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June 2017 | Community Guide | In & Around 3
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CONTENTS
8 I&A Champions | Lone Star Ranch & Rescue 11 I&A Travel | Digging Up History 14 I&A Local | The Big Appeal of Small-House Living 23 I&A Community Guide 29 I&A Community Guide | Bonnie & Clyde live on 32 I&A Community Guide | Collin County History 35 I&A Community Guide | Relax on Lake Lavon 39 I&A Food | Pure & Simple 40 I&A Pet of the Month | Dixie 41 I&A Life & Style | Fresh Takes on the Cake 42 I&A Calendar of Events “Like” us on Facebook at: In & Around Lifestyle & Home Magazine.
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June 2017 | Community Guide | In & Around 5
In & Around Magazine
Letter from the Editor
Editor-in-Chief Sonia Duggan
Graphic Design & Art Director
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elcome to In & Around Magazine and our annual Community Guide edition. This is our 20th year to publish the Guide and our 5th year since we started printing it in magazine format. Our mission for In & Around has not changed. We are still committed to giving our readers a quality magazine with a variety of articles in an appealing format. In order to make it all happen, I’ve had some great behind-the-scenes help all these years. I am thankful for our associate Debra Engstrom, the graphic designer who made our vision a reality years ago. She works her magic every month not only on the pages, but also on the cover and ads she creates as well. While I am responsible for the content of the magazine, I can’t possibly write every story. Over the years, Rhonda Briggs and Jennifer Aguilar have been my go-to contributing writers. Rhonda’s travel stories have given many readers ideas on trips to take in Texas and beyond. As for Jennifer, she is usually game for whatever story idea I toss her way! June’s Champion is Lone Star Ranch and Rescue, a nonprofit dedicated to rescuing equine from neglect and other harmful situations. An impressive 22-yearold young woman named Taylor Murphy runs the rescue along with help from her family. Turn to my story on page 8 to learn about her journey and how you can help LSRR. Traveling over the summer? Rhonda unearthed some information about places to travel in Texas and beyond to learn about prehistoric creatures of the past. Grab you kids and get ready to go dig. See page 11. Our local focus this month takes us on an exploration of small house living. Popular on HGTV, the tiny home movement has taken off. Forget the huge taxes and electric bills, tiny home living can be freeing for many families or individuals looking to live debt free by giving up square footage. Check out Jennifer’s story of a few people who are doing just that. See page 14.
Debra Engstrom
Advertising Chad Engbrock Janice Martz
Contributing Writers
Jennifer M. Aguilar, Rhonda Briggs Jesse Darland and Sonia Duggan
Contributing Photographers
Jennifer Aguilar
Rhonda Briggs
Acme Tayloring/Brenda Kellow, Daniel Bros. Gin/ Inez Daniel, Carin Curry, Sonia Duggan, Terra Mathers, Taylor Murphy, Pope Theatre/Helen Hall, Joe Reavis, Ginger Shocklee, M. White & Son Lumber Company/Ralph White and Wylie Post Office/Beb Fulkerson
To Advertise with us:
cengbrock@csmediatexas.com Telephone – 972.442.5515 ext. 29
How to reach us: Mail – P.O. Box 369, Wylie, TX 75098 Telephone – 972.442.5515 Editorial comments and suggestions sduggan@csmediatexas.com Advertising information advertising@csmediatexas.com Sonia Duggan
Debra Engstrom
If you’re looking to eat healthier, you’re in luck this month. Check out the recipes starting on page 38. You’ll find simple ingredients and a new way of food combining by cookbook author Pascale Naessens. The Community Guide special section starting on page 23 highlights cities within our distribution area as well as information about Lake Lavon, museums and libraries. In addition, Jennifer wrote a great story about the infamous Bonnie and Clyde, the movie and their ties to Lavon. See page 29. The calendar is packed with upcoming events and soon enough we’ll all be planning our activities for the 4th of July. With school out many of us have to get adjusted to the summer schedule of school-age children. It can be a task in itself keeping them busy (think day camps, VBS, grandma’s house!). If you’re off on a much-needed summer vacation, safe travels and have a great month!
Calendar submissions calendar@csmediatexas.com In & Around Magazine is published by C&S Media, Inc., a Texas corporation. Copyright 2017. All rights reserved. We accept no responsibility for returning unsolicited materials. In & Around Magazine is distributed monthly to each household, business and post office box in Lavon, Murphy, Parker, Sachse, Wylie and parts of east Richardson. Additional copies are available for $4.95 per copy, plus postage.
Publisher & President Chad Engbrock Associate Publisher & Vice President Sonia Duggan For our other publications go to www.csmediatexas.com
ON THE COVER
Colorful Kayaks 6 In & Around | Community Guide | June 2017
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YOU’RE IN POWER. June 2017 | Community Guide | In & Around 7
I&A CHAMPION
By Sonia Duggan
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Rescue. Rehabilitate. Rehome
razing horses and donkeys set against a backdrop of clear blue sky and rolling fields welcome you to a serene oasis in northern Collin County. If it weren’t for the sign out front indicating you were at Lone Star Ranch and Rescue, you’d think it was just another Texas ranch, not a sanctuary for equines. Rescued from a life of neglect, all the horses and donkeys on the ranch have a story, In the pasture, two miniature donkeys keep watch over the livestock. Rescued as babies, they were bottle fed until they could eat on her own. Now furry and friendly, their journey is complete as sanctuary animals. Nearby, a 3-yearold horse named Boomer grazes peacefully, looking much different from when she was rescued, having been abused and malnourished by previous owners. A passion for horses is what led Taylor Murphy to
her very own field of dreams. At 22, this former Plano East graduate runs Lone Star Ranch and Rescue, a nonprofit with a mission to educate the community, rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome horses. Visiting with Taylor, it’s hard to believe this determined young horsewoman is only in her early 20s as she possesses the confidence, wisdom and knowledge of all things horse related of someone far beyond her age. After graduating high school four years ago, Taylor tried Collin College for a few years but eventually stopped for a number of reasons. She now contemplates attending Oklahoma State Horseshoeing School someday because, unlike her studies before, now she feels like it will be more applicable. While this young woman will say she didn’t set out to rescue horses, her journey began when she went in search of a horse to buy at popular
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local rescue. She was quickly recognized for her ability to handle horses which translated into a two year position as a trainer. And yes, she did adopt a horse named Dani. “Working with so many rescued animals day in and day out turned out to be the final push to finding a way to do exactly what I wanted, needed, to do,” she said. The dream of having a horse rescue necessitates a lot of things, but most importantly land is needed for them to roam and graze. Thankfully, the ideal situation presented itself when a family friend purchased a former goat farm in Blue Ridge near Princeton, and wanted a renter. The Murphy’s moved from Plano, and in 2016 opened Lone Star Ranch and Rescue, a 501c3. In just one year, LSRR has brought in 24 rescues and has placed all but six of those animals, five of which are still in rehabilitation. The current collection of animals includes
Perci
three horses and four donkeys, plus two former rescues that were adopted and now boarded at the facility. From the beginning, running the nonprofit has been a family affair. Taylor, along with her mom and dad, Billy and Lisa Murphy, all work outside the home to supply funds to support the rescue. “I try to keep my numbers low so I can afford them,” says Taylor. In addition to their paying jobs, the family pools their skills for the nonprofit. Billy does construction and runs the financial side, Lisa handles graphic design and marketing
To donate or volunteer visit Lsrr.org or Facebook.com/LoneStarRanchAndRescue/ and Taylor cares for the animals and runs the social media pages. The horse community is close knit in Texas, and since many frequent horse shows, they trade ideas, share needs and opportunities with each other. LSRR hopes to grow their fundraising/support network and Taylor often takes horses to local shows so people who are already in the industry can see them. Having worked with a few other popular horse rescues over the past few years, Taylor developed her own philosophy for how she wanted to run hers, and what horses they will rescue. “We use the same methods as private sellers do to find potential homes for our horses,” she said. We do have a contract that we require people to complete in order to adopt our animals. Once a potential adoptee has identified who they want to adopt, we do a site check to see if the facility our animals will be housed at
is adequate. We get vet and farrier references, and then discuss proper care requirements. If everything works out, an adoption fee is collected and transport arranged. Many equine rescues frequent kill pens and rescue horses or donkeys. Because csmediatexas.com
horse slaughter is illegal in the U.S., the animals are held in pens for a period of times before being shipped to slaughter out of the country. Approximately 150,000 American horses are still rounded up each year and shipped to Canada and Mexico to be killed and their carcasses sold to international meat distributors. Taylor said it is really just a ploy (by kill pen operators) to tug at the heartstrings of well-meaning people. The horses, ponies and donkeys purchased from kill pens are often sold at inflated prices to rescues and the cash raised often affords the kill pens to purchase even more equines to send to slaughter. Taylor’s advice is to frequent horse auctions instead. “Your money will go further and there are plenty of sorry looking animals in need of rescue,” she said. At the Murphy’s ranch, the horses and donkeys all come with different medical challenges, but with patience, love, and ample care, each one will eventually have their own success story. One in particular Taylor loves to talk about is Perci, an off the track Thoroughbred. “She came to us incredibly skinny (body condition score of a low 1). She had been a racehorse and retired with injuries and passed from the track to a private owner. Somewhere in between retirement and us getting the call for help, she became emaciated. She required 24-hour supervision for the first couple of weeks we had her, but she made it through wonderfully. All of her injuries and infections healed, she gained weight, and even helped us raise our baby donkeys. We worked with her and made
