXbRM37Atk2mXErgnJCVZfi9o00KnjfcNGcFbwDiNwRvbV2_4FC9ybndFsRhGeleVvNbVekEmIoK6Qvl59nTV2efQh1W3416sO30ywUucufdsJ-ih/s400/1-7+Betty+Lou+Bayer%252C+Ted+Bayer.+Theofores+second+wife+was+Dorey.+Her+daughter%252C+Rose%252C+married+Theodores+son%252C+Herbert.++001.jpg" width="246" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dorothy's siblings, Betty Lou and Teddy, often<br />appear in her diary entries.<br />Jacobson Collection</td></tr>
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During her time in Thurber Dorothy’s Aunt Bebe moved to Oklahoma in search of work. Other sources from the collection show a deep love and affection for Bebe and how much she was missed. Dorothy’s diary gives us a peek into the lives of Thurberites during the Great Depression, most poignantly viewed through the perspective of a teenager who expresses her disappointment of her father returning home from work with no check, and thus no food. Like many families during the Great Depression, financial strains caused the families to move. The Bayer family left Thurber in the early spring of 1937 in the pursuit of work and a way to support themselves.<br />
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Diaries like Dorothy’s still exist today, albeit in different forms. Digital dairies, like blogs or vlogs, for public consumption, can be published through various websites, while some private diaries are typed out and stored digitally and later printed. Traditional paper diaries are now either written with the intent to be published as an autobiography or kept for personal thought and family memories. Fortunately, diaries will continue to be purchased and written in, much to the gratitude of historians like us who will continue to learn from them.<br />
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The Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-928588941595542605.post-88371825597075094302018-08-31T09:00:00.000-05:002018-08-31T09:00:03.558-05:00The History of Thurber in 12 Objects: Thurber's Union Prideby Shae Adams<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbrh7esqZWreC5NGSJk7QkWK1uKtpMRK2kIcaIxKs7Y8rnGehy2vX5NYKh2dJdJM_1Clvm3wZbizbv3OaHfwoD8c0JIdtHdksCj6edkWwTjmTaPgwOe8DCzEqGSdA33ciUl9OkhiNwfmKo/s1600/Marrs+Ribbons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1201" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbrh7esqZWreC5NGSJk7QkWK1uKtpMRK2kIcaIxKs7Y8rnGehy2vX5NYKh2dJdJM_1Clvm3wZbizbv3OaHfwoD8c0JIdtHdksCj6edkWwTjmTaPgwOe8DCzEqGSdA33ciUl9OkhiNwfmKo/s320/Marrs+Ribbons.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James Elzie Marrs' union ribbons with black<br />reverse for mourning.<br /><i>Marrs Collection</i></td></tr>
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As Labor Day approaches, we’re taking a moment to celebrate the history of this 100% unionized town. Beginning in 1903, seven different unions represented Thurber workers based on their trade. During special occasions, Thurber workers proudly wore ribbons like this one proclaiming their affiliation with a national trade union. Each ribbon indicated the name of the union, the local number, and if the wearer served as a union officer. As this example shows, union ribbons often featured a black reverse, worn to honor recently deceased members. <o:p></o:p></div>
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This particular ribbon belonged to James Elzie Marrs, a Thurber carpenter. Marrs worked as a foreman in the Thurber carpentry shop. When unionization occurred in 1903, he paid his ten dollar initiation fee to the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America to signal his union membership. Marrs obviously believed in the goals of the UBC&J as he served as both a trustee and president of the Thurber Local. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Thurber’s workforce had reason to be proud of their union membership. Unlike many places in the United States, unionization in Thurber occurred without bloodshed. In September 1903, Thurber coal miners with the help of representatives from the United Mine Workers of America gave W. K. Gordon and the Company a list of demands. These included higher wages, better working hours, and the removal of the fence around the town. When the Company refused, the miners staged a peaceful walkout, leaving Thurber with their families. Newspapers across the country applauded the strikers for not resorting to violence during their demonstration. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmKYH1mGDBwjdvWJjSfZL_hFJAFq-lQoAwjgoIvmU5Dgu2eamqCOAEDLjorGJlAUR6U1h3iv_BozUBJULCBQ3F7nm_YVB26JEhXdhuEjrYX83fhmDodHsF4EuP_PshXVBl9rAwwGbwjdyI/s1600/James+Elzie+Marrs+Marrs+Collection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1173" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmKYH1mGDBwjdvWJjSfZL_hFJAFq-lQoAwjgoIvmU5Dgu2eamqCOAEDLjorGJlAUR6U1h3iv_BozUBJULCBQ3F7nm_YVB26JEhXdhuEjrYX83fhmDodHsF4EuP_PshXVBl9rAwwGbwjdyI/s320/James+Elzie+Marrs+Marrs+Collection.jpg" width="234" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James E. Marrs. Thurber workers like Marrs<br />benefitted from the close relationship<br />between TPCC officials and union<br />representatives.<br /><i>Marrs Collection</i></td></tr>
