2011 October Oak Cliff

OUR NEIGHBORHOOD’S URBAN LEGENDS, MYSTERIES AND GHOST STORIES

FEATURES

Weird Ways

These neighborhood haunts are notorious and a little spooky.

PHOTO BY BENJAMIN HAGER

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I’ll buy that

I’m a sucker for a fair sales pitch

I’m ashamed to admit this, but I once burst into tears because I couldn’t afford a kitchen blender a salesman told me I needed at the Minnesota State Fair.

Before you start psychoanalyzing my then 8-year-old self, just know that I didn’t plan to go blender-crazy. But it’s hard to resist a slicktalking huckster selling a product that can pulverize ice and liquefy peanuts and turn carrots into carrot juice in five seconds.

I started thinking about my fair experiences because this month is the State Fair of Texas, and we produce the printed version of the Visitors Guide you receive at the Fair, along with a mobile version you can find at bigtex.com.

Anyway, as a kid, attending the Minnesota Fair was the highlight of my year. The fair was a 200-mile drive from our farm, and my sisters and I worked all summer to earn money for our trip. Our main source of spending money was hand-picking sweet corn we had planted behind the house and working for hours and hours waving the ears of corn at highway passersby, doing our own huckster imitation. The price was 50 cents for a baker’s dozen, but if you bought more, we became hucksters and would deal, too.

Our financial haul, split four ways, didn’t amount to more than $20 apiece for a couple weeks’ work, but that was enough to buy Pronto Pups (a cousin to the Texas corny dog) and pop, pay for countless Midway games of chance, and buy a souvenir or two.

I’ve always been a sucker for fair salespeople because they’re good at selling otherwiseobscure products and entertaining crowds for hours. And there’s nothing more dramatic than the blender shows.

Perhaps you know the drill. A blender stands tall on a display table, often beneath a tilted mirror affording a close-up view of the action. A miked-up sales guy talks and talks and talks about the wonder and glory of the blender and how no home should be without one. And what do you know: With the special fair price and the super buy-it-now add-on deals and the dirt-cheap financing, no home need be without a blender, either.

And even as the salesperson talks up the blender, he or she stuffs celery and tomatoes and apples and potatoes and ice and whatever

else is handy into the blender, and when it’s all pureed together, out pops a tasty smoothie, made possible only by owning the blender!!!

That year in Minnesota, this miracle overwhelmed my young mind, and knowing that our family finances prevented us from owning the blender no matter how good the deal, I started crying. It was unsightly, that’s for sure; I’ve always been amazed my sisters don’t

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dredge that tidbit up when we get together.

My grandfather took pity and, in the midst of my meltdown, he bought us the blender. It was the happiest day of my life. We now owned the most deluxe, indispensable kitchen appliance known to man.

The blender guy had done his job. I was happy. And that’s what a fair is all about.

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It’s hard to resist a slicktalking huckster seulling a product that can puluverize ice and liquefy peanuuts and turn carrots into cuarrot juice in five seconds.

2011 OLD OAK CLIFF

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9

Discount tickets available September 13 through October 7 at Tom Thumb (Hampton Road location), or online at www.ooccl.org. Regular priced tickets available the weekend of the Tour at 8th and Bishop in the Bishop Arts District or at any of the homes on Tour.

Dave Perry-Miller & Associates an Ebby Halliday Company

3/2/2 Kessler Tudor with Bonus Room

N. Clinton Ave. | $369,000 3/3 Kessler Tudor with Pool

Elmdale Pl. 1202 Kessler Pkwy.

lauNCH

For Oak Cliff-based fashion designer Ni COle MusselMaN, it was a trip to Bangkok that changed the course of her life. The delicate fabrics and unique, unstructured handbags she saw there set into motion a fashion whirlwind that began with designing bags for friends and culminated with the launch of Koch, Musselman’s clothing line that is now carried worldwide. We recently caught up with this globetrotting fashionista to see what’s inspiring her now.

Where are you originally from?

I’m from California, but I went to high school in Ohio. When I came to Dallas for SMU, I loved it, but I thought to myself, “Can this weather be healthy?” But, I love the people, and I want to stay here.

How did Koch get its start?

Koch [Musselman’s mother’s maiden name] started when I returned from my trip to Bangkok and wanted to recreate the unstructured handbags everyone would carry in the markets. I began making accessories, small leather goods and hand-printed textiles, and it just took off from there. I asked a lot of questions to my friends in manufacturing, and Koch was born. It’s all about pushing forward and persevering.

BenjaMIn Hager

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more on NICOLE MUSSELMAN

AS BUSINESS INCREASES, IS KOCH STILL MADE BY DOMESTIC ARTISANS?

Yes, all of the clothing is made in Texas, and we recently added a highly skilled group in L.A. who does sweaters; it’s a family company. The process begins with my drawings or paintings, and they bring them to life.

WHICH DESIGNERS DO YOU FIND INSPIRING?

Diane von Furstenberg. I love her “anything is possible” mentality toward women working and finding their way. I find her very inspiring.

DESCRIBE THE WOMANWHO WEARS YOUR CLOTHING.

She can be in her 20s or in her 70s, but she wants to look put together, sexy but still pretty and be comfortable at the same time. I use flowing fabrics, so women can move around and get things done. This is functional clothing.

YOUR DESIGN STUDIO RECENTLY RELOCATED TO OAKCLIFF. HOWARE YOU LIKING THE NEW DIGS?

Loving it! I love the energy of the area. Being a California girl, I think OakCliff has kind of a beach town vibe mixed with the vibe of an NYC neighborhood. And the food is amazing.

WHATARE YOU WORKING ON NOW?

I’m just finishing spring 2012, which was inspired by a trip to Udaipur, India. That is where James Bond’s “Octopussy” was filmed, and the collection is full of fish, octopuses and golden guns.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU?

I would like Koch to continue evolving into a lifestyle brand, including jewelry and accessories. We’ll keep moving in that direction. I would love to have bikinis, or fun boots, and more one day.

AND THE ULTIMATE GOAL?

To make beautiful pieces that are made well and resonate with people. If the quality is great, people are attracted to it.

