May/June 2022 County Line Magazine by County Line Magazine

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JUNETEENTH GRANDMOTHER

OPAL LEE Freedom is for Everyone Festive Tex-Mex Biggers & Criner Trammel’s Trace Books, Poetry, Music Arts, Events, Shopping

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CONTENTS

DEPARTMENTS 5

Editor’s Note

THIS TIME OF YEAR

22 Ross Perot, Bo Pilgrim, Chris Tomlin, Steve Miller Band, Mother’s Day

LIFESTYLE & ENTERTAINMENT 24 Blueberry Festival, Craft Beer, Dairy Fest, Powwow, Caddo Lake, Tomato Fest. 29 Shop Historic Downtown Canton

ARTS & CULTURE 32 33 34 35 35 36

Street Art Nature at PDNB Gallery Duality in Nesmith’s Art Mary Poppins Theatre Tyler Film Festival 211 Gallery’s 10th Anniversary

LITERARY 38 Winnsboro Festival of Books 39 Poetry

MUSIC 40 Denison Music Series, Wildflower Arts & Music Festival, Northeast Texas Symphony Orchestra, Athens Fiddlers Reunion 41 Mount Vernon Music Concerts

FOOD & DRINK 44 45 46 47

Mango Salsa Strawberry Margaritas Guacamole with a Citrus Twist Mama Cuellar’s El Chico Empire

FEATURES

8 Juneteenth Advocate Opal Lee

Marshall native helped secure national holiday and fights for freedom for all By Lisa Tang

14 The Art of Biggers and Criner

Student and teacher’s works continue to inspire By P.A. Geddie

18 Ancient Road, Modern Tracks 36

Discovering one of the first pathways in Texas By Gary L. Pinkerton

COVER: Opal Lee. Photo by DON Photography

SEE WEBSITE EXTRAS!

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EQDA

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MAGAZINE

Serving those living & playing in the Upper East Side of Texas

PUBLISHER & MANAGING EDITOR P.A. Geddie ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lisa Tang CONTRIBUTORS Lauren Wacaser Judy Peacock Tracy Torma Katie-Rose Watson Gary L. Pinkerton Rachel Gross Dave Hensley Johan Persson Krista Leard Hector Maldonado Allan Warren DON Photography A.L.O. Photography Darling Photography Jay Dew ADVERTISING pa.geddie@countylinemagazine.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS

www.countylinemagazine.com/subscribe County Line Magazine eEdition is published every other month, 6 times a year in digital format. Material may not be reproduced without written permission. Opinions expressed in articles or advertising appearing in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. Mailing address: P.O. Box 608, Ben Wheeler, TX 75754 Phone: (903) 312-9556. E-mail: info@countylinemagazine.com Website: www.countylinemagazine.com. Free listings are entered on a space available basis. Advertising space may be purchased by calling (903) 312-9556. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement we deem incompatible with our mission.

EDITOR’S NOTES Dear Readers, Holidays both spark our memories of the past and ignite our future dreams. Opal Lee’s mission of seeing Juneteenth become a federal holiday is more than symbolic. It means our nation has crossed a threshold of reckoning with a brutal past that oppressed the lives and voices of millions. Those who may doubt the truth of that past have no further to look than the murals of Dr. John Biggers. He depicted the seasons of despair Black Texans faced in the years following the Civil War and beyond when freedoms such as education and the ability to eke a living from the land still met opposition from those in power. The power of art to tell stories is evident in Biggers’ influence on works by Charles Criner and the upcoming exhibit showcasing select works by the teacher and student at the Tyler Museum of Art.

Gary L. Pinkerton’s story about the impact of Trammel’s Trace on today’s landscape also looks to the past for inspiration, guidance, and truth. From wagon ruts to historical markers to monuments and records, Pinkerton’s history offers evidence that invites modern travelers to connect with its reality. While some communities celebrate the land’s bounty of blueberries and tomatoes, others continue centuries-old traditions. The state’s oldest Native American tribe — Alabama-Coushatta Nation — honor their heritage with the 52nd Annual Powwow near Livingston. Our Food section also extols the holiday Texans share with Mexico — Cinco de Mayo — with Tex-Mex recipes that stand the test of time. We invite you to enjoy this issue’s powerful stories about festivals, holidays, art, and food as reminders of the past and a way forward to the future. Lisa Tang

SUBSCRIBE TO THE DIGITAL MAGAZINE • Get notified via email each time a new issue is released (6 times per year). • Allows for flipping the pages • PDF downloads available for entire issue or individual articles. • Share the entire issue or individual articles on social media or via email. • Includes live links to explore more on topics of interest. • Watch video right on the pages. • Read from desktop, tablet, or mobile phone. • Unlimited access to issue archives. • Some audio articles available. For over 20 years,

For over 20 years,

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Texans for the Texans for the Arts

Arts

has consistently has consistently worked to: worked to:

Protect Occupancy (HOT) arts funding Hotel Protect HotelTax Occupancy Tax (HOT) arts funding Increase funding for the Texas Commission on the Arts

Increase funding for the Texas Commission on the Arts

The Official Arts Advocacy The Official Artsfor Advocacy Organization Texas

CHECK OUT COUNTY Organization LINE for Texas DIGITAL PUBLICATIONS Texans for the Arts is at the forefront of empowering artists, arts leaders, committed supporters, and citizen activists like Texans foryou! theTogether Arts isweatcan theamplify forefront of empowering artists, our powerful voices to increase both committed public and private resourcesand to build strong, dynamic, arts leaders, supporters, citizen activists like and creative communities all across Texas. you! Together we can amplify our powerful voices to increase

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both public and private resources to build strong, dynamic, and creative communities all across Texas.

MAGAZINE

E-EDITION

Expand the conversation about the vital role the arts play in ourExpand schools the and conversation communities about the vital role the arts

play in our and communities Support tax policies andschools other measures that help artists arts organizations andSupport tax policies and other measures that help

Advocate artists for increased funding for the National and arts organizations Endowment for the Arts and for federal policies that artists Advocate fororganizations. increased funding for the National support and arts

www.countylinemagazine.com

Endowment for the Arts and for federal policies that support artists and arts organizations.

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Spring Events

Hunt County Festival of the Arts May 6 – 7 Audie Murphy Day May 14

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MAGAZINE

Of Of all all the the paths paths you you take take in in life, life, make make sure sure aa few few are are made made of of dirt. dirt.

blogs

AT&T Byron Nelson Golf Tournament: May 12-15

Texas Music Revolution: June 3-4

Subscribe to County Line Magazine for the inviting road less traveled.

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Opal Lee Walks Juneteenth to Victory Marshall-Born Activist Asks for Freedom for Everyone

By Lisa Tang As a child in Marshall, Texas, Opal Lee loved the playful joys of an elaborate annual summer community picnic at a local park. The older relatives called it “Juneteenth,” commemorating freedom for enslaved people. When she was 10 years old, Lee’s family moved to Fort Worth. Just two years later, she learned the harsh realities of racism firsthand as rioters vandalized and set fire to her home. Born October 7, 1926, to Mattie and Otis Flake, Lee’s childhood memories set the foundation for what became her lifetime mission to advocate for “freedom for everyone.” In Marshall, with her parents, two brothers, and extended family, the community picnics were happy times with food, competitions, and festivities.

“There’d be music and food; there’d be speeches and food; there’d be games, baseball and food and food and food. Oh, we had a good time, oh we did,” Lee says. Things got hard on the family during the Depression when Lee’s father lost his job. He departed for Fort Worth to look for work but never sent for his family. Finding it hard to make ends meet in rural East Texas, Lee’s mother sold everything they had and bought train tickets to Fort Worth for herself and her children. Her parents eventually reunited and bought a house. Lee hoped for fun summer picnics in their new town, but things were different there than in Marshall. “When we came to Fort Worth, not so many people celebrated,” she says. Lee slows the pace of her speech as she

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tells about her most tragic childhood memory that happened at her family’s home. “Our house was in a neighborhood where we weren’t wanted,” she says of the mostly Anglo-inhabited area. “On June 19, 1939, about 500 folk gathered — the newspaper said — and the police couldn’t control the mob and while my dad came with a gun the police told him if he ‘busted a cap’ they’d let the mob have us.” The family escaped with their lives, but the mob destroyed their possessions. “The people drug furniture out and burned stuff. They really messed the place up. Our parents never, ever discussed it with us and they worked and they bought another home,” Lee says. Starting over in a different neighborhood, Lee’s struggles continued.

Lee frequently reads her book about the story of Juneteenth to elementary students. Courtesy photo

“I finished high school at 16 and my mom was so proud because she was sending me to Wiley College (in Marshall) — and I disappointed her so because I got married,” Lee says. “She was so hurt she didn’t even go to the wedding.” Unfortunately the marriage didn’t last. Lee had four children to raise when she moved back to her parents’ house in Fort Worth four years later. With her mother’s help, Lee decided she was ready to attend college. Mattie watched her grandchildren during the week while Lee traveled to Marshall to attend classes at Wiley and work at the college bookstore. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Wiley in 1953 and taught primary school in Fort Worth for 15 years. Part of that time she also worked at the former Convair — now Lockheed Martin — at night to support her family. Later, Lee completed a master’s degree in Counseling and Guidance at North Texas State University and served as a counselor who secured social services for

struggling families so their kids could attend school regularly. “I became a visiting teacher to see why the kids weren’t in school,” Lee says. Those visits opened her eyes to the need to help people with poverty and homelessness after she retired from the school district. “When I retired, people still needed food and places to stay.”