Taylor and Dani
sure all of her training stayed up to date, and in less than a year we found her the optimal home. She now has free run of a 100-acre ranch and has retired to be a horse at the young age of six.” A new project for Taylor involves two donkeys that were rescued on Mother’s Day, abandoned on a property in Terrell. Extremely timid and suffering from neglect (especially their hooves), the mother/daughter duo, now known as Tequila and Salsa, are slowly growing more trusting after a few weeks of care. Taylor said once they get used to being haltered, their hooves will be tended to by a farrier. As for the future plans, LSRR needs a truck and trailer to provide reliable transportation for their animals to networking events. “Our current trailer has broken beyond the point that any repair shops will attempt to fix it,” Taylor said. “We are also in need of a truck larger than our current 2002 F-150. While it has gotten us by, it
has complained the entire way and showed us that it’s not quite big enough to get the job done.” Another goal is to remodel the goat barn to better equip larger equines. “For that, we need materials and manpower,” says Taylor. To get the word out about Lone Star Ranch and Rescue, Taylor posts flyers, attends local networking events, and maintains an active Facebook page that generates a decent following. “We also try to connect with other barns and horse-people in the North Texas area,” she said. The goal is to get Lone Star to be self sufficient and when they have more funding than they need, they would like to use that to assist other horse rescues. “We seek to provide support to other rescues through direct funding, providing equipment and supplies, and by building a partnership with rescues throughout the local area and across the nation,” Taylor said. c
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I&A TRAVEL
Digging Up History By Rhonda Briggs
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ummer is almost here! Now the kids are out of school patiently waiting for parents to plan an adventure or two. Depending on interests, a quick search online offers so many options available it’s hard to know where to begin. If you are looking to plan a vacation that will entertain and give your children the opportunity to learn something, consider one of the options unearthed this month. Chances are if you tell them you are visiting the Natural History Museum, you may have mutiny on your hands. But if you tell them you are going to dig up history hunting for dinosaurs, you’re likely to have them begging to leave for the trip immediately. Scientists are continuing to uncover fossils and find clues to the giants of the past who roamed this land, including our very own home
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state of Texas. While there are many states across the U.S. with museums and archeological sites to discover, Texas has plenty of opportunities as well, many of which are close to home. A day trip dinosaur adventure awaits you in Glen Rose at Dinosaur Valley State Park. This is on many residents’ list of favorite state parks. It’s close enough that you can make a day trip but its beauty and remoteness takes you far away from the hustle and bustle of the city, making you feel like you are much farther away. Opened in 1972, Dinosaur Valley State Park’s main mission is to preserve the dinosaur tracks discovered in the
Paluxy River by a young boy in 1909. The kids will enjoy searching for the tracks in the river while you enjoy the river for its natural beauty. Bring plenty of sunscreen and wear your bathing suit (or clothes you can get wet in) and spend a few hours splashing in the refreshing waters of the river. Pack a picnic lunch, sit under the trees and refuel before striking out on a hiking trail. Covering over 20 miles of Texas countryside, the trail also crosses the river in many spots. Before you leave, make sure you stop by the enormous dinosaur models near the entrance of the park. The 70-foot-tall Apatosaurus and 45-foot-tall Tyrannosaurus Rex were originally part of
New York’s World Fair in 1964-65, and were generously donated to the park in 1970 where they have greeted visitors ever since. Aside from the connection of the giant dinosaur statues, this Texas park has another New York connection. The American Museum of Natural History in New York houses tracks excavated from Dinosaur Valley State Park. While there are many reasons to visit New York, a trip specifically to visit The American Museum of Natural History should be at the top of your list of places to go this summer to discover dinosaurs. Located on the fourth floor of the museum, the dinosaur tracks give visitors a glimpse into the life of the pre-historic animals that once roamed this land. Stroll through the dinosaur >>> continues on page 12
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I&A TRAVEL
Dig up History in other states:
>>> continued from page 11
Digging
section at your own pace and take in the life-size fossil displays of creatures such as Barosaurus, Apatosaurus, Stegosaurus and the newest addition, a 122-foot-long Titanosaur fossil. Plan you visit prior to arriving so that you can explore other sections in addition to the dinosaurs. Displays of Native Americans, Blue Whales, Mammals and Birds of the World and a Planetarium await you in this stunning museum. Fans of the movie Night at the Museum will enjoy searching out exhibits which inspired settings in the movie. Texas does offer other opportunities to dig up history. Visit one of the newest National Parks in Waco. The Waco Mammoth National
Monument is the site of a fossil find unlike any other. It is believed a herd of around nineteen mammoths drowned in a flood of the Bosque River. Other pre-historic animals dating back to the Ice Age have been discovered in this site as well, including, a sabertoothed cat, a camel, a giant tortoise and an alligator. Guided tours take you through the monument which includes an enclosed Dig Shelter that allows you to watch the excavation in progress as many of the fossils have yet to be completely removed. Seeing the fossils in their original positions will enthrall the future archeologists in your group. Another “too close to home to not visit” dinosaur experience for this summer is found in the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Victory
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Park near downtown Dallas. This state-of-the-art, multilevel museum offers hands-on and interactive learning opportunities for kids of all ages. See the giant replicas of both plant eating herbivores and the meat loving carnivores. Learn about how differently the Dallas/Fort Worth area looked millions of years ago and how it evolved into the beautiful land we call home today. Little kids will enjoy digging in the sand in hopes of making their own archeological discoveries while the older ones can compare the jaw size and shape of different types of dinosaurs. History comes alive in this museum and will be a place you will want to return often. Three months of summer gives us three opportunities to explore the world, try new
Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry – Utah La Brea Tar Pits and Museum California Petrified Forest National Park Arizona Mammoth Site at Hot Springs South Dakota Fossil Butte National Monument - Wyoming
activities and learn a few interesting facts along the way. While the summer may seem like endless days of boredom for the kids with their normal routine interrupted by a much needed break, summer can be an opportunity to take them on an adventure they won’t soon forget. Pack up the car, book the hotel, upload a dinosaur movie, and hit the road for a summer adventure of pre-historic proportions. Make this summer an adventure for the kids to learn about history while having fun exploring new places. c
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I&A LOCAL
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The Big Appeal of Small-House Living
ave you become obsessed with the idea of small house living, thanks to shows like Tiny House Living, Tiny House Nation, and Tiny House, Big Living? If so, you’re not alone. The small home craze seems to be sweeping America, big time, and with plenty of good reasons. A smaller home means a smaller mortgage, fewer furnishings, fewer belongings in general, and less cleaning, which is certainly a major plus! Of course small house living is also about having more: more financial freedom and more time to spend on things other than keeping house. But what’s it like to actually live in a relatively tiny home, and does the reality live up to the HGTVinspired hype? For years, Illinois natives Terra and Shannon Mathers lived like so many of their Texas neighbors, believing bigger was better particularly where their homes were concerned. After marrying and moving to the “land of milk and honey,”
as Terra called North Texas, they lived with their children in two homes well over 2,500 square feet. But as their older children grew up and moved out, the couple realized they might no longer need as much house. More importantly, they realized they might actually be able to have a happier life in a much smaller home. “As our older two boys moved on to college we didn’t see the need for 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, a game room, dining room, kitchen, living room, study and media room and the 3,800 square feet to keep clean,” Mathers said. Terra admits that Shannon was on board with the idea of a major downsize long before she felt ready. But once they were on the same page, the fun began – dreaming up and designing a sustainably built, small home. Eventually, they agreed to convert three shipping containers into their family abode! But that meant spending a year, during
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the reconstruction, living in an RV. “I have to say the RV just about drove us crazy, but we learned a lot of patience, I got really inventive at making meals for a lot of people on a tiny stove and grill, and we got rid of lots of stuff! Our house now seems like a mansion compared to the RV,” she said. Now in their shipping container-turned-tiny home, the family admits things can be trying at-times. Organization, in particular, has proven an ongoing labor of love, but for the most part, the family seems content with the lifestyle they’ve chosen, and even the unique challenges it has created. “We have downsized in every aspect of our life… We still need to get rid of more. It is still a daily process reducing what we own,” she said. It seems to help that the family tends to focus on what they’ve gained from their relocation, rather than fixating on what they have been forced
