KHPF pleased with holiday opener

The Kilgore Historical Preservation Foundation met Monday and Deana Covin, committee chair for Christmas in the Patch and Trail of Lights, reported on the success of the Nov. 19 program.

Covin said it was a privilege to work with so many dedicated people associated with KHPF and how easy her job was made by everyone involved doing exactly what needed to be done to make the event a success.

Covin said next year KHPF will look to schedule the event so more of the community will be able to participate.

Bruce Stanton, community involvement committee, said he has written a story which will run when the “Happy New Year” sign goes.

Stanton said there will be a membership meeting on Jan. 9, with location, time and theme to be announced later.

Jan Jaynes, Dean-Keener-Crim house committee, said an Arbor Day commemoration is scheduled for Jan. 20 at 10 a.m. “This event will kick off the 130th birthday celebration year for the Dean-Keener-Crim Historic Home,” said Jaynes. “There will be a planting of a living birthday remembrance and birthday cake and hot beverages will be available to our guests.”

Pudge Griffin, Meadowbrook committee, said the Historic Home tour was a great success with about 245 people participating in the event.

Tom Brown, president of KHPF, said KHPF was presented with the opportunity to obtain a piece of Kilgore history in the form of a piece of art work. “Local artist William Phinnie did a piece called Structural Phantasia which hung in the Community Inn for many years before the building was destroyed,” said Brown. “The work was saved by David Donovan, who has kept the piece in storage for years.”

Brown said Donovan, not realizing who the artist was, wanted to give the painting back to Phinnie when he found out. “Phinnie then wanted to donate the piece to the KHPF,” said Brown. “The piece is very large and can possibly be hung in the old post office once the restoration is complete.”

Sue Brown, publicity and marketing committee, said orders are already being received for Echoes of Forgotten Streets, volume two, which is to be available by May.

“We have taken 28 orders for the leather-bound edition and 110 for the hardback edition,” said Brown. “The leather bound editions are still being reserved for the people who ordered the first leather bound edition, but there will be some leather bound editions available to the general public once the book is released.”

Brown said the hard-bound edition can be purchased by filling out an order form available at the East Texas Oil Museum and local banks or by contacting KHPF online at kilgorehistory@ hotmail.com.

William Villyard, derrick committee, said he is working on obtaining an oil field power supply which will be placed on the railroad right of way. “This is a three-part piece that will all connect together when it is done,” said Villyard.

Villyard said a “dog house,” donated by Ray Miller from Miller Energy, has already been set on the right of way which was . “The dog house, as it is called by oil field workers, is a tool house,” said Villyard. “When it is complete there will be a large window constructed so visitors can see the many different tools that will be inside the dog house.

Brown held a vote to elect new board candidates and officers which will go into effect the first meeting of KHPF in January. Officers consist of Tom Brown, president, Sue Brown, vice president, Nina Fern Nichols, secretary and Sheila Smithwick, treasurer. Board members are Tom Conner, Deana Covin, Pudge Griffin, Jan Jaynes, Nina Mata, Sheila Smithwick and Joan StillSmith.