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Realizing they would have to negotiate with the miners or face a total shutdown, Edgar Marston and W. K. Gordon agreed to meet with union representatives. After days of deliberation, the parties reached an agreement on September 26, 1903, and Thurber became a unionized community. Over the next eighteen years, Company officials and union representatives worked closely together to settle disagreements, creating a successful and profitable town. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The partnership between the unions and Company officials profoundly impacted the lives of TPCC employees like James Marrs. This fall, learn more about the place of labor unions in Thurber’s history by exploring our newest temporary exhibit: Unions in a Company Town. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Join us in celebrating the people of Thurber on <b>Saturday, September 1</b>, at our community <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/2097508033905786/" target="_blank">Labor Day Picnic</a>! This free event offers something for everyone with a bounce house, outdoor games, music, and a beer tasting by <a href="http://hopfusionaleworks.com/" target="_blank">HopFusion Ale Works</a>. All donations from this event will support reading programs at schools in De Leon, Gordon, and Ranger during the 2018-2019 school year. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/2097508033905786/" target="_blank">Learn more about the picnic on our Facebook event page.</a> <o:p></o:p></div>
The Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-928588941595542605.post-78763737353817944372018-07-27T15:30:00.000-05:002018-07-31T10:18:37.485-05:00The History of Thurber in 12 Objects: Music and News In and Around Thurberby Corey Holbert<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR74_zRKCLeaiqelIXuycoIBO5BhUaVpV7tg4Ss6_pQm0kUzcy_zZEY62ZILrZHndVG5kweKkp3ywl45mCnw1ItwY-p_o5iuPvje7_VFWcNd1JqbzYv17Sk17uPMxxyacHUuDKexTt9vcF/s1600/Rucker+Collection+Radio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR74_zRKCLeaiqelIXuycoIBO5BhUaVpV7tg4Ss6_pQm0kUzcy_zZEY62ZILrZHndVG5kweKkp3ywl45mCnw1ItwY-p_o5iuPvje7_VFWcNd1JqbzYv17Sk17uPMxxyacHUuDKexTt9vcF/s400/Rucker+Collection+Radio.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim R. Wilson listened to his favorite radio programs on this RCA Victor Radio<br />Rucker Collection, W. K. Gordon Center</td></tr>
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An RCA Victor radio manufactured and used between 1930 and 1940 is the topic of discussion for this month’s blog. The radio stands eight inches high and ten inches wide. At the top of the radio is a leather handle accompanied by a red antenna wire that wraps around the handle before attaching to a metal screw under the bottom. The radio has one speaker, a dial and two knobs on the front. The leather handle would’ve made carrying easy for Mr. Jim R. Wilson, the original owner of the radio. Traditional radios are rare in today’s society with many families opting to stream music, use CD players, or even their cellular devices to enjoy their favorite tunes or talk radio shows. Live in the past with us for a moment and imagine what you may have listened to on your RCA radio.<br />
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The 1930s is considered the Golden Age for radios in America. At the start of the decade, as many as 12 million American families had radios in their homes. By the end of the decade, that number more than doubled. As time went on radios became smaller and cheaper making it an essential piece of furniture to have in your home. Research shows that American families spent a minimum of four hours a day listening to radio broadcasts in the 1930s. During this time radio was controlled by networks. Networks leased airtime to advertising agencies to run programs such as soap operas. The most popular soap operas of that time included Ma Perkins, The Guiding Light and the science fiction show Flash Gordon for children. Thurber area residents may have tuned into these shows with their families and neighbors.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYmK-NWRsw0sE5lZOaBQYKfzyDI28mCUiO9EqbaQiIZBhWkm7TYNAnWsTxw7UhrQEePK9wjKyx_1ov9qUcEqEo2mE5O711lkPriT31wwSmje6mxGvfQTdI2k4irk-YweSApDvYG4CAb2c/s1600/LIght+Crust+Doughboys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1020" data-original-width="1600" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYmK-NWRsw0sE5lZOaBQYKfzyDI28mCUiO9EqbaQiIZBhWkm7TYNAnWsTxw7UhrQEePK9wjKyx_1ov9qUcEqEo2mE5O711lkPriT31wwSmje6mxGvfQTdI2k4irk-YweSApDvYG4CAb2c/s400/LIght+Crust+Doughboys.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim Wilson listened to radio shows like the Light Crust Doughboys on a daily basis<br />Courtesy of anyjazz65<br /> http://bit.ly/2LDt8hc </td></tr>