—MEGHAN RINEY

FIND MORE INFORMATION about Koch at shopkoch.com.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

The earlier breast cancer is found, the better the chances that treatment will work. Screenings can find cancer before they start to cause symptoms. The size of a breast cancer and how far it has spread are the most important factors in predicting the outlook for the patient. Most doctors will tell you than finding breast cancer early will save your life. - American Cancer Society

Kessler Women’s HealthcareHere When You Need Us

For more information about the fight against breast cancer and what you can do to help visit www.komen-dallas.org

Dental Exam includes oral exam, oral cancer screening, orthodontic consultation and or implant consultation. Consultation and x-rays value $300

out&about

IN OCTOBER

10.22.11

BLUES, BANDITS AND BBQ

Go Oak Cliff is moving its Blues, Bandits and BBQ festival to Lake Cliff Park, at Colorado and Zang, this year. Organizers will fence off a huge area of the park for stages for bands, beer and food from Lockhart Smokehouse and Spiral Diner. The event features a barbecue contest, live music and games for the whole family. The barbecue competition entry fee is $100 and includes categories for brisket, ribs, chicken, sausage and pulled pork. Wristbands to taste the barbecue cost $15, and tickets to the festival cost $10. gooakcliff.org —RACHELSTONE

10.7-10.29

CYCLESOMATIC

FREE Bike Friendly

Oak Cliff presents bike-centric activities and events throughout the month. Events include tours of White Rock Lake, a ride to City Hall, a cyclecross race, a scavenger hunt, a Ray Charles tour of Dallas and more. bikefriendlyoc.wordpress.com

10.22 COOP SNOOP FREE Eight Oak Cliff residents are opening their backyard hen houses to the curious. Maps of the chicken coop tour, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., are available at oakcliffcoopsnoop.blogspot.com or at Repotted, 700 W. Davis.

10.22-10.24 ST. VINCENT $15 St. Vincent, aka Texas native Annie Clark, plays two shows at the Kessler Theater, 1230 W. Davis, to promote her new album, “Strange Mercy.” thekessler.org, 214.272.8346

10.31 HAUNTED

HOUSE FREE Once you’ve visited the overthe-top Halloween set up at the Granado family’s houses on Beckley near Zang, check out the haunted house at Oil & Cotton, 837 W. 7th, starting at 5 p.m. It is kid-friendly, but beware: The creative gals of O&C and pals likely will make things more terrifying the later it gets.

PHOTOBY ELLIOTT MUNOZ

A guide to dining & drinking in our neighborhood

FAIR FARE

THESTATE FAIR OFTEXAS SEASON IS UPON

US, but you don’t have to venture far from our neighborhood for genuine fair food. Case in point: Burguesa Burger. It’s not your average burger joint, and it’s not a Mexican food restaurant, either. “It’s a marriage between the culture of the U.S. and Latin America,” co-owner Dale Kimball says. The Latin-influence burger concept has been a hit with a range of demographics in Oak Cliff. Burguesa is known for its La Monumental, a hefty burger with two beef patties, two slices of cheese, ham, a crunchy tostada, refried beans, lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado and the signature “special creamy sauce.” The menu also includes the Mexican hot dog wrapped in bacon and topped with a pico de gallo relish and the special creamy sauce. Order a milkshake, and it comes with a small doughnut hanging around the straw. Kimball opened Burguesa in June 2010 in a 60-year-old building on Fort Worth Avenue. He hopes to reap the benefits of the neighborhoodfriendly retail expansion in the works nearby — the Sylvan Thirty development. “We like what’s going on in Oak Cliff,” he says.

BURGESA

710

—EMILY TOMAN

Pictured: Right, Mexican hot dog; below, La Monumental

MOLLY DICKSON

Three more spots for fair food in Oak Cliff

1 jonathon’s

The menu for this new Oak Cliff restaurant features “danger dogs,” sausages on sticks dipped in pancake batter and deep fried.

1111 N. Beckley 214.946.2221 joNathoNsoakcliff.com

2 7-El EvEn

OK, it’s not a restaurant, but 7-Eleven is an Oak Cliff original and chock-full of junk food. Sure, there are healthy options, but why resist rotating hot dogs and taquitos, washed down with a Slurpee?

Various locatioNs 7-eleVeN.com

3 flash

This ice cream shop serves ballpark-style nachos, tortas and fried tacos, along with banana splits, fruit cups and scoops of ice cream served in melon halves.

1310 West DaVis 214.946.2075

$3.00 frozen $3.50 rocks 11am-7pm/7 days

autumn’s reds

SANTA JULIA + CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2010 ($10) ARGENTINA >

Dallas’ average high temperature in October starts at 83 degrees and, thankfully, drops to 72 by the end of the month. Which means it’s time to enjoy red wine again.

This summer’s record heat made it especially difficult to drink red wine, what with its higher alcohol levels and bigger tannins. Unless you kept the air conditioning at 68 degrees, just looking at a glass of most red wines was enough to make you sweat. And drinking it was even worse.

But in October, that shouldn’t be a problem. The cooler weather pairs with red wine like red wine pairs with most cuts of beef. Think backyard barbecue, with steak on the grill or brisket in the smoker, and you’re in business. Here are several reds to get you started:

This Sicilian red is made with the native nero d’avola grape, which produces a solid, winning wine with a bit of red fruit, a little acid and a full mouth feel.

I’ve yet to taste a wine from Santa Julia, Argentina’s top green wine producer, that didn’t offer value and quality. Look for black cherries and blueberries.

Wellmade pinot noir in the fruit-forward California style, which means lots of ripe cherry and cranberry flavors. Quality pinot at this price is difficult to find, which explains the Fleur’s popularity.

—JEFF SIEGEL

ask the WINE GUY?

Q. WHAT ARE TANNINS?

A. Tannins come from a chemical found in grape skins and seeds. Since red wine is made with the grape skins and white wine isn’t, red wines are more tannic than white wines.

—JEFF SIEGEL

WITH YOUR WINE

Pull-apart cornmeal yeast rolls

Fall also means baking, and what better kind of baking then rolls for dinner (to pair with your red wine main course)?These rolls aren’t difficult to make, especially in a food processor with a dough blade or dough speed setting; just allow yourself enough time for the dough to rise twice.

Makes eight rolls, about 2 hours

1/2 c yellow cornmeal

1 c water

1/4 c shortening

3/4 tsp salt

2 Tbsp sugar

1/4 to 1/2 c water

1 package yeast (about 2 1/4 tsp)

2 1/2 to 3 c flour

1 egg

1. In a saucepan over high heat, mix the cornmeal and the water, stirring constantly, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, keep stirring, and add the shortening, salt and sugar. When mixture is thick and well-blended, remove from heat and let cook to room temperature.

2. Put the cornmeal mixture and the rest of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor, and mix according to the processor’s directions for bread dough. You’ll get a soft and somewhat sticky dough.

3.Remove the dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into a ball, adding more flour if it’s too sticky. Place in a greased bowl, cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and let rise for an hour or until doubled.

4. After dough has doubled, punch it down and divide into eight pieces. Form the pieces into small balls, and place them in a greased 9-inch cake pan.Cover, and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Don’t worry if the balls have risen into each other.