JUNETEENTH

A seed was planted in young Opal Lee the day the angry mob vandalized her home in 1939. A growing determination took her through raising her children, earning her educational degrees, and eventually finding her place in the world of activism, with a special focus on her beloved Juneteenth celebrations. “The fact that (the vandalism incident) happened on the 19th day of June spurred me to make people understand that Juneteenth is not just a festival.” She remembered her grandfather, Zachary Broadous Sr., was the son of an enslaved mother and she learned from him how President Lincoln ended slavery with the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863.

But it was a full two and a half years later when enslaved people of the large, remote, unprotected state of Texas got the news. On June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston with 2,000 federal troops and served Lincoln’s order to free the enslaved. “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves,” Granger said. This day of freedom is called Juneteenth, a word combining June and nineteenth. A celebration began in Texas the very first anniversary and continues annually today throughout the country. Descendants of enslaved people who were denied decent foods during servitude, gather to feast on barbecue, strawberry pie, and fresh fruit punch. They honor those who came before and fight for continued rights of equality for Black Americans. Lee’s activism blossomed after her retirement in 1977. She led Juneteenth celebrations and started a food bank that now serves 500 people a day. In 2019 she started a community farm on 13 acres continued page 10

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OPAL LEE continued from page 9 along the Trinity River. The farm has helped people who were formerly incarcerated and couldn’t find a job. She wrote a picture book, Juneteenth: A Children’s Story, that she reads to school groups to help educate them on the injustices of slavery. The story is an easy way for children to learn the truth about the darker periods of America’s history. Lee insists that all children need to learn about slavery and the hundreds of years people in bondage waited for freedom. “I really believe the youngsters need to know what actually happened so we can heal from it,” Lee says. “I go from school to school and read to the children — I get a kick out of it.”

THE HOLIDAY

A number of people over the years, including Lee, believed in order to heal, the importance of a day like Juneteenth deserved national recognition. Juneteenth was first celebrated in Texas as a state holiday in 1980. In the decades since, the Juneteenth movement gradually gained acceptance as a state holiday

across the country. Florida, Oklahoma, and Minnesota were the first three states to recognize it as a state holiday. Many leaders contributed to the cause. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (no relation) of Houston introduced a bill for 12 years to recognize Juneteenth as a holiday. Dr. Ronald Myers — who Lee says is responsible for 43 states recognizing Juneteenth as a state holiday — recruited her for the Juneteenth federal holiday campaign. “Somewhere along the line I got the impression that maybe I needed to do more than what I was doing,” she says. In 2016, at 90 years old, Lee became committed to bringing awareness of the need for a national day of observance. The idea for Opal’s Walk to D.C. took hold. “I felt like if a little old lady in tennis shoes [was] walking up and down the highway, people would notice, and they did,” she says. During Opal’s Walk to D.C. from Fort Worth, Lee walked two and a half miles a day to the capitol to rally support and gather signatures. The length of her daily walks symbolized the two and half

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years it took for enslaved Texans to learn of their freedom. One of Lee’s goals was to march with then President Obama when they reached Washington, D.C., in January of 2017, but the president was away in Chicago at another event when they arrived. While that was disappointing, the results of the campaign and continued work with others helped send 1.5 million signatures to Congress in 2020. The group was preparing to submit 500,000 more signatures when Lee received word that she was invited to the White House for a very important occasion. On June 17, 2021, President Biden signed legislation making Juneteenth a federal holiday. “Oh, I tell you I’m a happy camper. I’ve not known how to act. I’m still on cloud nine. I thought it would never happen in my lifetime,” Lee says. “I was so happy I was going to do a holy dance.” The new law ensures federal workers a day off with pay. Lee says that’s important because people can volunteer and uplift others in the community. “On the Martin Luther King holiday the

In 2016 Lee began walking two and a half miles a day from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington D.C. (opposite page). The 1,400-mile journey was called Opal’s Walk 2 DC. (above) President Biden signs the bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday as Lee and others look on in 2021. Courtesy photos

people don’t say ‘a day off,’” Lee says. “They say ‘a day on’ because they go out in different groups and to different nonprofit organizations, and they help out that day.” Lee continues to lead Juneteenth celebrations in Fort Worth, which started more than 40 years ago after she helped found the Tarrant County Black Historical & Genealogical Society. Juneteenth celebrations in Fort Worth begin with a flag raising and a prayer breakfast. Youth groups perform a play and a concert known as Empowering You. They also participate in an art competition based on portraying the 12 freedoms Blacks gained when they were released from bondage. These include the ability to read, write, and preserve history; the ability to marry, birth and keep their own children; the right to own property, grow their own food, and dress as they like; the ability to travel, do business, serve in the military, worship, vote, legislate, and govern.

“It’s not just a festival,” Lee says. “And I think we should celebrate it from June 19th to the 4th of July because there’s so much that needs to be taught; there’s so much that needs to be shared.” After a lifetime of activism, Lee earned the title of “Grandmother of Juneteenth.” Last year she was named Fort Worth’s Person of the Year and the Dallas Morning News named her 2021 Texan of the Year. This year, members of Congress — led by Representative Marc Veasy of Fort Worth — nominated her for a 2022 Nobel Peace Prize. Winners are announced in early October. A new children’s book by Alice Faye Duncan premiered in January. Opal Lee and What It Means to Be Free: The True Story of the Grandmother of Juneteenth teaches about Lee’s persistence and determination to gain freedom for everyone. Lee appreciates the accolades and says she’s not done yet. Bondage is still happening in the forms of joblessness, homelessness, inequities in healthcare and education, sex slavery, and human trafficking, she says.

“There’s still so much that needs to be done before we can say that we’re free,” Lee says. “At 95, I still feel like I have so much to offer. We need to address it. We simply are our brother’s keeper and we ought to do something about these disparities.” Now that Juneteenth is a federal holiday, Lee wants everyone around the world to embrace it. “I want to see Juneteenth celebrations all over these United States and around the world,” she says. “It’s not a Black thing and it’s not a Texas thing. It’s for everybody and it’s freedom for everyone.” Numerous Juneteenth celebrations take place this year across the Upper East Side of Texas. The observed federal holiday is Monday, June 20. The annual celebration in Lee’s hometown of Marshall holds special meaning this year. Headed by Alma Ravenell, the Marshall Juneteenth Committee is hosting several events June 10-18 under the theme “We Are One.” Activities include a Miss Juneteenth Pageant for 15-19 year old girls, a commemoration program at continued page 12

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OPAL LEE continued from page 11 Wiley College, a parade, a Black business expo, and arts activities at the Michelson Museum of Art. There’s also a fashion show taking place at Telegraph Park downtown with participants ranging from ages 3 to 83. In one segment, the models wear black and white clothing symbolizing the need to bring people of all skin tones together, Ravenell says. The Marshall committee doesn’t have anything official planned for the first observed Juneteenth paid federal holiday that Monday, but encourages the community and others to at least get out and go for a walk in memory of Opal Lee and all that the holiday means.

BEST IN THE WORLD

Healing racism is never far from Lee’s heart and she continues to rally others to the cause. “I’m advocating that everyone should make himself a committee of one because we know people who aren’t on the same page we’re on and we need to change their minds,” Lee says. “Just think, if three million people were on the same page we could turn this country around and make it the country that everyone would want to emulate.” Simple acts of kindness like helping an elderly person by bringing them food or taking them to the store or helping a young mother with her children while she runs errands are small things people can do. “All these kinds of things help. It makes us think we are one people,” she says. Her hope for healing for the country to overcome the injustices of the past and those that continue today is strong. The Grandmother of Juneteenth often thinks about future generations. “There are people, who if they share the wisdom they have, the young people don’t have to make the mistakes we made,” she says. “Oh gosh, I just see this nation coming together, and I just hope it happens in my lifetime. I do; I do. Let’s get on with the business of making this the best country in the world.”

Opal Lee enjoys reading her picture book, Juneteenth, A Children’s Story, to school groups and telling first hand of her journey to heal the nation by advocating for freedom for everyone. Early this year, Alice Faye Duncan premiered her book, Opal Lee and What It Means to Be Free: The True Story of the Grandmosther of Juneteenth. Through the story of Opal Lee’s determination and persistence, children learn: • all people are created equal • the power of bravery and using your voice for change • the history of Juneteenth, or Freedom Day, and what it means today • no one is free unless everyone is free • fighting for a dream is worth the difficulty experienced along the way Both books are available on Amazon and wherever good books are sold.

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We at Winnsboro Center for the Arts in Winnsboro established a relationship with P.A. Geddie and County Line Magazine over five years ago. They worked with us then in developing an advertising plan and continue to work with us now on ad content and direction. CLM has always been responsive with the changes and edits that are a part of the changing needs of advertising and promotion. The staff at CLM has a passion for promoting the Upper East Side of Texas and all of the many events, concerts and activities in it. They have created a truly excellent magazine and it's not unusual for folks to tell us that they saw us in County Line Magazine. Jim Willis, Director of The Bowery Stage Winnsboro Center for the Arts County Line Magazine is our “go to” publication for marketing Mineola, Texas, to our target audience in the North by Northeast Texas area. We know that County Line Magazine will present our entertainment and leisure information in the best light possible with attractive ads and interesting articles that its readers will notice and enjoy. Visitors to our city often comment that they saw our information in the County Line Magazine. Fast response on ad proofs and changes make working with staff a pleasure. We love County Line Magazine. Lynn Kitchens, Director of Marketing Asst. Director Economic Development City of Mineola

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The Art and Influences of Biggers and Criner By P.A. Geddie County Line Magazine is proud to sponsor a new exhibit titled Student/Teacher: Works by Charles Criner & Dr. John Biggers May 15 through August 14 at Tyler Museum of Art. The show spotlights each individual’s artistic style while examining Biggers’ influence on Criner. Drawn from a variety of public and private collections, the selected works on paper are from throughout their respective careers, offering snippets of each artist’s overall body of work.