By Jennifer M. Aguilar
to let go. Many would think such close quarters would be a nightmare for teenagers, and their parents for that matter. But for the most part, the Mathers have been happy with the arrangement. “Our son, Garrett, age 15, was telling me how beautiful a friend’s house was that he had stayed overnight at... he then told me how it had got him thinking how he had spent the weekend there and he didn’t even know if his friend’s sister was in the house because he never saw her. He said, ‘in our house I always know where everyone is at and what is happening. I talk to you (referring to me) all the time. I would rather have a small house where we live our life together every minute.’ Pretty profound for a teenage boy!” It also helps that while the Mathers home is considerably smaller than their last, their yard is much bigger, and that’s putting it mildly. The Mathers traded in their suburban yard
for nearly 20 acres of property, which gives them ample opportunities to spread out, simply outside instead of in. “I love gardening and raising animals and working on the never ending projects. I have designed a permaculture plan for our 20 acres and we are working on that constantly,” she said. They’ve created swales to collect ground water in the soil, and dug a pond. They’ve also planted nearly 50 fruit trees, along with grapevines, and several berry patches. They’re also raising chickens and turkeys. Eventually, they also plan to finish a covered back deck, and to create a greenhouse where they can grow even more food for their family. But they don’t seem to be rushing the process too much. On the contrary, they seem to be enjoying learning along the way. “We love being outside and working towards our dreams coming to fruition,” Mathers said. In many ways, they’ve made the land their homestead, in a way most modern homeowners never get the chance. But those aren’t the only benefits of living in a small home. “Something else to be said here, I believe, is the financial security we have now. We lived like no one in America wants to for over a year so we can live like most people can’t at a young age,” Mathers said. Though the couple was always accustomed to making a “good, middle class income,” as she put it, they still struggled for years to try to save any money at all. Terra works as a teacher and coach, while Shannon is a network engineer. “Every month we spent what we made, or we would have savings and something csmediatexas.com
would come up and we would need to spend it,” she said. Then, Shannon’s employer at the time went bankrupt, and he lost his job. “It hurt financially and made us realize we needed financial security in a way we didn’t have at the time,” Mathers said. “We thought the best way to do that would be to reduce our biggest cost, which was housing. We came up with the idea to build a small home, as sustainably as possible, and with cash money as we went.” From that point, the Mathers made it a point to stick to their financial goals, and to do so as a family. “We have chosen to live below our means - which is rare today… It is important for our children to understand why we have made the decision we have made so they don’t make a mistake of being a slave to a huge house payment or to the standards that society tries to dictate as success. Our thought on building cash is to be debt-free so that when our youngest graduates high school Shannon and I can semi-retire and travel,” she said. While striving to stay within their budget, the Mathers also prioritized finding sustainable products. “A small home was important to us for many reasons. One reason was to minimize our footprint/impact on the world. We wanted to use as many recycled or second-hand or ecofriendly products as possible,” she said. Of course, the Mathers recognize that not everyone is ready to undertake building their own tiny home. A millennial makes a choice Those nearing retirement aren’t the only ones worried about financial freedom. Joy Robbins is still in her early
30s, but that hasn’t stopped her from wanting to make responsible choices of her own, both for her personal future and for that of the planet. That is why she is currently in the process of building a home in Celina that will be less than 200-square feet, or approximately ¼ the size of her current apartment. Though small in stature, the home will be located on a portion of a 5-acre farm, suddenly giving this long-time apartment dweller unfettered access to wide open spaces. And in many ways, the choice to build a small home seems centered around the unprecedented freedom it will offer her. “I started considering building my own small home as rent and housing prices in North Texas began to increase beyond the 25-30% of income that financial sources recommend. I wanted to proactively
avoid a future where I would fall into a cycle of working to pay rent and paying rent to live close to work,” Robbins said. “I want to show up to my job every day knowing that it is my choice to be there. I want to work because I believe in what I am doing, without having my career choices decided by the dollar amount I need to make a mortgage payment,” she said. “When I realized that a small house would give me the freedom I wanted, it put the sacrifices involved in tiny living into perspective. If life is a balancing act between comfort and freedom, I am at a place in life where I want to tip the scales toward freedom.” While many millennials dream of mini mansions nestled in the suburbs or open and updated lofts in downtown >>> continues on page 18
Inside the Shocklee Tiny Home June 2017 | Community Guide | In & Around 15
Robert Brown International Finance Investment Banker Collin College Alum
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I&A LOCAL >>> continued from page 15
Living
skyscrapers, that isn’t for Robbins. “As an adult living in the suburbs, I have met many people who are miserable under expensive mortgages, home repairs, and renovations. My view of the ‘American dream’ of home ownership has been tempered with reality,” she said. Fortunately for her, the tiny home will actually be pretty close to the “dream home” she envisioned for herself, as a kid. “I had the typical ‘80s kid fantasy of living in a treehouse like in the movie The Sandlot,” Robbins said. “And I am not sure I have matured much past that! I dreamed of a home that would be a launchpad to adventure.” Plus, the small house represents a way for Robbins to live out her values. Rather than working to pay for a large home, she will be focusing her attention, and her hard-earned dollars, on leaving a small carbon footprint, something she’s incredibly passionate about. “As a serial renter, I suppose I should be most excited about finally moving into a home I own, but I am actually most excited about everything that comes after mov-
ing in. My small house gives me the freedom to dream big about how my home can make the community and the environment a better place. I can add rainwater collection, a bicycle-powered washing machine, and an exterior botanical cell sewage treatment system... And those are just a few of the ideas I have in mind!” Robbins said. She’s also excited about the energy she, herself, will have to put into this new place, and also a new lifestyle. “Instead of spending hours searching for my next apartment to rent, I can spend my energy on researching innovative ways to improve my everyday life, my community, and the environment.” Committed to serve, committed to save Like Robbins, Ginger Shocklee is another proud small homeowner, just outside the city limits of Wylie. In fact, she is so passionate about what it represents that she also runs a non-profit called The Bridge Connection, aimed at helping provide families with sustainable, small homes. For her family of five, choosing to sell their larger home to live debt-free in a smaller house, meant simplifying their lifestyle so they
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Joy Robbins
can give even more to their community. “There are several reasons we were drawn to tiny house living. First, we get calls a lot through our nonprofit for people that are experiencing homelessness. When praying, we asked God how we could help. The answer was to sell our 4 bedroom 2 1/2 bath home and become debt-free.” Since the house was the final debt they had yet to pay off, they were able to sell it in order to fund their much smaller home. It is 258 square feet, to be exact, yet it serves as a comfortable home for Ginger, her husband, and their three kids, plus three inside dogs! “Once this one is finished we will start another one, and so on, as we have cash to do so. These houses will be offered to those in need of affordable housing and those who don’t mind a very simplified lifestyle,” Shocklee said. In this way, small house living is actually pivotal to the vision for The Bridge Connection. “As soon as we can obtain a piece of land, our vision is to have 20 tiny houses placed on it at a low affordable rate and live in a community environment… We want to build a tiny house village that will give opportunities for much needed affordable housing in this area,” she said. Like the Mathers, Shocklee
feels that the benefits of living small are many. “First, tiny house living offers us a debtfree lifestyle. Second, with such a small space you become closer as a family. Third, it is a very simple no frills way of living,” she said. In fact, while their small house was still being built, the entire family moved in. “Our kids have adapted well to first living in a shell of the home we were building with no plumbing or electricity for weeks. It teaches them life skills far beyond what most their age get to experience,” she said. Even now, they’ve chosen not to furnish the home with a traditional stove, oven or dishwasher. Instead, she says, they’ve chosen to get creative with how they cook, and simply how they live. Of course, small homes are also more sustainable for the environment, which seems to be a draw for many tiny home dwellers. “Sustainable living means less impact on the environment around us. Our house is made out of mostly recycled materials. The shell is made from a shed and the back of a box truck. The interior includes walls, floors, and shelving made from reclaimed pallets, etc.,” she said. Like the Mathers, they too have made the most of their land as an extension of their living space, and have already begun using it to grow food, and raise chickens and pigs. During her life Shocklee, herself, has lived in a mobile home, apartments, with friends and family members, and in hotel rooms, during a period of homelessness. She later owned a 2,000 square foot home, before downsizing to her current tiny home. And though, as a kid, she said she dreamed of a big house, as most kids do, she has since changed her tune.