5.Remove the towel and place the pan into a preheated 375-degree oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the rolls are golden brown.

Oak Cliffs’ dark shadows

Underneath

what looks, on the surface, like a near-utopian area — where the well-heeled of Dallas stroll to restaurants, cyclists traverse the streets and mommies push baby buggies lurks mystery and dark history that might change the way you perceive our neighborhood, by way of exploring some of its mysteries and lore.

STORY BY RACHEL STONE

PHOTOS BY BENJAMIN HAGER & CAN TÜRKYILMAZ

BUNCH

The Barrow filling station THE BARROW FILLING STATION

ClydeBarrow lived with his family in a shotgun house in West Dallas. AfterClyde moved out on his own, his dad, Henry, received an insurance settlement and decided to open a filling station with the money.

He put some mules to work and moved the little house to what was thenEagle Ford Road, now Singleton Boulevard, a few blocks away.

MarieBarrow, Clyde’s younger sister, was sitting in her room as it went down the road, says Bonnie &Clyde expert Ken Holmes.

TheBarrows lived and worked there for many years.

In October 1938, someone threw a Molotov cocktail on the roof of the building. It was the second time the home had been bombed. Police accused S.J. “Baldy” Whatley, whom a newspaper reporter described as a “23-yearold Dallas hoodlum.”

Whatley and the Barrows, especially

Clyde’s younger brother L.C. Barrow, had been feuding for some time.

On Sept. 4, 1938, someone fired shotgun blasts into the filling station late at night and injured Clyde’s 65-year-old mother, Cumie. And a week before the second bombing, Clyde’s dad, Henry, had found an unexploded stick of dynamite outside his window.

Even after all those attacks, the Barrow filling station still stands. On a visit there recently, the front door swung open in the wind, burn marks still visible.

Holmes doesn’t like to talk about ghosts ever since a TV program tried to get him to muse on the ghosts ofBonnie & Clyde several years ago. He thinks it’s a lot of hooey.

But the Barrow family filling station still seems creepy.

“I guess it must be. You keep saying that,” he says. “There’s nothing spooky about it, I don’t guess.”

The Barrow family residence was attached to the HB Barrow Filling Station, on what is now Singleton Boulevard. It was firebombed twice while they lived there. PHOTO BY ROBERT

1221 Singleton Blvd.

On a visit there recently, the front door swung open in the wind, burn marks still visible.

The Barrow family graves

The Barrow family graves

On a spring day in 1934, about 100 mourners gathered at Western Heights cemetery on Fort Worth Avenue.

During the graveside service for notorious outlaw clyde barrow, on May 25, 1934, a plane flew low and dropped flowers on the cemetery with a note reading, “From a flyer friend.”

everyone knew that day would come. clyde barrow was only 25, but lawmen hadbeenpursuingthe robber and murderer for months. to becaptured alive meant a certain date with the electric chair.

Familyandfriends had buried clyde’s older brother, buck,atthe same cemetery on Aug. 1, 1933. He had been shot about a week earlier dur-

ing a policeraidonthe barrowgang hideoutinIowa.And clyde’sparents, Henry and cumie barrow, did not buy a headstone for buck, whose real name was Marvin. Legend has it they were waiting for clyde’s funeral to make the purchase. After clydefinallymethisdeathin Louisiana, he was buried next to buck, and per his request,theirgravestone reads “Gone but not forgotten.”

Ontheanniversaryof clyde barrow’sdeathin

1968, the headstone was stolen. An anonymous tipster led police to the stone, whichwasstashedin the bushes near a North Dallas creek.

bonnieParker’sgravestonealsowasstolen

The little

near the Belmont Hotel has lured the curious because of one of our city’s most notorious criminals for the past 85 years.

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow became world famous bank robber/murderers. But Parker was married to someone else, and the two were not buried together.

on the anniversary of their death in 1958, but she had not been buried near Barrow. A newspaper article from 1934 states she had requested to be buried next to him, but her request was not granted.That could be because Parker never divorced the man she wed at 16.

At least two churches have been caretakers of the cemetery since 1934, but it has gone through periods of neglect over the years. A firefighter mowed it a few years back, says Ken Holmes of OakCliff, who owns the Bonnie & Clyde Ambush Museum in Gibsland, La. But now it’s in the care of the Dallas Pioneer Society.The cemetery is open to the public, but sometimes the gate is locked, he says, because the pioneer society wants to keep people from driving into the cemetery. Holmes takes tour groups to the cemetery regularly, and he say he always leaves the gate ajar, but the guys who mow always lock it.

“It needs to be unlocked,” Holmes says. “People come from all over the world to see that grave.”

Two hundred forty six people are buried in the 130-year-old Western Heights Cemetery, including several Dallas pioneers and veterans of the Civil War. Their names are recognizable to few. But the little cemetery near the Belmont Hotel has lured the curious because of one of our city’s most notorious criminals for the past 85 years.

Clyde Barrow grave trivia:

When Buck was buried, his parents didn’t buy a headstone right away; legend has it, they were waiting for Clyde’s inevitable death before purchasing a stone.

Buck’s birth date is engraved incorrectly on the stone as 1905; he was born in 1903.

The epitaph “Gone but not forgotten” was Clyde’s idea.

Bonnie Parker never was buried there, although her brother Buster was a pallbearer at Buck’s funeral.

Henry and Cumie Barrow, Clyde’s parents, are buried near him.

Kristi Coleman was born and raised in Oak Cliff. She has been researching Oak Cliff Cemetery for about five years.

says. “but I tried to find some funny ones, too.”

Oak Cliff Cemetery

1300

Oak Cliff Cemetery

When Kristi coleman first visited Oak cliff cemetery with her husband 20 years ago, they happened upon human bones the earth had purged.

“I said, ‘We gotta get out of here,’” she recalls.

the African American portion of the cemetery, which dates from around 1840, is at the rear, in a low place where water from the rest of the cemetery drains. And occasionally, bones come up from the ground. She saw bones again several years ago, when she brought her two children.

the Oak cliff native started researching the cemetery, which probably is the oldest public burial ground in Dallas, about five years ago. buried there are three Dallas mayors, the founder of Skillern’s Drug Store, Gen. Sam Houston’s son, artist edward G. eisenlohr, and Leslie Stemmons, the businessman who donated land for Stemmons Freeway.

And there is more to this old cemetery than a lot of prominent names.

coleman has found more than a few fascinating stories.

At least a couple of murder victims are buried there, she says. One is a man whose wife stabbed him while she was preparing a picnic for them.

“Of course, there are lots of terribly tragic stories about kids eating poison or falling off the viaduct,” she

Abavarian immigrant buried there was the first zither player in the United States and played French horn in first Dallas Symphony Orchestra. He married a French girl born in the La reunion utopian community.

there is an archeologist who dug up thousands of relics from Indian mounds and a young man who died when a dance hall collapsed on the dancers.

