North Texas History Center, McKinney Texas

This weekend!

2009-10-14T12:44:00.003-06:00

This Friday, October 16, don't miss the next installment in our dinner lecture series featuring University of North Texas history professor Dr. Richard McCaslin at 7 p.m. at The Pantry Restaurant (214 E. Louisiana, McKinney). Mary Louise, Teasdale, Sam Houston's great-granddaughter and oldest living descedant will be celebrating her 90th birthday with us! Tickets are available in the online gift shop at http://www.northtexashistorycenter.org/, by phone at (972) 542-9457, or at NTHC.

Bring your kids to the History Center for "Hank the Cowdog" storytime at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 17! Cowboy Slim, aka Don Newsom, will be telling the tale of "The Case of the Halloween Ghost." There is no admission fee for storytime, however there is a $1 suggested donation per child.

We hope to see you this weekend!

Get connected!

2009-10-06T10:28:00.002-06:00

We have so much going on here at the History Center, and now there's plenty of ways for you to keep up with us!

Our YouTube channel, which now features commercials for the Battle for Myers Landing Civil War Re-enactment: www.youtube.com/ntxhistorycenter

Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ntxhistcenter

Become a fan of us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/McKinney-TX/North-Texas-History-Center/128236676881

We're connected! Are you?

Volunteer orientation

2009-09-04T15:55:00.002-06:00

NTHC will have a volunteer information session at 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 19 at Myers Park and Event Center. Volunteers interested in helping with the Battle for Myers Landing will be able to ask questions, explore the grounds, and sign up to volunteer.

Those interested in volunteering should meet at the Wells building and wear comfortable shoes and sunscreen. The Wells building is location in the northeast corner of Myers Park, closest to the intersection of CR 166 and CR 168.

Please RSVP to by contacting Sarah at (972) 542-9457 ext. 102 or sarah@northtexashistorycenter.org.

Farm Museum Website

2009-09-01T08:53:00.003-06:00

We are so excited to announce that the Collin County Farm Museum now has its own Website!

Check it out: http://www.farmmuseum.northtexashistorycenter.org/

More information about the farm museum, hours of operation, donations, and volunteering can now be found on the Website.

Ninth Tractor Made Operational

2009-08-28T12:41:00.001-06:00

Over 1,200 hours of labor have been provided so far this year (seven months) by our dedicated volunteers at the Collin County Farm Museum. This equates to more than $30,000 of free work!

Every Wednesday and Saturday year round, Roger Meier and Jeff Phelps are at the Farm Museum, using their talents and knowledge of all things mechanical and electrical, rebuilding equipment. They, along with paid staff, allow us to be open to the public on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday.

We also have volunteers from the Lone Star Chapter of the International Harvesters Club of Texas, including Bob Stone, Warren Rhodes, and K.R Withrow, who stop by to help. In less than two years this group of volunteers have repaired and rebuilt nine tractors to operational condition.

Their latest achievement is our 1947 Oliver Row Crop Model 60 tractor. The product of Charles City, Iowa, this tractor has 13 hp on the drawbar and 18 hp from the pulley belt. I took the before photo in November 2005, as I was starting to inventory the Farm Museum collection in preparation for creating the first interpretive exhibit in the museum’s history. Basket-case does not begin to describe the way I found the tractor. Not much was attached to the frame other than the engine. Note the boxes of parts near the front wheels. By no means was this the first candidate for repair – in fact eight other tractors were rebuilt before our volunteers tackled the Oliver.

The result is an amazing transformation. Detail paintwork is ongoing, but the tractor is in its correct colors and runs like a champ.

Even thought the Farm Museum is “closed” for the hot weather, Roger and Jeff are out there on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Stop out and see them and “their” newest restoration.

Want to be a Volunteer?

2009-08-15T11:47:00.004-06:00

NTHC will be holding a volunteer orientation from 10 a.m. to noon on Thursday, August 27 at the museum (300 E. Virginia, McKinney) for those that are interested in helping the organization.

"The museum sees 8,000 - 10,000 visitors a year, and we are expanding our programming and exhibits to encourage more people to visit, so we need help in order to accomodate the changes we are making," said Sarah Hatcher, Education Curator at NTHC.

Those in attendance will receive more information about the museum and it's exhibits and programs.Breakout exhibits for oral history, education, and front desk volunteers will take place after a general session. If you would like to attend, please RSVP with Sarah by noon on Aug. 24 by contacting her at sarah@northtexashistorycenter.org or at (972) 542-9457 ext. 102.