e The Mather’s Container Hom
“It has been quite a journey over the last year, but I would not trade the experience or the lifestyle for anything,” she said. Advice for those seeking a simpler life Of course, all three women seem keenly aware of the fact that not everyone will be willing or able to make such a leap to tiny living. It’s important to enter such a big decision united, as a family. “If you are interested in living a simpler life in a much smaller footprint, pray first as a family and make sure your kids are on board with the change. I have rock stars for kids and they have adapted almost seamlessly; however, we all agreed to do this as a family before we made the change,” Shocklee said. Unity is, perhaps, of special importance when living in such tight quarters. If you can agree, though, small homes sure seem to present a great adventure. “We know we are one family, but if we reduce our waste as much as
Want to know how to build a shipping container home? Read the Mather’s blog asustainabledream.com To follow the Shocklee’s journey: thebridgeconnection .org/hope-village.html
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we have and other families do the same, we will preserve our world for future generations, I hope!” Mathers said. Plus, everyone can do some things to help minimize their impact on the earth. Those tackling necessary home renovations, for instance, can seek out sustainable choices. “If you are building a home or refurnishing out of necessity then I would say do your homework. The internet has a wealth of information on being sustainable and on ecofriendly products Don’t think that you can’t do something,” Mathers said, proudly referencing the fact that her family has managed to build its entire house based largely on tutorials from YouTube! Though Robbins was hesitant to offer advice to those interested in taking the tiny house plunge, since she has not yet moved into her own, she was willing to share what she has already learned along the way. “I am probably too early in the process to be sharing advice, but I will anyway because it has been so important to me. In all my research from other small space builders, I heard over and over that the key to avoid getting overwhelmed is to break down the building process into baby steps. You only have to become an expert on one step at a time. Even though I have no construction experience at all, I can stay optimistic about my
ability to handle the next baby step as long as I keep that laser focus.” “There is a cost in both time and money to build sustainably. It will take me longer to build with salvaged materials, such as discarded wooden pallets gathered from construction sites, than materials I can buy new at a store. In many cases, I am paying more than I had originally budgeted to buy eco-friendly materials, such as cork flooring and milk paint. But making sustainable choices in building a small home feels less like sacrifice and more like making my own unique contribution to the world,” Robbins said. “I truly believe your dollar is your most powerful vote,” Robbins said. “I want to make deliberate choices with my money to reflect my values. Every dollar I spend on building my small home over the next 8 months is a vote for what I believe in, including solar energy and water conservation.” Of course, making any sustainable choices can help make a difference. “I think the biggest sustainable choice is to ask yourself if you really need a new, bigger home?... To each his own, but do you want a mortgage when you are 65? We don’t,” Mathers said. And the same principle can easily be applied to shopping, as well. Even for those not ready to downsize to a smaller house,
it’s still possible to downsize belongings. “My advice to downsizing is to not feel like you have to do it all at once. For example, clean out your closet every Saturday with a goal in mind. Maybe it is to get rid of everything that doesn’t fit anymore, then next time everything you haven’t worn in the last year, then get rid of 25 more items, etc. etc. Pretty soon getting rid of stuff becomes fun and it begins to mean freedom,” Mathers said. “You don’t even realize it until you are living with less and you are just as happy, or in our case, happier!” And happiness seems to be a common thread behind choosing tiny house living, and all that it represents, namely acceptance that for many, less stuff and a smaller home, can actually bring about an abundance of joy! c
June 2017 | Community Guide | In & Around 19
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20 In & Around | Community Guide | June 2017
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June 2017 | Community Guide | In & Around 21
www.murphychamber.org email: info@murphychamber.org
972-805-3749
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22 In & Around | Community Guide | June 2017
2017 COMMUNITY GUIDE
Blackland Prairie Raptor Center, Lucas
Community Guide LAVON Lavon was named for Lavon Thompson, son of E.C. Thompson, operator of the town’s first post office established in 1888 when the Louis, Arkansas and Texas Railway laid tracks. The community was settled in the mid-1850s on the shores of Bear Creek and encompasses only 2.36 square miles.
Lavon is the site of the grave of John Abston, who fought in the battle of King’s Mountain in the American Revolution. Despite the construction of Lake Lavon in 1953, Lavon’s population saw slight increases from the 1930s. until recently. The population according to the 2014 census is 2,600. The Lavon city council meets at 7 p.m. the first and third Tuesday at the Lavon Town Hall.
LUCAS Lucas was named after Gabriel H. Lucas, son of an early settler, Peter Lucas, who arrived in 1844. It is located just north of Wylie and Parker. Gabriel opened a store in 1870. For many years the area was farmed for cotton and corn. Early communities that became part of Lucas included Forest Grove, Winningkoff, Willow Springs, Lazy Neck and Engleman at FM 2179 and FM 1378. In the 1940s, the town saw growth with two stores, a gin, a school, a softball field and two churches. Early school history as recounted by the Lucas Historical Society says that John M. McKinney was baptized into the Church of Christ and later built a small box house on his land at the corner of FM 1378 where the road turns east to pass the Lucas churches. This csmediatexas.com
was probably the McKinney School House that predated the Willow Springs School. The Willow Springs School was later built near the intersection of Estelle Lane and Gold Dust Lane, which would later become Lucas School. The Stinson’s gave land for the Stinson School (nicknamed Who’d-A-ThoughtIt) near Stinson Road and Parker Road. Other schools in the area were the Faulkner School (nicknamed Hogwallow School), the Forest Grove School, the Lick Springs School, the Winningkoff School and the Lovejoy School. In 1884, Willow Springs became a public school. A generation of children was educated there during the last quarter of the 19th century. In the early 1900s due to mud and creeks, Willow Springs School was moved to a higher plot of ground donated by J.E. Stratton and Noah. Today, this is where the old fire station and the Christian Church parsonage now stand. According to history, the Lovejoy School District was started in 1917 combining Forest Grove and Lick Springs schools. The school opened on land purchased from the Fitzhugh family. Due to Mrs. J. L. Lovejoy of McKinney’s interest in the school, and her donations of books to the library, the school board gave the district the name “Lovejoy.” The town was >>> continues on page 25 June 2017 | Community Guide | In & Around 23
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2017 COMMUNITY GUIDE
Murphy City Hall
>>> continued from page 23
incorporated in 1970. The population, according to the July 2014 US Census population estimates, is 6,554. The city encompasses 11.73 square miles. www. lucastexas.us
PARKER John C. Parker was one of the first known settlers 150 years ago who came to the area to farm and raise a family. The community was named for his son, William C. Parker. On August 2, 1846 the Corinth Presbyterian Church was established. Later, the first school came along about 1880 in nearby Halltown, 2 miles east of Parker. More than 90 children attended. In the 1880’s there was a gristmill and a general store. Around the same time the St. Louis and Southwestern Rail-
Southfork Ranch csmediatexas.com
roads planned a route through Parker. In anticipation, town lots were planned. Unfortunately, the railroads changed their plans and the tracks were laid in nearby Wylie. This led to faded dreams of business development for the town. Parker originally had a post office, which opened in 1888 and was closed in 1900. A population of 50 was reported in 1910, in the 40’s it was 86 and currently the population has increased to over 4,000. The city was incorporated in 1969. Parker is 5.1 square miles. Parker city council meetings are held at 7:00 p.m., the first and third Tuesday of each month at Parker City Hall, 5700 E. Parker Rd., Parker 972-442-6811. parkertexas.us.
MURPHY According to information from the Cemetery Association of Murphy, the first settlers in the area were Comfort and Lydia McMillen and their six children who arrived from Arkansas in 1846, settling on a branch of Muddy Creek which was later named Maxwell Creek. With the McMillen family were Lydia’s brothers, James and Henry Maxwell. The families had obtained land grants from promoters of Peters Colony. By 1850, the William and Dorothy Murphy family also settled on Maxwell
Creek. First called Maxwell’s Branch and then Decatur, the town became Murphy (named for James Murphy) in 1888 when the railroad came through. James Murphy owned the land where the depot was built. Primarily an agricultural area from the 1880s until the 1930s, the thriving community had a collection of businesses along the railroad. The town had the depot, a bank, icehouse, telephone exchange, churches, stores, a post office and a cotton gin. Few reminders of Murphy’s early days remain except for the First Baptist Church of Murphy, which was built in 1901. Originally located on corner of FM 544 and Murphy Road, the church was relocated a few miles away on FM 544. The decline of the old community set in with the failure of the cotton market and the onset of the Great Depression. The bank closed its doors in the ’30s, but the community gained the Murphy School House built in 1938. The population continued to dwindle as farmers sold off their land and the school and post office were closed in the 1950s. But the late 1950s saw Murphy moving forward and the city became incorporated in Sept. 29, 1958. Now the community celebrates that date with Maize >>> continues on page 26 June 2017 | Community Guide | In & Around 25
2017 COMMUNITY GUIDE Sachse High School Mustangs >>> continued from page 25
Days, a festival paying homage to the city’s heritage and culture. The current population of this thriving 5.3-squaremile bedroom community according to the according to the July 2014 US Census population estimates is 20,230. Murphy residents attend either Wylie or Plano schools depending on where they live. The City Hall is at 206 N. Murphy Rd. Call 972-468-4000 or visit murphytx.org.