An executioner from Oklahoma Indian territory executed more than 300 Native Americans before meeting his maker in Dallas, and he is buried in Oak cliff cemetery.

When commissioner of streets Gus Wiley died in 1931, it was reported that all 150 “negro garbage collectors” looked on him as a father and went to him for advice. they parked their garbage wagons along the cemetery road at the funeral, alongside “shining limousines.”

A man once visited the caretaker of Oak cliff cemetery and offered him $2,000 to dig up a grave. His offer went as high as $15,000, but the caretaker refused. the man claimed $30,000 was in the casket.

A nice-looking girl came into town with two sky writers. She was sick, and they left her. She died with no identification, and newspapers all over the nation printed her description. they received thousands of letters, but never found her identity. Finally, she had to be buried. cliff temple baptist church was packed for her funeral.

Wild bill evans was a fiery evangelist with 25,000 converts. He once was trying to get to a man at the back of the church, but the aisles were too crowded so he ran on top of the pews to the back.

Sarah Frances Abbott was a rebel to the end. Someone gave her a blue dress, which she refused because it was Yankee color. She hated anything Yankee. there are many more, including a Seminole Indian chief and a Gettysburg soldier.

The Texas Theatre

The Texas TheaT re 231 W. Jefferson

the texas theatre could totally have ghosts. the basement, where a screening of “Fight club” was once held, could have a whole family of phantoms.

Instead, the theatre is known for something else.

At least once a day, employees of the theater are asked to point out “the seat.” that’s the seat near the back on the right hand side of the theater where police nabbed Lee Harvey Oswald after the JFK assassination.

“He didn’t pay for his ticket,” says Oak cliff entrepreneur Julie Mccullough Kim, who sometimes puts on events at the theater. “So that’s why they called the cops, because they were like, ‘this guy doesn’t have a ticket.’ ”

Kim’s dedication to the theater is profound. She recently had the theater’s famous texas sign tattooed on her right forearm.

Since a group of young filmmakers, Aviation cinemas, took over management of the theater last year, it has become a popular hangout, as well as a place to see

classic and independent movies.

And the theater’s notoriety, or infamy, somehow makes it even more hip.

thetheaterrecently started selling t -shirtsprintedwiththeimageof Oswald’sface,whichgarnerednational media attention. there was some outrage. Why celebrate an accused assassin?

“I think that’s reading too much into it. It’s really just history,” says eric Steele of Aviation cinemas. “It’s just part of the history, and its not making a statement on anything.”

At $17 a pop, the shirts typically sell out soon after they are printed. the theater also sells a shirt bearing the image of Howard Hughes, who built the theater in 1934, but those don’t sell as well.

“everysingleday,usuallybeforewe open, we get a group of people who come in from out of town, and they want to just look around,” Steele says.

And it is the Oswald connection that leads them there.

“the mystery of the building is what’s intriguing. It’s not that there are ghosts, but there are really interesting pieces of history,” he says. “All the mystery associated with the building is what gives it a spooky feel. It’s just got a lot of historical ghosts, figuratively speaking.”n

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW

This year’s Old Oak Cliff Conservation League Home Tour is all over the map

STORY BY RACHEL STONE PHOTOS BY BENJAMIN HAGER

This year’s Old Oak Cliff Conservation League Home Tour is Oct. 8-9. For the first time, tickets to the tour are available at Tom Thumb on Hampton. They cost $20 for anyone over 10 years old and $12 for seniors, but adult tickets go up to $25 on the days of the tour. The tour often presents magnificent or unusual homes, and this year is no exception. There are 14 houses on the tour this year, from Winnetka Heights to Oak Park Estates, from 100-year-old homes to mid-century modern split-levels.

The two in this story, very different from each other, represent a little of what the home tour will showcase this year. More information is available at ooccl.org.

The 111-year-old Spanish mission

Someone recently gave Candice White a 1973 DallasTimesHerald article about her Spanish mission-style house at 1934 Lansford. It was the paper’s “House of the Week.”

“The style was very ’70s, with flocked black, red and gold wallpaper and shag carpeting everywhere,” she says.

That’s pretty much how it was in 2000 when White moved into the home she calls Villa Blanca.

“We pretty much gutted it,” she says.

The one-story house was built in 1900 and renovated in the ’70s, when two bedrooms were added. Originally, the home facedthecreekthatrunsbehindthe house.But over the years, the back of the home became the front, facing Lansford.

There is a lot of lore surrounding the house.

A previous owner says it was built as a convent,althoughthat’sneverbeen confirmed. Another story tells that the house was a speakeasy during prohibition. Several people have said there is some sort of tunnel that runs from a cupola, which was built as a cistern for collecting water, to the creek. But no one has ever been able to find any tunnel.

About that cupola: Previous owners had used it as a dressing room, as it’s off the master bedroom. They had installed mirrors, wallpaper and shag carpeting.

When White was renovating, she asked her work crew to take all that out, along with a low ceiling that had been installed.

Candace White’s Elmwood home is more than 100 years old, and it appears on the Old Oak Cliff Conservation League home tour this month.

She wasn’t sure what she would find under there. But it turned out to be a high brick silo with windows, which she could see from the outside, untouched since the ceiling was installed.

Now the cupola serves as a reading andmeditationspace,aninteresting feature, if less than functional.

The home’s walls are at least a foot thick, and the home was designed to staycoolbeforeairconditioning.In the winter, White burns wood in two fireplaces to keep it warm. A Bacchus relief over the main fireplace is original to the home, a fact that casts doubt on the convent story but confidence in the speakeasy theory.

White also added arches to the entryways, updated the kitchen and bathroom,andinstalledshiplappineshe bought from an old sugar mill in south Texas. She bought pink marble tiles from a garage sale at a mansion in Kessler Park for about $100, soon after moving. She used that for flooring in the atrium and kitchen.

Asunusualandinterestingasthe inside of the house is, the outside is a gem, too. White tore down some shacks that were on the 3/4-acre property and installed a shaded winding path and a garden with all Texas native plants. The home’sexteriorfeaturesarchitectural details, such as two blue fleurs-de-lis flankingtheoriginalentrance,which make it unique.

This Spanish-mission style house in Elmwood supposedly was a speakeasy during prohibition.

VIEW A VIDEO SLIDESHOW of Lansford and Hanging Cliff Circle homes at oakcliff.advocatemag.com/video

THE goods

WACKYM’S KITCHEN

Wackym’s Kitchen bakes delicious cookies and treats from original recipes using fresh, natural ingredients like real butter and cane sugar. To order or find a retail location, visit wackymskitchen.com

The 1960s Brady Bunch house

Tony Maniche moved to Dallas 16 years ago from Cleveland, and he was lucky enough to find Oak Cliff right away.