DR. JOHN BIGGERS & THE MURAL

Dr. John Thomas Biggers, PhD (19242001) established and chaired for 34 years the Department of Art at Texas Southern University (TSU) in Houston before retiring in 1983. In 1988, he was recognized as the Texas Artist of the Year. While working full-time as a teacher and administrator at TSU, Biggers began establishing his reputation as a major African-American artist of the Southwest.

The four sections of the mural tell the story of the history of the progress of African American education in Northeast Texas. Biggers said he felt a responsibility to reflect their spirit and style and he wanted his viewers to identify themselves, and reflect on their own background and cultural heritage.

From 1950 to 1956 he painted four murals in Texas communities, one of which was a 1954 commission by the Naples school board in Morris County in the Upper East Side of Texas to honor Professor Phineas Y. Gray as he was retiring after 30 years in the district. As Dr. Biggers got to know Professor Gray, he decided to paint a mural related to Gray’s Master’s thesis on the history of African American education in Morris County schools. Biggers completed the 22-feet-long by six-feet-tall muslin painting in 1955 titled “History of Negro Education in Morris County, Texas.”

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The first segment depicts the bleak period following the Civil War. Education for the young is only a hope for the future as children work in the fields or sit aimlessly on a rail fence. The second segment shows a barren one room school with a matriarchal teacher holding a report card in her hand while some children read as others sit quietly on a bench by the wall. The works of Dr. John Biggers (above) influence countless numbers of people with his large-scale paintings like “The Contribution of Negro Women to American Life and Education” (opposite page) and a mural (below) that continues to inspire young and old in northeast Texas for almost 70 years. The effects of his art and his teachings endlessly echo the call for racial, gender, and economic justice.

The third and most dominant panel focuses on the time and work of Professor Gray. It describes a period of self sufficiency with students quilting, raising and preserving food, caring for animals, and reading. The teacher reaches out with open hands, holding “seeds of hope.” The final segment features the high school, a school bus, and marks the beginning of a larger school district. There’s a mood of celebration and hope. The mural hung in the Carver High School library for about 15 years inspiring countless numbers of young people to embrace heritage and hope. As the district grew and schools integrated and combined with other districts, Pewitt Consolidated Independent School District inherited the building and it became the elementary school. To accommodate younger children, the ceilings were lowered. The mural no longer fit the space and was moved into storage under the band hall. After several moves it ended up in an audio-visual shed where it stayed for about 20 years. When former students who had attended the school in the mid 1950s started asking about the mural, a search was done and it was found in the shed in good condition considering the climate. The

painting was patched up a bit and reinstalled in the school library. On October 27, 1989, Dr. Biggers attended a formal rededication of the mural there. “This event marks for me the climax of my career,” Biggers said. “I need nothing else. I told a story with meaning for this community which you have kept alive all these years, this is why I paint. There is no greater satisfaction.”

The mural inspired elementary students there for about 25 years and in that time began to deteriorate. In 2015 when executives at North Texas Community College in neighboring Titus County found out about the mural, they approached the Pewitt ISD about restoring the work and taking steps to preserve it. They also asked to move the mural to the college continued page 15

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BIGGERS/CRINER continued from page 15 campus where the public could see it. The school district agreed. Joining NTCC administrators and Pewitt ISD officials in a joint effort for conservation of the mural was the Tyler Museum of Art. The painting’s restoration took about one year and costs were paid by a private donor in the amount of $105,000. Before landing in its present home at NTCC, the mural was taken to Tyler Museum of Art in 2017 for a brief exhibition. Since then, it remains in the climatecontrolled room built specifically for the mural. A wall of windows of the room faces into a parking lot where visitors can see the mural anytime. At night LED lights shine down to help with visibility. It is open to the public in the Biggers Room of the Learning Commons building in the heart of the NTCC campus. Opposite the mural is Biggers Gallery featuring several other famous Biggers works. The college campus is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to noon. Read more about the mural on www.ntcc.edu/ biggers or call (903) 434-8152.

CHARLES CRINER

Many renowned artists came out of Biggers’ program at TSU including Charles Criner who often credits Biggers with helping him find his voice. Criner was born in Athens, Texas, in 1945 and began drawing as a young child. In 1964 he was accepted to the Fine Arts program at TSU. Under the tutelage of Dr. Biggers, he began to discover his own muse and an appreciation of depicting family, pain, and joy. According to biographers, Criner often uses family members or people close to him as inspiration for faces in his work. His art reflects activities he experienced growing up, from children playing on abandoned railroad boxcars, to one of his favorite hobbies — fishing. He also shares scenes influenced by his trip to South Africa and his own cultural heritage. Of his work, Criner states, “My art reflects my beliefs and the things that I like to do. Fishing has always been one of my favorite pastimes. I also love to recapture the Black experience in the form of people working in the fields. I believe that these images are important and that

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they should be cherished windows into our past.” Lithography is Criner’s chosen medium, however he’s talented in a wide range of art techniques. While in college he supported himself by working as a sign painter, a graphic artist, a billboard illustrator, and an art teacher. After graduating in 1968 he worked for NASA, producing drawings for Apollo 11. In 1970 he was hired as a staff artist at the Houston newspaper and continued until 1999. Today, he leads stone lithography workshops at The Printing Museum in Houston and continues work in his studio. His pieces are included in private collections and he exhibits in museums and galleries throughout the country. In 2020 he wrote and illustrated his first book, The Children and George. He says this is the first in a series that shares his memories of growing up with his siblings in Athens. General admission for Student/Teacher: Works by Charles Criner & Dr. John Biggers is $5 for adults and $3 for senior citizens. For more information call (903) 5951001 or visit www.tylermuseum.org

Artist Charles Criner (right) is talented in a variety of mediums and styles. He created a series of lithographs that were made into posters celebrating Juneteenth. He’s published his first picture book (above) in a series he has planned about his time with his siblings growing up in Athens. Two of his many art pieces include “Woman Fishing” (opposite page) and “Dancing With Butterflies” (below).

MAY / JUNE 2022 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 17

Ancient Road Leaves Modern Tracks Evidence of Trails Used by Caddo Indians, Spanish explorers, and Texas Heroes Remain Across Eight East Texas Counties

By Gary L. Pinkerton It is difficult to imagine the terrain of East Texas when there was almost nothing across the countryside. Finding places today where cell towers, high-voltage power lines, railroads, and ranches disappear from our field-of-view is a challenge to say the least. However, imagining the landscapes of the past when the Caddo and other native people made this region home is important for anyone trying to learn about its unique history.

I started imagining the past more clearly in 2004. That was when I learned that David Crockett, Sam Houston, and Jim Bowie rode their horses across our family land in Rusk County. It was an epiphany to me and generated not only a researcher’s curiosity about the trail across our land, but it also inspired a life-long mission to preserve the history of that route. The trail they rode is called Trammel’s Trace. Very quickly I learned those notable Tex-

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ans’ journeys were closer to the end of the history of Trammel’s Trace than the beginning. For thousands of years, the woods and watersheds of the region were home to the Caddo and other indigenous people. During the Spanish colonial period, the extensive Caddo villages were seen as a “kingdom” and their ancient pathways were adopted as Spanish caminos reales (main roads). With roots in the early 1700s as a Spanish mission, Nacogdoches after 1779 became a center of

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(Opposite page) A historical marker stands on Highway 79 in Rusk County marking a section of Trammel’s Trace. (Right) A map shows how Trammel’s Trace wound its way through East Texas. The path was used by Caddo and other natives, then Spanish missionaries and Anglo immigrants.

continued page 20

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It was such a significant feature of the landscape that in 1843 it became part of the boundary in the formation of Rusk County and remains so today. It was as considerable and ever-present as the rivers and streams that commonly define those kinds of boundaries.

A hiker along the historic route of Lewis and Clark reported that “walking in Meriwether Lewis’ footsteps makes my feet tingle.” For me, the tingle came while visiting locations where Trammel’s Trace crossed larger rivers. The crossing of Trammel’s Trace at the Sulphur River on the boundary of Cass and Marion Counties is isolated and far from any modern improvements. In the 1830s it was the later location of Epper-

Standing at that spot for the first time

FT. TOWSON JONESBORO

Through the middle of all of them was Trammel’s Trace.

Typically, our understanding of history includes physical places like museums, old forts, or Spanish missions. More than simply knowledge about what happened in the past, a history of place also conjures emotions that connect us to historic events. The Alamo is as much a shrine that calls forth deep feelings as it is a museum for understanding the events that took place there. My physical place for understanding history is the 180-mile trail from Fulton, Arkansas, to Nacogdoches named for smuggler, trader, and horse racing gambler, Nicholas Trammel.

made a solid path on foot or on horseback. Trammel’s Trace crossed the Sabine at the point where Rusk, Panola, and Harrison counties connect. Francis Ramsdale’s ferry crossing there in 1835 was likely little used.