Spend an evening with a Secret Service agent (and NTHC)

2009-08-11T11:16:00.005-06:00

Get a first-hand behind the scenes scoop on Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, and Ford and their families when former Secret Service agent Mike Howard speaks at 7 p.m. Friday, August 21, at The Pantry Restaurant.

Howard was a part of both the Kennedy and Johnson security details and was with Kennedy the morning prior to his assassination.

The Pantry Restaurant is located at 214 E. Louisiana St. in downtown McKinney. This dinner lecture series continues through October. Tickets for each event, which benefits the North Texas History Center, are $25 for adults ($20 for members) and $15 for children. Purchase tickets in person at NTHC, via telephone at (972) 542-9457, or in the online gift shop at http://www.northtexashistorycenter.org/.

Help Wanted!

2009-07-24T11:05:00.006-06:00

Calling all living historians, re-enactors, and others. If you enjoy working with students and are skilled at demonstrating 19th century life, the North Texas History Center needs your help!

NTHC will be presenting The Battle for Myers Landing, Civil War Re-enactment at Myers Park and Event Center Nov. 6-8. Nov. 6 is designated as Education Day and will be open only to registered school groups or homeschool families. It will serve as an educational tool for teachers (public, private, and homeschool) to enable students to make relevant connections to the Civil War and the way life was lived in the 1860s.

Volunteers are needed for a variety of positions. Both costumed living historians and modern day helpers are needed to make this event a success.

NTHC is looking for living history demonstrations and presentations on the following topics:

Spinning/weaving
Soapmaking
Candlemaking
Saddlemaking
Campfire cooking
Sewing
Mourning
Civil War Era Medicine
Civil War Etiquette
Battlefield Basics (what are basic tactics)
Cavalry Basics
Weaponry
The language of flags and/or fans

If historical interpretation isn’t your cup of tea, consider helping in one of these capacities:

Registration/Check-In** – help check-in re-enactors and directing them to appropriate locations.
Information Guides – move through the park offering information and guidance as needed. Tours through the park will be mainly self-guided. Volunteers will help with the overall traffic flow from one presentation to another helping to provide a positive experience to all visitors.
Information Booth - answer questions and direct people to the desired location.
Runners – assist event organizers by running errands, delivering goods and materials, etc
First Aid - offer minor first-aid assistance when needed
Admission**— collect money and issue tickets/stamps at the admission booth
Park Clean-Up – help with tidying up the park after the school groups leave.
Souvenir Booth**—NTHC will be selling event and NTHC specific merchandise. Retail experience helpful.
(** - Cash-handling required)

Those who would like to volunteer need to be comfortable around large groups of children and be at ease speaking to groups and answering questions in a friendly and professional manner; they also need to be available for a two to four hour block between 8:15 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

There will be a short orientation at 8:30 a.m. each day and visitors will start arriving around 9:00 a.m. Volunteer meetings will begin in October. To volunteer, contact Sarah at: sarah@northtexashistorycenter.org or (972)542-9457 ext. 102.

Better Know Your NTHC Staff: Chelsea Carroll

2009-07-23T12:19:00.005-06:00

Welcome back to our Better Know Your NTHC Staff and Volunteers segment of the blog! Today, we spotlight Chelsea Carroll, who has been our intern this summer from Austin College. She was nice enough to let me ask her some random questions. Here are her answers:

1. What is your job title? What do you do with yourself all day?
"Museum Intern." I do whatever they need me to do, which includes research, helping with school groups, helping strike and install exhibits, and sitting at the front desk and answering phones.

2. What were you doing before you took the job at NTHC?
I was going to school at Austin College, which I will continue to do this fall.

3. What is one project you have worked on that you are especially proud of?
The Pioneer Roots exhibits. I helped install it.

4. What was your favorite food as a kid?
Oh, goodness. Coconut cream pie. It's still my favorite.

5. Peanut butter: crunchy or smooth?
Crunchy!

6. Vanilla or chocolate?
I like to swirl them together, but if I had to choose it would be vanilla.

7. If you could pick anything, what would be your superpower?
Flying!

8. What do you do in your spare time?
I'm addicted to movies. That's where all of my money goes.

9. Which Hepburn do you prefer and why: Katharine or Audrey?
Katharine because she's a tomboy.

10. If you lived in the supermarket, what aisle would you chose to live in?
The cereal aisle. I'd be eating all day.

11. If you could have dinner with any one person, living or dead, who would you dine with?
Probably Dierk Nowitzki because he's a beast on the court.