SACHSE William Sachse was born in Hereford, Prussia, on Dec 16, 1820. Raised in a hotel for most of his life, he came to America at the age of 20. According to the book, “Sachse Remembered,” in August 1840, Sachse arrived in New York. After stops in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Missouri, he arrived in Texas Jan. 15, 1845. Those accompanying him tried to settle in Collin County, but hostile Indians forced them to find refuge in Lamar County, where they began to farm. In spite of his encounters with Indians, Sachse returned to Collin County and was able to secure 640 acres of land. He became a successful farmer, rancher and trader and eventually acquired 26 In & Around | Community Guide | June 2017
5,000 additional acres, all of which eventually became the city we know today as Sachse. Sachse also erected one of the first cotton mills and gins in the county. The gin was operated by ox and horsepower, but after an 1869 fire, the animals were replaced with a steam-run plant. Sachse is remembered for his generosity and benevolent acts toward those less fortunate. In 1886, Sachse gave 100 feet of right-of-way frontage through all of his holdings to the railroad. In exchange, the railroad built a depot and named the town Sachse. When the railroad built the depot, signs at both ends of the building read “Saxie.” The mistake was later corrected. Also in the 1880s, approximately 5,000 acres owned by William Sachse decreased substantially when he agreed to be a bondsman for the Collin County tax collector. The county official fled with a large sum of county money, leaving Sachse heavily obligated. A large portion of property was sold to raise the needed cash. Sachse’s Lone Elm Ranch was located west of Maxwell Creek Road at the Ranch Road intersection. The first school in Sachse was built by the state of Texas on the corner of Sachse Road and Billingsley Street. The next school, located at Third and Dewitt
streets, was built in the early 1900s. It was a three-story building that was also used for town meetings. In the mid-’90s, several Sachse residents made plans to celebrate the city’s German heritage and Fallfest was born. The citywide festival has been held the second week of October ever since. Now held in Heritage Park, the event includes arts and crafts sales, food vendors, games, raffles, performances by local venues and contests. The population according to the July 2014 US Census population estimates is 23,681. The city is 9.9 square miles. For more information, go to cityofsachse. com.
ST. PAUL In 1876 St. Paul had its own post office, and in 1890 it had thirty residents, a general store, a gristmill, and a cotton gin. Mail arrived three times a week. In 1894 the post office was withdrawn. The town of St. Paul, Texas, was established in 1971. The town covers 1.83 square miles. Formerly in the ETJ of Wylie, Texas, St. Paul was established to preserve the spacious, rural environment the residents had become accustomed to and to eliminate unnecessary taxes, rules and regulations of Wylie.
Wylie’s first post office opened in June 1886. Incorporation came Nov. 11, 1887, following an election in which 42 citizens voted yes, six voted no. The town’s economy got a boost when the Cotton Belt Railroad came, making Wylie a two-railroad town. In three years, there was a newspaper, furniture store, barbershop, hardware and dry goods stores. By 1890, Wylie had a population of 239 residents. Saloons, as well as the frontier rowdiness they spawned, became an issue that had to be dealt with. In 1891 residents voted saloons out, but in 1893 they were voted them back in. In 1903, Wylie residents again voted saloons out, and the city remained dry until 2006. During the early 20th century, Wylie was an agricultural community dependent on cotton, onions, wheat, and other crops coaxed from the black loam soil. Several cotton gins separated fiber from plant. Country folk, anxious to visit with neighbors and hear news from the outside world, hitched up teams every Saturday and sloshed along muddy, treelined roads to Wylie’s main downtown road, Ballard Avenue, and the railroad depot. From 1890 to 1900, Wylie’s popula-
tion increased by 300 percent. Banking came to town, a two-story frame schoolhouse was built, and gins were built to process the area’s major crop, cotton. Farmers depended on cotton as their main source of income for many years. Electrical service came to the community in 1920, and Ballard Avenue was graveled through the downtown area in 1923. Thanks to a consortium of local businessmen, the construction of Lavon Lake began in 1948, and after its completion in 1953, the North Texas Municipal Water District was created. Other notable events in the life of the community include the construction of the Ray Olinger Power Plant at the lake in 1967, the unthinkable murder of housewife Betty Gore by her friend Candace Montgomery in 1980 and a Mother’s Day tornado in 1993 that killed several and damaged numerous homes, buildings and businesses. In December 1998, fire destroyed several businesses and changed the face of downtown. In April 2016, homes, schools and businesses suffered extensive damage due to a major hailstorm. This 35.33-square-mile city is home to 45,913 people according to the July 2014 US Census population estimates.c
2017 COMMUNITY GUIDE
The town was named after the Catholic cemetery, which was donated by the James Gallagher family in the late 1800s. It is just east of Town Hall on St. Paul Rd. At that time, St. Paul Road was referred to as Scanlan Hill as the Scanlans owned all the surrounding property. A school had been started at the community before 1880 and was still operating in 1900. In the 1930s highway maps showed a school, a church, and scattered dwellings in the area. During the 1970s the town had a population of 150, and by the mid-1970s it had incorporated, choosing the Alderman form of government. The first elected aldermen were John Scanlan, J. E. (Jesse) Gibson, Howard Finley, Philip M. Lawrence and Bob Hubenthal. In April, 1972, Mr. Don Hayter, the town’s appointed attorney, held St. Paul’s first elections. All residents over 18 years of age, and living in St. Paul for at least 6 months, were eligible to run for office. The town’s first elected mayor was Mr. Darryl Gumm, who served from 1972 to 1974. In the early 1980’s, the residents expressed an interest in establishing a volunteer fire department in St. Paul. Fire department equipment was purchased from the City of Renner. St. Paul is served by the Wylie school district. The town covers 1.83 square miles.
WYLIE Lured by land and dreams of a better life, settlers came to this part of North Texas in the early 1840s. By 1886, a scattering of communities in the area – Nickleville, Eureka, Dump, St. Paul, Parker, Lone Elm and others – eagerly awaited the coming of the Santa Fe Railroad. Col. W.D. Wylie from Paris, Texas, had other ideas. An engineer and agent of the railroad, he ignored the existing communities and carved out a place of his own. In the summer of 1886, Wylie purchased 100 acres and waited for the first locomotive to chug into town on Oct. 13, 1886. The lots sold at auction and businesses sprouted, Col. Wylie pocketed about $10,000 in profits, and Wylie was born. csmediatexas.com
Wylie Rodeo June 2017 | Community Guide | In & Around 27
Check out insyncexotics.org for Events and visiting options!!! Requested donation: $12 per adult and $8 per child.