The Sabine River crossing of Trammel’s Trace was atop a lignite base which

From about 1819 into the 1850s, Trammel’s Trace was the primary route for entry into Texas for Anglo immigrants coming by way of Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, and Arkansas. After Texas statehood in 1845, the population of East Texas grew substantially, and roads began to spring up all around.

son’s Ferry. The crossing is now on Corps of Engineers land at the upper end of Wright Patman Lake. Most historians now believe that where I stood was the same place that Spanish explorer Luis de Moscoso Alvarado crossed in 1542 while he was wandering across the landscape.

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contraband and commerce in the middle of the piney woods. After Anglo immigration escalated in 1821 following the formation of Austin’s colony, hundreds of people passed through East Texas on their way farther south.

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SCALE OF MILES 0 10

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TRAMMEL continued from page 19 was a reminder of diary accounts I read about the mix of people camped out waiting for flood waters to recede. Now I get chill bumps when I simply talk about those places. The ground in seven Texas counties contains the main path of Trammel’s Trace — Bowie, Cass, Marion, Harrison, Rusk, Panola, and Nacogdoches. Another leg of the trail originated at Pecan Point in what is now Red River County. Down the 180-mile route of Trammel’s Trace there are known indicators for the route as it existed in the early 1800s. In many of the Original Texas Land Surveys, often called headright surveys, the field crews noted where Trammel’s Trace crossed the boundary of the land grant. Those survey calls are the foundation of my mapping of Trammel’s Trace. They continue as reference points even though evidence of the trail at those markers is largely lost over time due to farming, cultivation, timber operations, or other modern improvements. In between those known points, both the terrain and remaining ruts in the landscape are clues to the trail’s course. Using the survey calls to re-imagine the trail is like working on a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle with only 100 of the pieces. Not every depression in the landscape is a historic road. Using old maps and the topography as guides, the known points provide linear integrity to the necessary groundtruthing required to affirm the path. Searching for those remains is part of my life work still today. With the publication of my book, Trammel’s Trace — The First Road to Texas from the North in 2016, that effort engaged historians, landowners, Trammel descendants, and fellow “rut nuts” in finding what is still left on the landscape. Though most of the route is on private land, some of the ruts are still visible from public roadways. A short segment of double ruts south of Maud in Bowie County shows a feature seen often along old trails, perhaps an example of a turnout around an eroded path. A deep swale just north of Avinger, in Marion County between Hughes Springs and Jefferson,

Historian and author Gary L. Pinkerton captures the story of an old East Texas roadway in his book, Trammel’s Trace, The First Road to Texas. Photo by Jay Dew, Texas A&M University Press

illustrates how use over time can wear down the trail below ground level. Shadows of an old road across a pasture just east of Dalton in western Cass County on Highway 77 are easily recognizable from the roadway. Existing roads down the same corridor used by Trammel’s Trace are easily driven to provide a sense of the landscape. Visible ruts along those current roads often expose the old trail weaving back and forth across a newer, straighter road. A 1992 poem titled “An Old-Fashioned Song” by John Hollander was set to music by The Eagles in their 2008 song “No More Walks in the Wood.” Their ethereal harmonies capture Hollander’s recognition of the fate of old roads. No more walks in the wood: The trees have all been cut Down, and where once they stood Not even a wagon rut Appears along the path Low brush is taking over.

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By learning about the history of Trammel’s Trace and through landowner efforts to preserve what still remains, the legacy of the people who made pathways across East Texas can be preserved. The First People, Spanish explorers, and the ancestors of many Texans traveled down Trammel’s Trace leaving their footprints and their memories behind. More details about the route of Trammel’s Trace is available in the form of a Google Maps reference that allows a driver’s smartphone to identify where modern roads crossed Trammel’s Trace. A free download of a map of Trammel’s Trace is also available. A guide to locating these ruts, as well as historical markers about Trammel’s Trace, are all found at www.trammelstrace.com. Gary L. Pinkerton is the author of two books on East Texas history, Trammel’s Trace — The First Road to Texas from the North, and True Believers — The Treasure Legend of Hendricks Lake. He is currently working on a history of Spanish colonial East Texas focusing on 1773-1813. For more information go to www.trammelstrace.com.

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play Between County Line eEditions, read more about the people, places, and things that make the Upper East Side of Texas the best place to live, dream, and explore. Includes events, attractions, articles, food, drinks, arts, culture, lifestyle, entertainment, people profiles, and more. Go to www.CountyLineMagazine.com and click on SUBSCRIBE to find the WEEKLY or email your address to info@countylinemagazine.com with WEEKLY in the subject line. For assistance, call (903) 312-9556.

MAY / JUNE 2022 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 21

THIS TIME OF YEAR MAY 29, 1977

JUNE 27, 1930

Ross Perot Learned Business Acumen in Texarkana Naval Academy as a Midshipman that year on his 19th birthday. He met Margot Birmingham during his senior year, then shipped out on the USS Sigourney as a junior officer in the U.S. Navy in 1953 at the end of the Korean War. The couple married in 1956 and had five children together. They moved to Dallas in 1957 after Perot accepted a sales job with International Business Machines where he beat sales quotas for five years. He started EDS after he saw that businesses needed help implementing software and programming operations for their new hardware. EDS continued gaining clients such as FritoLay and state Medicare contracts. Perot sold the company to General Motors for $2.4 billion in 1984.

Photo by Allan Warren

H. Ross Perot is known for founding two successful companies, Electronic Data Systems (EDS) in 1962 and Perot Systems in 1988. He also ran a successful independent campaign for president in 1992 and 1996. Perot garnered 19 percent of the popular vote in the first election but lost to Bill Clinton both times. Perot was born in Texarkana on June 27, 1930, and began learning his business acumen from his father who was a cotton trader during the Depression. He began selling seeds and saddles, training horses, and delivering newspapers. He learned to negotiate for himself and became an Eagle Scout at age 13 in roughly 13 months. Perot graduated Texas High School, Texarkana, in 1947 and Texarkana Junior College in 1949. He joined the U.S.

Perot founded Perot Systems with son Ross Perot Jr. and eight others in 1988. The company specialized in digitizing medical records and eventually employed 24,000 in 25 countries. Dell acquired Perot Systems in 2009 for $3.9 billion. Perot Sr. was a lifetime advocate for veterans and prisoners of war. He gained fame in 1979 during the Iran Hostage Crisis for organizing and funding the rescue of two EDS employees imprisoned in Iran. In honor of Perot’s 80th birthday (2010), the bridge connecting Walton and University drives in Texarkana, Texas, was named the H. Ross Perot Bridge. The Perot Museum of Nature and Science, Dallas, founded in 2006, was named in honor of Perot and his wife Margot, by their children through a $50 million gift to establish the museum. Perot died July 9, 2019, in Dallas at age 89.

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VIDEO

 Steve Miller Band Releases 10th Album The Steve Miller Band released their 10th album Book of Dreams May 29, 1977, which topped the charts just a year after their breakout album Fly Like An Eagle in 1976. Book of Dreams peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Top 200 charts and features the hit singles “Jungle Love,” “Threshold,” “Jet Airliner,” and “Swingtown.” Miller spent his formative years in Dallas where he attended high school and learned to play guitar. He learned his blues-rock style from guitar legends Les Paul and T-Bone Walker while playing in local clubs. In 1964 Miller headed to Chicago to play in the blues scene and later moved to San Francisco where his music became part of the counterculture scene. After six decades and more than 18 albums, Miller was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020. He continues to perform many popular hits in concerts and on television. He recently released the albums Welcome to the Vault in 2019 and Breaking Ground Live! in 2021. Read more in the County Line archives about Miller’s early years in the Upper East Side of Texas by searching Steve Miller on www.countylinemagazine. com.

MAY 8, 1928

MAY 4, 1972

Happy 50th Birthday Chris Tomlin sic from his father at an early age and wrote his first song at 14. He graduated from Grand Saline High School in 1990 and later completed degrees at Tyler Junior College and Texas A&M University where he led worship services. Since that time Tomlin released 11 albums, often collaborating with other artists. Today Tomlin is one of the most influential contemporary Christian musicians and has sold 7.5 million albums and more than 10 million digital downloads. He continues writing, performing, and producing music and leading live worship events. He lives with his wife Lauren and three daughters in Franklin, Tennessee.

A 37-foot “Bo head” fiberglass bust formerly stood in front of the Pilgrim’s factory along U.S. Highway 271 between Pittsburg and Mount Pleasant. Photo by

Carol M. Highsmith, Library of Congress

Remembering Bo Pilgrim Alfred Lonnie “Bo” Pilgrim was born May 8, 1928. Bo and his brother Aubrey started Pilgrim’s Pride in 1946 when they opened a feed store in Pittsburg, Texas. Bo became CEO after Aubrey’s death in 1966. Pilgrim’s Pride continued growing and became one of the nation’s largest chicken producers. After a company buyout the headquarters moved to Colorado and Bo retired in 2010. Bo later started Pilgrim Bank in Pittsburg and Mount Pleasant. The bank added more than a dozen branches before his death at age 89 on July 21, 2017. Many are still in operation today with branches in Pittsburg, Mount Pleasant, Sulphur Springs, Wichita Falls and surrounding areas, and the Texas Panhandle.

