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With the start
of the New
Year, I am reminded
of new beginnings.
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In the years before Old Red opened in July of 1892, the following happened in Dallas:
1874 – Streets are first illuminated by gaslight
1881 – Telephone service begins
1882 – Electric service begins
1884 – Streets are first paved with bois d’arc blocks
1885 – Dallas Morning News publishes first issue
1886 – First Texas State Fair is held
1888 – Texas Baseball League is founded
1889 – Electric streetcar service begins
1890 – Dallas becomes the most populated city in Texas with over 38,000 residents
1892 – Old Red Courthouse opens to the public
With its entrepreneurial spirit Dallas has been a place of many ‘firsts’— both nationally and internationally. Among them are the integrated circuit; Liquid Paper, ATM cards, drive up banking and automobile air-conditioning, not to mention the Slurpee and Corny Dog. You can learn more about Dallas firsts at the Old Red Museum. From pre-history to the present day, we cover all of the fascinating stories that have made Dallas what it is today.
Please join us in celebrating one of Dallas County’s great cities — Carrollton — when we open “Your Dallas: Carrollton Connections” on January 23. We will host a Family Day on Saturday, January 24, with tours, talks, crafts, and performances. Admission will be reduced to $4 per person all day on Saturday, January 24. In our “Your Dallas” series of exhibits, we focus on the history of Dallas County locations. Last year, we brought you “Going to Irving.” “Carrollton Connections” will run through May 10.
Our next issue will be published in mid-April. In the meantime, share your thoughts about Old Red with us by emailing me at president@oldred.org.
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| COMING SOON |
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Your Dallas:
Carrollton Connections
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Old Red’s Your Dallas series takes you on a journey through Dallas County, highlighting the County cities that have shaped the Dallas of today. Our first stop in 2009: Carrollton! Carrollton has a long and rich history, from 1909 and the beginning of the A.W. Perry Homestead, to the more recent population boom. Your Dallas: Carrollton Connections features artifacts, photographs, hands-on Discovery Carts, films, and more that tell the important story of Carrollton’s place in Dallas County history.
January 23 – May 10, 2009 |
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| EXHIBIT PROGRAMS |
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Quilt
Mania II Workshop -
February 23, 2009
11a.m. – 3p.m.
Lisa
Erlandson, an AQS Certified Appraiser of Quilted
Textiles, quilt restorer, quilt show judge, teacher,
and historian, will teach a four-hour workshop,
Broderie Perse – 21st Century Style, a look
back at one of the earliest quilt styles and a look
forward at how to utilize this style to create quilts
that range from very traditional to very modern.
Workshop price
is $30 for museum members, and $40 for non-members,
and includes lunch. Supplies needed include: basic
sewing supplies, pencil and paper, at least a
quarter of a large scale fabric, and ½
yard of coordinating background fabric.
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“Always wonder what to do
with those great large scale fabrics or those silly novelty fabrics? Use the technique of Broderie Perse to create your own original design without tedious appliqué.”
– Lisa Erlandson
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Supply
kits are available for pre-purchase for $30. This workshop
is intended for all skill levels.
Deadline for
workshop registration is February 1, 2009. Please
contact quilts@oldred.org to sign up or for more
information. |
CLICK
HERE FOR MORE ON EXHIBITS |
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Quilt Mania II:
October 9, 2008 – March 15, 2009
Quilt Mania II Workshop:
February 23, 2009 11a.m. - 3p.m.
Your Dallas:
Carrollton Connections
Family Day:
January 24, 2009
OLD
RED MUSEUM
OF DALLAS COUNTY
HISTORY & CULTURE
100 S. Houston St
Dallas,
TX 75202
Museum Info: 214-745-1100
The Old Red Museum of
Dallas County History and Culture is located in the West End
of downtown Dallas in the beautifully restored Old Red Courthouse
built in 1892. Dedicated to inspire and educate visitors about
the rich and varied cultural, economic, political and social
history of the Dallas County area, the second floor of Old
Red is filled with exhibits, 41-touch screen computers, an
educational learning center and four mini theatres. There
is also a temporary exhibit gallery located on the first floor.
BOARD
OF DIRECTORS
Mr. David Biegler (chair)
Mrs. Lindalyn Adams
Mr. Raymond A. Basye, Jr.
