January/February 2021 County Line Magazine

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Upper East Side of Texas

M A G A Z I N E

Wiley Choir

SULLY ROOTS AND WINGS

Winnsboro Culture Club Northeast Texas Trail Goat Yoga Relax and Wine Down

Heroes

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CONTENTS

FEATURES

8 Taking the High Road with Sully

54

Captain Sully Sullenberger talks about growing up in the Upper East Side of Texas, his famous landing on the Hudson River, and his career in airline safety and effective leadership.

By P.A. Geddie

18 Goat Yoga

Surprisingly fit and fun, inviting small goats into yoga practice has many “kidding” around.

By Lisa Tang

22 Northeast Texas Trail

Taking a walk or a ride across 132 miles of the Upper East Side of Texas provides a great activity for both casual and serious guests on the trail.

By Judy Peacock & P.A. Geddie

40

DEPARTMENTS 5 Editor’s Note

THIS TIME OF YEAR

30 Carroll Shelby, Martha Swope, Ernest Tubb, Will Jennings, and Karen Silkwood

22

LIFESTYLE & ENTERTAINMENT 32 Famous Henderson House 34 Build a Better Barndominium 36 Strickland Leaves Legacy of Love

58

ARTS & CULTURE 40 Winnsboro Culture Club 42 Palestine Architecture

WORDS & IMAGES 46 On Heroes

MUSIC 48 Wiley Choir 49 Grammy Nominations 50 Brick Row Music

18

FOOD & DRINK 54 Sulphur Springs’ Dining District 58 Relax and Wine Down

Cover: Captain Sully Sullenberger, photo by Purdue University.

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county line Since 2000

MAGAZINE

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

PUBLISHER & MANAGING EDITOR P.A. Geddie

EDITOR’S NOTE Dear Readers, We made it to 2021! Happy new year!

While the experts continue to tell us to follow Center for Disease Control guidelines, with vaccines and a weakening virus, we can at least begin to see how different the spring and summer of this year may look from the severe challenges of 2020.

A new year is always a good time to look back and reflect on what we’ve learned and what we want to change moving forward. What stands most firmly in my mind is the people that stepped up — people doing the right thing, going beyond their comfort levels often, to do what it takes to make a difference. People that live in the knowledge that we are all in this together.

CONTRIBUTORS Lisa Tang Judy Peacock Tracy Torma Milena Weaver Don Howe

ADVERTISING pa.geddie@countylinemagazine.com

My interview with Captain Sully Sullenberger for this issue inspired me to be better, to move through the good times and bad with confidence and integrity and to be the hero of my own story.

We need “heroes” now more than ever.

People who we can trust to do their jobs well. Heroes are people that say, “How may I help you,” and go above and be-

SUBSCRIPTIONS info@countylinemagazine.com

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: 903.963.1101. 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 903.963.1101. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement we deem incompatible with our mission.

yond to make your experience an exceptional one. Heroes are people who take care of their neighbors and others in need. Heroes are leaders who do the right things for humankind, not for their own self interests. Heroes make us laugh when we really need it. Heroes are people who live exemplary lives and inspire us to do the same.

Other heroes are the artists who brightened our 2020 and keep reminding us of the beauty in this world. From photography, poetry, paintings, pottery, and prose, they lift us up. The songwriting from our talented musicians is incredibly meaningful and the creative virtual concerts helped many through tough weeks.

Heroes are the people that got creative about their situation and reinvented themselves and otherwise adjusted to make things work. Meet a few people like that in this issue and as you go about living and playing in the Upper East Side of Texas. We’d love to hear about your encounters with people stepping up.

May this year bring good health, prosperity, unity, and plenty of heroes to all.

P.A. Geddie

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Arts

For over 20 years,

Texans for the Texans for the Arts has consistently has consistently worked to: worked to:

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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 Organization Texas Texans for the Arts is at the forefront for of empowering artists,

CHECK OUT COUNTY LINE DIGITAL PUBLICATIONS 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

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

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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

MAGAZINE

E-EDITION

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

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

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Taking the High Road with Sully Hero’s flying and leadership skills began in the Upper East Side of Texas

By P.A. Geddie On January 15, 2009, Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger III saved 155 lives when he successfully landed US Airways Flight 1549 in the cold waters of the Hudson River off midtown Manhattan.

The event — called the “Miracle on the Hudson” — solidified his status as an international hero and a master in airline safety and effective leadership.

In his memoir, Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters, Sullenberger says he realized that his journey to the Hudson River that day didn’t begin at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, but decades before at his childhood Texas home.

County Line interview. “It provides opportunities to live a richer, fuller life.”

His maternal grandmother was an artist who painted portraits for people, as well as still life paintings. She helped her husband with their dairy farm, raising sheep and chickens, and growing alfalfa.

His paternal grandfather passed away before he was born. He’d had a lumber mill in Denison that his grandmother ran after her husband died.

“Nothing like the aroma of freshlymilled wood and big piles of sawdust,” Sullenberger remembers fondly.

His father served in the Navy during World War II and made a living as a dentist. His mother was a first grade school teacher.

“She was a minor celebrity in our town,” he says, because so many remember her as their first teacher.

He has a younger sister, Mary, who graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in math, became an actuary and was vice president of a large insurance company in Dallas. She, her husband and son live in the Dallas area. continued page 10

“In many ways, all my mentors, heroes, and loved ones — those who taught me and encouraged me and saw the possibilities in me — were with me in the cockpit of Flight 1549. My entire life led me safely to that river,” he says.

ROOTS AND WINGS Life began for him in Denison, Texas, a town in Grayson County, 75 miles north of Dallas. Born January 23, 1951, he comes from a long line of rural Texans. His parents were born in Denison.

His grandparents, from both sides, were from Denison.

The family lived about 10 miles out into the country from town where a combination of rural roots and the importance of education provided a solid foundation for finding his wings.

All four of his grandparents — born in the 19th century — had college educations, something quite uncommon for people during that time, especially women.

“Education has such great value in many ways,” Sullenberger says in a recent After retiring from US Airways in 2010, Sullenberger continued to pilot privately on short-range business and family trips until the pandemic started in 2020. (Right) He found his life’s passion for flying airplanes when he was very young.

He’s about eight years old here receiving a model airplane from his parents on Christmas morning.

Photos courtesy of Chesley B. Sullenberger III JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 9

SULLY continued from page 9 The Sullenbergers lived in a modest home. His father had taken a drafting course in high school and was very enterprising, adding on to the house every few years.

“We each had our own hammer,” Sullenberger says. “We learned by doing — plumbing, roofing, painting, we did it all.”

They also spent time on Lake Texoma, which they could see from their house, and he enjoyed many other aspects of living in the country.

“Being out and seeing the real world through boating, hunting, and fishing — it was a pastoral setting in a time of great optimism when the future seemed boundless,” he says.

He explored the wide-open skies of his childhood often through a small telescope and remembers his father letting him skip school to watch a space launch in the early 1960s.

“It was a time for great exciting dreams to be possible. I never tired of seeing the beauty of the earth or sky, day or night.”

His parents supplied him with a lifelong love of reading and coupled with his natural intellectual curiosity, he says he received many wonderful gifts from them that fueled his passion for learning all his life.

“Having a deep and abiding understanding that just ‘good enough,’ isn’t,” he says, “not accepting mediocrity and always trying to improve — that’s what I got from them.”

The family put a lot of power into expectations. “We expect you to do your best, whatever that is. Don’t just get by, but excel,” was a consistent message.

He said the three best things he got from his parents that make him feel fortunate are 1) they created a safe, stable environment; 2) they valued education; and 3) they believed ideas were important.

He devoured copies of Life and Look magazines that his grandparents col-

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(Above) Sullenberger poses in 1968 with his instructor L.T. Cook who he often credits with giving him the confidence and confirmation that flying airplanes is his calling in life. (Right) One of his first assignments in the United States Air Force was flying fighters at Luke Air Force Base near Glendale, Arizona. Here he readies for a training flight in 1975. Photos courtesy of Chesley B. Sullenberger III

lected during the war years and his dad’s military books that told stories of men like Winston Churchill and Dwight Eisenhower.

“This idea of genuine leadership — of intense preparation, rising to the occasion, meeting a specific challenge, setting clear objectives — was deeply internalized, burned into and ingrained in my young mind,” he says.

By the time Sullenberger was just five years old he was fascinated by airplanes and flying. They lived near Perrin Air Force Base (it closed in 1971) and he’d watch jet fighters fly over his home.

“It was an active base then and I’d see a daily parade of high-performance jets

flying over,” he says. “My dad would give me his binoculars, and I loved looking into the distance, to the horizon, wondering what was out there. It fed my wanderlust.”

Young Sullenberger got his first ride in a plane in 1962, taking a flight out of Love Field in Dallas with his mother when he was 11 years old. He says the airport felt magical to him, filled with larger-than-life people. He noticed the well-dressed travelers with somewhere to go, the flight attendants, and the pilots. As their plane took off he knew that he wanted this life in the air.

He was just 16 when he began taking flight lessons from L.T. Cook, Jr., a former instructor with the Civilian Pilot Training Program and War Training Service before and during World War II. Cook owned a grass airstrip in nearby Sherman and a crop-dusting plane.

Young Sullenberger logged his first flight April 3, 1967, when Cook took him up for 30 minutes.

“I had the controls in my hands from

pretty much the first moment,” he recalls.

After 16 lessons over the next couple of months totaling seven hours and 25 minutes, on June 3, Cook told Sullenberger to take off and land three times by himself. He’s never forgotten his first solo flight over the North Texas countryside.

“Climbing to 800 feet above the ground, and then circling the field, I felt an exhilarating freedom. I also felt a certain mastery. After listening, watching, asking questions, and studying hard, I had achieved something. Here I was, alone in the air.

“I can trace my professional experience back to that afternoon,” Sullenberger says. “It was a turning point. Mr. Cook had given me confidence. That first solo flight served as confirmation that this would be my livelihood, and my life.”

By October 1968, he received his private pilot certification. That same month he flew his first passenger, his mother.

During those high school years none of his peers were interested in aviation so he had no one to share that with. If it mattered, he didn’t show it.

“I was an outlier in that way,” he says. “I wasn’t one of the cool kids. I was very focused.”

He mostly kept his attention on academics, although he says he did participate in some athletics.

“I was no star by any means, but I was fit.”

He also loved music, a passion, he says, almost equal to that of flying.