Summer Hours: Thurs - Fri. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. • Sat & Sun 11 a.m. - 6 pm. Insync Exotics Wildlife Rescue & Educational Center. USDA License #74-C04310 501(c)(3), a publicly supported organization. 3430 Skyview Drive, Wylie, Texas
972-442-6888 insyncexotics.org 28 In & Around | Community Guide | June 2017
2017 COMMUNITY GUIDE
Gone But Truly Not Forgotten Bonnie & Clyde live on in Texas-sized infamy By Jennifer M. Aguilar
A
s the adage goes, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” But once in a while, history reveals a story too bizarre and unsettling to let Hollywood have all the credit. That is certainly the case when it comes to Bonnie and Clyde, two of Texas’ most notorious criminals, and in an even larger sense some of its most famous residents. And while their story is hardly what would be described as “good” in the moral sense of the word, it is certainly one that has fascinated both moviegoers and history buffs for decades now. What many may not realize, though, is that theirs is a story penned largely in North Texas. Yes, Dallas is the city where the infamous pair met, but the duo left a trail of heartache, and at times admiration, throughout much of North Texas during their 1930s crime spree. So even though many of the buildings they visited, homes they hid in, and even banks they robbed have since been torn down in the nearcentury since they were killed, it is clear to see the infamous duo of Bonnie and Clyde has left an indelible mark across the Metroplex. Though the pair had grown up and gallivanted all across Texas and the south, their trail was just starting
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to grow cold, decades after their deaths, when Warren Beatty brought renewed interest to both their story and small town, Texas. He did so by choosing to film the now legendary movie he directed, simply yet aptly called Bonnie and Clyde, in small towns like Lavon, Greenville and Pilot Point, the likes of which weren’t used to seeing A-list actors like Faye Dunaway, Gene Hackman, and of course Beatty himself. Though the 1967 film went on to win two Academy Awards and accolades for ushering in a new, more complex era for cinema, it was initially met with harsh criticism, including a pretty terrible review in The Dallas Morning News. And many of the complaints centered around the unprecedented violence depicted in its
closing scenes, and perhaps the notion that the entire film was glamorizing a couple that had left over a dozen dead victims in their wake. Yet unlike some cinematic embellishments, the hard-to-watch finale of the film was drawn straight from real life, namely their bullet-ridden final moments in a stolen Ford (a car that was gifted by Beatty to a local wax museum, by the way, and one that still acts as a tourist attraction, though it now lives at a casino outside of Las Vegas). In many ways the pair’s story is much like that car, incredibly marred by violence, and yet somehow revered all the same. Their entire legend centers around mixed emotions, as well. Were they modern-day Robin Hoods for Depression-era farmers, many of whom had been displaced by the banks? That was how they were often portrayed in newspapers at the time, since they released many of their victims, and even sent them home with cash for their travels, in many cases. Or, were they money-hungry psychopaths who found in one another an excuse to become increasingly violent? They certainly left a string of bodies and heartbroken family members in their wake. Like so many stories, the truth behind the tales of Bonnie and Clyde probably lies somewhere in the middle. Yet in many ways at this point, over 80 years since their demise, the truth might not matter as much as the legend, itself. That seems to be the consensus in North Texas, at least, as most cities are proud of their part in the Bonnie and Clyde story, both the truth and the fiction. >>> continues on page 30 June 2017 | Community Guide | In & Around 29
2017 COMMUNITY GUIDE Billy Joe Rogers with Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway >>> continued from page 29
Bonnie & Clyde Still photographs from the filming give the tiny town of Lucas infamy even now. The October 20, 1966 issue of The Wylie News shows Wylie saddlemaker Billy Joe Rogers photographed with Beatty and Dunaway outside the Lavon Cafe. He played an extra in what is now viewed as the classic and game-changing film. Many North Texas cities received shout outs in the film, itself. Mesquite, Arden, and Denton are all mentioned by name. And one of Clyde’s opening monologues about all that Bonnie deserves is completely Dallas-centric. He appeals to her by promising to get her a nice dress to wear to the Adolphus Hotel! And since Beatty chose Pilot Point to do much of the filming, thanks to its well-preserved small town charm, the city has continued to celebrate its role in the film, as well as the notoriety Bonnie and Clyde lent to both its city and what might have otherwise been a forgotten part of history. Back in 2010 the city founded Bonnie & Clyde Days to help highlight what it was actually like to live in Texas during the Great Depression, while simultaneously cementing the role the pair played in the town’s own checkered history. Organizers touted the fact that local residents claimed to see the couple buying groceries in the town during their crime spree. Some even claim they may have hidden in the woods near Pilot Point while on the run from the law. 30 In & Around | Community Guide | June 2017
Again, it seems, the truth might be less important than the legend that surrounds Bonnie and Clyde, a trail that somehow lends prominence to everywhere they went, and robbed, and apparently even grocery shopped, because that is how powerful their lure remains, to this day. It’s also why the city has since declared Bonnie & Clyde Days an annual event that draws visitors to its charming Denton County square. Of course, the pair’s gruesome true stories are still readily shared as well. Grapevine framed a copy of a newspaper discussing the couple and its ties to the city, and presented it during a City Council meeting. The University of North Texas proudly offers a Clyde Barrow Gang Collection, as part of their digital libraries. It’s even one of their most searched, and therefore most popular, collections to date. Even the refined and affluent city of Southlake has noted Bonnie and Clyde’s infamous ties to its city, which proved to be particularly impactful. That’s because
it was in the town that is now Southlake where two State Troopers were shot and killed, one on his first day on the job. And even though the Southlake Historical Society readily acknowledges that eye witness accounts vary about who actually shot the men, whether it was Bonnie and Clyde or a rogue member of their gang, those murders were what finally seemed to sway popular opinion against the pair. Almost overnight, they went from being famous burglars that farmers were more apt to protect than the police, to heartless killers who needed to be caught at any cost, which is precisely what happened, only a short month later. After they were gunned down, their bodies were brought back to Texas. And though they requested side-by-side burial plots, their families had different ideas. Bonnie Parker’s mother, who had never approved of her relationship with Clyde Barrow, had her daughter buried in the Fishtrap Cemetery, while Clyde was buried beside his brother, in the Western Heights Cemetery. His family did grant him one last wish, though. His headstone bears the simple words he had personally requested for his epitaph, “Gone but not forgotten.” And that is certainly the case for both Clyde and his notorious sweetheart, Bonnie. Separated by death and space, but never in stories. And despite all the devastation the two caused, all these years later, theirs is a story that keeps being revisited and retold. In so many ways, their ill-fated romance remains revered, and their names, if nothing else, will continue to live on, together, in Texassized infamy. c
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2017 COMMUNITY GUIDE
170 years of
Collin County History Railroad brought growth to the Blackland Prairie Region
Collin McKinney, the namesake of the county and the county seat, was born in New Jersey on April 17, 1766, a subject of King George. “He worked on the family farm while his father fought the British,” according to The History of Collin County, a booklet on the county’s history published by the Collin County Historical Society. In 1780, the McKinney family moved to Kentucky. Collin moved to Texas in 1824 and became a land surveyor and legislator. He was elected to the Congress of the Republic of Texas three times and was one of five men on the committee who drafted the Texas Declaration of Independence. He died at age 95 in 1861, a citizen of the Confederacy. Collin McKinney is buried in Van Alstyne. His grave marker reads, “He was one of nature’s noble men, an ardent patriot and a true Christian.” Collin County, along with Dallas, Denton, Hunt and Grayson counties, were carved out of Fannin County in 1847. Fort Buckner was the first Collin County seat but “in 1848, Texas declared that a county seat must be within three miles of the center of the county” 32 In & Around | Community Guide | June 2017
and Collin had no town at that site. An enterprising storekeeper moved his mercantile to the central area and this was the beginning of the county seat of McKinney. “Fort Buckner became a ghost town. It is now the Third Monday Flea Market on Hwy. 380,” the history book reads. While today’s area residents might face an occasional coyote or bobcat, the residents of 1840s Collin County faced additional animal hardships. “The first settlers had to protect their livestock from the bears,” the book states. “They would come at night, tear down their crude fences and kill their animals. Once the settlers got together and killed 50 bears in one day. Bear meat was a part of the settler’s daily diet.” In addition to the information on the county’s name sake and origins, the history primer contains information on the first settlers, the Peters Colony and the Indian, Spotted Tail. Eight men from Kentucky and 11 from England formed William S. Peters and Associates – later known as the Texian Emigration and Land Company – to bring 200 people to Texas for three
years. The group enticed people to Texas “by giving each family man 640 acres of free land.” Unmarried men received 320 acres. When settlers arrived in Collin County, they found villages of friendly Indians. Spotted Tail was the leader of a band of Kiowas. He protected many settlers and is credited with rescuing a 2-year-old pioneer boy lost in the wilderness. Spotted Tail died of smallpox after the Civil War. No history of Collin County could be complete without mentioning the railroad. “Where the railroad went really decided what towns would survive,” according to Donald Hoke, former executive director of the Collin County History Museum. “If your town got the railroad, you survived. If it didn’t, you didn’t.” Many of Collin County’s towns take their names from railroad officials or their families. Princeton was originally called Wilson’s Switch. When the railroad came through in 1881, the town was renamed in honor of Princeton Dowlen, a landowner.
City of Lucas 665 Country Club Rd. 972-727-8999 lucastexas.us
2017 COMMUNITY GUIDE
City of Lavon 120 School Rd. 972-843-4220 cityoflavon.org
City of Murphy 206 N. Murphy Rd 972-468-4000 murphytx.org City of Parker 5700 E. Parker Rd. 972-442-6811 parkertexas.us Allen was established in 1870 as a water stop for the Houston and Texas Central Railway. It was named after Ebeneezer Allen, a railroad promoter. Frisco was named in 1902 after the railroad line’s destination – it ran from St. Louis to San Francisco. Melissa was named for the daughter of a railroad builder. Anna was named in 1883 for a railroad official’s daughter. Col. W.D. Wylie from Paris, Texas, had other ideas. An engineer and agent of the railroad, he ignored the existing communities and carved out a place of his own. In the summer of 1886, Wylie purchased 100 acres and waited for the first locomotive to chug into town on Oct. 13, 1886. The lots sold at auction and businesses sprouted, Wylie pocketed about $10,000 in profits, and Wylie was born.
In 1872, train tracks connected McKinney and Plano to Houston, and the county boasted about 900 small farms. In 1880, outlaw Sam Bass purportedly committed one of Texas’ first train robberies in Collin County. By 1920, more rail line had swelled the number of farms to 6,000 and millions of bushels of corn and wheat and about 49,000 bales of cotton were harvested. During the depression of the 1920s, the number of farms and people began to decline: In 1940 there were 4,771, 3,166 in 1950 and 2,001 in 1960. “By 1980, though dairy farming had remained an important part of the county’s economy, light industry and Dallas’ expansion northward triggered a new period of growth,” the County states. c Historical Photos Clockwise from page 32, Pope Theatre in McKinney. Acme Tayloring in St. Paul, M. White & Son Lumber Company in McKinney, Daniel Bros. Gin in Murphy. Inset photo, Wylie Post Office, Dr. E. Ed. Willis, postmaster with Witt Willis.