Christian contemporary musician Christopher Dwayne Tomlin was born May 4, 1972, in Grand Saline to parents Donna and Connie Tomlin. He celebrates his 50th birthday this year. Tomlin learned to sing and play mu-

Tomlin’s hometown honors him with a billboard and a section of memorabilia in its downtown Salt Palace Museum. See more on www.grandsalinesaltpalace.com.

MAY 8, 2022 A DAY FOR ALL MOTHERS

Bo and his wife Patty were philanthropists who funded construction of the Patty and Bo Pilgrim Cancer Center in Mount Pleasant and the Patty and Bo Pilgrim Chapel at Dallas Baptist University. They also financed the Prayer Tower along Highway 11 in Pittsburg with Indiana limestone, a chapel, and a 75-foot tower with four Placard Bells from France. Pilgrim’s foundation recently donated $1.45 million for a new building project called the Pilgrims’ Community Center in Mount Pleasant. The purpose of the center is to support communities where the company operates and employees live. Read more about the new center in County Line eMagazine.

Chris and Lauren Tomlin started a nonprofit organization called Angel Armies in 2019 to help vulnerable children, families, and foster parents in the U.S. In 2021 they changed the organization’s name to For Others to gain more partners in their mission of securing safe homes for thousands of children each year. For information about the organization visit www.forothers.com.

Confederate soldiers after the Civil War. After Jarvis’ death in 1905, her daughter Anna initiated a letter writing campaign and in 1914 finally persuaded President Woodrow Wilson to declare the second Sunday of May of each year as Mother’s Day.

This year Mother’s Day falls on Sunday, May 8. The special day that honors mothers and grandmothers has roots that go back to 1868 when Anna Marie Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia started Mothers’ Friendship Day to promote harmony among moms of Union and

Today many people honor mothers for their sacrifices in raising children and caring for family members. People treat moms with special meals or afternoon teas, floral bouquets, greeting cards, or chocolates. According to AboutFlowers. com, Mother’s Day is the third most popular holiday for giving flower bouquets behind Valentine’s Day and Christmas/ Chanukah.

MAY / JUNE 2022 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 23

LIFESTYLE & ENTERTAINMENT

Check the County Line eMagazine for extensive list of events and things to do. www.countylinemagazine.com

Nacogdoches Festival Paints The Town Blue The biggest, bluest festival in the state is the Texas Blueberry Festival June 10 and 11 in Nacogdoches. This year’s 32nd annual city-wide celebration of the annual blueberry harvest attracts roughly 19,000 people to the historic downtown. The festival begins Friday with two events, a quilt show at Fredonia Hills Baptist Church from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and a Blueberry Bluegrass Concert in the Park from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Festival Park in downtown Nacogdoches. This year’s concert features Little Roy and Lizzy of Georgia, The Baker Family of Missouri, Catahoula Drive of Louisiana, and the region’s own rising talent trio — the Gent Mountain Grassburs. Saturday’s events begin at 8 a.m. with a blueberry pancake breakfast sponsored by the Kiwanis Club and a Running of the Blueberries 5K. At Cookin’ Up the Blues at 10 a.m. local chefs demonstrate a blueberry-inspired recipe. There’s also

a washer board tournament, a True Blue Pet Parade, A Blueberry Cupcake Battle, a blueberry pie-eating contest, blueberry picking, blueberry lemonade, a car show, live music on three stages, a kids’ zone with inflatables and a dunking booth, and lots of shopping.

Food vendors sell a variety of treats including sausage on a stick, funnel cake, snow cones, barbecue, and of course, blueberries. The festival is free to attend but some events require a fee. Call (936) 560-5533 or visit www.tbf.nacogdoches. org for information.

Craft The Night Away in Downtown Sherman Craft the Night Away is downtown Sherman’s craft beer tasting from more than 20 breweries from 5 to 10 p.m. June 11. Ticket holders receive a souvenir tasting glass for sampling eight different beers, ciders, and meads — 24 ounces total — from the breweries’ seasonal and local selections.

Photo by Meritt Thomas

The event also features artisan crafts, food trucks, and two performance stages with live music. The Travis Street stage is dedicated to a fiddlers competition while the Crockett Street stage features Jim Stewart from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and In Rare Form from 8 to 10 p.m. Admission to the fiddling contest is free of charge. Lawn chairs are encouraged at the courthouse square. No outside food or drinks are allowed. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the gate. For information or to purchase tickets online visit www.downtownsherman.com. 24 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • MAY / JUNE 2022

Hopkins County Hosts Dairy Fest

Photo by Hector Maldonado

Hopkins County proudly celebrates all things dairy from June 10 to 18. Dairy is the area’s primary agricultural product and the festival takes place in Sulphur Springs — both the county seat and home to the Southwest Dairy Museum and corporate office at 1210 Houston Street. Since 1959 the festival celebrates the impact of dairy farming on the local economy and honors those who work in the industry. Festivities begin with a Hot Air Balloon Rally and Flight, the Dairy Festival Parade, and a 5k Milk Run. Other activities include a Dairy Foods Show, a Junior Dairy Livestock Show, an Ice Cream Freeze Off, a cooking contest known as the Whipped Challenge, the Dairy Festival Scholarship Pageant and coronation, a carnival, and a milking contest. The museum is also a popular attraction that shows all facets of milk production from the farm kitchen to modern manufacturing. It also features an oldfashioned soda bar with ice cream treats, light lunches, and a souvenir shop. For information visit www.hopkinscountydairyfestival.com or call (903) 8850061.

Annual Alabama-Coushatta Powwow Continues at Oldest Texas Reservation The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe is hosting its 52nd Annual Powwow June 3 and 4. The oldest Indian reservation in Texas convenes at Reservation Ballpark in the heart of the Big Thicket after a two-year pandemic hiatus. The event features dancing and drum competitions with dozens of costumed dancers in full regalia. It draws hundreds of participants and leaders from Texas and around the U.S. The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe’s 26-acre Lake Tombigbee Campground offers

more than 100 overnight camping, RV sites, and cabins near the lake. Activities include hiking along nature trails, swimming, watercraft rental, and fishing. The nearby Naskila Gaming Center casino offers 800 electronic gaming devices and a full-service restaurant. Reservation Ballpark is located between Livingston and Woodville, Texas, on U.S. Highway 190. For information visit www. alabama-coushatta.com or call (936) 563-1100.

MAY / JUNE 2022 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 25

Caddo Lake State Park Perfect for Paddling The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department calls Caddo Lake State Park one of the state’s best parks “perfect for paddling.” The park offers 10 paddling trails covering 50 miles along the lake’s expansive 39-square-mile area. Paddling trails twist and turn through sloughs, swamps, and bayous. Paddlers use life jackets, and paddles, and small watercraft such as canoes, kayaks, or stand-up paddle boards. Paddling gear can be brought from home or rented from park headquarters and local outfitters. Participants are advised to bring a water bottle, hat, and sunblock. Other popular activities include fishing, geocaching, camping, hiking, and birdwatching. The lake is home to an array of aquatic wildlife — including alligators and paddlefish. Campsites, screened shelters, and historic cabins are available for overnight accommodations. For reservations call (512) 389-8900 or visit www.tpwd.texas.gov.

Tomato Fest Hosts Ripe Juicy Fun in Jacksonville Every second week in June, Jacksonville, Texas, becomes Tomatoville as the city celebrates its favorite red produce. The 38th Annual Tomato Fest kicks off from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 11, with food, vendors, contests, a farmers market, and music along five blocks of Commerce Street in downtown Jacksonville. Contests include tomato eating, peeling, and packing and separate competitions for best salsa, best homegrown, and tomato poster art contest. For entertainment there’s a talent show, car show, tennis and soccer tournaments, a history display, and from 7-11 p.m. the Chili’s Grill & Bar 16th Annual Street Dance. For information visit www.jacksonvilletexas.com or call (903) 586-2217.

26 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • MAY / JUNE 2022

VISIT

Gun Barrel City ...Shootin' Straight for 50 Years

Come Stay & Play. We Aim to Please!

J U LY F E S T Gun Barrel City Park

SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2022

CONCERTS • FIREWORKS

903.887.1087 • www.gunbarrelcity.net

MAY / JUNE 2022 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 27

28 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • MAY / JUNE 2022

Shop Historic Downtown Canton The Canton Square Offers Fun Shopping and Dining Destination By Krista Leard Beyond the few days of the monthly First Monday Trade Days, a visible revitalization to historic downtown Canton is welcoming shopping enthusiasts to experience its small-town charm anytime throughout the year. Visitors find plenty of choices for dining, shopping, a pocket park, and even overnight accommodations. Stores in downtown Canton offer a variety of items for all kinds of shopping tastes. Home decor, clothing, and gifts are found at the long-standing Hillard Furniture and in shops that joined in the past few years including Serendipity Consignment Boutique, Southern Accents, The Rustic Rose, Bombshells, The Rustik, Canton Dish & Decor, and The Rancher’s Wife. Several antique, vintage, and collectible stores include Fitzgerald Antiques, Reminisce Antiques, Timeless Treasures, and East Texas Pickin’s. The newest gift shop is Mad House & Co., a rustic-themed in-house candle studio. Owner April de la Fuente offers custom candle scents and other products including wax melts, body soaps and lotions, oils, skin care, clothing, and an assortment of snacks, hot sauces, and wines. Shoppers find the clothing racks for some stylish shirts, leggings, and sweaters on the clothing racks in ladies, men, and kids’ sizes. Two other new stores offer just the right selections for bookworms and dragon slayers. S-n-J Comics is a nerd haven some say, like something out of a fictional story; deceptively small on the outside, with a maze of rooms and shelves on the inside. Filled to the brim with comics, Pop! Figurines, toys, and board games, the shop also hosts Dungeons & Dragons sessions on Friday nights. A Wicked Read (opposite page) and Southern Pop (above) are welcome additions to the shopping and dining offerings in historic downtown Canton. Photos by