Both he and his sister took piano lessons, but he didn’t stick with it. He played flute in the high school band and sang in his church choir all through high school and later in the Air Force Academy.

“It was a really enjoyable experience for me,” he says, noting that it led to getting to travel and see other parts of the country where they performed. continued page 12

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VIDEO



SULLY continued from page 11

berger learned as a child and are following their own passions.

Sullenberger graduated from Denison High School in 1969 with grades in the 99th percentile and a Mensa (high IQ society) international qualification, as well as his pilot’s license.

“There’s a huge advantage to know your passions at a young age,” he says.

“We’re fortunate our daughters found theirs at a very early age. So many don’t find that satisfaction until later in life or never quite find it.”

He was accepted into the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and received the Outstanding Cadet in Airmanship Award. He worked his way up through the ranks of fighter pilot, flight leader, and training officer, to captain. For seven more years, he was active duty in North America and Europe and continued his education. He holds masters’ degrees from Purdue University in Industrial Psychology, and from the University of Northern Colorado in Public Administration.

After his military duty, Sullenberger began working for Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) (later acquired by US Airways) settling in California. His memoir documents his 30-year career in which he built up an impressive resume, both personally and professionally.

In 1986 he met his wife Lorrie who worked in the marketing department at PSA and they married in 1989. They have two daughters, Kate and Kelly.

Their daughters understand the power of expectations and the values Sullen-

Without any real effort from their parents, the girls focused early on pursuing their own dreams.

“They didn’t need much encouragement,” he says. “They were fairly focused and made their own connection between doing the hard work in order to achieve the outcome.”

Their older daughter Kate is a veterinarian and youngest Kelly is working on her PhD and wants to be a dean of admissions for a college or university.

With education playing such a pivotal role in his upbringing, Sullenberger is proud to have two doctorates in the family. He recalls a time when the girls were much younger — in grade and middle schools — when the topic of college came up at the breakfast table and they were already making plans to go.

“We’re glad you girls want to go to college,” he said to them. “They both looked so shocked and said, ‘You mean we had a choice?’”

Sullenberger said they embraced high-

12 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Sullenberger reunited with the passengers of Flight 1549 10 years after the safe landing on the Hudson River in this segment with Amy Robach, ABC News.

er learning wholeheartedly on their own.

“The power of expectations,” he says, remembering those of his own parents.

“It’s powerful enough, they got it.”

A couple of years ago, Kelly gave an interview to Pepperdine University Graphic newspaper. It’s clear the lessons her dad learned as a child in the Upper East Side of Texas are continuing through the family tree.

“Being a Sullenberger means living your life with integrity and taking initiative,” Kelly says. “I always joke that those were two of the first words my parents taught me. My dad would always stay afterwards when he would pick me up from preschool, (and) he would make



VIDEO

Captain “Sully” Sullenberger explains exactly what happened when he successfully landed US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River.

a point, that if the toy room was a mess he would stay and help me pick it up.

Just doing the right thing, no matter who is watching and what you get out of it — having really strong values of what is right and wrong have definitely been instilled in me.”

MIRACLE ON THE HUDSON

From what he learned from L.T. Cook on a rural Texas airstrip, to his time with the U.S. Air Force and beyond, Sullenberger rigorously studied other pilots’ mistakes and learned from them. Air safety, leadership, and team building became constant topics in his career.

January 15, 2009, was a normal day, Sullenberger says, as he prepared to take off from LaGuardia airport on US Airways Flight 1549. Just minutes into the flight a flock of Canada geese ran into the airplane and they lost both engines.

He called upon everything he knew to form the best plan of action to save all 155 lives on board.

“It was a dire situation, but there were lessons people had instilled in me that served me well,” he says in his memoir.

“Mr. Cook’s lessons were a part of what guided me on that five-minute flight.

He was the consummate stick-and-rudder man, and that day over New York was certainly a stick-and-rudder day.”

He and his co-pilot, Jeff Skiles, having never met before that week, became fast fellow “soldiers in the trenches,” each knowing instinctively the right things to do in the few minutes they had to make good decisions. Getting back to the LaGuardia airport, or Teterboro ahead of them, was determined too risky. If they didn’t make it, not only would they take the lives of all on board, but many people on the ground in this densely populated area.

When Sullenberger made the decision that their best option was to land on the icy Hudson River, he had many things to consider. He was confident about being able to land safely there but knew that the plane would not float for long.

“In my mind I thought it might float a half hour,” he says, which is what happened.

The water temperature was 38 degrees and air temperature was 20 so people could not long stand the water. He continued page 15

VIDEO



Movie Tells Story of Hudson Landing The long-anticipated movie about the Hudson River landing of Flight 1549 released in September of 2016 and is simply called Sully. Directed by Clint Eastwood, it follows the story of the landing and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation that followed.

Tom Hanks plays Sullenberger.

“He’s this generation’s Jimmy Stewart,” Sullenberger says, indicating he is pleased with the choice. “He’s our everyman.”

When they met, Hanks assured Sullenberger that it was important to depict him accurately and he was up to the responsibility.

As for the movie, Sullenberger said the writers used some dramatic license to make a good film and although it is truthful in terms of jeopardy, in the real story, he did not feel that the investigators were out to get him, but that the process is inherently adversarial.

“It’s important to note that the investigators have an important job to prevent other accidents,” he says. “They have to follow the truth wherever it leads. My job was just to tell them exactly what happened. The process took a long time. They have to question everything.

That’s their job.”

Tom Hanks talked with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America the day the movie came out and she asked why the story resonates so well with people.

“It takes a look at the social contract we have with our institutions, that we can have faith in them,” Hanks says. “The amazing thing about the story and what Sully did was what was avoided. New York City and America did not need to see another wrecked plane.”

The rest of the world agrees. Sullenberger remains a solid figure of hope for competent leadership and teamwork in good times and bad.

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SULLY continued from page 13

“but he certainly would be pleased and proud.”

knew he had to land where they would be seen and rescued quickly. So he carefully and thoughtfully landed near the ferry boat terminal.

Sullenberger returned to his hometown of Denison in June 2009 just five months after the emergency landing.

He was invited to help pay tribute to military veterans on the 65th anniversary of the Normandy invasion of World War II, and the other hometown hero, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, born there in 1890. A parade and other accolades welcomed Sullenberger and he addressed the 2009 graduating class at Denison High School, 40 years after his own graduation there. He was also able to see and thank Evelyn Cook.

Soaking in all the memories and warm wishes, he addressed the crowd after the parade and asked, “How come you weren’t this nice to me back in high school?”

The ferry boats came quickly. All 150 passengers and five crew members were rescued.

“Our performance — mine, Jeff Skiles, the crew — we weren’t perfect. But we found a way to do something that worked. It was a challenge we never anticipated. We never trained for this.

I knew intuitively to choose to do a handful of important things and do them extremely well. It was no time for multitasking, but for great mental discipline.”

One of the things that calmed him during the frightening few minutes of the landing, he says, is hearing the flight attendants taking charge with the passengers, and that the passengers for the most part, seemed to follow their directions. After he announced, “This is the captain. Brace for impact,” he heard the attendants shouting their commands, “Brace, brace, brace. Heads down. Stay down.”

Knowing his team was on the same page encouraged him to think they could rescue everyone.

“Their direction and professionalism would be keys to our survival, and I had faith in them.”

WHAT REALLY MATTERS

Sullenberger was two years and eight days shy of 60 years old when he performed the miracle on the Hudson.

“Experience matters,” Sullenberger says. “It literally makes the difference between success and failure, life and death.”

He often gives credit to his first flight instructor L.T. Cook, Jr. where his experiences began and thought of him often after the landing, he says. Cook died in 2001 at the age of 88. After the heroic landing of Flight 1549, Sullenberger received thousands of emails and letters from people all over the world. Among them was one from Cook’s widow, Evelyn.

“L.T. wouldn’t be surprised,” she wrote,

Sullenberger’s memoir Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters released in October of 2009. It is cowritten by Jeffrey Zaslow.

In it, he gives an in-depth view to his childhood, military service, career as a commercial pilot, his wife and daughters, the intense landing on the Hudson River, and his commitment to excellent leadership.

His interest in highlighting true leadership led him to write another book in 2012 with Douglas Century. In Making a Difference: Stories of Vision and Courage from America’s Leaders, he engages some of the most accomplished men and women in the fields of technology, medicine, education, sports, philanthropy, finance, law, and the military in inspiring conversations.

Through his books, speaking engagements, and consultations, he shares management principles of “leadership by personal example” and the lessons from his life that prepared him to handle the landing on the Hudson.

his prominence to drive home the message that people — no matter their station in life — can make a difference.

“There’s a big difference between being famous and being someone who has real core values and lives them on a daily basis,” he says. “People all the time are doing valuable things, heroic things. We don’t always hear about it but that doesn’t make it less valuable.

Pharmacists, bus drivers, public officials, airline pilots — we depend on them to have the integrity to do the right thing at the right time for the right reasons.

“We need to try to do the right thing every time, to perform at our best, because we never know which moment in our lives we’ll be judged on.”

Nearly 12 years after writing Highest Duty, “what really matters” remains the same.

His input on the safety of the flying public is sought from all over the world.

Recently he appeared on an episode of 20/20 as part of a thorough investigation into the two Boeing 737 Max airplanes that crashed and killed 346 people.

“It’s what we do for each other,” he says.

“There are rights and responsibilities of citizenship. It’s not the winner-take-all world that some who are motivated by their self interests believe. There are things we owe to each other. Civilization isn’t possible without it. My ultimate message is we’re all in this together.”

Although Sullenberger says he’s no hero, he knows the safe landing on the Hudson is important. He’s proud to use

To buy Sullenberger’s books and learn more about his speaking topics, visit www.sullysullenberger.com.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 15

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All Kidding Aside, Goat Yoga is Fun

By Lisa Tang No kidding — goat yoga is a thing, with real yoga, real goats, and real fun. People are enjoying the centuries-old practice of yoga combined with modern animal therapy, and a good dose of stress-relieving amusement.

With all the tension people experience these days, Cherry Russell of Oh My Goat says most appreciate the chance to “kid around” in her private, secluded country setting with open spaces and fresh air.

Yoga classes traditionally offer a range of physical challenges while encouraging relaxation. The exercises are peaceful and calming for participants — until they feel the hooves of young goats prancing across their backs, tickling their arms, licking their faces, or lying next to them — at which point they burst into laughter.