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City of Sachse 3815 Sachse Rd. 972-495-1212 cityofsachse.com Town of St. Paul 2505 Butschers Block 972-442-7212 stpaultexas.us City of Wylie 300 Country Club Rd., Bldg 100 972-516-6000 wylietexas.gov
LOCAL HISTORICAL SOCIETIES Collin County Historical Society Collincountyhistoricalsociety.org Murphy Historical Society murphyhistoricalsociety.org Sachse Historical Society sachsehistoricalsociety.org Wylie Historical Society Wyliehistoricalsociety.org June 2017 | Community Guide | In & Around 33
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Brockdale Park, Lucas
Relax & Recreate on Lake Lavon The Army Corps of Engineers operates 15 lakeside parks with boat ramps and other facilities. A launch fee is required at some ramps and an annual pass is available. Full-service marinas are located in Collin Park and East Fork Park. For more information go to www. tpwd.state.tx.us. For fees and amenities visit lakelavon.com
PICNIC FACILITIES: Avalon Park, Clear Lake, Collin Park, East Fork, Lavonia Park, Lakeland Park, Little Ridge, Pebble Beach and Tickey Creek
CAMPING Collin Park, East Fork, Clear Lake, Lavonia Park and Tickey Creek
GROUP SHELTERS Avalon , Clear Lake, East Fork and Lakeland
COURTESY DOCKS Avalon Park, Caddo Park, Clear Lake Park, East Fork, Little Ridge and Mallard Park
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SWIMMING Avalon Park, Caddo Park, East Fork Little Ridge and Mallard Park
TRAILS Sister Grove Park includes a 75acre hike and bike trail located between Princeton and Farmersville. The primitive trail is open for day use only for hiking and off-road bicycling. Restrooms, pavilions and picnic tables are now available. The Dallas Off Road Bike Association maintains the park trails. The park is located on CR 562 east of Princeton. The Trinity Trail is a 9-mile equestrian and hiking trail running from East Fork Park in Wylie to Highland Park in Lucas. The trailhead at East Fork includes an equestrian campground. The Brockdale Park Trail Head is centrally located along the 25.5-mile long Trinity Trail and is physically located near the end of Brockdale Park Road in Lucas. Riders can choose to ride either north or south from the trailhead. It has a large open parking area with a drive through loop for trailers. Currently there is only day riding at Brockdale Park. East Fork Park has an equestrian campground.
For information on the trails group, visit the website www.trinitytrailriders. org. The South Trail takes riders on a 9-mile trek along the lake toward Wylie and the Eastfork Trail head. At about the midway point of the trail riders will find Collin Park. The North Trail takes riders along a canopy path through the forest past the Black Prarie Raptor Center and toward the Highland Park Trail head. At about three miles into the north trail from Brockdale Park, riders pass under the Lake Lavon Bridge on Lucas Road. c For more information go to tpwd.state.tx.us For fees and amenities visit lakelavon.com Lake Lavon covers a surface area of 21,400 acres Length, including levee, spillway & dam
3.7 miles
Gated spillway: 12 gate-controlled outlets, each 40 ft. by 28 ft. Conservation storage Capacity – 380,000-acre ft. Surface area – 11,080 acres
June 2017 | Community Guide | In & Around 35
2017 COMMUNITY GUIDE
Landmark Museum Located in Garland’s former Santa Fe depot at 393 N. Sixth Street, the museum displays local artifacts from early settlers, old newspapers, farm tools, quilts, clothing and more. Open every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Special arrangements can be made for private group tours. www.garlandtx.gov
LOCAL MUSEUMS Collin County Farm Museum Located in McKinney at the Myers Park Event Center, the Collin County Farm Museum consists of 8,528 square feet of collections and restoration exhibits in the Wells Building. Additional artifacts are located throughout Myers Park & Event Center, including the Blacksmith Shop, the Granary and the Confinement house. Located at 7117 County Road 166 in McKinney. For tours and information, contact Jennifer Rogers, the museum coordinator, at 972-5475752 or ccfm@collincountytx.gov. Farmersville Heritage Museum Opened in February 2016, the museum boasts antique scales from a local cotton gin, Audie Murphy memorabilia and other important artifacts from the past. Located at 100 Farmersville Parkway in Farmersville. 972-784-6846. Heritage Farmstead Museum Those interested in North Texas history can enjoy the hands-on experiences of the Heritage Farmstead Museum. The collection of the museum includes 10,000 objects and archival materials. The museum grounds are open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and buildings are available only through guided docent tours at 1:30 p.m. each day. Tours include the Farrell-Wilson House, outbuildings, and grounds. There are also many hands-on exhibits scheduled throughout the spring including fun on the farm activities. www.heritagefarmstead.org. The museum is located at 1900 West 15th Street in Plano. 36 In & Around | Community Guide | June 2017
Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary For nature lovers, the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary offers a wide variety of opportunities. From dinosaurs to native plants, the museum has something to offer everyone. The museum also offers a butterfly garden, which is open year round, and a butterfly house that opens June 2 through Sept. 30. The Heard Museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. The museum is located at 1 Nature Place in McKinney Military Heritage Collection of North Texas If you have a burning desire to drive a tank or just view an incredible collection of military artifacts, travel north on Highway 78 a bit toward Nevada. You will be amazed at what this nonprofit has amassed since 2008. Their goal is to help educate visitors about the history of loyal dedicated service and sacrifice of those in the U.S. military. They have an extensive collection of military vehicles and artifacts. The museum is located at 20798 CR 590 in Nevada. Interurban Railway Museum Located in Plano 901 E. 5th Street, the museum hosts an interactive exhibit for children and adults of all ages. Visitors learn about the history of The Texas Electric Railway and the science behind how it worked. There are hands-on electrical displays and a guided tour of Car 360, the museum has something for the whole family. Visit www.planoconservancy.org for more information.
North Texas Masonic Historical Museum and Library Open to the public every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. (except holidays). Located at 1414 J Avenue in Plano. E-mail admin@northtexashistory.org to request a special visit if you are interested in the organization and its efforts, or if you would like to make a donation or volunteer. Sachse Historical Museum Located at 3033 6th Street in Sachse, the museum has antique farm equipment and other local artifacts. The museum is run by the Historical Society. For information, go to sachsehistoricalsociety.org Southfork Known for being “home” to the hit television show, “Dallas”, the iconic Parker landmark is a must see. See the gun that shot J.R., Lucy’s Wedding Dress, the “Dallas” Family Tree, and Jock’s Lincoln Continental. Relax on a guided tour of the ranch grounds. Eat at Miss Ellie’s Deli and shop in two themed retail stores.Southforkranch.com
LOCAL LIBRARIES Allen Public Library 300 N Allen Drive Allen TX, 75013 Phone: 214-509-4900 Sachse Public Library 3815 Sachse Road Bldg C Sachse, TX 75048 Phone: 972-530-8966 Rita & Truett Smith Public Library 300 Country Club Drive Bldg 300 Wylie, TX 75098 Phone: 972-516-6250
Stop in for a
Delicious & Hearty Lunch.
Buy 3 Kolaches & Get 3 FREE Of equal or lesser value.
Excludes Specialty items such as Croissants and Polish Varieties. One coupon per customer. May not be duplicated or copied. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Not valid for online ordering. Offer expires 7/15/17. WN16
601 E FM 544 #100 Murphy, TX 75094 972-442-6622 phone
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June 2017 | Community Guide | In & Around 37
Fluffy Blueberry Cake
Makes 1 - 9 ½ x 6 ½-inch cake Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking: 20 to 30 minutes ¼ cup good- quality butter 2 eggs 1⁄3 cup coconut sugar (see tip) 1 scant cup almond flour (see tip) 6 tablespoons whole-milk yogurt or full-fat coconut milk (see tip) 7 ounces fresh blueberries
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EASTGATE FUNERAL HOME and Cremation Services • 972-270-6116 Affordable • Credit Cards Accepted | Pre-arrangements available Pre-Needs Honored from other Funeral Homes | cwsfuneralhome.com 38 In & Around | Community Guide | June 2017
Pure & Simple: A Natural Food Way of Life by Pascale Naessens and Dr. Remko Kuipers is available at Target, Amazon and at abramsbooks.com.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 1⁄2 by 6 1⁄2-inch baking dish. Melt the butter and set aside to cool. In a bowl, mix the eggs, coconut sugar, almond flour, and yogurt; stir in the cooled melted butter. Gently fold in the blueberries. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake for 20 minutes, or until the surface is dry but the inside is still a bit moist. Let cool for a few minutes before serving. TIP: Coconut sugar I like to use coconut sugar, primarily because of its flavor: It adds a delicious caramel taste to all your desserts. If you can’t find coconut sugar, you can use grated palm sugar, honey, agave, or maple syrup. TIP: Almond flour Almond flour can be found in most grocery stores and natural foods stores; however, it is also easy to make it at home. Buy 3 ounces raw almonds and process them in a blender or food processor until you have flour. That’s it. TIP: Yogurt It is important to use natural full-fat yogurt. If you use skimmed yogurt, your cake will fall apart. It is the fat that binds.
