Now more space for
more
services
At ETMC Athens we’ve been caring for
the people of Henderson County for more
than 28 years – and we’re expanding into
the future.
As part of our commitment to providing
families of the area with the best possible
care, ETMC Athens is undergoing an
extensive renovation, including
• A recently opened ER with 21 exam
rooms, two state-of-the-art trauma rooms,
a private waiting area and a multilane
canopy for ambulances and cars
• Our beautiful new 10-bed ICU
• A surgery department with a new patient
waiting area, five operating rooms, a
recovery area and day surgery space
• An expanded OB department with
eight new labor, delivery, recovery
and postpartum rooms to provide a
comforting experience for mothers and
their precious newborns to open near
the end of 2011
Duringpms
our expansion,
322 you’ll find the same
advanced services and excellent care you
have come to expect from ETMC Athens.
ETMC ATHENS OFFERS
• imaging technology including two 64-slice
3-D scanners, digital mammography, MRI,
nuclear medicine and ultrasound
• advanced emergency care with an Air 1
helicopter stationed at the hospital
• surgical services
• cardiac diagnostics, including
echocardiogram, peripheral vascular
testing and cardiac stress testing
• cardio/pulmonary care
• GI lab/endoscopy
• kidney lithotripsy
• pain management services
• rehabilitation services
ETMC also provides the people of Henderson
County with ETMC EMS, ETMC Home Health
and the ETMC Cancer Institute.
Committed to quality. Committed to you.
process
2000 South Palestine • Athens, TX • 75751 • 903-676-1000
A not-for-profit organization committed to improving the quality of life in East Texas communities.
One with East Texas.
What’s Inside
Fall 2011,Volume I, No. I
6
16
Flying Jewels
The Hum of Summer
Expanding Services
11
19
Meet the Neighbors
East Texas Medical Center
Abundant Faith
22
50 Years of Cardettes
2
14 Daily Delights
Eastern Hills Church of Christ
Trinity Valley Community College
25
The Lost Highway
3 From the Editor
Monte Spinker, Master Carver
21 In the Garden
Porter’s Bluff Highway
29 What’s Cookin’
30 Playin’ Around
From the Editor
This first issue of Down Home has been a labor
of love — and frustration. Anyone that’s ever
been involved in publishing can relate. We are
so excited to complete this issue and are waiting
in anticipation to get our readers response to the
look, the stories, and photos.
Our cover story on the wonders of the “Flying
Tigers” of the garden is something anyone that
has spent an afternoon on the front porch within
sight of a hummingbird feeder can attest to. I
recently spent some time visiting with my brother
and watched what seemed like a “herd” of
hummingbirds zooming between several feeders.
I was a little fearful I would end up a pincushion
and learned a lesson — never wear a red shirt
when watching them zooming about! Among
the entertainment, Diane made an historic
discovery for Henderson County by spotting
and photographing a rare, endangered Rufous
hummingbird at her feeders. This particular
species of hummer is not known to frequent
Henderson County.
We hope you’ll enjoy meeting one of our
neighbors on “The Lake,” Monte Spinker. Monte
is a master carver that creates wonderfully unique
birdhouses. Add one to your yard — it’s sure to
bring a smile and be a great conversation piece.
Check out the rest of the columns in this issue
and let us know what you think. We’re looking for
photos, recipes, and suggestions on other stories,
so don’t hesitate to call or email suggestions.
Since our first story is about hummingbirds,
what better recipe to share with you than my
mother’s favorite Hummingbird Cake. (Why
it’s called that, I don’t know. There’s not any
hummers in it! Anyone out there have any
ideas?) It’s wonderful, easy, and full
of goodies. I’ve also included my
favorite version of Snickerdoodle
cookies — they never last long
when I take them to share on any
occasion.
The final page is a tribute to an old friend
no longer with us — R. L. “Skip” Glaspy. Skip
used to play guitar with his family at the Fiddler’s
Reunion every year. I met him many years ago
when our jobs crossed paths. He was also a song
writer, story teller and poet. He left me with
copies of four of his poems/stories. I think they
cover the essence of what “Down Home” really is. I
hope you enjoy them as much as the other articles
in our Premier Issue.
We welcome you to come along “Where
the trees grow tall, the lakes are full of fish, the
wildflowers explode with color, and the next curve
in the road takes you Down Home.”
3
Fall 2011 • Vol. 1 No. 1
Published by:
AB Graphics • 315 S. Palestine • Athens, Texas 75751
(903) 677-7700 • (903) 677-7701 fax
goabgraphics.com • thedownhomemagazine.com
betty@goabgraphics.com • linda@goabgraphics.com
Publisher/Art/ Production Director
Betty Abendroth
Account Executive
Linda Fernald
Contributing Writers & Photographers
Toni Garrard Clay • Stephen Gent • R.L. (Skip) Glaspy
Jennifer Hannigan • Diane Murray • Chris Quinn
Down Home is a quarterly publication (4 issues per year). All rights reserved. Reproduction
of editorial content in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. The Publisher
assumes no responsibility for care and return of unsolicited materials, including but not limited to materials provided for editorial consideration. A stamped self-addressed envelope must be
included with submissions coming through traditional mail. ©AB Graphics, 2011.