A sheep and goat enthusiast, Russell raised meat goats for years. She decided to bring goat yoga to the Upper East Side of Texas after hearing of a therapy class for cancer patients.

Russell now shares her goats with others as animal therapy at the Russells’ 16-acre farm between the small communities of Bois d’Arc and Blackfoot in northern Anderson County.

“My goal is to bring people into nature with the goats,” Russell says. “Our objective is for everyone to have fun.”

Yoga sessions occur in a large grassy pen where each participant takes a place on a yoga mat. When Russell opens the gate, the younger goats run in eagerly — to the visitors’ delight.

Dressed in seasonal costumes, the baby dwarf Nigerian goats are irresistibly cute.

Russell offers them treats, encouraging them to interact with participants.

It’s not uncommon for a goat to climb on someone’s back during a downward facing dog pose, which surprises most.

“People say, ‘Oh my gosh, this feels like a massage,’” when they feel a baby goat walking on their backs,” Russell says.

18 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Special themes keep sessions festive.

During a Yoga Rita event last fall, Russell dressed the goats in traditional Mexican fabrics and colors.

Yoga instructors teach beginner and advanced classes. They instruct participants to breathe deeply and focus within as they perform stretches, lunges, bends, and other positions that improve posture and strength.

Meditation sessions are another activity some guests enjoy with older goats, who like to cuddle or lay down next to participants.

Russell takes pictures of guests with the goats and offers complimentary photos.

Private parties at Oh My Goat can include birthday celebrations, bachelorette parties, painting or craft classes, beverages, baked goods, or simply time with the goats, for groups from five to 25. An indoor facility is available for smaller groups in inclement weather.

Goat visits are available to adults and

children. They include up to an hour of goat time and photos.

Russell supplies the yoga mats — a kind the goats don’t eat — instead of requiring guests to bring their own.

Visitors rave about the experience and service at Oh My Goat.

LeAnn Fremier recommends it with five stars in a Facebook review.

“My daughter and I had such a great time on our first visit that she decided to come back to celebrate her birthday,” Fremier says. “They went out of their way to show the girls a wonderful time at her party.”

Brenda Joy McBride describes her sixyear-old daughter’s birthday as “an incredible experience.”

“They are so easy to work with and made everything so easy and fun,” McBride says. “I’ve been to several classes and now a party and we will be back again.”

Monthly public sessions are also available. At $10 per person, the open classes cost less and can accommodate up to 25 participants.

Oh My Goat also delivers animal therapy with goat grams. Goat grams for birthdays or anniversaries include a delivery of flowers or cupcakes and a cuddly visit from a young goat.

After hosting goat yoga events at her farm for two years, Russell now offers mobile goat yoga.

She personally cares for her brood and finds homes for older goats who have outgrown goat yoga. She does not create products from her goats, like milk, cheese, or soap, and does not breed the animals. All the goats are neutered pygmy goats.

For information about events or parties at Oh My Goat, visit www.ohmygoatyoga. com or call (903) 549-2920.

(Left): A baby dwarf goat jumps playfully while Simone Key of Tyler does a bow pose. (Right top): Teens enjoy cuddling with goats at a unicornthemed birthday party in Tyler. The goats enjoy dressing in costumes because it means they’ll get to play with people. (Right bottom): Goat yoga is fun because the goats are always doing something unexpected — like trying to eat this woman’s ponytail. Courtesy photos JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 19

EXPLORE WOOD MeetingCOUNTY the locals has never been so memorable

Beyond the Lure of Big Fish!

Small Town Hospitality Golf, Skating Music, Art Shopping, Dining Parks, Nature Center Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Museums Movie Theater Stage Performances Bed & Breakfasts, Hotels, RV Park, Marinas Special Events

www.woodcountytx.com www.woodcountytx.com • (903) 768-2402 Wood County Tourism

Emory, TX Let us lure you

“The Land Between the Lakes”

Emorya great place to shop while he goes fishing!

381 381W. W.Lennon LennonDr. Dr. 903-473-0061 903-473-0061

www.emorytx.com 20 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

1026 E. Lennon Dr. 903-473-2022

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Reach those Living & Playing in the Upper East Side of Texas

ADVERTISE. IT WORKS! CountyLineMagazine.com

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Carter

Visitors Enjoy the Northeast Texas Trail

Love

The 132-mile trail provides recreation and challenges

By Judy Peacock & P.A. Geddie Kelsey Crowther of Greenville walked across 132 miles of the Upper East Side of Texas recently with her dog, her mom, and her sister.

“I enjoyed the whole trail and the experience of traveling that far across Texas.

I look at a map and I see where I started and that I made it all the way over here walking — it’s a good feeling of accomplishment.”

Crowther took on the challenge of walking the Northeast Texas Trail, better

known as “the NETT” to regular users. It is the longest hiking, biking, and equestrian trail in Texas and the fourth-longest in the United States. Following an old railway corridor, it begins near Farmersville between McKinney and Greenville to the west, and ends in New Boston, about 24 miles west of Texarkana.

Formerly owned by Union Pacific and Chaparral railroads, the Northeast Texas Trail Coalition — a partnership among local and statewide trail advocates and government agencies — now manages the property.

A color-coded map on the NETT website gives good information for those planning to use the trail. It shows mileCookeand age from one town to the next which areas are hike, bike, and horseback friendly. Some sections can be hiked but are not recommended for bikes or horses. The map shows all the bridges and culverts and it notes the areas where no hiking or riding is allowed due to heavy overgrowth or adjacent Denton landowner issues, plus blockage and hazards with everything from fences to biting dogs.

Seeking the advice of the NE Texas Trail Facebook group helps users find where they need to exit the trail to use bypasses, where and how they can re-enter, and answer just about any question a user might have. The map also lists places to get food, find lodging, and points of interest in the towns along the way.

The trail connects 19 cites spread across seven counties. There are several creeks and more than 100 rail bridges. It begins about a block away from downtown Farmersville, at the Onion Shed, a large pavilion from the 1930s. Mile zero is marked with a rail tie in the ground.

The first two and one-half miles are paved, then there are crushed stone, dirt, and gravel surfaces. Outside Farmersville, the route feels remote and forested.

Some portions of the trail are paved like in Farmersville, some are cleared and mowed, and a lot of it is rough terrain. While some parts of the trail are still under development, thousands of fans are already finding many miles of adventure. continued page 25 (Left): Kelsey Crowther points to her location on the Northeast Texas Trail. She and her family walked the entire 132 miles over 16 visits. Courtesy photo. (Opposite, top left, counter clockwise) The trailhead at mile 0 in Farmersville is where many start their journey. Others enjoy casual walks or bike riding in Paris. Children enjoy pointing out where they are along the trail too.

Photos by Judy Peacock. A young rider makes her way across an unpaved section of the NETT. Photo by Trevor Reed.

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OKLAHOMA

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GREATER PARIS DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION RAIL TRAIL Franklin CLARKSVILLE, ANNONA, RAIL TRAIL Morris Camp AND AVERY

Hopkins 1 inch = 8 miles

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CHAPARRAL RAIL TRAIL

TEXAS

FARMERSVILLE

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NEW BOSTON

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Red River

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Little River

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BOWIE CO RAIL TRAIL

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NEW BOSTON RAIL TRAIL

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NORTHEAST TEXAS TRAIL

Johnston

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VIDEO

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NETT continued from page 22 Paris is a larger city than most of the small towns along the trail, with a population of more than 25,000. The portion of the NETT traveled to this point is called the Chaparral Rail Trail, and the section that goes through Paris is called Trail de Paris Rail Trail. This section is primarily paved with a painted center stripe. There are welcome signs at eight trail access points with parking available near them. As on other sections of the NETT, there are benches available for resting along the way.

There is also a small butterfly garden and a nice corridor with many varieties of crepe myrtles.

According to the NETT group, the trail is in great shape and mostly paved from Paris through Reno to Blossom.

Kelly Whitley, the NETT Coalition’s Secretary, says of the trail’s condition from Bagwell to Clarksville, “It is a good solid natural surface newly cleared and probably really close to having phase one construction complete (grading, bridges, signage, safety bollards) with phase two surfacing coming soon thereafter.

Could be a bridge still under construction but that is the only thing; that’s just a matter of timing.”

The final 22 mile section of the NETT runs alongside Highway 82 and is unpaved except for a short section in New Boston at the finish. There is a large trailhead with parking at North Elm Street and Southeast Front Street in New Boston.

Whitley and others in the NETT group are always ready with good information, updates, and support of fellow trail users.

continued page 26

(Opposite top left, clockwise): Kelsey Crowther’s dog Ruby often took the lead as they walked 132 miles on the Northeast Texas Trail over 16 trips last fall. The bridge over Kickapoo Creek outside of Annona had rotten trellis and although it was passable Crowther said she wouldn’t do it again. Along with Ruby, Crowther’s mother and sister walked the entire trail with her and her son greeted them at the finish line in New Boston. See Crowther’s videos she took along the way. Photos by Kelsey Crowther. (Right top to bottom): A newly renovated bridge along the trail. Photo by Robert Reveal. Scenes like these in Clarksville and Paris provide diverse views to keep the trail interesting along the way. Photos by Judy Peacock.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 25

NETT continued from page 26 After a recent hike with her dog, Kayla Fowler wrote, “I want to thank everyone that has helped me on this journey. All the hospitality, kindness and love I have seen and felt from strangers has given me more hope for humanity in these trying times. Stay safe and humble on the trail. It has been a life-altering experience for me.”

Robert Reveal recently posted, “First time to the trail in about three-four years. Great progress has been made.

Did Farmersville to Wolfe City. Shout out to whoever is progressing the trail — a lot of work, I can tell.“ There are many reasons people love to hike or ride the trail. Some do it for good health, some love the challenge, and many just enjoy the walk among nature the trail provides. Others have specific reasons for the journey. Libby Rotan says she and her husband are walking the trail in sections as a memorial for her dad who died in 2020. They are starting in New Boston and finishing in Farmersville joining her mom and sister there on the April 6 anniversary of his death.

Now that Kelsey Crowther has walked the entire trail — along with her dog Ruby, sister Brianne Lock, and mother Sue Locke — she’s a good resource for others. Crowther says she stumbled upon the NETT while looking for something to do during the 2020 pandemic.

“I had gotten into hiking,” she says, “and was looking for places to do that when I found the Northeast Texas Trail and saw how massive it was.”

She and her family went to Farmersville one day to take a look.

