Welcome to Texas Main Street – Re-Imagine Linden’s Downtown

Image ~ ~ Joe Lovelace ~ 1 Comment

Have you thought about how to re-imagine Linden’s Downtown?

If so, your dreams came true when First Lady of Texas, Mrs. Cecilia Abbott, in official ceremonies on April 18th recognized Linden as a Texas Main Street.  Mrs. Abbott delivered a congratulatory address to Linden citizens and then unveiled an architectural rendering of a more vibrant and consumer-friendly street scene on the west side of the Courthouse Square. 

Entitled “View Along Main Street,” the rendering is the first of a series to be created for Linden by the Texas Main Street Design Team.

The Texas Main Street Program (TMSP) provides historic downtowns the opportunity to re-develop through public and private investment.  Operated in Texas by the Texas Historical Commission, TMSP is one of the oldest and largest in the nation, with 89 fully-designated communities.

After a rigorous and competitive application process, Linden was chosen in January 2017 as one of two designated Main Street communities.  In Texas, Linden is among the three with the smallest populations in the entire program.

TMSP’S mission is to provide technical expertise, resources and support for Texas communities in the preservation and economic revitalization of historic downtowns and commercial districts.

The First Lady was joined by state and local officials, local business owners, volunteers, and dozens of residents eager to see the Main Street vision for Linden. Ms. Abbott commented that Linden’s commitment to historic preservation is apparent, pointing out that the historic Cass County Courthouse was restored with funding assistance from the Texas Historical Commission’s Texas Courthouse Preservation Program.

Texas Historical Commission (THC) Vice Chairman John Crain  stated in his remarks that “historic preservation isn’t just about the past – it’s about developing economic opportunity for the future”.  He announced that the Linden Heritage Foundation has qualified for a grant from the Preservation Trust Fund, also managed by THC, to develop a professional restoration plan for the Old Linden Firehouse.

Mr. Crain then announced THC’s new “Town Square Initiative” which uses an online portal – Downtowntx.org – to attract potential real estate investors/developers and business owners/entrepreneurs from other places who may want to consider under-utilized or vacant historic properties in Texas Main Street towns.  Linden has its own dedicated page on this website to feature available Main Street properties.

Twelve Main Street cities, including Linden, will help celebrate and promote DowntownTX.org by hosting local Imagine the Possibilities tours.  Linden’s tour will begin at the Linden City Hall on Friday, May 19th at 5 p.m..

Selected properties featured on each city’s DowntownTX.org page will be open and accessible to the public, and tour attendees can obtain additional information on downtown development and business resources at a central gathering point.

To get the Main Street ball rolling, the Linden Heritage Foundation hosted a series of field trips and community forums with Mount Vernon and San Augustine to spark initial interest for the program.  Main Street staff and board members from those two cities fielded a range of questions about how they have turned historic buildings into unique entrepreneurial successes, attracted tourism to their town centers, dialed up local sales tax revenues, and supported the property tax base.

By fully committing to Texas Main Street, Linden also can imagine – and ultimately realize – a whole new world of progress, success, and economic development for our downtown.

 

“Save the Day” Linden Heritage Foundation Donations begin April 10th

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The Linden Heritage Foundation is participating in “East Texas Giving Day” organized by East Texas Communities Foundation.

A day of giving it provides critical funding for a 32 county area of nonprofits (including Cass).  The purpose is to bring the region together on one day and as one community, to raise money and awareness allowing citizens an easy platform to support the mission of a nonprofit they identify with.

The Linden Heritage Foundation “Giving Day Page” can be viewed at https://www.easttexasgivingday.org/1939FirehouseRescueFund

Once on the Linden Heritage Foundation “Giving Day Page”, to donate login on the link as a Donor and create your own personal profile with password.

Starting as early as April 10th, you can log on to contribute. Please use this link in any electronic marketing you do to your friends.

Donations may be made to the 1939 Linden Firehouse Rescue Fund at levels of either $50, $75, $100 or donor choice of not less than $20.

The Official “18-hour Giving Day” is Tuesday, April 25, 2017, from 6:00 a.m. to midnight, Central Standard Time.

 

 

“Trial in Church in Linden has Novel Features”

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In November 1934 an article was published in the Dallas Journal titled:  “Trial in Church in Linden has Novel Features”   

(1927 Linden Methodist Church – photo courtesy of Charline Wiley Morris Collection)

 The article reported on the prosecution of a Dallas resident indicted for robbery committed in Cass County.  The primary source of information for the Dallas Journal publication was Fred Harris an attorney for the defendant who practiced in Dallas.  According to Harris when he reached Linden he learned that the trial would take place in the basement of the 1927 Methodist Church understanding the courthouse “had fallen in”.  He ridiculed the furniture provided for the judge, attorneys and jurors.  He claimed, during the trial 2 jurors got sick and the sheriff died creating unforeseen delays. In spite of the circumstances, Harris said he was not worried.  The jury did not convict his client but was discharged after voting nine to three for acquittal.  Harris said he expected the case not to be retried.

 Enraged by the unfair report in the Dallas Journal, County Judge Sam L. Henderson penned a letter to its editor republished with the Dallas Journal article in the Cass County Sun that demanded a retraction.

 He claimed about the only truthful statement in the Dallas Journal article was that “the District Court was being held in a Church” due to the Courthouse having been damaged by fire in 1933.   