I&A FOOD
Pure & Simple Salmon with Olive-Pistachio Tapenad and Tomatoes Serves 2 | Preparation: 15 minutes Cooking: 15-20 minutes
¼ cup green olives, pitted Generous (1/2 cup) shelled pistachios 2 7-ounce salmon fillets 10 ounces cherry tomatoes with stems dried thyme A few springs dill, chopped Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Finely chop the olives and pistachios and transfer them to a small bowl. Add a splash of olive oil and stir to combine. Put the fish in a baking dish. Spread the olive mixture around and between the fillets. Put the tomatoes in a separate baking dish. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme and sprinkle with olive oil. Bake the fish and tomatoes for 15 minutes until the fish is opaque in center. Top with a little dill in serve. This dish is even more beautiful if you make it for guests, as shown here. Just double or triple the recipe. You can prepare everything in advance and when people arrive you just have to put it in the oven.
Wild Rice Salad with Fennel and Herbs
Serves 2 Preparation 10 minutes Cooking Time 1 hour 1 1/4 cups wild rice 1 bunch cilantro 2 scallions 1 bulb fennel For the dressing: 1 to 3 tablespoons salted shelled peanuts 5 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 5 garlic cloves 1 ½ inch piece fresh ginger Juice of 1 lime
Rinse the rice and cook it in water according to the package directions (usually 45 minutes to 1 hour). Drain if necessary and set aside to let it cool. Finely chop the cilantro and scallions and thinly slice the fennel. Make the dressing: Coarsely chop the peanuts and mix them with the sesame oil. Mince the garlic and ginger and add to the peanuts add the lime juice. Toss the wild rice together with the cilantro, scallions, fennel, and sauce and serve the salad in a pretty bowl. Tip: Wild rice Wild rice is actually not rice – it is the seed of a glasslike aquatic plant that is related to rice. The seeds have a delicious nutty flavor and are dark brown to black, which makes them particularly attractive to cooks who play with colors in the kitchen. They burst open when cooked. Name aside, the “wild” rice in supermarkets is usually cultivated, but the seeds are whole and unrefined, making them as nutritious and healthy as the true wild variety. Tip: Fennel Fennel discolors quickly; sprinkle it with a few drops of lime juice immediately after cutting to prevent this. csmediatexas.com
June 2017 | Community Guide | In & Around 39
I&A PET OF THE MONTH
Dixie is a delight
S
tunning! That’s what I hear all of the time! Yeah, it makes me happy...but what I’d really like is a wonderful and loving home! I’m Dixie (54 lbs) and I’m a 2-year- old, Lab mix, girl. I’m gorgeous, happy and friendly. I’m very smart, too! I know how to sit and treats motivate me. I think I could learn almost everything...if a treat is involved! I’d like to learn where to go potty, maybe how fun dog toys are...where my nice, soft dog bed is and just enjoy life...with you! I walk nicely on a leash! We could go for walks together. I know I’m
a great dog and I want a great home. Best Foot Forward K9 Training will provide one free training session with my new family! Now that you know more about me, you can make a better decision. If you’re serious about making a forever loving connection, then please email Amy@pawsinthecity.org or visit our adoption page at pawsinthecity. org for more information and to fill out an application.
LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTERS Wylie Animal Shelter 972-442-5268 Murphy Animal Shelter 972-468-4226 Sachse Animal Shelter 972-495-2271 Garland Animal Shelter 972-205-3570 Hope 4 Paws www.campdiggybones.com
Rockwall Animal Adoption Center www.rockwalladoptions.com Paws in the City info@pawsinthecity.org Legacy Humane Society legacyhumanesociety.org Richardson Humane Society richardsonhumanesociety.org
40 In & Around | Community Guide | June 2017
I&A LIFE & STYLE
Fresh Takes on the Cake
B
By Jesse Darland
ecause the wedding cake often forms the centerpiece of your reception, you want it to reflect your taste, sophistication and sense of style. It also gives you the chance to show off your wedding theme and delight guests with a culinary surprise. Here are four fresh ideas to consider for the sweetest part of your sweetest day:
2. Deeply dimensional Whether you go with edible lace, ruffles or sugar flowers (rosettes are popular), choosing a deeply dimensional style provides an understated way to add elegance and texture to your reception. One note: Because such 3-D arrangements create their own wonderful array of highlights and shadows, it’s best to stick with whites or neutral tones.
1. See-through frosting The Knot Wedding Trends Report of the top trends for 2017 names this as one cake trend to watch in this year. Instead of the totally bare tiers of last year’s “naked cake” trend, a translucent cake uses a thin layer of frosting (usually buttercream) that leaves a hint of the cake beneath showing. To complete the look, add flowers or fresh fruit that complements your theme or the flavors within.
3. Mini cakes and groupings Instead of one cake, why not several? Turn your cake table into a dessert bar with a selection of multiple, smaller cakes. You can try different flavors (if you just can’t decide) or provide visual interest by making each cake look unique. These cakes tend to be simpler and smaller (think two-tiered) and give you an opportunity to emphasize your wedding colors or theme.
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4. Rustic leaves and foliage Be inspired by “Greenery,” the Pantone Color of the Year for 2017, by going with a nature-themed cake. Ice the cake in a simple layer of white frosting and then add a bohemian touch by adding tiers of fresh or edible leaves and flowers. Herbs, broad green leaves, flowers and succulents are all popular choices. Further emphasize the theme by displaying your cake on a tree stump stand. c © CONTENT THAT WORKS
June 2017 | Community Guide | In & Around 41
Calendar of Events June 2 Sounds at Sundown in Murphy starring Blaine Howard from 7-10 p.m. Central Park Amphitheater
June 13 Come show off your creativity by building with the Library’s LEGO and DUPLO. In the multi-purpose room.
June 3 Movie in the Park at the Sachse 4408 Hudson Dr. in Sachse from 8:15 – 10:30 p.m. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
June 17 18th annual Audie Murphy Day, downtown Farmersville. Begins at 7:45 a.m. with veteran breakfast and events continue throughout the day
Native Texas Butterfly House & Garden at the Heard Museum in McKinney (open all month) during regular business hours
We are always looking for familyfriendly local community events to add to our calendar. To submit an event email: sduggan@csmediatexas.com.
June 9 Summer Reading Program kick-off party, 9-11:45 a.m. at the Smith Public Library. Bounce house, petting zoo and much more June 10 Summer Reading Kick-off at the Sachse Library from 10 a.m. to Noon. Bounce houses, face painting and more Big Cat Birthday Bash at In-Sync Exotics, 3430 Skyview Dr., Wylie
June 12 Summer Sounds Concert Series at Joe Farmer Rec. Center in Allen featuring a Hard Night’s Day at 7 p.m. June 13 LEGO family build days from 10 -11:45 a.m. at the Smith Library “Like” us on Facebook at: In & Around Lifestyle & Home Magazine.
42 In & Around | Community Guide | June 2017
June 19 Summer Sounds Concert Series at Joe Farmer Rec. Center in Allen featuring Jolie Holliday and Sonny Burgess at 7 p.m. June 22 Smith Public Library in Wylie hosts Perot Museum: Fire & Ice event from 10 – 11 a.m., June 24 2017 Market Street USA family fun and fireworks event at Celebration Park. Starts at 4 p.m. July 1 Bluegrass on Ballard, downtown Wylie. 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. Car Show, Chili Cook-off, Arts & Crafts, Music and more. July 3 Red, White and Blue Blast at Heritage Park (4408 Hudson Dr. in Sachse. Live entertainment, activities, food, vendors, bounce houses, contests, face painting and fireworks. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, and bug spray.
Embrace your health. Embrace your life. Women’s Imaging and Breast Center Just as many mothers and daughters understand each other in ways no one else can, our Women’s Imaging and Breast Center is here for you, ready to address your unique health care concerns. Located on the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Rockwall campus, our center offers some of the most advanced equipment and specialized diagnostic services in a compassionate, caring environment. We have the technology, experience, and support to effectively manage women’s health needs—from 3D Total Breast Ultrasound, Digital Mammography, and MRI to Stereotactic Biopsy, Diagnostic Ultrasound, and Bone Density Screening. We can help you take hold of the things that matter most. To learn more, visit: www.texashealthrockwall.com/our-services/womens-imaging/.
#TenYearsInRockwall
469-698-1000 | TexasHealthRockwall.com Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Rockwall is a joint venture owned by Texas Health Resources and physicians dedicated to the community, and meets the definition under federal law of a physician-owned hospital. Doctors on the medical staff practice independently and are not employees or agents of the hospital.