Historic
Spring 2020
DOWNTOWN San Angelo
BUILDING DOWNTOWN • ONE BLOCK AT A TIME Published by Grace Media for Downtown San Angelo, Inc.
SAN ANGELO, INC.
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OCTOBER 2-3, 2020 EL PASEO DE SANTA ANGELA • 213 E. AVE D
BAR-B-QUE COOK-OFF TEAM ENTRY FEE: $200
SANCTIONED BY: INTERNATIONAL BARBEQUE COOKERS ASSOCIATION
5 PLACES WITH AWARDS IN ALL THREE CATEGORIES 100% PAYOUT
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDE:
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Downtown San Angelo, Inc. Presents
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KIDS BBQ COMPETITION • LIVE MUSIC • CRAFT VENDORS
Save the Date 10/02/20
D O W N T O W N S A N A N G E L O . C O M 325.655.2345
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www.downtownsanangelo.com
Welcome to Historic Downtown San Angelo, where a mix of modern art and a Western heritage create a socially inclusive experience. Explore, play, dine, celebrate, shop, and relax with your family and friends. The words used to describe Historic Downtown San Angelo are as numerous and diverse as the people who live and visit here.
Del Velasquez Executive Director
Downtown San Angelo, Inc. 24 West Concho Avenue San Angelo, TX 76903 Phone: 325-655-2345 Fax: 325-655-1234 E-mail: director@dtsa.org
Keep up with all things Downtown by following us on FaceBook! D O W N T O W N S A N A N G E L O . C O M
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SAN ANGELO’S FAVORITE MOVING COMPANIES Two Companies
Same Owners
Angelo Apartment
MOVERS
Local Moves, Call 325-942-6683 www.angeloapartmentmovers.com
116 W 4th Street San Angelo, TX 4
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Same Excellent Service
Lone Star
Moving
Local Moving Statewide & Nationwide Moving | We Move Pianos www.lone-star-moving.com Long Distance Moves, Call 325-655-6683
Tx Dot# 536251B | US DOT# 870224 | MC381558
FEATURED ON TEXAS BUCKET LIST AND ONE OF TEXAS MONTHLY’S BEST BURGERS
26 East Concho Ave.
325-653-0570
A Steakhouse in Historic Downtown Monday - Saturday Lunch 11am to 5pm, Dinner from 5pm to 10 pm Cathouse Bar & Lounge Open from 11am until Midnight Live Music in the Bar and Lounge on Friday and Saturday Nights The legend of Miss Hattie’s goes beyond its history. Voted as one of the Best Burgers in Texas by Texas Monthly, and reputed as one of the best 21-day aged mesquite smoked rib eye steaks by our customers. Others have tried to copy Miss Hattie’s bacon-wrapped Jalapeños and crab cakes, no one has succeeded.
Miss Hattie’s Restaurant offers private and semi private rooms for your Wedding Reception, Wedding Rehearsal Dinner, Company Party, Business Meetings or Family Events including reunions, bridal and baby showers. D O W N T O W N S A N A N G E L O . C O M
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San Angelo The Largest Inland Wool Center in the World
By Becca Nelson Sankey | Contribution from Downtown San Angelo INC. Photography courtesy of Angelo State University West Texas Collection
T
he wildly popular annual Miss Wool Pageant held from 1952 to 1972 was, in many ways, a meeting of two completely different worlds: a glamorous beauty pageant replete with celebrity pop stars and emcees, and more than a dozen striking college co-eds vying for the title of Miss Wool, all in celebration of the Concho Valley’s agricultural heritage and designation as Wool Capital of the World.
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John Arden and Joseph Tweedy reportedly introduced sheep ranching to the San Angelo area in 1877, and agriculture, ranching, and oil and gas became integral to the area’s economy. According to an article in the Standard-Times, area sheep at one time generated more than one million pounds of wool a year (until a 2011 drought precipitated their decline). The pageant, sponsored by wool trade organizations, was a way to celebrate the area’s local heritage and promote wool in women’s clothing. Hosts and entertainers over the years included celebrities such as Barbara Eden of “I Dream of Jeanie,” Lyle Waggoner of “The Carol Burnett Show,” radio and TV personality Art Linkletter, game show host Art James, pop star Jane Morgan, singer and actor Frankie Avalon, and movie star Donald O’Connor. The year 1963 was a first as it was the pageant’s
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filmed color debut. A Standard-Times headline on Sept. 7, 1952 described the pageant winner as having the opportunity to become “a wool Cinderella.” Rules of the contest then were that she be a size 12 dress, 5’5”, unmarried, and between 18 and 25 years old. That year, a New York studio selected 11 finalists to compete. Awards included a wardrobe valued at $2,000 and the opportunity to promote wool apparel at various functions throughout Texas and the nation. During her rein, 1971 winner Margie Sharp visited Richard Nixon at the White House to present him a lamb shearling wool pelt. By 1958, the pageant had gone national. It was held in various locations throughout the years: the “fully air-conditioned” Sarah Barnhardt Theatre and the San Angelo Coliseum; the Great Hall of the Apparel Mart in Dallas; as well as in Odessa. A 1962 news release from the West Texas Collection’s scrapbooks said the Miss Wool of Texas Pageant winner would travel the state of Texas during the coming year and represent Texas in the Miss Wool of America Pageant in San Angelo during the spring of 1963. A news article from the Standard-Times published that same year, said the four-day pageant festivities would include a semi-formal dance for the public where contestants would model 40 wool and mohair garments. The women would also attend an instructional breakfast, wardrobe fittings, publicity photoshoot, a lakeside dinner party and a reception honoring them and the judges at the Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association Headquarters on Twohig.
