Sai​​n and Nigar Alizada run a family-owned translation agency in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, a small country on the shore of the Caspian Sea, the world’s largest lake.  When they joined as Charter Members of the Linden Heritage Foundation, we asked them why they were supporting a Foundation nearly 7,000 miles from their hometown.  Sain agreed to allow us to publish his response.

“We came of age with the Eagles.  I was only 14 and just beginning to discover music, still unsure of which genre or artist I liked, when the Hell Freezes Over album was released.  The moment I  heard the acoustic introduction to Hotel California,  I was totally blown away.  I loved every song.  The music was so different from everything I had heard before.  It was even before the Internet, at least in our part of the world, so it took me some time to figure out who the band members were, how many albums they had in their catalogue, who played what, and who was behind those heavenly harmonies.  I was discovering their albums one by one.  It was an unforgettable experience because I could not easily find them in Azerbaijan in those days.  I was too young to have a credit card and order anything online.  Each album was a challenge to get; and the harder it was to get them, the more I could appreciate it. The more I listened, the more I liked the Eagles. The power of their music and songs was just irresistible. It was pure magic.”

“After so many years, the band has become a huge part of my life.  I have a huge collection of their memorabilia and records, which is big enough to be used as a museum.  I have 27 different versions of the Hotel California LP album alone – different pressings from different countries. I attended their first concert in Hamburg, Germany in 2006.  Nigar and I have attended 28 Eagles concerts around the globe.  In May of 2015, we attended a solo performance by Don at the Cherokee Creek Music Festival, Cherokee, Texas and three concerts in his Cass County Tour in the fall.”

“Baku may be ‘Far, Far Away’ from Linden but we hold a common desire to maintain our rich culture and heritage.  When we learned of the Linden Heritage Foundation, we felt a need to join to do our part.  We are proud to be able to contribute to maintaining the culture and heritage of Mr. Henley’s hometown.  We hope this will also help increase awareness about our home country, Azerbaijan, in your part of Texas.”

#DonHenley
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Merry Christmas from the Linden Heritage Foundation.  If you ever wished for a “White Christmas” growing up in Linden,  photographs of a snow-covered City may bring back memories.

 

Would you like to see real Christmas lights on Linden’s Historic Water Tower in the future? If so, follow the instructions in this ad from the Cass County Sun, the oldest business in Cass County (established in 1876).

Charter Memberships are available ONLY until 31 December 2015.

For information on membership in the Linden Heritage Foundation, either by check or by online payment, click this membership link.

#LindenHeritageFdn

 

You may have noticed that some of our members have placed the name of a departed loved one or friend on our list of Charter Members.  If you wish to purchase a Memorial Charter Membership, just add a life span notation (as seen below), on the membership form next to the name that you wish to honor.

Jana Carter Broxson (1947-2014) - Corrigan, TX
  Joe W. Lovelace (1922-2011) - Linden, TX
Margaret Scott Lovelace (1925-2010) – Linden, TX
Charline Wiley Morris (1917-1998) – Linden, TX
  Mary E. (Dood) O'Rear (1919-2008) - Linden, TX
  Milton T. O'Rear (1915-1994) - Linden, TX
  Jerry Dale Surratt (1947-1970) - Linden, TX

Charter Memberships are available ONLY until 31 December 2015.

For more information on membership in the Linden Heritage Foundation, either by check or by online payment, click this membership link.

#LindenHeritageFdn

It was a “Banner Day” in Linden on Monday, 14 December 2015, at the Barber building on Courthouse Square for the unfurling of the membership banner of the Linden Heritage Foundation.

Foundation President Sam Higdon gave welcoming remarks followed by comments from State Representative Chris Paddie; Dee Farmer, Chief of Staff in Senator Kevin Eltife’s Longview Office; and Cass County Judge Becky Wilbanks.  Judge Wilbanks and City Administrator Bob Swisher then unfurled the banner.

 

Mayor Clarence Burns and Mr. Swisher hosted a reception for the group at the restored City Hall.  The tour ended at Linden’s Historic 1934 Water Tower and 1939 Firehouse for a review of the Foundation’s preservation efforts.

The Foundation thanks everyone for their support and assistance at this event.  All photographed were taken by Jo Anna Duncan.  Her work can be seen at Front Porch Treasurers Studio.

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