12. After you open your yogurt, do you lick the lid?
Yes, that's the best part.

13. What was your favorite album when you were 16?
Usher - Confessions. I listened to it all the time.

14. Tell me about your dream vacation.
I have this odd urge to go to Russia, but I don't know what I'd do there.

15. Where were you on September 11, 2001?
I was at school in the 7th grade.

16. What do you consider appointment TV?
American Idol. Simon Cowell is the bomb, and I love So You Think You Can Dance.

17. Were you named for anyone?
Yes, Jane Fonda's character in the movie "On Golden Pond"

Neighbors Go

2009-07-03T08:07:00.006-06:00

Check out an article about our new exhibit in this week's McKinney Neighbors Go! You can pick up a copy at any free standing Starbucks in McKinney or at NTHC.

To see the article online, go to: http://www.neighborsgo.com/stories/38531

Announcements

2009-06-25T09:28:00.003-06:00

Hi everyone!

Her are a few announcements for you:

1. Our exhibit, Pioneer Roots, opens this Saturday. Stop by, check it out, and escape the summer heat for a little while!

2. The museum will be closed Saturday, July 4 for Independence Day. We will resume regular hours Monday, July 6.

3. If you haven't already heard, Texas State Historian Dr. Light Cummins, who is a history professor at Austin College, is speaking about the uniqueness of Texas and it's people 7 p.m. Friday July 17 at The Pantry Restaurant (214 E. Louisiana, McKinney). There will be a buffet dinner and plenty of discussion.

Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for members, and $15 for children. Purchase tickets in person at NTHC (300 E. Virginia, McKinney), by phone at (972) 542-9457, or online in our gift shop at www.northtexashistorycenter.org.

Check out Cummins' blog at: http://historianoftexas.blogspot.com/

Exhibit Opening!

2009-06-18T08:51:00.002-06:00

Why did you move to Texas?

The first immigrants to North Texas arrived in the 1830s, mostly from Tennessee, Kentucky, the Carolinas, and other Upper Southern and Midwestern states. NTHC's new exhibit opening June 27, Pioneer Roots, reflects first person stories from North Texas pioneers, and highlights three distinct waves of immigration: Pre-Civil War, Post-Civil War, and circa 1910.

“One of the interesting things you’ll learn in this exhibit is that some of the reasons people moved to Texas then are the same reasons people move here now: the land is cheap, there are many opportunities, and their family lives here,” said Sarah Hatcher, Education Curator for NTHC.

One area of the exhibit focuses on technologiccal advances. From the sewing machine that allowed women to do more in a shorter amount of time to the railroad that more efficiently connected North Texas with the rest of the nation, advances in technology have greatly changed the face of North Texas. NTHC’s exhibit shows some of these inventions and the impact they had on daily life as well as the development of the region. There is also an area that spotlights cattle ranchers, specifically those in Denton County.

“The photos of this area are phenomenal and a great deal of research was conducted on Pre-Civil War Era ranchers,” said Bryan Lean, Senior Curator at NTHC.

The exhibit opens June 27 and is filled with fascinating artifacts for the whole family to enjoy. In addition to the traditional main gallery, there is the non-traditional Hands-on Gallery, which allows visitors to experience what life was like for pioneers. Admission is $4 for adults, $2 for children, and $8 for families and NTHC is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday thru Saturday. The museum also features a gift shop that offers a wide variety of items for both kids and parents.

Come and see us!

Summer Events

2009-05-29T12:08:00.004-06:00

Hi everyone! Here's what's going on this summer at NTHC:

During June and July, NTHC will be hosting five summer day camps. Each camp will spotlight a different activity, and allow kids and/or adults to learn in a hands-on environment.

Civil War Camp - June 11, ages 8-13
Pioneer Craft Camp: Simply Sewing - June 18, ages 8 and up
Pioneer Craft Camp: Simply Stitching - June 25, ages 9 and up
Pioneer Craft Camp: Leatherworking - July 16, ages 8-13
Pioneer Craft Camp: Spinning and Weaving - July 23, ages 8-13

All camps are from 9 a.m. – noon on the specified date at NTHC, and a snack is provided at 10:30 a.m. Each camp is $25 (NTHC members receive a 10% discount) and registration materials must be received 10 working days before the camp begins. To register, contact Sarah at sarah@northtexashistorycenter.org or (972) 542-9457 ext.102.
___________________________________________

Come and discover how the Civil War impacted North Texas at our exhibit The Reluctant Confederates: The Civil War in North Texas before it closes June 13! NTHC is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.; the exhibit continues through June 12. Admission is $4 for adults, $2 for children, and $8 for families.

Stop by and bring your kids for a fun and educational summer!!

Meet (more of) the staff

2009-05-13T10:55:00.002-06:00

Olle is Norwegian (ya) and enjoys sucking the mold and historic dust out of our collections. Literally.