“It is such a cute trail there,” she said, “and we thought it would be a really cool accomplishment to do, especially something open and free and fun in 2020.”

They aimed to do about 10 miles each leg of the trail to eventually walk all 132 miles, leaving Greenville most Sunday mornings around 4:45 so they could beat the heat.

They started in Farmersville their first day in May and did 7 or 8 miles and then her dad picked them up at a coun-

ty road crossing. He stayed in the area where they were walking each week to pick them up at the end of each leg and sometimes met them along the way with water, especially for Ruby.

“My dog did the entire trail with me,” Crowther says, noting it wasn’t always easy for her canine friend as they made their way across bridges with ravines far below.

“She’s afraid of heights apparently and I didn’t know.”

Her mom was afraid of heights too.

“She kept going though,” Crowther says.

They did 12 miles on one trip, which was their longest, and stopped at six miles on one when her mom fell and they had to call it a day.

For the most part Crowther says she thoroughly enjoyed the journey, and although there were some unforeseen adventures along the way, they walked the entire 132 miles over 16 trips.

“We didn’t skip anything,” she says proudly, noting that in a couple of spots they had to use bypasses and work around other barriers.

“I didn’t do a lot of research until I got to the first burned up bridge,” she says, “so we had to go a few miles down, into a ravine, and cross the river. It was really difficult. It was too much for us.”

The bridges were the most challenging parts of the journey, Crowther says.

There was one over Kickapoo Creek outside of Annona where all the trellises were rotten but still had metal so they decided to cross.

“It was passable, but scary,” she said, and with her mom and dog afraid of heights, it is not something they would do again.

There are a few other blocks along the trail and often they found a way to get around them.

She used the NETT map to do research each week for their next leg of the trip and relied on advice from the NETT group to learn from others. She stayed off one or two other bridges after that using the bypasses next to it.

Crowther said they were able to stay

26 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

on the trail about 90 percent of the time. Sometimes there was high grass and they were unsure where they were stepping so she said much of the trail would be difficult for horses, although she hears bikers getting through much more of the trail than she thought possible.

“A lot of bikers make it through. I don’t know how they do that.”

Being surrounded by nature for miles and miles was relaxing and rewarding, she says.

“It was very serene in certain areas,” she says. “Sometimes there was a little pond, something most people hadn’t seen. Really nice.”

She enjoyed seeing a deer on the trail and other wildlife along the way. They encountered several dogs.

“I was worried they were going to be mean but they never were. One seemed to be looking out for us.”

Along the way they got a glimpse of each town.

“The trail goes right through the heart of each town. You kinda emerge from the wilderness, the middle of nowhere, with no cars or noises and then all of the sudden you’re near civilization again. We really had a good time.”

Crowther and her team finished the trail on September 13 and shared photos and video with the NETT group and many cheered and congratulated her.

She says she hopes the Northeast Texas Trail Coalition continues to make improvements to the trail so more can enjoy it. She definitely wants to go back.

“I thought about doing it once a year, having that as our big project. There are not a lot of trails like that around here. This one’s definitely got a special place in my heart.”

See a list of lodging ideas on Page 29.

Go to www.netexastrail.org for safety rules, entrance points, and other information to plan an adventure across this beautiful part of the Upper East Side of Texas.

A couple of historic bridges are part of the scenic sites of the Northeast Texas Trail, one at Roxton (top) and in Paris (bottom). Photos by Judy Peacock

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 27

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Overnight on the NETT Campgrounds are available to hikers and bikers along the Northeast Texas Trail, as well as some bed and breakfasts, AirBnB properties, and hotels. A few are noted below. As always, check reviews, call ahead, and ask the experts on the NETT Facebook group before making reservations.

Sidetrack in Mineola IRON HORSE SQUARE

Playground, water tower, benches, train watching 200 West Front Street

HISTORIC SELECT THEATER Family movies, plays, band concerts 114 N. Johnson. (903) 569-2300 www.lakecountryplayhouse.com

Farmersville

• City of Farmersville. Tent/primitive campground. (972) 782-6151.

MINEOLA NATURE PRESERVE

• CottageKat AirBnB. Near trail in historic downtown Farmersville.

7:30 a.m. until sunset Hiking, biking, equestrian trails, disc golf, fishing

Wolfe City

• Cupid’s Country Castle. (903) 496-2986.

MINEOLA HISTORICAL MUSEUM

• Tom Ellis White Park. Tent/primitive campground. www.wolfecityrailtrail.org.

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

Ladonia

RAILROAD MUSEUM

• Primitive campground. (903) 461-1631.

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

• Porter O’Fannin Farms. www.ofannin.com.

Roxton

• City of Roxton. (903) 346-3535

AMTRAK TEXAS EAGLE

Paris

Designated Daily Stop 1-800-669-8509

• Multiple chain hotels and Air BnBs. • Love Civic Center/Paris Eifel Tower.

Tent/RV camping. (903) 784-9289 or (903) 784-9266.

Blossom

• City of Blossom. Tent camping with water and electricity. (903) 982-2900 • AirBnB Cedar Cabin in the Woods.

Detroit

• Whistle Stop Bed & Breakfast. (214) 6686771 or find them on AirBnB.

Enjoy Nature, Shopping, Dining & Entertainment in Historic Mineola, Texas

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Clarksville

• City of Clarksville. Tent camping. (903) 427-3834 • Courthouse Inn B&B. (903) 517-0494.

Avery

• Avery Volunteer Fire Department Hostel.

(903) 244-4731.

DeKalb

• The Historic Vanderburg House AirBnB. • City of DeKalb. Tent camp. (903) 667-2410.

New Boston,

• City of New Boston. Tent camp. (903) 628-2581.

• Two chain hotels and the Bostonian Inn

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 29

THIS TIME OF YEAR FEBRUARY 22, 1928

WELCOME

2021

JANUARY 1, 2021

Swope Was Broadway Photographer VIDEO



We Made It! Sit back and celebrate the new year and leave 2020 in the rearview mirror. Take a listen to this 1977 song, “Looks Like We Made It,” performed by Barry Manilow and co-written by Richard Kerr and East Texan Will Jennings.

FEBRUARY 19, 1946

Martha Swope, famed photographer of some of the nation’s top dancers and actors, was born February 22, 1928, in Tyler, Texas.

She began her career one day in 1957, when choreographer Jerome Robbins invited her to photograph a day of rehearsals for his production, West Side Story. She soon became one of the most prolific photographers of Broadway

theatre rehearsals and productions for more than 30 years.

Remebering Karen Silkwood

Swope died of Parkinson’s disease January 12, 2017. In her photo above of Irene Sharaff and Lee Becker in rehearsals for West Side Story in 1957, she’s captured herself in the mirror as well.

Click HERE to visit New York Public Library’s collection of her curated digital images online.

FEBRUARY 9, 1914

VIDEO



Ernest Dale Tubb was born February 9, 1914 in Crisp, Texas, in Ellis County. Known as the Texas Troubadour, Tubb sang, yodeled, played guitar, and was the first singer to record “Blue Christmas” in 1948 and later recorded “Waltz Across Texas” in 1965. Tubb frequently performed at the Grand Ole’ Opry and belongs to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Here he is singing “Walking the Floor Over You” with Merle Haggard.

30 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Longview native Karen Silkwood was born February 19, 1946. She became a whistleblower of nuclear problems at a plant in Oklahoma before her suspicious death in 1974. Her story was told in the movie Silkwood, starring Meryl Streep. Read more from the County Line archives.

JANUARY 11, 1923

Carroll Shelby’s Legacy Races On

An East Texas chicken farmer who became an international auto icon, Carroll Shelby was born January 11, 1923, in Leesburg, Texas, between Winnsboro and Pittsburg. He grew up and learned the value of hard work and developed a passion for airplanes and racing cars.

The son of a rural Texas mailman, Shelby went on to acclaim as, first, a celebrated race car driver, and then designer of one of the most famous American performance race cars — the legendary Shelby Cobra sports car, which also influenced his designs of versions of Chrysler Viper and the ever-popular Ford Mustang. The Los Angeles Times called him a “cult classic car designer.”

But there is so much more to the man, the proud Texan, who became an iconic figure in 20th century America. The larger-than-life entrepreneur created an auto parts and design-licensing empire, appeared twice on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine as “Driver of the Year,” and helped found the famed Terlingua International Chili Championship. His “Carroll Shelby’s Original Texas Brand Chili” is still available on grocery shelves.

His famous Cobra first came out in 1962. The Cobra’s development and acceptance led into the rest of his admired design and production. It got him back into the racing world, which

he really enjoyed. It also resulted in the formation of the Shelby American Racing Team and the arrival of the bigger 427 Cobra. That is what led to Ford wanting his help with the Mustang.

While perhaps not original with him, Shelby lived by a mantra he quoted often. He once famously looked into a camera during an interview and summed his life up succinctly: “Yesterday’s history. Tomorrow’s a mystery. So live for today.”

He’s buried in the family cemetery in Leesburg. Read more about him in the County Line archives.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 31



LIFESTYLE & ENTERTAINMENT

Check out the eMAGAZINE www.countylinemagazine.com for extended event listings.

Find Historic Treasures at Famous Henderson House

By Lisa Tang A historical treasure awaits visitors to Henderson, Texas, at the 1855 Howard-Dickinson House Museum at 501 South Main Street. The house bears the names of the two families who lived there during its 165-year history, the Howard family from 1855 to 1905 and the Dickinson family from 1905 to 1950.

The house fell into disrepair after the Dickinson family left, until the Rusk County Heritage Association purchased it in 1964 and began extensive restorations.

Today, the association curates it as a living museum and a significant part of the county’s history.

The house is historically significant due to its construction and hospitality. It is the first brick house in the county and the first in Henderson reinforced with steel.

In 1967 the association opened it as a museum. In 1968 it won a Texas Historical Medallion and status as a Texas historic landmark.

Texas statesman and former president Sam Houston frequently stayed at the home. Houston was a cousin of Martha Ann Howard, who married Dave Howard, one of the home’s builders. The Howards later constructed seven downtown Henderson buildings, including the former Rusk County Courthouse, which served the county until 1929.

The museum features the goat skin campaign trunk Houston used to store his personal belongings during the Texas revolution. The trunk is the same one pictured in the painting, The Surrender of Santa Anna by William H. Huddle, which now hangs in the Texas State Capitol Building in Austin.