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As we’ve said in past blogs, Thurber residents loved music as much as we do today. The National Broadcasting Company operated its own symphony orchestra led by an Italian conductor named Arturo Toscanini. Thurber businesses such as gas stations and bars most likely used radios to entertain customers, guest, and regular patrons.<br />
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As Americans endured the Great Depression and World War II soap operas began to take a back seat to political programming and network news. World War II created an avenue for major networks to create news departments covering national and international events. Located so far from a large city, Thurber residents accessed national and global news with their home radios. Major events during the 1930s and 1940s such as the election of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, implementation of the New Deal and American involvement in World War II would have dominated topics discussed on radio news channels. Immigrant families of Thurber may have used a radio to hear news about world affairs which could help them feel closer to their native lands. <br />
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Radios like the RCA Victor in our collection played an important role in the lives of Thurber area residents. From a source of entertainment to a trusted news source, radios kept neighbors connected to each other and the rest of the world.The Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-928588941595542605.post-11979113290649916282018-06-29T15:20:00.000-05:002018-07-05T15:23:43.115-05:00The History of Thurber in 12 Objects: Summertime Swimmingby Shae Adams<br />
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On a sweltering Texas summer day, nothing sounds more invigorating than a dip in the local pool. Thurber residents of the early 1900s couldn’t agree more! Just like we do today, overheated Thurberites in need of refreshment would don their swimsuits and head to the lake. However, their bathing suits looked a little different from those we see on modern beaches.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx0hBX_SL-_FQ5n7iAXNFSpX954YD0VH_-M94pNS_bYBh4uOdvWn-y3pBp7321eZmqrLIWjdK_tAXFJ0t5hyphenhyphenZeDT_pWkZ-p9zkHqs2F0T-7osQOFUSMMeJZVleQgeEi5uF6HVCIub9vJYt/s1600/Swimsuit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="850" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx0hBX_SL-_FQ5n7iAXNFSpX954YD0VH_-M94pNS_bYBh4uOdvWn-y3pBp7321eZmqrLIWjdK_tAXFJ0t5hyphenhyphenZeDT_pWkZ-p9zkHqs2F0T-7osQOFUSMMeJZVleQgeEi5uF6HVCIub9vJYt/s400/Swimsuit.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A swimsuit belonging to Joseph Butler, a<br />
Thurber miner.<br />
<i>Copeland Collection, W. K. Gordon Center</i></td></tr>
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This swimsuit from our Copeland collection belonged to Joseph Butler, a local coal miner who probably spent some of his leisure time relaxing at Little Lake with friends and family. The swimsuit is heavy; a cotton garment much thicker than our modern day nylon suits. The swimsuit encapsulates the place of modesty in fashion norms of the early 1900s. While we generally link issues of modesty in fashion with women, men at the turn of the century also avoided revealing clothing. It wasn’t until the 1930s that Americans began to see bare-chested male swimmers.<br />
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Fashion differences aside, swimmers in Thurber enjoyed many of the same activities seen at pools across the country today. Thurber resident Dan Gentry fondly recalled summer holidays spent at Little Lake:<br />
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Now [Little Lake] that’s where we all swam, in the earlier days on the labor days and Fourth of July they used to have big picnics and we always have water events and things like that swimming and diving contests and boat rowing…</blockquote>
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Built in 1892, Little Lake served as the main water source for Thurber until the construction of Big Lake in 1896. While only those who belonged to the Thurber Club could enjoy hunting and fishing Big Lake, Little Lake remained open to the public. Mary Jane Gentry notes that people from neighboring towns commonly traveled to Thurber for a swim in Little Lake.<br />
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The Company added to the amusement by building a pier and diving boards. Several oral histories include stories about the fun of diving off the tower into the lake. The activities at Little Lake were so integral to the recreational life of Thurber that Company officials included footage of the Lake while filming scenes of life in Thurber.<br />