Bedecked in his very own nametag and rosemalling, this Nilfisk particulate vac is the best friend to a collections curator. Unlike your house vac, Olle actually does remove harmful items from that Eisenhower jacket that the WWII Vet swears “Eisenhower himself gave to him”. Olle features variable suction and speed – the key to removing the debris of life and not the buttons.

At over $1,600 (including several years of bags and filters) he is not cheap. But what a difference it makes to artifacts, esp textiles, on exhibit.

Lone Star Vintage Tractor Show a Success

2009-03-31T13:07:00.003-06:00

We had a great time this weekend despite the curveball thrown by Mother Nature. If you had a chance to come I hope you enjoyed yourself. If you didn't I hope you'll take a minute and look at the wonderful story done by North Texas E-News. Allen Rich took wonderful pictures and really captured the heart of this event.

http://www.ntxe-news.com/artman/publish/article_53245.shtml

Our next event will be April 17 as Randy Farmer discusses some of the Outlaws that have called our region home. Details regarding time and price will be available soon!

2009-02-13T14:38:00.008-06:00

Sarah "races" Roger Meier. It really wasn't much of a race...Roger already knew how to drive a tractor, and the John Deere Model B has a road gear, unlike the little Allis-Chalmers that Sarah is learning to drive. It sure was fun though...

News from the History Center

2009-02-13T14:06:00.005-06:00

Wow, looking at the last time I posted I'm a little ashamed! The holidays came and swept me off my feet, and time just got away from me. There has been just a ton of stuff going on around here.

Since the last time I posted here is what has gone on and what is coming up:

1. My partner in crime and original author of the blog, Kate, has accepted a position at the Texas Historical State Association. My new partner's name is Natalie and she is a great addition to our crew.

2. Our lecture with Dr. Rebecca Sharpless was well attended and we had a great evening discussing food, women, and history.

3. The Civil War exhibit is fully installed and I'll bring you an "artifact spotlight" sometime in the near future.

4. We held our first African-American History Month event on the 3rd of February with a wonderful speaker, Melissa Prycer from Dallas Heritage Village. Melissa spoke about a relatively forgotten publication, the Half-Century Magazine, and its influence on black culture and beauty ideals. It was fascinating to see how the women who published and edited the magazine saw beauty as something that should be embraced by all women, regardless of color. She also spoke about how the magazine encouraged its readers to always look their best and put their best foot forward to help encourage upward social mobility.

5. Our second African-American History Month event will be held at the Pantry Restaurant on February 27 beginning at 7pm. Local author and beloved Plano resident, Sarge Stimpson, will join us to reminisce about his days growing up as a sharecropper and much more.

6. We are hosting the Lone Star Vintage Tractor Show on March 28 and 29. The event will be held at Myers Park and Event Center (the "youth park" for those of you that have been here awhile), and is a fundraiser for the North Texas History Center and the Collin County Farm Museum. We'll have over 100 years worth of agricultural equipment as well as demonstrations by the county extension agents and crafts people. The Southwest Dairy Farmers will also be bringing their mobile classroom, so bring the kids and learn all about cows and how that milk gets to the store shelf. Hours both days are from 9-4.

7. We are working on a completely new vision for our newsletter, so for now all communications is being done via our "e-newsletter" or word of mouth. Please call me if you would like to receive our Constant Contact "e-newsletter."

That is all for now, I promise to post pictures of my tractor driving lessons, new artifacts, and much more soon!

Downtown McKinney Landmark to Close!

2008-10-28T15:05:00.003-06:00

Smith Brothers Pharmacy in downtown McKinney has closed its doors -- but hopefully not forever! Community support is needed to save this important historic landmark. This piece in the McKinney Courier Gazette details why it's so important to save the drug store.

We will most definitely miss the pharmacy -- especially the Santa in the window at Christmas.

NTHC Lecture Series: Texas in Word and Food

2008-09-22T13:50:00.002-06:00

NTHC presents its fall 2008 Lecture Series: Texas in Word and Food. Both lectures will take place at the McKinney Performing Arts Center.

September 30, 2008
Native Texan, R. Clay Reynolds, a professor of arts and humanities at the University of Texas at Dallas, is the author of twelve books and numerous articles ranging from critical studies to short fiction and poems. His novels Franklin's Crossing (1992) and Monuments (2000) both won the Violet Crown Award from the Writers' League of Texas, and he has published in Texas Monthly, the New York Times, Writers' Forum, and the High Plains Literary Review, among others. He has received grants from the Texas Commission for the Arts and is a National Endowment for the Arts Fellow.

Dr. Reynolds will speak on Texas in literature.