ADVOCATE ORNAMENT

The Advocate Foundation’s limited-edition, numbered, and individually hand-painted ornament makes the perfect gift for the new home owner or Dallas transplant. Sales benefit neighborhood organizations and events. 214.292.0486 foundation.advocatemag.com

PAINTING WITH A TWIST

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His first house was nice, but it had a very small yard. Maniche wanted something a little more suburban, so he moved to a big house in Oak Park Estates, just south of Kiest Park.

HesawthehouseonHangingCliff Circle the day it went on the market, and he closed the following weekend. He loved that it was on a cul-de-sac in a quiet neighborhood.

“I wanted a little more land because I like to garden,” he says.

ManicheplantedTexasnativeplants outfront,andthosecomebackevery year. Since he has a lot of experience with container gardening from living in smallerplaces,hestillemployspotted plants in the backyard. He plants tropical and other sensitive plants in big pots. Once a year, he loads them all onto a big cart and stores them in his garage for the winter. When the weather turns warm, he arranges them outside again. That way, he’s not buying new plants every year.

Maniche’s house didn’t need much work when he moved in. Most of what he’s done is cosmetic: painting, reconfiguring a powder room, and replacing tile, carpet and wood flooring.

He opened up a dark entryway, adding narrow windows to the original front door and taking out a wall to add light throughout the entire first floor.

And last year, he completely renovated the kitchen, extending it with new windows and bench seating at the rear of the house.

After that, he redid the back patio.

“The kitchen was so nice, and I was just looking out here at a concrete slab, and it did absolutely nothing for the space,” he says.

Now it is a welcoming outdoor living space that leads to a gazebo and garden.

Maniche also has replaced some things that are not as fun. He bought two new air conditioners last year, added energy efficient windows and had radiant barriers installed in the attic. Maybe that’s not stuff you can show off to party guests, but it reduced the summertime electric bill in the 2,400-square-foot home to about $187 a month, down from $350-$400 last summer.

Maniche works in Arlington and is the third owner of his 1964 home. He says he loves the neighborhood.

“It’s quiet. It’s a cul-de-sac off a cul-desac,” he says. “And you have access to the freeways that you don’t have farther north in Oak Cliff.”

Most of the work Tony Maniche has done on his Oak Park Estates home is cosmetic. A view into the living room shows three original pendant lamps.

to advertise call 214.560.4203

Classes/TuToring/ lessons

BEADS-JEWELRY-CLASSES

214.824.2777 www.beadsofsplendor.com

employmenT

AIRLINES are hiring. Train for high paying Aviation Maintenance Career. FAA approved program. Financial aid if qualified. Housing available. Aviation Institute of Maintenance. 866-453-6204

serviCes for you

CONFUSED? FRUSTRATED? Let A Seasoned Pro Be The Interface Between You & That Pesky Computer. Hardware & Software Installation, Troubleshooting, Training. $60/hr. 1 hr min. Dan 214-660-3733 or stykidan@sbcglobal.net

GLORIA’S FLOWERS & GIFTS All Occasion Flowers. 214-339-9273. 3101 W. Davis, Dallas,TX 75211.

Free Oak Cliff Delivery With Mention Of This Ad. gloriasflowersdallas.com For Deals. CC’s Accptd

YOUR COMPUTER GEEK Let Me Solve Your Computer Problems. 25 Yrs. Exp. Hardware/Software Issues/Install. Network Setup, Home & Small Business. $50 per Hr. Mike. 214-552-1323. mikecomputergeek@gmail.com

ceLeBraTInG scOUTInG

Rosemont Elementary School student Braden Moore hangs out on a zip line at Scout-apalooza in August. Oak Cliff-based Troop 5 put on the day-long event to encourage interest in scouting.

professional serviCes

Website Design

Flash Demos

Graphic Design

RibbitMultimedia .com 214.560.4207

mind, Body & spiriT

EMPOWER YOUR HEALTH! Boost your immune system for the Holidays. Vitality & Wellness Coach, BJ Ellis 214-226-9875

peTs

Metro Paws Animal Hospital is coming soon to Oak Cliff! (next door to the Belmont Hotel) 214.887.1400 Visit our website or Lakewood location today. dallasmetropaws.com

Nov. DEADLINE oct. 12

to ADvERtISE cALL 214.560.4203

peTs

In-Home Professional Care Customized to maintain your pet’s routine In-Home Pet Visits & Daily Walks

“Best of Dallas” D Magazine Serving the Dallas area since 1994 Bonded & Insured www.societypetsitter.com 214-821-3900

Buy/sell/Trade

DONATE YOUR CAR Free towing. “Cars For Kids” Any condition. Tax deductible. outreachcenter.com 1-800-597-9411

TEXAS RANGERS BASEBALL SUITE Share this prime suite on a partial basis (sets of 5,10 or 20 games) during the 2011 season. Our suite is located directly behind home plate, and each game includes 16 tickets, three parking passes, game day programs, private bathroom, air-conditioned seating, three televisions with cable channels, and a great view of the game and the Ballpark. Great for birthday parties, anniversaries, family reunions and client appreciation events. Email rangerssuite@gmail.com or call 214-560-4212 for more information.

esTaTe/garage sales

ESTATE SALES & LIQUIDATION SERVICES

Moving, Retirement, Downsizing. One Piece Or A Houseful. David Turner. 214-908-7688. dave2estates@aol.com

real esTaTe

STOP RENTING Lease Option To Buy Rent To Own No Money Down No Credit Check. 1-877-395-0321

CarPenTry & remodeLinG

KITCHEN AND BATH SPECIALISTS

WHOLE HOUSE RENOVATION

• IN-HOUSE DESIGN & PLANNING

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VISA, MASTER CARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS

CLeaninG serviCes

CINDY’S HOUSE CLEANING 15 yrs exp. Resd/Com. Refs. Dependable. 214-490-0133

CLEAN FREAKS Since 2005. Free Estimates. DallasCleanFreaks.com Call Today! 214-821-8888

WINDOW MAN WINDOW CLEANING.COM

214.526.8533

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BLAKE CONSTRUCTION CONCEPTS, LLC

Complete Remodeling, Kitchens, Baths, Additions. Hardie Siding & Replacement Windows. Radiant Barrier, Insulation. Get Your Electric Bill Lowered & Stay Cool. Bonded & Insured. 214-563-5035

BO HANDYMAN Kitchens, baths, doors, cabinets, custom carpentry, drywall & painting 214-437-9730

HANDY DAN “The Handyman” To Do’s Done Right! www.handy-dan.com 214-252-1628

KEN’S RESIDENTIAL REMODELING 214-886-8927. kenscontracting.com

PREVIEW CONSTRUCTION INC.