Ms. Becky Bright
Mr. James R. Erwin
Mr. Boone Powell
Dr. Charles Tandy
MUSEUM
STAFF
Terrell Falk
President
Susan Wojs
Office Manager & Executive Assistant
Jessica Jernigan
Collections & Exhibits Manager
Steffanie Evans
Education & Program Director
Linda Murdock
Sales Director
Brittany Davenport
Event Coordinator
Ross Crabtree
Operations Director
Larry McGrane
Guest Services Manager
Zac Harmon
Controller
FOUNDATION
MISSION
The mission of the Old Red Foundation is to
create a lively center of Dallas County civic life within
the historic Old Red Courthouse and to present the rich history
of the Dallas County area in the Old Red Museum of Dallas
County History & Culture.
MUSEUM
MISSION
The mission of the Old Red Museum
is to inspire and educate people with the rich cultural, economic,
political and social history of the Dallas County area, showcasing
the many cultures that together have formed the Dallas of today. |
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New Collections
at the Old Red Museum:
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Spurs used in the Texas Centennial Exposition “Cavalcade of Texas”, 1936
Dallas’ bid for the Texas Centennial Exposition narrowly edged out the more ‘historical’ cities of Houston and San Antonio. The event boosted Dallas both economically and in terms of national visibility. President Franklin D. Roosevelt attended the Exposition, and the event brought hundreds of thousands of visitors to Dallas in a time of economic hardship.
The Centennial Exposition was a showcase for the history, art, entrepreneurship, and culture of Texas. The “Cavalcade of Texas,” an elaborate historical pageant, was staged to trace 400 years of Texas history with a cast of 260 and many live animals.
Paul Moore, a silent film actor, portrayed Texas hero Sam Houston in the “Cavalcade of Texas.” During the Centennial, he befriended a Cavalcade extra named Chauncey Brown (who played both a Cowboy and an Indian, depending on what the Cavalcade needed on any given day). While Moore was the seasoned star of the show, Brown was a young man of about 20 years of age. At the end of the Centennial, Moore gave Brown his Sam Houston costume spurs as a gift. These spurs are visible in the postcard of Paul Moore (above). |
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For more artifacts and information about the Texas Centennial Exposition, visit our Big “D” Gallery! |
Get
Involved!
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If you have a photo of the people, places, and things that have made Dallas County what it is today, let us know! Photos help us interpret history in unique ways.
To donate a photo, e-mail photos@oldred.org. |
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Building Highlights
Wyverns
Four terra cotta wyverns (from the Latin for “serpent”) sit atop Old Red. But what is a wyvern? And what’s the difference between a wyvern of Old Red and a gargoyle?
Architecturally speaking, roof ornaments can come in all shapes and sizes, but are usually classified as either “gargoyles” or “acroteria.” A gargoyle is a practical creature – it has a drainage spout and is used to expel water from a building’s roof.
An acroterium, on the other hand, is ornamental only. It has no purpose other than to decorate a building.
A gargoyle or an acroterium can be any shape or creature – a dragon, a human, or, as on Old Red, a wyvern. A wyvern has a spiny back, bat-like wings, and two legs (a dragon has four). Wyverns were used frequently as a symbol of strength and endurance on European heraldry. |
| Four terra cotta wyverns sit atop Old Red. |
Legends say that wyverns breathe poison instead of fire, have a poison-barbed tail, and are “dumber and meaner” than dragons.
So what’s on top of Old Red? We have four wyvern acroteria. While they do not provide any drainage for water, they are great ornaments and a testament to the building’s Richardsonian Romanesque style. |
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Education Volunteers…
We need you!
The Old Red Museum hosts thousands of students each school year. During a visit to the museum, students enjoy the museum’s interactive exhibits, computer touch screens, the Children’s Education Center, Discovery Carts, and History Labs.
Education volunteers engage students in activities, offer guidance in the museum galleries with our student gallery worksheets, facilitate History Labs, and lead discussions on Dallas County History. If you enjoy working with students, talking about history or have teaching experience and miss the classroom setting, this is the perfect opportunity for you.
Please contact Steffanie Evans at steffaniee@oldred.org or 214-757-1925 for more information.
Recession
Proof Your
Event!
“All You Need Is Love” is a song by the Beatles. Unfortunately, you need a lot more than love to plan an event or wedding these days! Furthermore, with today’s economy, everyone is looking for ways to cut costs. The Old Red Museum would like to help. Take advantage of these great offers for the New Year:
•Take $100 off the regular rental fee on Friday or Sunday and add a complimentary dance floor.