Krista Leard

A Wicked Read immediately greets guests with calm lighting and 16-foot custommade shelves stacked floor to ceiling with hundreds of books. Owner Genevieve West shares her passion for books with a wide variety in all genres, including local and budding authors. Online purchases are also available. A Wicked Read hosts monthly book club meetings. For a little “pick me up,” shoppers enjoy healthy smoothies, energy teas, and protein snacks at TradeUp Nutrition and coffee lovers enjoy The Pony Expresso located in a revamped bank drive-thru. The Donut Corner is a popular morning stop for locals and visitors alike.

and pickles. They also sell plenty of delicious pet treats made from chicken, beef, or turkey. Gift baskets for friends and family and special occasions are favorite sellers. A local favorite stop for sweets as well as a good lunch is Latham Bakery. Other downtown dining that gets high ratings are Val’s Italian Restaurant, The Kickin Mule, 3D’s Pizza, JT2 Gourmet Burgers, and Ochoa’s and Robles Mexican cafes. For overnight accommodations, The Dragonfly Inn is located on the square and numerous hotels, resorts, and bed and breakfasts are just minutes away.

A new snack shop on the square is Southern Pop where guests find a variety of homemade gourmet popcorn in flavors ranging from sweet cotton candy to savory cheddar cheese. Owner Tanya Watkins shares Texas-made products, which includes a wonderful selection of Blue Bell Ice Cream and Texas Dublin Sodas combined for a delicious Southern float.

Besides First Monday Trade Days, special events take place throughout the year in historic downtown Canton. A farmers’ market is held every Saturday morning from April through October. Other activities include live music, holiday and seasonal events, fun runs, outdoor movies, and street dances.

She also offers a wide selection of canned goods such as homemade salsas, jellies,

Visit www.cantonmainstreet.org for details or call (903) 567-1851.

MAY / JUNE 2022 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 29

COMING SOON! Winnsboro Center for the Arts

Art Exhibit Prelude & Promise: Through June 11

Winnsboro Festival of Books 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 7

C&C Show w/Mary Dibbern Classical Series May 8

Beat Root Revival Concert May 14

The Kingston Trio

Concerts June 5 4 p.m & 7:30 p.m.

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Detail of Lady with Trout (1998) by Charles Criner

Student / Teacher Works by Charles Criner & Dr. John Biggers

May 15 - August 14 Tyler Museum of Art 1300 South Mahon Avenue • Tyler, TX www.tylermuseum.org

From Speckled Crow Media Coming Soon

Small Towns & Cultural Districts promises simple reading pleasure and compelling photographs, as well as a perfect guide to hit the road and step into authentic experiences found only in the Upper East Side of Texas.

www.SpeckledCrow.com

MAY / JUNE 2022 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 31

ARTS + CULTURE

Communities Take Art to the Streets

Art walks and other outdoor arts events are drawing people to the region’s downtowns for shopping and entertainment. Visitors enjoy meeting local artists and watching them as they create. ArtWalk Longview is a free, self-guided tour of downtown business venues exhibiting and selling art. The goal is to exhibit the artists and attract more people to downtown Longview to enjoy museums, restaurants, and businesses that are

open. The event has grown and is now the flagship event of the ARTS!Longview Cultural District. Longview continues its 2022 art walks on July 7, October 6, and December 8 with demonstrations by artists, street music performances, and food trucks. Visit www.artwalklongview.com for more information. Palestine’s Dogwood Arts Council holds

Longivew is one of several towns in the Upper East Side of Texas bringing the arts outdoors. Photo by

A.L. O. Photography

art walks the first Saturday of each month through December 3, 2022. Local and regional artists exhibit their works inside downtown businesses. Many set up canvases and other materials to demonstrate their art to visitors to the downtown area. Art Walks are free of charge and encourage visitors to tour the city’s outdoor Art Tracks sculpture exhibit along the historic Main Street district. Visit www. dogwoodartscouncil.com or call (903) 922-5794 for information.

A Sense of Place

TEXAS LANDSCAPE ART QUILTS | JAN 22 - MAY 21

215 E. Tyler St. Longview, TX 75601

Transformation

In the Wild World of Mark Nesmith A RETROSPECTIVE | JUN 4 - SEP 24

903.753.8103

LMFA.org

Admission is Free for Members, $5 for Guests. Visit the website for exhibit details. 32 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • MAY / JUNE 2022

Tyler Museum of Art presents free popup art experiences titled Off The Walls this summer. Families can participate in free art activities on Tuesdays and Thursdays in various locations in historic downtown Tyler. Visit www.tylermuseum.org or call (903) 595-1001 for information.

Nature Takes Center Stage at PDNB Gallery PDNB (Photographs Do Not Bend) Gallery features two solo exhibitions celebrating new works by photographer and birder Cheryl Medow and ceramic artist Robert Milnes. The exhibit runs through July 2. Medow’s stunning first solo exhibition in the gallery is titled Envisioning Habitat: An Altered Reality and features photographs of birds in foreign landscapes. Her process involves traveling to local and international locations where she photographs many bird species. She next uses photographic technology in her studio to place the birds in an imagined landscape. None of these feathered friends find themselves in their true environment in the final composition. For example, a beautiful sleeping great

egret is found with tropical trees in the background under a dramatic night sky with the starry Milky Way. In another photograph, a crowned crane is seen perched on a snarled tree stump, seemingly focused on calling to its mate. The misty background of grassy shores of what looks to be a river under a blue sky contrasts with the crane's vivid black, white, and red feathers. Medow’s photographs have been exhibited in the Ogden Museum, New Orleans; The Wildling Museum, Solvang, California; and the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Chicago. Milnes' solo show is titled Sea What I Think and features work created recently. His inspiration was kindled on a 2021 trip to the Yucatan peninsula where he

found pieces of dead coral on the beach with an intriguing organic and modular form. The artist engages his works with ideas by the Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein by incorporating his seven propositions, sometimes as titles for his ceramic sculptures. Milnes has exhibited extensively in group and solo exhibitions throughout his career, including the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, the Northwest Craft Center, Seattle, and the Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans. His works are in the collections of the Arizona State University, Ceramics Research Center, Tempe, Arizona, and the Erie Art Museum, Erie, Pennsylvania, and other private, corporate, and public collections. Milnes is Dean Emeritus of the College of Visual Arts and Design at University of North Texas in Denton. For information visit www.pdnbgallery. com or call (214) 969-1852. (left) “Great Egret” by Cheryl Medow; (below) “Propositions” by Robert Milnes.

MAY / JUNE 2022 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 33

‘Transformation’ Shows Duality in Nesmith’s Art Longview Museum of Fine Arts (LMFA) is showing the works of South Texas artist Mark Nesmith from June 4 to September 24 in an exhibit titled Transformation in the Wild World of Mark Nesmith: A Retrospective. Nesmith’s art offers two distinct styles that show his preference for variety and transformation. In one style he uses thick brushstrokes to capture impressionist landscapes and waterways common to the scenery of his native South Texas. “Cattail” (bottom) contrasts a warmly-lit pastel sunset in the sky and its reflection on a lake water against darker bluishgreen forms of trees and plants on land. “Breaking Through” (middle right) shows an intimate seascape with texture that blends effortlessly with features in the sky and waves. The second style combines natural forms with human objects to evoke dry humor. In a painting titled “PBJ Careless Love” (middle left) a jellyfish wraps its tentacles around a jar of JIF peanut butter. In a painting titled “The Struggle Is Real,”(top) a pig nibbles a slice of pizza while standing motionless on a treadmill. The exhibition is made possible in part by the City of Longview, the Cultural Activities Advisory Commission, and LMFA members and sponsors. For more information visit www.lmfa.org or call (903) 753-8217.

34 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • MAY / JUNE 2022

Photo by Johan Persson

Greenville Family Theater Performs Disney’s Mary Poppins Greenville Family Theater performs Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins July 8 to 9 and July 15 to 16 at the Greenville Municipal Auditorium. The musical — based on books by P.L. Travers and the classic Disney film — delighted Broadway audiences at 2,500 performances.

Bert is a jack-of-all-trades who introduces England in 1910 and the troubled Banks family. Young Jane and Michael have sent many nannies packing before Mary Poppins arrives. She teaches the family to value each other again with a little magic, common sense, and a spoonful of sugar. Poppins takes the children on many ad-

ventures but they’re not the only ones on whom she leaves an impression. Even grown-ups also learn from her wise saying, “Anything can happen if you let it.” Doors open 45 minutes prior to each performance. Tickets are $10 to $25. For information and tickets visit www.showtimeatthegma.com.