December 2, 2008
Rebecca Sharpless is an assistant professor of history at Texas Christian University. She is the former director of the Institute for Oral History at Baylor University and a former president of the Oral History Association. She is the author of Fertile Ground, Narrow Choices: Women on Texas Cotton Farms, 1900-1940 (1999) winner of the Texas State Historical Association's Tullis Prize for best book in Texas history and Liz Carpenter Award for the best book on Texas women. She is the co-editor of Work, Family, and Faith: Rural Southern Women in the Twentieth Century (2006) and is writing a study tentatively titled, "Cookin in Other Women's Kitchens: African Americans in the South, 1865-1960."

Dr. Sharpless will speak on Southern Women and Food.

Tickets for each lecture may be purchased through the McKinney Performing Arts Center's Website. Tickets are $6 for members, seniors, and students aned $8.50 for non-members.

Calling all storytellers!

2008-09-10T14:35:00.002-06:00

How long have you lived in McKinney? Ten years? Twenty? Fifty?

If you've lived in McKinney for quite some time we need you! The North Texas History Center and Chestnut Square Historic Village are working hard on our October Event, The Legends of McKinney Ghost Walk, and we need your help! We are currently working on compiling spooky stories of McKinney's past and being new to the area, Sarah and I are at a loss! If you've lived in McKinney for as long as you can remember, please feel free to email me at kate@northtexashistorycenter.org I would absolutely love to hear your story and maybe schedule a time to sit down and record it.

Thanks!!

History Comes to Life -- Tickets Still Available!!

2008-09-08T08:26:00.005-06:00

Tickets are still available for History Comes to Life, a one-man performance featuring Collin McKinney on September 13, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. at the McKinney Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $25 and include the performance and an invitation to a dessert reception (catered by Rick's Chophouse) where there will be a silent auction, live auction and a raffle drawing.

Tickets may be purchased through the McKinney Performing Arts Center. Please call 214.544.4630 or visit their website.

Farm Museum Re-Opening!

2008-09-05T13:31:00.007-06:00

The Collin County Farm Museum, operated by the North Texas History Center, will re-open this weekend! The Farm Museum had previously been closed during the summer months, but now that the weather finally seems to have cooled down a bit, the Farm Museum is open for business. Stop by and see historic tractors, a mid-century cookshack and much, much more!

The Farm Museum is open Saturdays from 12:00-4:00 and is located at 7117 County Road 166 McKinney, Texas 75071. For more information, please visit the county's website.

If you would like to schedule a tour with your class or scout troop, please email Sarah Hatcher at sarah@northtexashistorycenter.org

NTHC Completes First Summer Mini-Cotillion

2008-07-21T13:08:00.011-06:00

What does it mean to have good manners? Why is etiquette so important? How exactly do you hold your teacup when having high tea?

These questions and more were answered during NTHC's mini-cotillion summer camp, July 14-18 2008. During this week-long summer program, students learned table manners, proper etiquette as it related to their lives (most notably the newly emerging field of "netiquette" and cell phone etiquette) as well as some basic dance steps. At the end of the week our summer camp participants knew when to use a cell phone, how to fold their napkin, and how to dance the foxtrot and waltz.

Below are some photographs taken from the various days of summer camp. For far more professional photographs of Friday's graduation ceremony, please visit our intern, Ryan Leach's website (and check out his other phenomenal photographs as well!)

Photographs were taken at NTHC, Alice's Tea Shoppe and Rick's Chophouse at the Grand Hotel and Ballroom.

Happy Independence Day!

2008-07-04T14:16:00.003-06:00

Happy Independence Day to all our readers!

We are excited to announce that we've had over 1100 visitors so far this year. We are on pace to exceed previous years' attendance by leaps and bounds. Won't you stop by and help us set a new attendance record? Our weekly hours are Monday through Saturday from 11 to 4.

Good Morning Texas!

2008-07-02T11:42:00.005-06:00

Today was a big first for the North Texas History Center, we were on TV! Page McCoy Smith graciously invited us to talk about manners and their importance on her segment, the Not So Perfect Parent. This also gave us an opportunity to plug our Cotillion (there is still time to register!) and extend our thanks to our partners at Alice's Tea Shop, the Grand Ballroom, and the Art of Dance studio.

Kathleen and her students at At of Dance deserve special thanks for battling their way to Dallas early in the morning to be on the show. They looked and behaved beautifully--I'm so proud of all of them.

The segment is posted at wfaa.com. If you would like to know more about our Cotillion send myself or Kate an email or give us a call at 972.542.9457. To learn more about the Art of Dance go to their website.

Thanks again to everyone involved with this morning, it was fun!