A Vision of the Past The museum offers a picture of how people lived 165 years ago, long before modern conveniences like indoor plumbing and electricity. A well behind the house supplied running water. Two chimneys, at opposite ends of the house, supplied heat

32 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

to the basement and two upper floors.

Chandeliers now wired with electricity still have pull cords that lower for lighting.

Originally red brick with white trim, the two-story home elegantly displays a variety of relics, artifacts, and furniture from antebellum life. Some are original to the home, but many others are donations from local residents. Furnishings include many items from the pre-Civil War era.

One notable item is a barometer once owned by Reconstruction Judge William Wright Morris. It hangs in the home’s entryway. Another is a graphophone formerly belonging to Millie Kangerga, a merchant from Yugoslavia, who used the device to learn English. A Mason-Hamlin pump organ, purchased by Dave and Martha Howard for their daughter Julia, is one of few original pieces remaining in the home.

Early photographs now line the walls as reminders of the county’s early history.

Donations of antique sewing machines,

serving ware, lamps, wash basins, and children’s items also offer a glimpse of the region’s heritage.

The Howard Family Dave Howard and his brother Logan and sister Mary Jane came to Texas through Galveston. The siblings purchased seven and one-half acres from A.J. Smith, the namesake of Smith County who received it as a reward for service in the Texas War of Independence. They built the home there in 1851.

Coming from a family of brick masons and carpenters in Roanoke, Virginia, the Howard brothers’ quality craftsmanship ensures the structure’s durability to this day. The bricks come from clay dug up on site and dried in the sun. Brick walls are four layers thick and reinforced with iron ties. The Howards also hand-planed the mill work, fashioning it in the Italianate architectural style.

With plentiful clay deposits in the region, the Howards built a nearby brick factory along Johnson Creek and fired the bricks in a kiln, which they used to build other lasting structures in downtown Henderson. Brickmaking was one of the first industries in Rusk County. Five of the brothers’ downtown buildings are still standing.

The Howard family used the house’s basement daily, cooking and dining mostly in the north basement, also known as the warming kitchen. They cooked in a large pot over the fireplace. The south basement, or so-called keeping room, was a working area for the women’s ironing, spinning, weaving, sewing, canning, and quilt making. The room features an antique wedding ring patterned quilt stretched across a wide frame.

The house also features a large front balcony on the second floor where the Howards slept on hot summer nights, though it is now off-limits for visitors.

Dickinson and Beyond

The Howards continued living in the house until 1905 when Catherine Dickinson purchased it. Dickinson was a young widow with three children, Katie, Ben, and Brad, who grew up in the house. Ben continued living there after he married and raised a family. Katie continued living in the house after Catherine died, renting rooms again though the house began falling into disrepair and it continued to decline after Katie sold it in the 1950s.

The Dickinsons added four wood-frame rooms behind the original Howard House in the early 1900s. They also added running water and bathrooms, making it one of the first homes in Rusk County with modern conveniences.

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Reach those Living & Playing in the Upper East Side of Texas

During the 1930s and 40s — Henderson’s oil boom days — the Dickinsons rented rooms to oil men from $5 to $8.50 a day.

After the Dickinson family left, however, the house sat vacant from 1950 to 1964 and suffered vandalism and disrepair. Local businessman Homer Bryce purchased the house and sold it to the Rusk County Heritage Association for $1, with the requirement it be restored.

Ghost Adventures, a series on the Travel Channel, explores rumors of paranormal activities at the Howard-Dickinson House.

Docent-led tours of the two-story brick house and basement are available from the association’s members by appointment. The house is also available for photo sessions and family events. Call (214) 232-1612 or (903) 657-4965 to request an appointment.

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(903) 963-1101 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 33

Barndominiums Are Gaining Popularity with Homebuilders

By Don Howe Barndominiums are popping up everywhere, including the Upper East Side of Texas. They are not necessarily less expensive than other projects. The average cost of a new home in the region is about $90 per square foot compared to the barndominium which can run between $85 to $125 per square foot, depending on size, materials, and builder.

There are also barebones barndominium kits and basic shells that average about $26 per square foot. However, those do not include walls, doors, windows, and interior features.

Durability and long-term maintenance are perhaps the best reasons why people are choosing barndominiums over conventional homes.

A stud frame typically includes 2x4 studs. Barndominiums use the postframe design, which includes wood or metal posts measuring 4x6 inches or 6x6 inches.

The thicker posts are anchored to a concrete slab and extend a minimum of 40 inches into the ground. With thicker posts and a more secure foundation,

barndominiums provide greater structural integrity.

For people who live in a rural area, the structural integrity of the home is important. The stability of a barndominium allows it to withstand strong winds and debris during storms. Steel is also more resistant to environmental elements like heat and water. The material is more fire resistant and there’s no risk of termites or other bugs that chew through wood.

Metal doesn’t rot and lasts a long time.

Metal roofs are estimated to have a 4070 year lifespan while shingles average 25 years.

Barndominium designs are versatile.

The first barndominiums featured the addition of living space to barns, workshops, and other structures. Many people like to build a property that combines living and work areas.

Barndominiums use large posts supported by girts. The design allows for wide, open interiors, as it often eliminates the need for load-bearing walls.

The open interior of a post-frame building provides more options when choos-

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ing the layout and floor plan. Builders can choose an open design where the living room, dining area, and kitchen blend together or a more traditional style, with hallways and separate rooms.

Energy efficiency is also cited as a big reason people choose barndominiums.

Insulation options and energy efficient windows are capable of decreasing the costs of energy and the open layout designs provide good air circulation.

Barndominiums are often quicker to build compared to standard homes so some choose this option as it allows them to move into a new home sooner.

Building a new home is likely to become one of the most expensive projects that people do. As with any major decision, it’s important to take the time to weigh the pros and cons of various options.

Don Howe is with Barndominium Life, a website publication focused on celebrating all things barndominium.

Learn more at www.barndominiumlife. com.

The home below and at right was built by 5 Starr Builders based out of Waskom. The design allows for large corner windows and wide open spaces.

Courtesy photos

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Strickland Leaves a Legacy of Love for All People and the Best Artsy Happy Hour Anywhere

By P.A. Geddie Dennis Wayne Strickland, 71, died November 19 in Greenville, Texas. Never heard of him? Neither had anyone in this small Upper East Side of Texas town until six years ago. In this very short time, he taught the town how to “live it up.”

After working about 25 years for The Stewpot and The Bridge — havens for homeless and at-risk individuals in Dallas — Strickland decided to leave Big D for smaller pastures and chose smalltown Greenville. The people of the town are forever grateful he did.

Born in Waxahachie May 14, 1949, Strickland learned early in life to love people wherever he was. In an interview with local realtor Denisha Denney for her “Heart of Greenville” video series just weeks before his death, he talks about developing his sense of caring for a community in his childhood.

“My father was a minister. We were gypsies,” he recalls fondly. “We moved every three years and lived in lots of places.

That was a rich experience.”

At one point when he was a young boy, they were in West Texas, he said, and when they were getting ready to move on he expressed concerns to his mother about leaving the people of the community he’d come to know so well.

“But mother, who will take care of our people,” he asked her. “It showed who I was even as a little boy. I love people.

I learned that people are people everywhere. So the next church, the next town, I enjoyed the people there too.”

Along with love, music became the thread that connected Strickland to people wherever he was.

“I enjoyed anything to do with music,” he says, including theater. “That was my salvation.”

Strickland said he felt alone through his teen years and couldn’t wait to be an adult because he thought they “had it made.” Now, looking back he says, he wished he’d done things differently and has advice for kids today.

Dennis Wayne Strickland moved to Greenville just six years ago — he made a big impact on the town in a very short time. He passed away in November, leaving hundreds of new friends grieving, but dedicated to continuing his work. Courtesy photo

“Enjoy your childhood. I think it’s important for kids to be who they are.

Don’t sell out.”

After a couple of tries at college, Strickland spent the next few decades in a variety of positions including church choir director and organist, hotel management, and owned a bar he called Sassy’s because it had “attitude.” During his 25-year career working with homeless services, he ended up supervising 120 people and had huge responsibilities, he said, and in 2014 decided it was time to “retire.”

“I wanted out of the city and the stress of the traffic. And I wanted to do music. I wanted to spend my last years in music.”

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He looked for a part-time job where he could use his music skills and found an ad for a position with a Methodist church in Leonard, Texas. He took the job and found a place to live in nearby Greenville, still small compared to Dallas, but with a growing downtown scene.

Strickland worked for the church in Leonard for about 16 months and immersed himself in the Greenville community over the next few years. He joined the Kiwanis Club and used his musical background to play and sing for the residents at nursing homes and the local hospital. He volunteered to work with the Boys and Girls Club, read books to children, and was a board member for four years at the local library.

He served on the board for the Greenville Family Theater, helping with five musicals since 2015.

He started and met weekly with a group called Wellbeing at Redeemer Lutheran Church, encouraging members to live out healthier lifestyles, and collaborated with Texan Theater owner Barbara Horan on quarterly Sunday afternoon worship services featuring local musicians.

Perhaps his greatest achievement was starting and hosting “Hump Day Happy Hour� each Wednesday evening at the Texan Theater that brought the community together. “I love the theater,� he told Denney, “and what we do every Wednesday.�

Strickland hosted an evening of entertainment each week featuring local artists. It includes musicians, visual artists, poets, storytellers, dancers, and more.

arts community was beyond what most could ever hope to achieve.� “This man was an angel,� Luke Wyldmon says. “I’ll say it just like he did, ‘every day is a gift.’ You were a gift to every one of us from the first day you came into our lives.�

Gail Sprinkle says, “His influence cannot be underestimated. He changed Greenville.�

Hundreds of people are affectionately expressing these sentiments on social media in the loss of their beloved community member.

“Go find your reason.

Live it up, I like to say.

Live it up.�

“It gives them a place to do their stuff,� he says. “It’s been an opportunity for us to grow as an arts community in Greenville.

I am continually amazed at the talent here. We call it ‘the best artsy happy hour anywhere.’�

The night he passed away he wasn’t feeling well so he asked someone to fill in to host Hump Day Happy Hour for him. Many of his fans sent him well wishes and a huge outpouring of love.

He wrote, “I’m blessed,� and then asked all to take care of themselves and to help others.