Downtown Tyler Film Festival Returns to Liberty Hall Downtown Tyler Film Festival returns from June 9 to 12 in Liberty Hall at 103 East Erwin Street in historic downtown Tyler after being held virtually during the pandemic. Audience members praise the classic theater setting and the fest’s emphasis on short films. The festival shows recent films that are 15 minutes or less and suitable for general audiences. Filmmakers from all over the world compete for a place in the show but preference for prizes is given to independent artists from the region. Categories include Young Filmmakers, International, and Texas Shorts. The final evening features a wrap-up called Best of the Fest. Tickets and information are available at www.libertytyler.com or www.TylerFilmFest.com or call (903) 595-7274. MAY / JUNE 2022 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 35

211 Gallery Celebrates 10th Anniversary Two Exhibits Focus on Connecting Threads of Inspiration

36 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • MAY / JUNE 2022

211 Gallery in Athens celebrates its 10th anniversary in June with two exhibits. Founders and Friends opens with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. June 4 and the exhibit continues through June 30. Founders features works by the small group of artists who opened the nonprofit gallery and kept it going its first year. Inspirations opens with an 11 a.m. brunch reception June 11 with an opportunity to meet the artists from 5 to 7 p.m. The theme calls for works related to experiences, artists, sights, or encouragement that have inspired the artists. Inspirations runs through August 13. Gallery Director Virginia Reeder says the two exhibits are related. “The founders were inspired to make a place to celebrate and promote a fine art community. They, in turn, inspired so many others to create, demonstrate, participate, and educate within that community,” Reeder says. “Art Gallery 211 is going strong in fulfilling those purposes. Ten years and thriving is an accomplishment for a small local gallery and we are thankful for our artists, our patrons, our visitors, and our communities.” The gallery offers live music and artist demonstrations on Saturdays in June as part of its 10th anniversary celebration. For information about 211 Gallery visit www.artgallery211.net or call (903) 292-1746. Some of the works featured in the Founders and Friends exhibit opening June 10 include (opposite page, clockwise) “Chapter One” by Celene Terry, “Under a Starry Sky” by Thalla Barentine, “Pearls and Apples” by Toni Stanford, “Stevie” by Steve Willis, and (right) “Vision of an Angel” by Sue Lynn Trent.

MAY / JUNE 2022 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 37

LITERARY

Winnsboro Hosts Annual Festival of Books

Winnsboro Festival of Books 2022 takes place May 7 with activities at Winnsboro Center for the Arts (WCA) and on Market Street in downtown Winnsboro. The festival is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Children’s Literature Author Panel Discussion during the 2021 Winnsboro Festival of Books featured (above l-r) Michael Anthony Steele, Nancy Churnin, Mary Brooke Casad, and Rosie J. Pova. Churnin returns as moderator this year. Her husband, Michael Granberry (below) is keynote speaker. Courtesy photos.

Author panels discuss a variety of genres while children’s activities take place throughout the day including hosting children’s authors, a story walk, storytime art activities, a bookmark design contest, and free books for children. There are activities for people with special needs and their families including a community drum circle and an author panel that explores related books. The keynote address is delivered by Dallas Morning News Arts and Feature Writer, Michael Granberry, who talks about his new book, Hole in the Roof. Evening entertainment includes a “Spoken Word” presentation featuring Billy Henderson at 7 p.m. The mission of WCA’s annual book festival is to bring readers and writers together to share in a myriad of adventures that books offer as they expand knowledge, spark imagination, and encourage life-long learning for people of all ages. View the full schedule of events at www.winnsborocenterforthearts.com/literary_events. 38 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • MAY / JUNE 2022



POETRY

Yesterday Cold and Clear

The maple leaves settle on the cold, clear surface -So cold, ice forms along the waterline – So clear, I can see your hair float up from the bottom Like auburn moss. I want to dive in after you – I do, But my feet are planted like roots on the rocky bank. It wasn’t my idea for you to climb the sheer granite wall. I knew you’d had too much to drink, Like you always do. I grabbed your arm and tried to stop you, But you cursed me and pulled away, Like you always do. You made it halfway up before you began to slip. You looked incredulous at first as your fingers and toes Made their futile attempts to gain purchase. Then you began to fall, your arms and legs flailing. No cry for help, no last “I love you” or “I hate you.” Just the inevitable splash. But first a crack – a distinct crack As your head hit the half-submerged boulder, Leaving behind some hair and blood.

I am adrift, alone today But I must no longer endure the pain, The pain that I felt yesterday Yesterday, my friend James was here And we were both filled with great fear We both were weak and things looked bleak But I am adrift, alone today And I no longer feel the pain Yesterday, my friend James was here But by dusk he was dead The pain was too much So he left, he fled And I am adrift alone today I no longer feel the pain That pain was too much for James And the pain was too much for Andy Byrne And so it was then my turn To succumb to the pain Just like James and Andy Byrne But I no longer feel the pain The pain that I felt yesterday

Could I reach you in the icy water? Maybe, but I can’t move. My feet are planted like roots on the rocky bank. Jill Hobbs Winnsboro

When Andy left, I was not alone I was adrift as one in a duo First Andy, then James, now I I knew it was my turn to die But since I am adrift today, alone today I have stopped that evil pain That pain of hunger, I feel it no longer

Leavings

There was a cricket in my daughter’s tub, I saw him two days running, Creeping rather, wands twitching lightly. What can there be to live on In a white porcelain tub?

With Andy we did what sailors should In fact, we did all that we could We shoved that poor man overboard

Perhaps something left of her nourishing him. He scuttles to another spot: another morsel? He seems content with her meager leavings, Sustained for how many days til she returns.

Because with James I did what no one should But my decision, it was good For with nothing to lose and all to gain I put an end to that horrible pain

I go around the house finding a sock, Or a long blonde hair by the sink, Scraps of scrawled paper, the odd barrette, Scuttling a bit myself, Sustained by her thin residue.

That pain of hunger, I feel it no longer

Edward H. Garcia Murchison

We all felt starvation, but I’ve found elation

I am adrift, alone today And must, no longer, endure the pain The pain that I felt yesterday Katrina Reed Wills Point MAY / JUNE 2022 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 39

MUSIC

Check the County Line eMagazine for extensive list of events and things to do. www.countylinemagazine.com

Denison Hosts Music Series Main Street Denison is hosting a free series of live music concerts called Music on Main every Friday night at 7:30 p.m., May 27 through July 29, at Forest Park in downtown. Food and drink are available from vendors located on-site and concerts air on Facebook Live for music fans who cannot attend in person.

VIDEO

 Sulphur Springs Celebrates Freedom With Concert

The series features many Texas musicians performing Americana, Country-Western, and Blues. Artists include Crystal Yates, Jimmie Vaughan, Corb Lund, Wynn Williams, Justin Ross, Greg Guymon, Local Legends, The Derailers, Joshua Ray Walker, Marcia Ball, and The Frontmen of Country. For information visit www.DenisonLive.com or call (903) 464-4452.

VIDEO

 VIDEO

Celebration Plaza comes to life with free music and fireworks this year Saturday, July 2. The Northeast Texas Symphony Orchestra performs patriotic marches and other classical hits. The evening ends with a fireworks display above the Hopkins County Courthouse. For information visit www. sulphurspringstx.org or call (903) 885-6515.



Grammy-winning Texas blues guitarist Jimmie Vaughan performs at Denison’s Music on Main series Friday, June 3, with Oliver White. Courtesy photo

Wildflower Returns Wildflower Arts & Music Festival takes place in Richardson May 20-22. An extensive music lineup includes Susan Gibson (left), Ginny Mac, Steve Seskin, Bettysoo, Jamie Lin Wilson, Jason Eady, 5 Second Rule, The Wailers, Landsharks, Toadiess, Neon Trees, Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights, Collective Soul, American, Authors, and Ryan Shupe & The Rubberband. For tickets and more information on the music, artists, food, and other activities, visit www.wildflowerfestival.com. Photo by Dave Hensley

LIVE MUSIC EVERY WEEK UPPER EAST SIDE OF TEXAS

www.CountyLineMagazine.com/Live-Music 40 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • MAY / JUNE 2022

Athens Prepares for Old Fiddlers Reunion The longest running fiddle contest and reunion takes place around the square in downtown Athens this year May 27 and 28. Besides the jams, guests find a carnival, car show, street dances, and a chili cook-off. Concerts are also scheduled featuring Jake Penrod and the Million Dollar Cowboys and Jody Nix & The Texas Cowboys. Get more information (903) 675-5131.

Mount Vernon Music Presents ‘Change and Endurance’ and Children’s Concert Benedikt Brydern

presents

CHANGE & ENDURANCE Saturday, May 21, 7:30 p.m.

Mount Vernon Music (MVM) concludes its concert season with “Change And Endurance” from 7:30 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 21, at the Mount Vernon Music Association performance hall. The May 21 concert follows MVM’s year-long theme of perseverance and hope through the pandemic. The performance pairs string music with double bass in selections by Dvořák, Samuel Barber, and William Grant Still and the premiere of a jazzy score with clarinet composed for MVM by Benedikt Brydern. Players include Ivan Petruzziello, clarinet; Mark Miller and Yuko Mansell, violins; Ute Miller, viola; Laura Ospina, cello; Jack Unzicker, bass. Tickets to the concert are $10 for MVM members, $15 for non-members, and $5 for college students with valid ID. Admission for children through high school is free. Additional performances are scheduled to occur at 2:30 p.m. Sunday,

Quinn Mason

Mark and Ute Miller of the Mount Vernon Music Association host and perform a children’s concert each year. The painting behind them was commissioned for their performance of The Town Musicians by composer Benedikt Bryden. Photo by Lisa Tang

Music by William Grant Still, Samuel Barber, Antonin Dvorak and the premiere of The Overtones by Benedikt Brydern with Ivan Petruzziello, clarinet and strings.