HardiPlank 50 Yr. Cement Siding, Energy Star Windows. Kitchens-Baths-Additions & More. 214-348-3836. See Photo Gallery at: www.previewconstruction.com

RODZ HOME IMPROVEMENT All Home Repairs, Add-Ons, Rehabs. 214-952-8963

Residential Specialists. BBB. 214-718-3134

ComPuTers & eLeCTroniCs

CONFUSED? FRUSTRATED? Let A Seasoned Pro Be The Interface Between You & That Pesky Computer. Hardware & Software Installation, Troubleshooting, Training, $60/hr. 1 Hr. Min. Dan 214-660-3733 Or stykidan@sbcglobal.net

ConCreTe/ masonry/PavinG

CAZARES CONCRETE Concrete retaining walls, Patios, Driveways, Removal, Sidewalks. 214-202-8958 Free estimates.

eLeCTriCaL serviCes

ACCURATE ELECTRIC

All Jobs.TECL# 27297. Steve. Accurateelectrician.com 214-718-9648

ANNA’S ELECTRIC Your Oak Cliff Electrician Since 1978. tecl25513. 214-943-4890

ANTHONY’S ELECTRIC Master Electrician. TECL24948 anthonyselectricofdallas.com Family Owned/Operated. Insd. 214-328-1333

fenCinG & deCks

#1 COWBOY FENCE & IRON CO. Est. ‘91. 214-692-1991 www.cowboyfenceandiron.com

4 QUALITY FENCING

Specializing in Wood, New or Repair. Free Estimates. Call Mike 214-507-9322.

CREATIVE METAL SOLUTIONS LLC

Automatic Gates, Fence, Stairs, Stair/Balcony Railings, Wine Cellar Gates. 214-325-4985

EST. 1991 #1

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fLoorinG & CarPeTinG

DALLAS HARDWOODS 214-724-0936

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STAINED & SCORED CONCRETE FLOORS New/Remodel. Res/Com. Int/Ext. Refin. 15 Yrs. TheConcreteStudio.com 214-320-2018

WORLEY TILE & FLOORING

Custom Marble Install. 214-779-3842

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hardwood floors

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GARAGE DOOR & SPRING REPAIR

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GLass, windows & doors

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insuLaTion/ radianT barrier

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inTerior desiGn

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Licensed Residential/Commercial Interior Design

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kiTCHen/baTH/ TiLe/GrouT

ALL SURFACE REFINISHING

214-631-8719. Tub/Tile/Refinishing. allsurfacerefinishing.com

HANDY DAN “The Handyman” Remodels Done Right. handy-dan.com 214-252-1628

STONE AGE COUNTER TOPS

Granite, Marble, Tile, Kitchen/Bath Remodels. CJ-972-276-9943 cjrocksthehouse1@verizon.net

Lawns, Gardens & Trees

ALL SPRINKLER SYSTEMS REPAIRED Arthur Adams, B.S. Biology $55 hr. Serving Dallas 25 yrs. LI 3449. 214-660-4860

Residential Renovations by John Gilley

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U R LAWN CARE Maintenance. Landscaping. Your Personal Yard Service by Uwe Reisch uwereisch@yahoo.com 214-886-9202

Castro’s Tree Service

Jeff Castro 214-337-7097 214-725-1171 jridefree@aol.com

to

Lawns, Gardens & Trees

JD’s

Locally harvested wood!

St.

John’s

Episcopal School

Pre-k through Eighth Grade Co-educational

LAKEHILL PREPARATORY SCHOOL

Leading to Success. 2720 Hillside Dr., Dallas 75214 / 214.826.2931, www.lakehillprep.org

A BETTER EARTH PEST CONTROL Keeping the environment, kids, pets in mind. Organic products avail. 972-564-2495

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REPAIRS, Fixtures, General Plumbing. Senior Discounts. Campbell Plumbing. 214-321-5943

PooLs

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stjohnsschool.org/openhouse

Kindergarten through Grade 12 - Lakehill Preparatory School takes the word preparatory in its name very seriously. Throughout a student’s academic career, Lakehill builds an educational program that achieves its goal of enabling graduates to attend the finest, most rigorous universities of choice. Lakehill combines a robust, college-preparatory curriculum with opportunities for personal growth, individual enrichment, and community involvement. From kindergarten through high school, every Lakehill student is encouraged to strive, challenged to succeed, and inspired to excel.

THE LAB @ LAKEWOOD

5304 Junius St., Dallas, TX 75214 / 214.901.4280 / www.thelabdallas.com

The Lab is a fun place for kids to learn about science! Programs include a mix of demonstrations, hands-on experiments and auditory and sensory stimulation in a fun, age-appropriate environment. Servicing all school-aged children, we offer onsite birthday parties, science fair project mentoring, homework help, enrichment classes, school assemblies and Scout programs. Please visit our website for up to date calendar of activities and events, www.thelabdallas.com.

ST. JOHN’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

848 Harter Rd., Dallas 75218 / 214.328.9131 / www.stjohnsschool.org

Preston Hollow, Park Cities Areas

214-824-0767

ADVOCATE PUBLISHING does not pre-screen, recommend or investigate the advertisements and/ or Advertisers published in our magazines. As a result, Advocate Publishing is not responsible for your dealings with any Advertiser. Please ask each Advertiser that you contact to show you the necessary licenses and/or permits required to perform the work you are requesting.

Advocate Publishing takes comments and/or complaints about Advertisers seriously, and we do not publish advertisements that we know are inaccurate, misleading and/or do not live up to the standards set by our publications. If you have a legitimate complaint or positive comment about an Advertiser, please contact us at 214-560-4203.

Advocate Publishing recommends that you ask for and check references from each Advertiser that you contact, and we recommend that you obtain a written statement of work to be completed, and the price to be charged, prior to approving any work or providing an Advertiser with any deposit for work to be completed.

Founded in 1953, St. John’s is an independent, co-educational day school for Pre-K through Grade 8. With a tradition for academic excellence, St. John’s programs include a challenging curriculum in a Christian environment along with instruction in the visual and performing arts, Spanish, German, French, and opportunities for athletics and community service. St. John’s goal for its students is to develop a love for learning, service to others, and leadership grounded in love, humility, and wisdom. Accredited by ISAS, SAES, and the Texas Education Agency.

69%

community

STevenS Park gOlf COurSe is set to reopen Oct. 10. Arlingtonbased Colligan golf Design reconfigured the course to provide better views of the Dallas skyline and slow erosion at Coombs Creek. The $8 million updates were paid for with 2003 and 2006 bond money.