His friends say they can’t imagine their community without him. “Every single interaction I had with Dennis was inspiring,� Derek Price says. “He lifted the spirit of the room from the moment he stepped in. Greenville is much better because he spent his golden years here.�

Kevin Banks says, “What a light he brought to our community and all who were lucky enough to know him personally. I have often described Dennis as the kindest soul you could ever hope to meet. The impact he made on the local

ď ˝

In the final moments of Denney’s interview with Strickland, she asks him about his time in Greenville. He says he’s proud of the way its people come together for charities and other projects. “It happens all the time.

You see the camaraderie, good neighbors, people helping each other.

They’re all wonderful.

“I know there are some ‘stinkers’ out there. I have to love them where they’re at. We’re all different. We have to be people that are working together — while taking care of ourselves individually — that’s what motivates you to care about the people next door. “I don’t know if it makes any difference where you are at geographically. Maybe it’s just about your attitude. I’m in a place of attitude where I just don’t meet people I don’t love.�

Denney asks him for his best piece of advice and he doesn’t hesitate to answer. “Find someone who has what you want, and ask them how they got it. Ask the questions, and do not assume everything you think you know is so absolute.

If it’s not working for you, let that go.

We are a work in progress. Don’t give up. Continue the course. “I’m living the best years of my life. It’s really quite amazing. Go find your reason. Live it up, I like to say. Live it up.�

Love is but a song to sing Fear’s the way we die You can make the mountains ring Or make the angels cry Though the bird is on the wing And you may not know why Come on people now Smile on your brother Everybody get together Try to love one another Right now If you hear the song I sing You will understand (listen) You hold the key to love and fear All in your trembling hand Just one key unlocks them both It’s there at your command

đ&#x;Ľ°

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 37

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 39 CALL TODAY. 903.963.1101. PA.Geddie@COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM

ARTS + CULTURE

Culture Club in Winnsboro Expands Gallery

By P.A. Geddie One good thing to come out of the pandemic is it left entrepreneur Vic Clark with a lot of time on his hands.

He and his wife Kelly own Culture Club Art Gallery in Winnsboro that features the works of local artists.

He began pulling out some of his own art collection recently and decided to add those to the gallery.

“I’ve got little of everything,” he says, including some originals and a few signed and numbered lithographs.

“Better than prints — you know they’ve been touched by the real artist,” he says.

Once he started gathering, he began acquiring other pieces.

“Vic got a little impulsive during Covid shut down and ordered a lot,” Kelly chimes in.

The pieces add a museum quality to the gallery with wall cards describing them, and they even have comfortable benches for people to sit and view the work.

“I felt like we wanted to take it to another level and help educate people about world-renowned artists. It’s a museum feel with an affordable price tag.”

The new pieces include art by famous artists including Bernard Buffet, Pablo Picasso, Gustav Klimt, Henri Matisse, Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollack, Peter Max, Marc Chagall, and Rene Magritte.

Culture Club Art Gallery opened in 2018 in a 100-year-old building that faces Market Street in downtown Winnsboro.

“We grew up in the Boy George era,” Vic says, noting Culture Club was the name of George’s band and the kind of vibe they wanted. “We wanted to bring artists together as a club to promote culture. Art brings people together. I’m praying Culture Club does that.”

The heart of the place, Vic says, is the local artists which include Willow Santarsiero, Eluria Holland, Nancy

One of the Clarks’ favorite new pieces at the Culture Club is Gustav Klimt’s portrait of Gertha Felsovanyi.

At right is a view of the gallery and its museum feel in this 100-year-old building complete with a skylight.

Beauchamp, Tom Rice, Carlos Owens, Dolores Wright, Donna Page, Valery Guignon, Efton Edwards, Kathryn McNally-Bora, Margit Iguchi, Tracy Hopkins, Sherry Callender, Polly Eckstrom, Dennis Howard, George D. Bowmer, III, and Herman Peace.

Some of the artists work on site, hold classes, and display their work for sale.

“It is designed to give them a place to call home with minimal costs to them,” Vic says.

There’s a bookstore in the building as well as a gift shop, working studio, and a conference area.

There’s also a children’s section which is Kelly’s passion and she loves welcoming them along with the artists and guests of all ages who join them.

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“It’s very important for me to make it a place for anyone and everyone, a beautiful place for artists and people who appreciate it to gather.

They purposefully designed the new space so customers walk through the local art to get to the new side.

“We’re doing what we love,” Kelly says.

“We love art. We love promoting artists.

Artists are some of the best people on earth.”

Culture Club Art Gallery is located at 107 East Elm Street. They are open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday-Saturday. It’s within steps of numerous restaurants, shops, and the Winnsboro Center for the Arts. Visit www.cultureclubgallery.com or call (903) 347-6036 for more information.

Courtesy photos

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Railroads Defined Palestine’s Enduring Architecture

By Lisa Tang When it came to town in 1872, the railroad spurred Palestine’s growth and left a broad impact on the town’s history and building styles. It served as an artery from larger metropolitan areas, drawing thousands of newcomers, new money, and skilled laborers capable of building enduring public and commercial structures, churches, and private residences with solid foundations and ornate embellishments.

Today, Palestine’s Main Street District is a vibrant economic area along 34 city blocks that parallel the Union Pacific Railroad line. A walking or driving tour of the district is a perennially worthy attraction — and well worth the trip.

Decorative features include stained glass from Italy and France, a painted interior dome, and a Pilcher pipe organ. The interior features plastered walls and fixtures built of oak, pine, and marble.

The church was a key structure in Palestine’s history, providing a place of worship, ceremony, and celebration for the town’s working class immigrants. The church still plays a vibrant role in the community and offers daily services in English and Spanish, which are free and open to the public. Call (903) 729-2463 or visit www.shpalestine.org for information.

Studebaker/Lucas Building, 106 West Main Street Built originally in 1885 after the International & Great Northern Railroad came to Palestine, an exterior remodel in 1901 added columns and a parapet with stylish brickwork. The building housed Sam Lucas’ mercantile store, which sold Studebaker buggies, among other items. The store featured a freight elevator used to move buggies to the second floor.

Dilley Building, 401 West Main Street George Dilley, a prominent Palestine businessman, built the Dilley Building in 1882 with cast iron entry sills, windows with ornate arch accents, and elaborate cornices with Corinthian columns. The earliest business there may have been a shoe and boot shop, from 1890-1894, followed by a variety of others.

A restoration project in 1993 allowed it to become the new home of the Palestine Area Chamber of Commerce. The Dilley Building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building is open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Contact the office at (903) 729-6066 or visit www.palestinechamber.org.

Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 503 North Queen Street Built in 1893 from bricks moulded and baked on site, Sacred Heart Catholic Church is now more than 125 years old. Architect Nicholas J. Clayton designed the church in the Victorian Gothic style.

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Today the building is home to Duncan Depot Antiques, which carries sturdy furnishings from the 19th and 20th centuries.

The store is open for business 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Call (903) 724-0402 or visit www.duncandepotantiques.com for information.

The Redlands Hotel, 400 North Queen Street In March of 1915, The Redlands opened in Palestine with fanfare and excitement as the finest Texas hotel outside Galveston. The building features tile floors by Italian artisans, a magnificent stained glass skylight, a spacious outdoor balcony, and an ornate dining room. The Young Men’s Business League pooled their resources to build The Redlands Hotel to attract visitors and businesses to downtown Palestine. The group is said to have built the hotel almost entirely of concrete to resist destruction by fire.

Texas Theatre, 213 West Crawford Street Just a block east of the Carnegie Library is the Texas Theatre.

Built in 1930 with Spanish colonial architecture, the theater opened as an atmospheric movie palace, the most expensive in Texas at the time. It formerly featured an organ that played continued page 44

The Redlands entertained guests and gatherings for just four years before the International & Great Northern Railway purchased it to house the company’s headquarters from 1919 until 1956, when the company moved to a new building at 300 Bowers Street, owned today by Union Pacific Railroad.

The former office building sat vacant until 1976, when investors purchased it and began a 35-year process of restoring its original purpose as the region’s prime hotel. Today, The Redlands is a multi-use building with a restaurant, shops, an art gallery, hotel suites, apartments, and commercial offices. For information, call (903) 729-2345 or visit www.theredlandshotel.com.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 43

ARCHITECTURE continued from page 43 background music to accompany silent films. The building survives today despite two fires and a series of closings and openings.

After extensive renovations, the theater reopened 25 years ago as home of the Palestine Community Theater, a volunteer organization that stages four to five vibrant, family-friendly performances throughout the year. Auditions are open to the public, and tickets are $15 or less. For information about the theater and showtimes, visit www.thetexastheater.com

interior, however, was remodeled without retaining its historic charm, and is not open to the public.

Anderson County Courthouse, 500 North Church Street With a short walk or drive from Palestine’s Main Street District, visitors can easily reach the town’s original center, and the grandest building in the county, the Anderson County Courthouse. Sitting atop one of the area’s highest locations, the courthouse is visible from many points in the city.

Built in 1914 of brick and limestone for $150,000, the courthouse features both Classical Revival and beaux-arts architectural styles. The four-story building features a double-spiral staircase with ornate iron handrails that leads the eye upward to a stained glass dome. On the downward journey, a large floor mosaic illustrating Texas’ geographic features offers an aesthetic interlude.

The original Anderson County Courthouse was a one-story timber structure built in 1847. Two other courthouses followed, in 1847 and 1886. The second courthouse fell into disrepair after 30 years and was demolished; the third burned in 1913 at the hands of arsonists.

Today, the courthouse bustles with activity. The courthouse is open weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call (903) 723-7403 for information or visit www.anderson.co.tx.us.

For more information about the city’s commercial architecture, stop by the Palestine Visitors Center at 825 W. Spring Street or call (903) 723-3014 or visit www.visitpalestine.org.

Carnegie Library, 502 North Queen Street Palestine’s Carnegie Library was one of more than 1,600 Carnegie libraries erected by the former steel magnate, Andrew Carnegie, across the United States. His foundation granted $15,000 toward construction of the new public library, which opened in 1914.

Like other Carnegie libraries, Palestine’s features symmetrical plans and a classical exterior. The building served as Palestine’s central library until 1986, when the building’s wooden floors could no longer support its growing collection. The city moved the library to the Alamo School Building on Cedar St. in 1986, but the library moved again in 2011 to the Palestine Mall.

The Carnegie Library in Palestine is one of just 13 remaining Carnegie Library buildings in Texas, but only four are still in use. The building became a Registered Texas Historic Landmark in 1970. Today, the library’s mall location is temporary, according to some city leaders.