 

(1933 photo of Courthouse fire – courtesy of Charline Wiley Morris Collection)

Most of its content was a “scurrilous and false attack” upon the citizens and the justice system of Cass County.  It is true when the evidence was closed and the case was about to go to the jury, the Sheriff, E. Lois Johnson, died of appendicitis.  The trial was delayed until the following week when his wife was appointed to serve the few remaining months of his term. (Technically, she was the first female sheriff of Cass County) According to Judge Henderson, all that happened should not imply there was no evidence of guilt against the defendant.  Although the trial resulted in a “hung jury”, Judge Henderson assured the readers that Mr. Harris’s client would be tried again in Linden, with courtesy shown to Mr. Harris, and felt, after conviction, his client would be turned over to other counties to be tried for other crimes.

 Judge Henderson requested his letter be printed in bold type under the heading, “Cass County Challenges and Answers the False Article Published in the Paper about Cass County”.

 After receipt of the letter, the Dallas Journal printed a retraction as requested by Judge Henderson.

 Credit is given to Gail Dorgan for providing this interesting history of Linden.  Transcriptions by Catherine Knapp and Joe Lovelace.

 Read the transcription of each publication in the Documents section (Dallas Journal) of this website.

Linden Heritage Foundation holds 2017 Meeting of the Board of Directors and Election of Officers

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The first meeting of the 2017 Board of Directors for the Linden Heritage Foundation was held February 18th at the residence of John and Catherine Knapp in Linden, Texas. 

Directors present: Sam Higdon, Joe B. Lovelace, Sue Lazara, Jana C. Bounds, John Knapp, Sandra Westbrook Skoog, Ron Calhoun and Barbara Teachey.  

Directors absent: Gail Dorgan, Kay Stephens and Anna Barber. 

Acting-President Sam Higdon called for nominations for the election of Officers.  The following individuals were elected as Officers:  

  • President – Joe B. Lovelace
  • Vice-President for Preservation & Education – Sue Morris Lazara
  • Vice-President for Marketing & Development – Sandra Westbrook Skoog
  • Vice-President for Information Technologies – John Knapp
  • Secretary – Gail Dorgan
  • Chief Financial Officer – Jana C. Bounds
  • Parliamentarian – Kay Stephens

 The Linden Heritage Foundation Board will next meet on Saturday, April 29th @ 5 p.m. at the residence of Sue Lazara after hosting activities during Wildflower Trails in front of the 1939 Linden Firehouse.

L-K native Mason Darrell Barrett reminisces about growing up in area

~ lindenheritage ~ 3 Comments

Original article by Neil Abeles – Texarkana Gazzette

Mason Darrell Barrett is a federal administrative judge now, but he still remembers the highlight in his life when, as a 12-year-old, he power shifted that new 396-horsepower Chevrolet Malibu.

“I remember it like yesterday,” said the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission administrative judge whose Birmingham District Office oversees Alabama, Mississippi and northern Florida.

Barrett, a 1973 Linden-Kildare High School graduate, said he loves his work of almost 30 years in hearing employment discrimination complaints relating to disability, race, age or gender. He has a home in Linden and one day will retire there.

He was in Linden on Saturday to help clear the Old Macedonia Cemetery, and several of the local sights reminded him of growing up here and his love of car speed.

In those days he would come to town with his school librarian mother, Audrey Mae Barrett, and her teaching friend Mary Shurn. The two would shop while he would go hang around with Dub Body, the make-ready car employee for Tom Lanier’s Chevrolet Company.

“I would go there every chance I could. I was fascinated with cars,” Barrett said.

“One day this transport truck came in with an ice-blue Corvette roadster and white convertible top. When they backed it off, the driver said, ‘Get in.’ He turned it around on the street and stomped on it, power shifting it down that road so fast that I begged him to stop. My knees were shaking, but I was hooked on speed.”

Some time later, Barrett got the chance again, this time with a new 396-horsepower Chevrolet Malibu belonging to a cousin.

“They let me drive it, so at the stop sign on Highways 8 and 11, I stomped on it and power-shifted it and could feel that big block engine come to life.

“‘Your dad is going to get you,’ they told me, but I could tell they were surprised I knew how to speed shift that car.”

Perhaps those experiences transferred somewhat to the fast lane of life for Barrett because he soon left Linden-Kildare High School for Prairie View A&M University to earn a degree in mathematics. He became a computer engineer, but later, in 1984, decided to attend law school at the University of Denver in Colorado.

“My dad had wanted to be a lawyer,” Barrett said.

Instead, M.J. Barrett had been an important local educator. He was a former principal at Macedonia school in Linden as well as a Perfection Elementary principal in Kildare from 1958 until integration in 1969. His wife, Audrey Mae, was librarian.

Darrell Barrett had one sister, Audrey Elaine Sam, who graduated from L-K High School in 1972 and became an assistant principal in Houston.

Brrett was tall at 6 foot 4 inches and wanted to play football, but his dad had been injured playing and wouldn’t allow it.

“So I played tuba in the band and we were sweepstakes winners for four years, and I was in the all-district band,” he said.

He had two sons who played football, however. One earned a full scholarship to a Colorado school and the other walked on to the team at Texas A&M University. One is now a banker in Colorado and the other is successful in Europe.

Barrett said he’s simply a country boy and glad to be back. He’s had a long association with the Macedonia Baptist Church founded in 1894—the one African-American church inside the Linden city limits, he said.

Like a number of Linden buildings, the church had been made of the red rock, which is substantial and thus the building still serves as the church’s annex.

Barrett also has a great-grandfather who was one of the four Rambo brothers who helped form the Rambo community near McLeod. These were Alonzo, Benjamin, Nate, and Darrell’s great-grandfather Monroe.

His work with the heritage and cemetery associations is an effort to help preserve the heritage of the African-Americans in the area, he said.

“We’ve tried to clean it up before, but now the interest has blossomed,” he said. “We want to fix it up so it won’t be forgotten again.”