May 22, and at 7:30 p.m. Monday, May 23 at other locations. The children’s concert at 2 p.m. Monday, June 6 at MVM performance hall features music written for the organization by Quinn Mason, a young Dallas composer whose music is performed by major orchestras and arts groups across North America. MVM is a nonprofit organization that offers traditional chamber music, jazz, and other styles plus interactive performances and visual arts. Its musical ensembles also perform outreach concerts at area schools, summer reading clubs, and nursing homes. MVM is beginning its 16th season of bringing live musical performances to rural communities and underserved populations in the Upper East Side of Texas. For more information visit online at www.mountvernonmusic.org or call (903) 563-3780.

Summer Children’s Concert Monday, June 6, 2:00 p.m. PREMIERE of QUINN MASON’s

Anansi the Spider Written for MVM

903.563.3780 MOUNTVERNONMUSIC.ORG

MAY / JUNE 2022 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 41

Sidetrack in Mineola

SHOPPING

HISTORY

MUSIC IN MAY

Live Music Series Thursday 6:30-8:30 p.m.

NATURE

CHARM

MINEOL A NATURE PRESERVE

7:30 a.m. until sunset Hiking/Biking/Equestrian Trails/Disc Golf Course/Fishing www.MineolaNaturePreserve.com

IRON HORSE SQUARE

Playground, water tower, benches, train watching

RIDE THE MINI TRAIN! MINEOLA FARMERS’ MARKET

Local produce, Artisan Goods Saturday 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. May - November

MINEOLA HISTORICAL MUSEUM

114 Pacific St (Hwy. 69) (903) 569-2631 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. Thursday-Saturday

RAILROAD MUSEUM

Restored 1906 Mineola Depot 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. 7 days a week. FREE

HISTORIC SELECT THEATER

First run movies, plays, band concerts 114 N. Johnson. (903) 569-2300 www.LakeCountryPlayhouse.com

AMTRAK TEXAS EAGLE

Designated Daily Stop 1-800-669-8509

Enjoy the Great Outdoors in the Upper East Side of Texas.

f www.VisitMineola.com • 800.MINEOLA

Click on the photos for direct links to articles to learn more.

Red Barn Treasures

Read them in

Vendor Mall with Gifts, Handcrafted Items, Vintage Treasures & More

827 S. Main Street, Winnsboro (903) 975-1209 42 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • MAY / JUNE 2022

Also shop online auctions Northeast Texas Antiques & Auctions www.netxauctions.com

County Line eMagazine.

VISIT HENDERSON, TEXAS Depot Museum

514 N. High Street

Gaston Museum

Downtown Merchants invite you to shop, have fun, and rest in the Alley on Main!

See history and artifacts at the largest rural school in the world in the 1930s. Hwy 64W • (903) 722-9016 www.gastonmuseum.org

Through May 31st

City of Henderson Department of Tourism

866-650-5529

www.VisitHendersonTX.com

Rusk County Wildflower Trails

Emory, TX Let us lure you

“The Land Between the Lakes”

Emorya great place to shop while he goes fishing!

381 W. Lennon Dr. 903-473-0061

1026 E. Lennon Dr. 903-473-2022

www.emorytx.com MAY / JUNE 2022 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 43

FOOD & DRINK Add A Sweet Kick With Mango Salsa By Katie-Rose Watson Mango salsa is delicious in tacos, on grilled chicken, tossed in a rice bowl, or in a shrimp foil packet — the possibilities are endless. It’s an instant vacation. I hope you love this as much as I do to jazz up a variety of dishes. I often use mango salsa on fish tacos, which are sweet, spicy, crunchy, and great on homemade tortillas. I use tilapia but you could also use cod or any white fish. Season the flour well and pan fry until nicely golden brown for perfectly cooked fish that’s crunchy on the outside and flaky on the inside. INGREDIENTS 1 large mango 1/2 jalapeno 2 Tbsp diced red onion 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro or Italian parsley Juice of 1/2 a lime

SALSA INSTRUCTIONS Cut the cheeks off of one large mango, score cubes into each cheek, and cut the cubes away from the skin. Slice a jalapeño in half, remove the seeds, and dice half. Toss with mango cubes, diced red onion, chopped cilantro or parsley (if you don’t like or have cilantro), and the juice of half a lime. Set aside at room temperature while you make dinner or keep for several days covered in the fridge. Katie Rose-Watson is the author of the beautifully illustrated cookbook The Rose Table and the cooking and entertaining blog, www.therosetable.com. Her imaginative Disney Dinners have been featured on several national news media outlets.

Photo by Katie-Rose Watson 44 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • MAY / JUNE 2022

Strawberry Margaritas Pack a Smooth Punch

Best Steakhouse

Photo by Darling Photography

County Line Magazine Hall of Fame

By Katie-Rose Watson This recipe makes a pitcher of six margaritas. Make it when you can get really good fresh strawberries. Here in Texas, our summer season is long so even in mid-October I was able to get juicy strawberries at the store. It will make a huge difference. Do not make this in the dead of winter when you slice into a strawberry and it’s white. Don’t be afraid of the simple syrup in this recipe. It takes minutes to make. You just heat equal parts sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk until the sugar granules disappear. That’s it. I like to keep simple syrup in my fridge because it blends so much nicer than sugar. Y’all should have seen my face when I researched margarita recipes and realized how many people blend granulated sugar with strawberries and tequila and a sweetener. That sounds awfully grainy to me. Simple syrup is worth the extra step for a smooth margarita. To salt the rim, dip glasses in simple syrup, shake off excess, and dip in rimming salt. Here’s how to make strawberry margaritas.

INGREDIENTS 1 pound strawberries, hulled and rinsed

Tuesday & Wednesday

DINNER SPECIAL

1 cup tequila 1/2 cup simple syrup, recipe follows 1/4 cup Grand Marnier or favorite orange liqueur

Mixed Green Salad Choice of Fresh Fish of the Day, Ribeye Steak, or Filet Mignon Served with Whipped Potatoes and Green Beans $29.00

Top 100 American Steakhouses

Juice from 5-6 limes

INSTRUCTIONS Blend all ingredients until smooth. Let rest for three minutes. Skim off foam if desired. Serve in a salt-rimmed glass with a lime slice. Simple Syrup Heat 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar granules disappear and mixture is clear, not cloudy. Remove from heat and let cool. Store in a jar in the fridge until ready to use.

OpenTable.com

Located in a beautiful lakeside lodge at 21191 FM 47 in Wills Point,one block north of Interstate 20, Exit 516 Open Tuesday - Saturday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Available for Special Events

Make A Reservation

903.873.2225

www.fourwindssteakhouse.com MAY / JUNE 2022 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 45

Try a Citrus Twist in Guacamole Recipe By Lauren Wacaser Guacamole is a wonderful compliment to any Latin American cuisine. Its simple ingredients yield fresh flavors. Avocados are buttery and creamy and tomatoes offer a brightness while the red onion gives a little crunch. Jalapenos can be added for additional spice. For guacamole with a twist, try swapping the typical lime juice with a fresh squeezed orange. Serve with your favorite chips or alongside your favorite dish from the grill. To preserve the dip, lay plastic wrap directly on top and smooth out any air bubbles to create a tight seal. INGREDIENTS 3 ripe avocados 1/2 red onion, finely diced 2 tomatoes, chopped 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped 1 jalapeno, finely diced, optional 1 clove garlic, finely diced 1/2 fresh squeezed orange, lemon, or lime 1/2 tsp salt INSTRUCTIONS Gently mash all ingredients together until desired consistency is reached. Lauren Wacaser is the founder of “Let’s Eat Well,” featuring recipes, preparation, and discussion as she and her family create wholesome and innovative meals. She has a cookbook in the works and enjoys growing her own food, and teaching cooking and gardening classes. Her goals include inspiring others to cook at home, connect with their families and friends, and grow their own produce. See more on her “Let’s Eat Well” site.

Photo by Lauren Wacaser 46 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • MAY / JUNE 2022

El Chico Empire Began in Kaufman

Just play. Have fun. Celebrate! Downtown Dining District

Adelaida Cuellar was born in Nuevo León, Mexico, May 30, 1871, and immigrated to Texas with Macario Cuellar in 1892. The couple were married in Laredo and later moved to Kaufman County where they worked on a small farm. Adelaida began selling chili and tamales in 1926 at the county fair to supplement the income of her large family with 12 children. Two years later their sons Frank and Amos opened a restaurant in downtown Kaufman featuring their mother’s cooking. The restaurant was known as Cuellar’s Café and Adelaida became known as Mama Cuellar. In the 1930s various family members opened similar establishments around the region but none succeeded until sons Gilbert and Macario opened El Charro in Oak Lawn in 1940. The restaurant featured Mama’s best recipes and most of the family eventually moved there to work. In three years the venture was profitable and the restaurant chain known as El Chico gradually expanded to Dallas, Fort Worth, Waco, and Houston. The business expanded and diversified and began selling frozen foods in 1955. At the time of Adelaide’s death at 97 on April 13, 1969, El Chico ran 20 separate enterprises from canning to selling franchises. She is buried at Calvary Hill Cemetery in Dallas.

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MAY / JUNE 2022 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 47

903-567-6551 • dairypalace.com

November 7, 2000 was the last deathless day on Texas roadways.

May/June 2022 County Line Magazine

Articles inside

Juneteenth Advocate Opal Lee

The Art of Biggers and Criner