4
Go ahead — Take your best shot and you could end up on the pages
at www.thedownhomemagazine.com. You can send them in by
of Down Home. Send in your favorite photo and we’ll include it with some
email to betty@goabgraphics.com or bring it by the AB Graphics
of ours (like that of my granddaughter on the lower right!) Is it one of
office at 315 S. Palestine in Athens on a disk or thumbdrive.
the grandkids doing something cute? Is it a classic sunset/sunrise on the
lake? Whatever your “best shot” in Henderson County is, send it in and see
your photo in the pages of Down Home. We’ll also post it on our website
Electronic files must be in jpg format, min. 200 dpi, and not over 3MB in size.
Be sure to include contact information with your submitted photo and a brief
description, including what part of Henderson County it was taken in.
5
The
Flying
Jewels
By Diane Murray
6
It has been the summer of the hummingbird for us. It will be forever
unforgettable because of them.
My husband and I planted garden
timber container boxes and buckets,
and hung baskets with various hummingbird attracting flowers early in
the spring. We got our biggest surprise
in August when a previously undocumented species of hummingbird came
to visit us, the Rufous Hummingbird, a
russet brown and green bird. We made
birding history on August 12th when I
photographed some birds I knew were
different.
But first things first, in April we put
up our first hummingbird feeder.
Hummingbird watchers report on
their various websites that the hummingbirds can arrive in Henderson
County by the end of March. This
spring was a bit cool, so we finally saw
our first one around April 10th and we
didn’t see another for about two weeks.
The Ruby-throat hummingbird males
arrive first and within a few weeks the
females and juveniles will show up.
After we saw the second hummingbird we put up another feeder just
out of sight of the first feeder. This is
because the birds are territorial and
will protect both if they can see them.
We continued adding feeders until we
had six feeders up. We put up two feeders right in front of our windows for
watching enjoyment. The others were
located where we could watch when sitting in the garden area.
The show has been going on ever
since. The early Spanish explorers
called them flying jewels or Joyas Volardores. Other Spanish names note their
activity; Chupaflor which means Flower
Sucker and Picaflor which means Flower
Nibbler. The Portuguese call hummingbirds Beija-flor or Flower-kisser.
I call them flying tigers; they are bold
and fearless creatures.
The Red Barons of our backyards
have sent us into gales of laughter
and some ducking as they flew past
us. Ducking on our part was unnecessary because the hummingbirds are
agile and fly quicker than we can blink.
We know they can fly in any direction
because we have been met fact-to-face
with them only to watch them fly backwards, duck sideways or shoot straight
up. They have been documented as
flying upside down when evading an
attacker.
No matter how you arrange the feeders, the little hummingbirds will just fly
higher to eyeball a feeder and plunge
downward at incredible speed to run
off an invader. Meanwhile the invader
flies up over the house to another feeder
to satisfy his desire for sugar water. It
becomes like musical chairs except it’s
with hummingbird feeders.
Often, we really didn’t want to come
in from viewing them to do our other
chores after garden watering, but eventually this year’s intense heat convinced
us to leave. But late in the evening we
would go back out and often find the
hummingbirds flitting from feeders or
one basket of flowers to the next in the
dark.
Another phenomenon is the noise
these tiniest of animals with a backbone can make. Several bird experts
don’t seem to think they make much
noise besides the hum-
ming of their wings
for which they are
named. They agree
they make a clicking noise but don’t
think they have
vocal chords. But
our birds chatter and “chitter”
(invented word)
c o n s t a n t l y.
They
sound
like a tiny version of a field lark or sparrows. Their
sound is in the higher pitch range. The
racket they make as they soar together
lets me know when a battle is ensuing
and it’s time to focus my camera on a
feeder or flower.
The Rufous
is practically
unheard of
in Henderson
County
There are 18 species of hummingbirds in Texas, but you might be the
lucky person to have an unusual one.
We were home to quite a few juveniles
of the Ruby-Throat Hummingbirds
that hatched this year.
We broke quite a record on the
morning of August 12th when
I managed to photograph a
Rufous Hummingbird and a
very short time later I photographed two more.
The Rufous is practically
unheard of in Henderson
County, according to Mark
Klym, Information Specialist for The Wildlife
Diversity Program. This
group of birds showed up
a full month ahead of the
usual time for them to be migrating in
Texas. We have a true find! Mr. Klym
told me after I sent the photos to him
for identification that some experts say
there is only Ruby-throat Hummingbirds in Henderson County.