Oak Cliff WOmen in buSineSS meets Thursday, Oct. 20, at Bishop Arts Theater Center, 215 S. Tyler. Teresa Coleman Wash of TeCo Theatrical Productions Inc. hosts. The networking meeting is free and open to everyone. Bring lots of business cards and RSVP to heidi@kesslersimplesolutions.com.

Three ChurCheS that share one building on West Colorado, Promise Metropolitan Community Church, Sanctuary of Love Church and Loving Faith Covenant Church, teamed up with Men of Essence to buy school supplies for kids at Stevens Park Elementary School. They filled some 325 backpacks with school supplies so every student at Stevens Park had what they needed to start school.

mayOr mike raWlingS appointed District 1 City Councilman Delia Jasso to a second term on the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau Board.

The STuDenTS anD menTOrS in l a reuniOn TX arT ChiCaS/ ChiCOS program will spend every weekend in October working on art projects. They present their work in an exhibit from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29 at the La Reunion TX acreage, on Jefferson Boulevard near Cockrell Hill Road.

have an iTem TO be feaTureD?

Please submit news items and/or photos concerning neighborhood residents, activities, honors and volunteer opportunities to editor@advocatemag. com. Our deadline is the first of the month prior to the month of publication.

buSineSS break DOW n

T HE LOWDOWN ON WHAT ’S u P WITH NEIgHBORHOOD BuSINESSES

oil and cotton expands class offerings

The ladies at o il and c otton c reative e xchange have announced a fall schedule that includes the usual suspects — bookbinding, watercolor painting, photography, silkscreen — as well as a not-so-usual offering: “Preconception and Fertility Optimization” with Dr. Kate Naumes. “There is nothing quite like it available in Dallas,” Oil and Cotton’s Shannon Driscoll says of the class. The seven-week series, which began Sept. 27, is the second time Oil and Cotton has touched on the subject. “We tested the idea this spring with five couples, and it was extremely successful,” Driscoll says. Naumes is a naturopath, midwife and primary care physician with a special interest in women’s and children’s health, and the class is for those interested in learning how to enhance their health in preparation for optimal fertility. Naumes suggested the class to Oil and Cotton with the idea of exploring a question each week through art. “I needed help developing and facilitating the art component of each class and thought, ‘Who better than Oil and Cotton?’ ” Naumes says. She teaches how to protect oneself from exposure to substances in the environment that can decrease fertility and harm a developing baby, and the class is meant to be an opportunity to meet other Oak Cliff and Dallas couples with similar hopes and fears.

• Oil & Cotton, 837 W. Seventh, 214.988.9189, oilandcotton.com

The Tamale Company creates a lard-free alternative Oak Cliff resident Elizabeth Plimmer’s The Tamale Company offers lard-free, gluten free, “boil in bag” tamales. Available at local farmers markets and retail stores such as Ann’s Health Food Store on Zang near I-35, flavors include chicken tomatillo, ancho chili pork, black bean and corn, or bar-b-que beef. Nearly two and a half years ago, Liz’s father, Richard, was searching for his latest culinary venture and stumbled upon the tamale. Plimmer’s family owned some of Dallas’ first hot dog carts in the ’80s and has been involved with a variety of local restaurants through the years. “My dad was searching for a business idea with a simple focus,” Plimmer says. “As he talked to people, he heard that many felt that the tamale tradition was dying with their grandmothers.” Next, Plimmer would like to work her way into large distribution. The Tamale Company now has a tamale cart option, where customers can rent a tamale cart, a “sober worker” and tamales for a party at $50/hour.

• The Tamale Company, 214.233.6392, thetamalecompany.com

PHOTO COuRTESy OF BANK OF TEx AS

Neighborhood businesses participating in 2011 Partners card

Presented by the Bank of Texas, the 2011 Partners Card is currently available for purchase at partnerscard.org. For the $60 purchase, cardholders receive a 20 percent dis-

DO yOu knOWOf a neighbOrhOOD buSine SS renovating, expanding, moving, launching, hosting an event, celebrating an anniversary, offering a special or something else noteworthy? Send the information to livelocal@advocatemag.com or call 214.292.0487.

Fertility classes are among Oil and Cotton’s fall offerings. PHOTO By CAN TüRKyILMAZ

Many Oak Cliff retailers are participating in the Partners Card program.

2125

Hours:

count at more than 750 stores and rants in the DFW area from Oct. 28-Nov. 100 percent of proceeds benefit The Place and its work toward family violence intervention and prevention. Last year, Partners Card fundraising effort brought a record-breaking $1 million. Many Oak businesses are involved, including StreetMarket ; Dude, Sweet Chocolate Hattie’s ; Indigo 1745 ; Zola’sEveryday Vintage and more.

More business buzz

MethodistHealthSystem has announced plans for a major facility expansion to the tune of $135 million. The expansion, which includes changes to MethodistDallasMedical Center , will enhance emergency and critical care. The Tyler-Davis District has launched a new, comprehensive website (tyler-davis.org) that features event listings and store info in the categories of art, music, eat & drink, shop, services, business directory, community and more. Tillman’sRoadhouse recently appeared on the Food Network’s “Sugar High.” The show’s host, Duff Goldman of “Ace of Cakes,” chose to highlight the restaurant’s beloved s’mores. Oak Cliff resident Tom Battles has moved his custom picture-framing store, Tom Battles CustomPictureFraming , to the Tyler-Davis District from its former location in the Dallas Design District.

OPHTHALMOLOGIST

BRADLEY STRONG, M.D.

www.strongeyecare.net

Dr. Strong is committed to compassionate, quality eye care. He offers medical and surgical care, including cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, macular degeneration, and dry eye syndrome. He also offers routine eye exams and contact lenses. All ages are welcome, from children to seniors. Our office is conveniently located at Central Expressway and Fitzhugh, just one exit south of Knox/Henderson. Board

Interior of Tillman’s Roadhouse. PHOTOBY MOLLY DICKSON

THETHIEFCOULD BAKE A CAKE — AFTER STEALING KITCHEN UTENSILS.

LucilleCampbell has lived in Oak Cliff for 37 years, and been the victim of crime eight times. In recent years, she added two large dogs to her household to help deter criminals from her property.

Sadly, two weeks ago, the larger dog passed away. The smaller German shepherd was all she had left to bark at any potential criminals.

The Victim: Lucille Campbell

The Crime: Burglary

Date: Saturday, Aug. 20

Time: Between 10 p.m. and 6:15 a.m.

Location: 900 block of Montclair

“This one was a good one,” she says of her most recent brush with crime. “We’ve had it pretty bad over here.”