•No need to rent extra tables and chairs. They are included in your rental fee no matter what day of the week, including Saturday.
•Save by bringing in your own alcohol. However, all alcohol must be served by a licensed and insured caterer with TABC certified bartenders.
Have your 2009 event at Old Red. It will be flawlessly executed. It will take place in one of the oldest, most historic and picturesque buildings in Dallas. And, you will enjoy significant savings. You and your guests can enjoy your party and no one needs to know about all the money your saved!
Parking Simplified!
Two dollar parking in downtown Dallas? For Old Red Museum guests, yes! Plentiful parking is available for museum guests in the underground parking garage adjacent to Old Red. A parking voucher, available exclusively through Old Red Museum, may be purchased for $2 from the Guest Services counter.
Please visit our website for driving directions and additional parking information.
If you prefer not drive, please remember that Old Red is located only two blocks from The West End or Union Station DART rail stations. |
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Carrollton Connections
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Saturday, January 24, 12pm to 4pm – Carrollton Connections Exhibit Opening and Family Day!
Join us for the kickoff event for our newest temporary exhibit, Carrollton Connections, highlighting the wonderful city of Carrollton, TX. There will be lots of fun activities for the kids, so bring the entire family!
CLICK HERE TO PRINT FLYER |
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Castle in the City
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Castle in the City – our newest history
lab for students is a big success!
The Old Red Museum will see thousands of students this year, and many will participate in our newest student program highlighting the courthouse and its architecture, Castle in the City. The 1892 Old Red Courthouse sets the stage for an exciting exploration of history and architecture as Wylie, the Old Red Wyvern, guides young minds in a short story through the historic halls of Old Red. Students make architecture rubbings of the building to identify unique designs and discover how shapes and materials have changed in Dallas buildings over the years. This new information along with glue, construction paper, and architectural sketches prompts students to construct a building of their own and add it to a skyline to take back to the classroom. This program is perfect for ages pre-K through fourth grade, so book your student visit today! To schedule a visit to the Old Red Museum, please contact our group sales department at: groupsales@oldred.org or 214-757-1949.
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“Dallas County Reporters”
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Young reporters fill the museum galleries
while reporting on Dallas County History.
Students visiting the Old Red Museum this fall will take on the role of “Dallas County Reporter.” The new student Gallery Guide, the Gallery Gazette, is part of every student visit to the Old Red Museum. Students refine their reading and writing skills by uncovering the “scoop” in each museum gallery for their newspaper. Each gallery of the museum has a section in the student newspaper, and it is up to the student reporter to accurately capture and report on the history of Dallas County. This new gallery activity has been very successful this fall, and teachers and students alike have enjoyed finding the information in the museum and turning it into stories for their newspapers. Visit the museum today and become a Dallas County reporter! |
Group Sales at Old Red
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We encourage all schools that visit Old Red to include a History Lab, TEKS-based programs that can be added to your museum visit and give students a deeper understanding of history. Whether it’s participating in a mock trial, creating a futuristic building, or exploring inventions that shape our lives, students will enjoy this addition to their museum visit.
A museum visit is $3 per student and history labs are an additional $2 per student. Teachers and chaperones are free. School visits to the Old Red Museum are scheduled Monday – Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm.
For more information, please request an Educator Resource Guide from our Group Sales Department. You can e-mail us at groupsales@oldred.org. Or, call us to book your visit at 214-757-1949. |
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Many Students Visit the Old Red Museum
The staff at Old Red is busy taking reservations for student groups from local school districts, home-schools and private schools as well. We are looking forward to a fun-filled winter and spring with many students seeing Old Red for the first time. Old Red offers a variety of curriculum and TEKS-based programs and History Labs for students of all ages.
The students can schedule a self-guided visit and explore the museum galleries on their own, which include:
- Four interactive galleries with a theater in each gallery telling the rich history of Dallas County from pre-history to present day.
- Over forty computer touch screens offering first-hand accounts and primary sources on the people and events that shaped our history.
- The Children’s Education Center, which is a hands-on, highly interactive space specifically designed for students of all ages.
- Discovery Carts throughout the museum giving students another opportunity to see, touch, and even smell history.
- Interactive Gallery Guides for each student to facilitate the museum experience and help each student make connections to their history.
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