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Enjoy the holiday weekend with a trip to your own local lake or pool. Once you dry off, be sure to stop by the Gordon Center to discover more about the ways Thurber residents beat the heat and boredom!The Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-928588941595542605.post-38514363866274469192018-05-25T10:43:00.001-05:002018-05-25T10:43:18.931-05:00The History of Thurber in 12 Objects: Education in a Company Townby Cameron Mitchell<br />
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The end of school is here and graduation ceremonies are just
around the corner. As we reflect on having another successful school year, we
are thankful for the opportunity to continually grow our knowledge of the world
around us.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPnCi1QgHCnRWJgeytUsFhROsT6flhXBv9k2WPN9QjFyfzf5EVSTR2YyyaqvY38AkLBpxeNBudIgb7ovtgC66UiMZzwFsGZv7-slkUvG2Js6itAb5z7q1A9iuzloOB5Hm86zVP25qAa-70/s1600/May+Blog+Diploma+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1012" data-original-width="1600" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPnCi1QgHCnRWJgeytUsFhROsT6flhXBv9k2WPN9QjFyfzf5EVSTR2YyyaqvY38AkLBpxeNBudIgb7ovtgC66UiMZzwFsGZv7-slkUvG2Js6itAb5z7q1A9iuzloOB5Hm86zVP25qAa-70/s400/May+Blog+Diploma+001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Geraldine Forrest's 1929 High School Diploma<br />Smith Collection</td></tr>
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May’s object of the month is a Thurber High School diploma
from the graduating class of 1929. Dated 91 years ago, its delicate, faded
brown cover stands as a token of academic achievement. This 1929 Thurber High
School Diploma, along with other academic material in the Smith collection,
belonged to Mrs. Geraldine Asmus.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mrs. Asmus was born as Geraldine Clare Forrest in Texas on
October 10, 1912. She was the daughter of Thurber School Superintendent Mr.
Lyman E. Forrest. In fact, her father signed Geraldine's diploma in his role as
superintendent. She attended public schools in both Ranger and Thurber during
her childhood. Other items in this collection include Mrs. Asumus’ elementary
report cards, commencement programs, and multiple yearbooks. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The Texas & Pacific Coal Company provided residents with
schools and teachers just as they provided every other service in the
company-owned town. The first school, a small wooden building, was established
in 1889. As years went on, the Company more buildings erected in response to
exponential population growth. Eventually, the town population decreased so
significantly with the closing of the mines and brick plant that the schools
were permanently closed in 1935 and demolished in 1937. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRfFCRMJIjIYbJ4YqOpGkHwqfY7NoTSDxj8PmlgP8ren6Rx07bcum0URiIoFnAN0CufmeKBqWX97N40XPTN9rGPrA_nGnt94yMbbaqUhawDK-3_sa__dyQSBAzK2ImKbHCt6kU4mDCGqC/s1600/School+Gibson+2006.04.01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="774" data-original-width="1500" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRfFCRMJIjIYbJ4YqOpGkHwqfY7NoTSDxj8PmlgP8ren6Rx07bcum0URiIoFnAN0CufmeKBqWX97N40XPTN9rGPrA_nGnt94yMbbaqUhawDK-3_sa__dyQSBAzK2ImKbHCt6kU4mDCGqC/s400/School+Gibson+2006.04.01.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Company continued to build schools to accommodate a growing student body<br />Gibson Collection </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The Company wanted to provide the best education possible
for the children of the town, so it looked to employ and retain the most
qualified educators in the area. The Company supplemented the per capita
appropriation to provide sizable teacher salaries in lieu of having school
taxes. Schools in Thurber had just about every activity imaginable as well. For
example, students participated in basketball, hiking, and even had a Gypsy
Club! Our artifacts help us better understand the importance of education to
Thurber residents. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Just because summer is here doesn’t mean learning has to
stop! Kids entering Kindergarten through 5th grade are invited to join us for
fun hands-on experiments about history, science, and art. The W. K. Gordon
Center will host <a href="https://www.tarleton.edu/calendar/gordoncenter/#!view/event/event_id/49003">Discovery Days on June 27th and July 25 </a>with free admission,
RSVP preferred. Contact us for more information at <a href="http://GordonCenter@tarleton.edu/">GordonCenter@tarleton.edu</a>
or 254-968-1886.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />The Industrious Historianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13152080294871383668noreply@blogger.com