On the night of the crime, someone apparently tried to pry open her kitchen window just above the sink, where she kept some cups and kitchen utensils.

“My kitchen window must have gotten stuck.They couldn’t get through the window,”Campbell says. “Apparently, they were so fat they couldn’t get through.”

The burglar grabbed the few things she had sitting on the windowsill, including a half-container of dishwashing soap the cups and utensils, including a spatula and

whisk.This collection wasn’t the typical break-in loot, but more like items in use in a show on the Food Network.

The burglar may also have been scared away by Campbell’s dog, which barked that night.Campbell remembers coming into the kitchen, but not seeing anyone.

“What they took was just really stupid, but I feel really violated,” she says.

The burglaries have been a frustration forCampbell, but she is glad that the thieves were not able to enter her home and steal anything else or, worse, assault her while she was at home.

Dallas Police Lt. Gil Garza of the Southwest Patrol Division says Campbell’s dog may have indeed saved the day by scaring away the suspect.

“Certainly having a dog can be a plus,” he says. “Large dogs can be an intimidating factor for any suspects casing a particular location. Small dogs can alert residents of intruders. Dog owners will point this out as a positive.”

However, a lazy or uninterested hound may not offer the best security.

“I’ve also heard the opposite, where the dog didn’t do anything,” Garza adds.

Sean Chaffin is a freelance writer and editor of pokertraditions.com. If you have been a recent crime victim, email crime@advocatemag.com.

AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS OCCURRED AT SEVENTH AND NORTH LANCASTER. 2

BUSINESSES AT DAVIS AND ZANG WERE BURGALIZED. 4

6

VEHICLES WERE BURGLARIZED ALONG FORT WORTH AVENUE BETWEEN HAMPTON ANDWESTMORELAND.

Source: Dallas Police Department crime stats for Aug. 13-Sept. 13

staying overnight expenses. The IRS allows a per diem meals & incidentals deduction on IRS form

notes on a music legacy

AS C LIFFITES REMEMBER HIM , H ARRY B ARTON HAD RHYTHM

In fall 1938, Harry Barton traveled from his home state of Iowa to secure his position as the new band director of Boude Storey Junior High School. He knew no one in Oak Cliff, but one of the young majorettes at Storey, Bettye McGee, quickly determined that the handsome young man with the wavy hair would be perfect for her older sister, Eloise.

Bettye encouraged Barton to call her sister, and when Barton called the family home, Bettye told him to wait until she could go get Eloise. What she didn’t tell him was that Eloise was playing tennis ... a mile away from the house! Bettye bicycled to the courts, retrieved her sister, and the duo sped back. Amazingly, Barton was still on the phone.

The sisters lived on Marsalis Avenue with their parents, Roxie and Bernard McGee. McGee worked for the North Texas Interurban, but on his way to work one morning in 1929, in front of the old Oak Cliff Carnegie Library on the southwest corner of Jefferson and Marsalis, he was struck by a drunk driver and, for the remainder of his life, walked on crutches.

Regaining his strength, McGee owned and operated two Ewing Avenue service stations before opening a small hamburger stand directly across from the Veterans hospital on Lancaster Road, where the entire family worked. It was a Depression-era struggle, but like most people of that period, they pulled together to make ends meet.

According to Eloise, “In those days, you could choose which high school you wanted to attend. I went to Sunset [class of ’39],

but Bettye went to Adamson [class of 43].”

Within a year of that phone call, Harry Barton and Eloise McGee married in the Marsalis Avenue home of the Rev. Albert W. Luper, pastor of First Baptist Church of Oak Cliff. Afterward, the couple set up housekeeping on Woodin Avenue. Then, in 1942, Barton was named as band director at Adamson High School, where he soon organized a snazzy new dance band: the Rhythmaires.

“Through their years, the different [Rhythmaires] bands played for dances in the Adamson gym, at the Oak Cliff ‘Y’, at the ‘Family Night’ stage performances at the Texas Theatre, Lee Park and the old two-story clubhouse at Cedar Crest Country Club, among others,” says Adamson alumni association board member Don Coke (class of ’43).

“That wooden second-story floor [at Cedar Crest] was so wrinkled that it looked like we were playing hopscotch when we tried to dance,” he chuckles.

“The bands were hot, and the charts that Harry B. got for them were the best,” Coke adds. “Miller, Shaw, the Dorseys [Tommy and Jimmy], James, Goodman, Bob Crosby. When the war began to really drain the ranks of the big bands, you couldn’t hear better music played at LuAnns or the Plantation than what you could get at a Friday night dance at Adamson with the Rhythmaires.”

With WWII raging and November 1942 being the last date that eligible males could enlist and not be drafted, Barton joined the U.S. Army Air Force when he became aware of a vacant military band director spot. But in October 1945, Master Sgt. Barton returned home, slipping into his former job at Adamson, while also serving as band director at Forest Avenue High School (now Lincoln). From there, Barton was recruit-

ed by another school system and moved “across the river” to begin a 20-year stretch as superintendent of music at Highland Park High School.

During that tenure, he also served for 29 years as director of pageantry for the annual Cotton Bowl game halftime shows with son, Corky, as his field coordinator. Before the days of computer-generated graphics and sophisticated communications options, Barton put together slews of impressive halftimes that included local bands, drill teams and majorettes, along with the university bands that represented the competing teams. Serving as his announcer for most of these years was Oak Cliff’s own Bill Melton (Sunset ’58), with whom Barton developed a lasting friendship.

“Actually, some of the bands came from beyond the local level,” Melton says, “including state and national. And, of course, the Kilgore Rangerettes were always there.”

When Six Flags Over Texas opened in 1961, Barton served as musical director of the Six Flags Revue show and, for years, oversaw the park’s “Battle of High School Bands.” From their early days at Storey to their adventures in Highland Park and the Cotton Bowl, the Barton/McGees are a typical Oak Cliff story that expanded beyond Oak Cliff. Eloise Barton and Bettye (now Williams) still live in Dallas and remain close, often remembering those long-ago days when an accident changed their family’s future and they flipped burgers at Pop McGee’s little stand.

Harry F. Barton passed away in 2004, with thousands of students, parents, dancers and TV viewers all enriched by his contributions. The legacy he left continues in the lives of many, even today. Join

Gayla Brooks Kokel can date her neighborhood heritage back to 1918, when her father was born in what was then called eagle Ford. She was born at Methodist Hospital and graduated from Kimball High School. Kokel is one of three co-authors of the recently published book, “Images of America: Oak cliff”, and writes a monthly history column for the Oak cliff Advocate Send her feedback and ideas to gkokel@ advocatemag.com.