Martin Hinzie Building, 111 West Spring Street Real estate developer Martin Hinzie built one of Main Street Palestine’s earliest structures in 1878. The building retains most of its original facade, especially on the second floor, featuring a detailed parapet and other embellishments from the Victorian Italianate style.

The Hinzie building is considered the oldest commercial building in Palestine to retain most of its original facade. The 44 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

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WORDS & IMAGES: ON HEROES Unlikely Heroes Released in 1992, the film Hero is the story of unlikely heroes starring Dustin Hoffman, Geena Davis, and Andy Garcia. Bernie LaPlante is having a rough time. He’s divorced, his ex-wife hates him, and has custody of their son who doesn’t think much of him either.

The cops are setting a trap for him, then to top it all, he loses a shoe while rescuing passengers off a plane crash.

Being a thief who is down on his luck, he takes advantage of the rescue, but then someone else claims credit for it.

Through twists and turns, the characters all have moments of stepping up and stepping aside for the greater good of humanity. Click on the poster to see the trailer.

We go hide away in daylight We go undercover, wait out the sun Got a secret side in plain sight Where the streets are empty, that’s where we run Everyday people do everyday things but I Can’t be one of them I know you hear me now, we are a different kind We can do anything We could be heroes We could be heroes, me and you Anybody’s got the power They don’t see it ‘cause they don’t understand Spin around and ‘round for hours You and me, we got the world in our hands All we’re looking for is love and a little light Love and a little light We could be All we’re looking for is love and a little light Love and a little light We could be heroes We could be heroes, me and you Written by Brian Peter George Eno, Alessandro Rodolfo Lindblad, Tove Ebba Elsa Nilsson, David Bowie 46 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

I think a hero is any person really intent on making this a better place for all people.

Maya Angelou

ATTENTION POETS Submit your poem for possible inclusion in a future County Line Magazine.

All ages.

editor@countylinemagazine.com

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 47

MUSIC Choir Inspires Unity at Wiley and Beyond

VIDEO



By Lisa Tang With dozens of international performances, soundtracks, and recordings behind them, the Wiley College A Cappella Choir is continues its 123-year tradition as a premiere musical and artistic force in Marshall, Texas, and beyond.

Founded in 1873, Wiley College is one of the oldest historically black colleges west of the Mississippi River. The college is widely known for Denzel Washington’s 2007 film, The Great Debaters, which celebrates the Wiley team’s national victory in 1936.

The college is not only known for its award-winning debaters, but for its prominent a capella choir as well.

In 2016, the choir achieved international fame for its performance of “Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray,” recorded on the critically acclaimed soundtrack of Birth of A Nation, Nate Parker’s film about the ill-fated Nat Turner rebellion of 1831.

Under Director Stephen Hayes, the choir performed globally in televised performances at The White House and international concert halls in Europe and Japan.

Performances of African-American spirituals are part of the Wiley College A Capella Choir’s tradition, but McPherson is adding more contemporary music.

“I inherited a wonderful group [taught] by some extraordinary people who preceded me,” says Choral Director and Artist in Residence Gregory McPherson. “At one time, the choir had its own recording agreement with RCA records.”

A recent performance in June of 2020 included a live cover of Michael Jackson’s “Heal the World” as a message of hope after racial tensions and Black Lives Matter protests erupted across the country.

“Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray” is a traditional African-American spiritual, or religious folk song, associated with slavery, much like “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.”

Choir members tap their feet in unison during the opening male tenor solo, then add the voices of each section as a somber backdrop. The choir builds volume, movement, and drama with a solemn crescendo while the soloist sings of the world’s trials.

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Similar to Jackson’s use of children’s voices in “Heal the World,” the choir’s live version features two children, Breah and Layla McGlothin of Marshall. A Spanish translation adds to the song’s appeal for unity. A career record and music producer, McPherson relied on his skills to release the choir’s live version on major music platforms such as iTunes, Spotify, and Amazon.

At the same concert, the choir performed a traditional gospel penned in 1932 and an upbeat 1979 disco classic.

The concert opened with an arrangement of “Precious Lord,” the hymn sung by Mahalia Jackson at Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral in 1968, followed by ‘’Ain’t No Stopping Us Now,” by the R&B duo Gene McFadden and John Whitehead.

Grammys Feature Several Upper East Side Texans

The 40-member choir, including a handful of instrumentalists, is a selective group that follows rigorous standards. All students audition for a spot, and must complete a fundamentals of music class regardless of their major.

Choral members must also follow high moral and behavioral standards.

“My expectation for the young people is to always be in a place where they strive to be the best that they can and to be dynamic and to want to make a difference and make an impact in the world,” McPherson says.

Wiley College closed its campus during the spring and fall of 2020 to curb the spread of COVID-19, though the choir continued to practice and meet through technology. The college is opening its campus in 2021, but is still requiring widespread precautions.

The choir follows similar precautions.

Students are wearing masks during rehearsals of the choir’s sections with no more than 10 or 12 members present.

McPherson is using his skills in technology production as he leads the choir’s performances and productions during the pandemic, while continuing to keep the choir engaged in the community.

He hopes to continue leading the choir in creating music as an artistic and healing force for racism in America.

“We celebrate the very crux and foundation of a culture that seeks to unify and heal our land through such a wonderful gift that God has given us through music,” McPherson says. “I am also very humbled in the privilege of serving the institution as the artistic head of this extraordinary group.”

Recent videos of the choir are accessible on Facebook. Click HERE to view them performing “Heal the World.”

Click HERE to hear a recording of “Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray” from the Birth of a Nation Soundtrack.

VIDEO

 Hosted by Trevor Noah, the 63rd annual grammy awards is broadcasting live on CBS at 7 p.m. Sunday, January 31.

Notable nominees from the Upper East Side of Texas include ZZ Top, Miranda Lambert, and The Erwins.

The Erwins are a sibling group from little Edgewood, Texas. Their record What Christmas Really Means, is nominated for Best Roots Gospel Album. The brothers Keith, Kody, and Kris performed as a trio until 2013 when little sister Katie joined them. Listen to their harmonies in this video where they perform Watch and See, written by Kris.

Miranda Lambert’s hit, Bluebird, scored nominations in two categories, Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Song.

ZZ Top is nominated for their documentary That Little Ol’ Band From Texas.

The career overview competes in the Best Music Film category alongside projects on the Beastie Boys, Beyonce, Freestyle Love Supreme, and Linda Ronstadt.

Produced by Banger Films, the documentary tells the story of how three teenage bluesmen — Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard — became one of the biggest bands on the planet and continue to gain fans for 50 years.

That Little Ol’ Band From Texas presents interviews with the band members alongside conversations with such highprofile fans as Billy Bob Thornton and Queens Of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme, as well as never-before-seen archival footage.



VIDEO

Watch the trailer for That Little Ol’ Band From Texas documentary.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 49

Meet the Heroes of Brick Row Music

By Milena Weaver

VIDEO

One of the things people are doing more during the Pandemic Pause is learning to play a musical instrument.

At the new Brick Row Music store in Commerce, Texas, guitar, bass, fiddle, mandolin, ukulele, and voice lessons are taught by professional musicians Brad Davis and Joel Weaver.



Grammy Record performer Davis has operated Brad Davis Recording Studio in Commerce since 1985 in between time spent touring on the road, most recently with Billy Bob Thornton’s band The Boxmasters. In the studio he keeps up with local artists’ recording and production needs, as well as recording, producing, and creating music for his own projects that range from tribute albums to movie soundtracks.

Davis and Weaver joined forces in 2019 to put their 30-year musical experience together to form the band The Heroes.

Weaver says the name comes from the idea that the band wants to be “heroes” that give their audiences a break from their troubles — a time to tap their feet, relax and forget the stress and struggles they face.

The band plays stages in Texas including the Texan Theater in Greenville, Foster’s Filling Station in Sulphur Springs, Foster’s Restaurant and Pub in Pickton, The Cocktail Creamery/Pantry in McKinney, as well as in Colorado, and several venues in Oklahoma.

Weaver moved to Commerce a few months ago so the two could work closely on their collaborations.

When Davis learned that nearby Texas A&M Commerce students in band or orchestra had to drive to Dallas to purchase needed supplies for the upkeep of their instruments and items that have to be replaced on a regular basis, he and Weaver started talking about doing something to make that more convenient for them and other local musicians.

Davis said, “Open a music store? Sure, why not. The Heroes is one of the reasons I could finally convince Joel to move down here to help with the studio and now a store. I knew I needed some-

one who was not only a great musician, but a trustworthy guy.”

Weaver says he’s all in.

“It just made sense, so we hooked it up and transformed the lobby of the Brad Davis Recording Studio into the coolest music store you’ve ever seen,” he says.

Brick Row Music Mercantile quickly gained success and they were approached by the Greenville arts community to bring a satellite store there. After a bit of arm twisting, Davis and Weaver opened Brick Row Music’s Greenville location called Little Brother, at the end of November in Uptown Forum.

“The businesses in Uptown Forum are

50 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

TOP: Brad Davis, Pip Bickford, and Joel Weaver at Little Brother, their newest store located in Uptown Forum in Greenville. BOTTOM and OPPOSITE: Brick Row Music store in Commerce.

Courtesy photos

an oasis for the creative spirit and the people who aren’t so creative, but still dig it. You can find Harry Potter wands, a good Italian café, and Lonnie J and Friendlee Buffington on Friendlee radio, all under one roof. The building alone could be the star of a trip downtown, and it’s filled with all kinds of jewels to explore,” Weaver says.

For more information on the music shops, go to www.braddavismusic. myshopify.com and visit their Facebook page @brickrowmusic.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 51

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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

Reach those Living & Playing in the Upper East Side of Texas

County Line has always been and continues to be a significant partner to our community. The magazine is beautifully laid out, filled with relevant information, and reaches our most important target market — the Northeast Texas drive market. The County Line Team is always very professional and the magazine is a great asset to the entire area.

Kevin Banks Manager, Greenville CVB P.A. Geddie and the County Line are a tremendous asset for us at Four Winds Steakhouse. We have worked together for about 14 years. Through the years I have seen the publication grow and consistently get better. It has been a great local tool for our business and its reach continues to grow. They do a great job putting our ads together and I enjoy working with P.A. Frank Rumore Four Winds Steakhouse

www.CountyLineMagazine.com • (903) 963-1101 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 53

FOOD & DRINK A Taste of Sulphur Springs’ Dining District

Article and photos by Lisa Tang Sulphur Springs’ Celebration Dining District — where American and international flavors and beverages are all within a short walking distance — is an ideal location for a foodie tour. Visit these culinary standouts to sample some of the best cuisine in the Celebration City, or plan your own culinary adventure.

butter and spicy syrup. The waffles taste sweet and crispy, and the chicken bites have a crunchy waffle coating that complements their savory taste.