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Judges included fashion designers and directors from the likes of Dallas, San Antonio and Austin. Throughout the years, other Wool Week festivities included a Boys Ranch Breakfast, church services throughout town, and a lit river parade highlighting the Miss Wool contestants. Until 1968, there were two title holders – Miss Wool of Texas, who represented the sheep industry, and Miss Mohair of the Universe, who was the ambassador for the Angora goat breeders. Sherrill Reagan of Fort Worth and Chris Hotis of San Angelo were the last two women to hold the two titles, respectively, and
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Jonni Kay Johnson of Fort Worth was the first to be named Miss Wool of America. A crowd of 6,000 flocked to the Coliseum in 1972, in what would be the pageant’s last hoorah. Barbara Ward, a Salt Lake City, Utah, native, took home the last Miss Wool crown, but it would not spell the end of sheep celebrations in San Angelo. In 2007, instead of revising the Miss Wool Pageant, Mayor Brenda Gunter devised the idea of the Sheep Spectacular, wherein sponsors (oftentimes local businesses) commission wellknown local artists to paint and customize lifesize ceramic sheep to display throughout town as a fundraiser for Downtown San Angelo, Inc.
The New Miss Wool After the purchase of several fiberglass sheep in 2007, Downtown San Angelo, Inc. made them available for sponsorships to local businesses and organizations. It became pertinent to showcase the charm of the new sheep on the town. To highlight the inaugural project and truly honor the original Miss Wool, a “pageant” was to be held with all the new sheep.
Coinciding with the annual “Art-Ober-Fest” held the weekend of October 12-13 of 2007, the weekend was planned to properly build anticipation for the Sheeptacular event with a pancake breakfast hosted by the Downtown Lion’s Club, a Miss Wool Memorabilia display, and a “Shepherd’s Shindig” which included dinner and a dance to promote the debut of the project. In the early afternoon of October 13th, a parade of 10 of the painted fiberglass sheep were celebrated among the streets of downtown. After the parade’s finale, the public was invited to view the newly painted sheep on display. For several days, ballot votes were collected to determine a fan favorite and once again, crown a Miss Wool. Of several of the decorated fiberglass sheep, “Lucky Ewe” painted by Amber Alexander, was deemed lucky enough to garner the title of the first “Miss Wool” in several decades. Last year marked the installation of San Angelo’s 100th fiberglass sheep. The sheep’s ubiquity in San Angelo is a vivid, tangible reminder of the city’s heritage and a continued celebration of its former glory as a leader in the wool world – something of which “ewe” and I can all be proud.
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20,000 square foot showroom
The largest display of office furnITURe in west texas
19 W Twohig Ave • (325) 482-9362 32 N. Irving St. | 325-655-5694 | fpcsanangelo.org
FPC has been serving the Lord Jesus Christ in mission & ministry for 135 years. We are a member congregation of ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians Angel Academy | Children’s Ministry Youth Ministry | Young Adult Ministry Senior Adult Ministry | Women’s Bible Studies | Men’s Bible Study Soup Kitchen Ministry | Kids Eat Free Ministry to Lamar Elementary Music Ministry | Ministry to Project Dignidad | Kairos Prison Ministry Little Free Pantry
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We worship @ 10:30 a.m. every Sunday!
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LARGEST PLUS SIZE
BOUTIQUE IN TEXAS VOTED FAVORITE PLACE TO SHOP IN TEXAS 2019
325.716.1196
DOWNTOWN 29 E. CONCHO AVE San Angelo’s History Merchant
Ask for our Monthly Texana Catalog! Email us at cactusbooks@suddenlinkmail.com
We feature thousands of titles about Texas and the Southwest Also, dozens of NEW Children's Classics NEW, USED and RARE Most Under $20 and discounted! We were recently featured on Texas Country Reporter!
