Category Archives: Greenville

Hauntings on the Square

Posted on October 29, 2017 by admin

I know the title should be Halloween on the Square, the event we celebrate around the Hunt County Courthouse every year. But why not throw in a few local “ghost stories” to add a little flavor? I know of two … Continue reading →

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From Wilderness to Commonwealth

Posted on October 22, 2017 by admin

While in Santa Fe last month I made a pilgrimage to Dumont’s Maps and Books, one of my very favorite haunts there.  Mr. Dumont’s shop is not in the ritzy part of town with fine furnishings.  It’s near the railroad, … Continue reading →

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Bucking the Draft

Posted on October 15, 2017 by admin

When the United States instituted draft laws in 1862, mass riots disrupted New York City, killing numerous civilians and injuring a multitude of others. After the Civil War, the concept of drafting soldiers was dropped. Only in April 1917 did … Continue reading →

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Prison Songs in Greenville

Posted on September 17, 2017 by admin

For over ninety years the City of Greenville had no public space for its government. Back rooms of stores or saloons were used for city council meetings, other departments rented space in every thing from hotels to rooms adjacent to … Continue reading →

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Friday Night Lights at Phillips Field

Posted on September 10, 2017 by admin

On Friday before Labor Day this year, Greenville High School held its first Tailgate Party before beating North Garland High School 40 to 27 in a great football game. What a splendid way to begin a new school year! Football … Continue reading →

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Blue Laws and Sales Tax

Posted on September 5, 2017 by admin

The last semester of my senior year at Midwestern State University I discovered that I needed a car to get to my assigned school for student teaching. Wichita Falls had, and probably still has, an outstanding public transportation system, but, … Continue reading →

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The War Comes to America

Posted on August 6, 2017 by admin

When I began to post tidbits of local news on Facebook in 2014, I wasn’t certain how long it would last. I’m fascinated with the past, but was there others who might be interested? Well, my posts have never gone … Continue reading →

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Treasures on Our Doorstep

Posted on August 4, 2017 by admin

Earlier this summer Heather Goodson asked me to do a historic resources survey on Live Oak Street and Maple Street in Commerce as part of the preparation for the downtown Commerce renovation project. Commerce has always been a special place … Continue reading →

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The Amazing Captain Benjamin A. Van Sickle

Posted on August 3, 2017 by admin

Captain Benjamin A. Van Sickle was a most unusual man. A native Texan born in 1808 in San Augustine, he was a citizen of Spanish Texas, the Republic of Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the United States, the Confederate States … Continue reading →

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Old-fashioned Camp Meetings

Posted on August 2, 2017 by admin

Now that the long Fourth of July holiday is over and Little League Baseball finished for another year, most people will either head to water parks or hibernate inside their homes under the air-conditioning. Texas heat is about to crank … Continue reading →

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