Don’t feel obligated to share this fine appetizer with anyone, though. It’s large enough to enjoy as an entree.

Start the day with a Southern brunch at Haystacks. Their menu boasts “Country Fine Dining,” and so far no one disagrees.

Brunch entrees combine a range of southern flavors. Shrimp & Grits, served with eggs, bacon, and toast, is a popular breakfast entree. The Holy Moly Skillet offers a Southwestern dish of roasted potatoes, bell peppers, cheddar cheese, onion, pulled pork, fried egg, with avocado pico de gallo.

A favorite appetizer is Waffle Chicken Kabobs, three hearty skewers of crisp waffle portions and waffle-fried chicken chunks with good helpings of maple

The menu also offers pastries and breakfast sandwiches that are perfect for lighter appetites and make excellent carry-out items.

Haystacks

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Haystacks offers bistro coffees and specialty lattes made from inspired blends. Favorites are the Texas Sunrise, with raspberry and white chocolate, and the Haystacks Latte, with dark chocolate, salted caramel, and chocolate chips.

Another delicious coffee is the Fireside Latte, sweetened with toffee crunch, toasted marshmallows, and caramel.

Also, check out Haystacks’ Free Mimosa Fridays.

Haystacks is open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Sunday. Outdoor seating and takeout are available, and reservations are always recommended. For information, visit www.haystackstexas.com.

Plain & Fancy Sandwich Shoppe Less than one block away is Plain & Fancy Sandwich Shoppe, which offers breakfast or lunch options in a variety of combinations — plain or fancy. The delibakery serves breakfast all day or a range of sandwiches, soups, salads, wraps, baked potatoes, and specialty desserts.

Due to the cafe’s ideal location and full-length windows, seating at Plain & Fancy — indoor or outdoor — offers a spectacular view of the Hopkins County Courthouse and surrounding park.

Hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday

through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday. For dining in or taking out, call (903) 885-9225 or visit their menu to place an order online at www.plainandfancyshoppe.com. continued page 56

For a healthy and satisfying light lunch, try the Vegetable Wrap, a blend of lettuce and juicy slices of tomato, cucumber, and bell pepper with olives, cheese, avocado spread, and ranch dressing in a tomato basil wrap. The fresh, crisp veggies offer a delicate blend of flavors.

For an afternoon treat, try Plain & Fancy’s locally-famous Sparkle Cookies.

The light and flaky sugar cookies have a sweet, delicate flavor, complemented by their creamy white icing with colorful sparkles.

Richer dessert favorites include the Chocolate or Strawberry Yummy, a creamy layering of chocolate mousse or strawberry preserves, whipped cream, soft cream cheese, on top of a sugar cookie crust.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 55

DINING continued from page 55 MAAK Sushi Cafe MAAK Sushi Cafe offers dozens of international flavors all from the same menu, which may explain its name, Modern American Adventure Kitchen.

The Temptation Roll is a popular specialty sushi with delicate flavors of the sea, including real crab, avocado, spicy mayo, and tempura shrimp accents.

For Boba Pop newbies, the tea is easy to enjoy. Bubbles containing fruit juices or yogurt rest at bottom until drawn upward through a fat straw. The bubbles pop in transit, blending with the creamy tea for a unique taste — which guests can customize to their liking.

One popular drink is the Guy’s Go To tea, a delicious blend of milky white

Besides sushi, MAAK offers dozens of possibilities, with rice, noodle, and salad bowls; chicken, pork, and cheese sandwiches; street tacos; egg drop soup; hamburgers; and fries in a variety of styles and flavors with international flair.

Another MAAK specialty is Boba Pop Tea, a frothy blend of milk and tea with Boba Pop pearls. Widely enjoyed across Asia, bubble tea first appeared at a tea stand in Taiwan in the 1980s, where the owner added tapioca pearls to a frothy tea mixture. It became widely known as bubble milk tea — and widely popular across Asia.

56 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

vanilla tea with cherry pops that burst with flavor.

MAAK offers takeout, delivery, curbside, and dine-in options. Hours are 11 a.m to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday to Saturday.

MAAK has a second location in Mount Pleasant. For information, call (903) 980-8168 or visit www.themaak.com.

Whimsy Wine Bar, Restaurant & Boutique Located just one block west of the courthouse square, Whimsy offers a refined full-service menu in a relaxed atmosphere, where patrons can spend hours talking and visiting with friends or shopping in the boutique.

With a background in classic French cooking, Chef Thomas Ferguson offers a menu of flavors — from appetizers and charcuterie to hand-ground hamburgers, hearty American and Italian entrees, steaks, and seafood.

Desserts at Whimsy include classics such as Vanilla Creme Brulee, Drunken Fruit

Crumble, Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake, and Molten Lava Cake.

Whimsy is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Indoor or outdoor seating and takeout and curbside delivery are available. For information, call (903) 919-3733 or visit www.whimsytx.com.

Whimsy’s airy outdoor patio offers plenty of spacious seating with a full view of the restaurant’s warmly-lit interior wine bar and dining area.

The bar serves a selection of 30 or more curated wines from Italy, France, California, Texas, and Portugal. Owner Karen Riddle offers wine tastings and pairings with dishes from the restaurant’s full menu. House Sangrias with white wine and blackberry, raspberry, or peach flavors are also popular.

One appetizer is the Tomato Bruschetta & Olive Tapenade, a Mediterranean delight with fresh tomatoes and basil, mozzarella cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette served on crostini. Whole olives and an olive tapenade round out the bruschetta’s flavors, which are especially poignant when paired with Esprit, a light French white with fruity notes.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 57

Relax and Wine Down at This Vineyard Retreat

By P.A. Geddie When mother and daughter Carolyn DeWoody and Amber Green found themselves with one acre of land tucked into a corner of the vineyards of Los Pinos Ranch near Pittsburg, it was easy to envision a perfect getaway destination.

“We wanted to create a place where people could go spend time together and unplug from the hustle and bustle of life,” Green says.

They brought in three luxury tiny homes, each with their own view of the vineyards, and placed them well enough apart for guests to enjoy individually, but close enough for groups to visit easily between two or three of the

homes together. They named their little slice of heaven Relax and Wine Down.

Calling the buildings “casitas” to go along with Los Pinos’ Spanish themed name, the hosts offer concierge-style service to help guests create a customized destination experience.

Each home is decorated nicely and attention to detail is noticeable from the variety of pots and pans, wine and cocktail glasses, to plenty of coffee and snacks baskets, board games, and even flashlights. The refrigerators have bottled water and sodas, and a “welcome” throw pillow boldly notes the wifi password.

Three convenient fire pits are on the

property with plenty of wood for campfires and there are numerous other places for sitting outdoors and enjoying the view of the vineyards.

The casitas come with their own personalities and amenities and are named for wines: Merlot Manor, Blanc Bungalow, and Chateaux Chardonnay.

Los Pinos Ranch Vineyards & Winery is a very short walk from the casitas or a quick drive around to the front door in a couple of minutes.

Sitting on the winery veranda overlooking the vines, it’s nice to see the casitas so close and ready to welcome guests back after enjoying all Los Pinos has to offer. The facility makes their own wines from the grapes in their vineyards. Being there continues the “relax and wine down” theme of this getaway experience.

For those who choose to do a wine tasting, it’s really fun. They let each person select five kinds and bring them out in vials on a small tray. As participants try each one, there’s a sheet of paper where they can rate them for their own knowledge. It makes it easy then to select which one to buy by the bottle or the glass.

There’s a wine for everyone with numerous selections of sweet white and blushes, sweet reds, dry rose, whites, reds, and dessert wines.

The winery restaurant has a menu de-

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signed for the meals to pair well with the wines. For starters, they have a meat and cheese tapas platter, crab cakes, figs and goat cheese pastries, shrimp avocado salsa, lobster bisque and clam chowder bread bowls, cheese pastries, onion rings with whipped goat cheese dip, baguette with dipping sauce, and french onion soup. Salads come with or without grilled steak or chicken. Speciality pizzas include margarita, portabella and goat cheese, four cheese, and other ingredients like prosciutto, salami, figs, and herbed goat cheese.

Main entrees include steaks, salmon, burgers, short ribs, and cheese ravioli. There are several desserts to choose from and a Sunday brunch menu as well.

Los Pinos Ranch Vineyards has live music on the weekends and special events often including wine tasting classes. They also arrange for tours of the facility and wine making process by appointment.

After a beautiful sunset and dining experience, walking back to the casitas through the vineyards under a clear, star-filled sky is just about as perfect a time as it gets.

For those who want to venture into nearby Pittsburg during the Relax & Wine Down getaway, it’s just a five-minute drive. Some of the sites to note include the Witness Park and Prayer Tower with beautiful stained glass windows and

Paccard bells from France that chime with melodies on the hour. The Northeast Texas Rural Heritage Museum has exhibits of regional history artifacts including the Ezekiel Airship that flew a year before the Wright Brothers’ plane.

Also downtown is the largest Coca-Cola mural in Texas.

Several antique stores make shopping fun and not-to-be missed is Rustville’s Soap Shop. Owned by Shelby Rust, she makes her own soaps and personal products using all natural ingredients including many essential oils.

Another must-visit is Efurd’s Orchards, open seasonally with home grown fruits and vegetables, canned goods, homemade ice cream, and much more. It’s

not a typical produce stand, but a destination all its own where people enjoy hanging out at picnic tables when the weather cooperates.

For food and drinks, putting Pittsburg Hotlinks on the list is important since the town is officially the Hot Link Capital of Texas. And, despite its rustic, “junk yard” ambience, the Anvil Brewery is also popular with the locals with indoor and outdoor seating. It’s located in the historic Pittsburg Feed and Seed, the birthplace of Pilgrim’s Pride.

Relax and Wine down hosts are happy to help plan the perfect getaway for friends, families, and couples. Visit their website for more information, www.relaxandwinedown.com.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 • WWW.COUNTYLINEMAGAZINE.COM • 59

“The happiness of life is made up of little things — a smile, a helping hand, a caring heart, a word of praise, a moment of shared laughter.

We are most alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.”

Thornton Wilder

Discover the treasures of the Upper East Side of Texas.

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