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We’ve been locally owned since 1958, and are proud to be the third generation of jewelers. Because we treasure our customers, we provide local treasures in our store, like the Concho Pearl. We have 62 years worth of experience in making and designing the most special pieces for our customers, whether they are local residents or out of town visitors.
Mon-Fri 9 a.m. - 5 p.m
219 S Chadbourne St
(325) 655-4495
Serving West Texas since 1910
106 South Broadway Mertzon, TX 76941 325-835-4321 230 West Twohig Ave San Angelo, TX 76902 325-657-0116 3399 Knickerbocker Road San Angelo, TX 76906 325-223-0234 1 4
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Old Town Books provides an oasis in West Texas where individuals can share and celebrate the written word. We look forward to seeing you soon! 506 South Chadbourne San Angelo, TX 76903 325-703-5151 Monday-Friday (10 AM—6 PM Saturday (10 AM—5 PM) meh@oldtownbookstx.com staff@oldtownbookstx.com
Serving Tom Green County Since 1939
If you live, work, worship, or attend school in Tom Green County, YOU can be our member!
Low Interest Loans • Mortgage Loans, NMLS#543678
325-653-8320 www.safcu.com
Boutique ELS
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JEW • S T L E B • HOES
Heritage Haus
Clocks & Fans
Specializing in the Sale and Repair of Fine Clocks and Quality Ceiling Fans
LOCATED IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN SAN ANGELO 34 E. CONCHO AVE ED
SHION OLD FA
230 South Chadbourne 325.655.4900
S O DA FOUNT
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(ON THE CORNER OF CHADBOURNE AND CONCHO AVE.)
HeritageHausClocks.com
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BY BECCA NELSON SANKEY
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Art in Uncommon Places has a knack for turning trash to treasured art. The nonprofit, whose mission is to bring art to public, sometimes unexpected places for everyone to enjoy, has done it again with its Pop Art Museum, a collaboration with Downtown San Angelo Inc.
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Offering Daily Noon Buffet at Rio Concho Manor 1 8
4 0 D1 ORWi oN TC oO nWch o D r. • 6 5 5 - 1 4 8 0 N S A N A N G E L O
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Women & Mens Bridal • Diamond & Colored Stone Investments 325.655.6557 IN THE CACTUS HOTEL, 36 E Twohig, Ste. 102
ESTATE SALES CUSTOM EMBROIDERY COLLECTIBLES • ANTIQUES AND MORE 42 E. CONCHO AVE.
325-655-3962
The Bridge Worship ..................8:30 am Traditional Worship ................ 10:45 am 11th Hour Casual Worship ....... 11:00 am Sunday School........................... 9:30 am
37 E. Beauregard • 325-655-8981
www.firstmethodist.net
10:45 Service Broadcast on KWFR - 101.9 FM
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The concrete slab, brick walls, and exposed rafters at 125 W. Twohig, across the street from the old Tom Green County Library rear parking lot, had been overgrown with weeds and a magnet for trash until AIUP breathed new life into it with vibrant works of art from about 30 local artists - among them, James Gill, who once worked with renowned pop art icon Andy Warhol. Each piece is accompanied with a QR code that visitors can scan with their cell phone for more information about each featured artist. Built in the 1940s, a giant bowling pin situated at the front of the museum pays homage to the space’s history as a bowling alley called Star Lanes. Other works featured at the museum include one of the 100 fiberglass sheep located throughout San Angelo; a plethora of large-scale paintings, real trees with their bark painted white with red polka dots, and barrels painted to look like cans of Campbell’s Soup. The open-air museum, which debuted last fall, is open to the public 24/7 and lit at night thanks to Principal LED. It is located about a block from Paintbrush Alley, another AIUP venture. Pop art, which puts a unique spin on traditional works of art, originated in the 1950s and is characterized by bright imagery inspired from pop culture such as comic books, as well as mass-produced objects.
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Stroll Visit downtownsanangelo.com for an updated schedule on the next Downtown Stroll San Angelo welcomes you to the Downtown Stroll. Visitors are invited to explore the best art food, and fun that downtown has to offer. Trolley services are available to chauffeur everyone through the stroll. (meets at the Museum of Fine Arts)
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San Angelo’s Best Pharmacy... San Angelo’s Best Specialty Gift Shop & San Angelo’s Best Home Medical Equipment • Compounding Pharmacy • Nutritional Supplements • Flu Shots, Vaccinations & Saliva Testing
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• Post-Breast Surgery Products • Women’s Boutique • Specialty Gifts
• Lift Chairs • Scooters