Klym is the co-author along with
Shackelford Lindsay of Hummingbirds
of Texas and he will speak at the Rockport Fulton Hummer-Bird Celebration
this September. He also coordinates the
Texas Hummingbird Roundup.
Here is what he said about the
significance of the sighting and photographing the Rufous Hummingbird,
“The Rufous is of particular interest
to us because this bird is one that has
been flagged by the National Audubon
Office and by Cornell Laboratory of
Ornithology as declining on their nesting grounds. As a result, finding where
and when they are moving during their
winter migration may help to manage
and increase numbers on the nesting
grounds.”
The pictures I have taken display
several juvenile Ruby-throats; they look
incredibly cute and very fragile. But
some of them will have to fly 500 plus
miles over the Gulf of Mexico on their
way south. Hummers are only found in
North and South America and range as
far as Alaska. So they are far more resilient than they appear.
7
I asked Klym, “Where do they
migrate to when they leave here?”
His answer was, “None of our
hummingbirds cross the equator into
the southern hemisphere, but many
migrate well into Central America
with the Ruby-throated Hummingbird
known to move into Panama.”
Another one of my questions to
Klym was, “About what time will they
migrate?”
“Migrants going south generally
appear around late July and continue
to slowly increase until about mid
September. By late September most
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds that are
going to migrate will have left Texas for
Central America. Remember though,
that some of almost every species that’s
common in Texas may stay over the
winter in Texas.”
The amount of nectar in my feeders kept going down faster and faster.
One of my friends reported he fed the
hummers one quart in a day last year.
I ended up making my own nectar
because it is cheaper and no different
from the higher priced store bought.
The household sugar is one-quarter cup
of granulated sugar to one cup of water.
After discussing it with Klym, after this
year, I will no longer use store
bought
8
nectar with food coloring or add food coloring.
Never use honey, artificial sweeteners or
brown sugar, they are
very harmful to hummingbirds; use plain
sugar only!
I make a large
batch of sugar water
and put some in the
feeders and the rest
in the refrigerator in
a covered, glass container. Now,
I am going through sugar really fast,
maybe I should be planting sugar cane
next year.
Hummingbirds need more than
sugar water, they need protein. So I
placed really ripe bananas and banana
Hummingbirds
provide hours
of laughter and
entertainment.
peels up over the top of feeders because
they attract fruit flies. I do not put the
fruit any lower because of predators.
They love bugs so I don’t poison anything in my garden I just hope whatever
pests are around my plants are strong
enough to resist it. I make my garden
somewhat bug resistant by fertilizing and watering when it is in stress.
This summer has had grasshoppers,
drought and severe heat.
One of the worst predators to the
hummingbird is the praying mantis.
So if you find one near your feeder
or their favorite flowers, you might
remove him to some other place.
Also you might make it inconvenient for a cat, another predator,
by removing tables or chairs from
under the feeders and keeping
them at least five and a half feet off the
ground.
The flowers we planted to attract
the hummingbirds were petunias, lantana, salvia and impatients. Klym says
any kind of salvia is good or the yucca
plant, which is resistant to dry weather.
Our property line has a barbed wire
fence with a trumpet vine and hummingbirds love them according to
Klym. Hummingbirds love most trumpet shaped flowers. The flowers and the
long beaks of the hummingbirds were
made for each other.
Next year, hopefully, will be a year
with more rain, I plan to plant a bottle
bush and a butterfly bush. Both bushes
attract hummingbirds. Also on my
hummingbird tree and shrub list is
coral or cape honeysuckle, mimosa,
fuchsia, fire spike, lupine, morning
glory, cypress vine, flowering quince
and many others. I can only say on the
authority of personal observation only,
our hummingbirds like the red roses
and the crape myrtle.
Their favorite trees in our yard are
the pines, even more than the live oak.
But any tree, even the scrub trees, can
become their favorite place in which
to sit and watch their preferred feeder
or flower. Their top desired place is on
the highest branch of our TV antenna.
When a hummer spots another it can
be aerial combat with two, three or
more birds having a battle.
There are several myths about hummingbirds; one is that you should not
leave a feeder up because the birds
won’t migrate. This is false, the birds
will migrate when the days get shorter
and experts say nothing will stop them.
Larry Hodge, Media Specialist at the
The Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center
(TFFC) in Athens (part of Texas Parks
and Wildlife) said one stayed over the
winter last year and they left the feeder
up for it.
So leave your feeder up if you are
the guest to a wintering hummingbird; it will be doing them a favor. Just
remember to keep the feeder clean.
Another myth debunked is hummingbirds don’t fly south on the backs
of geese or any other bird for that fact.
They do all the work themselves. They
“bulk up” on nectar and bugs so they
can fly south for the winter.
Hummingbirds eat and drink almost
constantly but yet some will fly across
the Gulf of Mexico nonstop. So the
hummingbirds will increase 25 to 40
percent extra in their body weight for
migration.
I asked Klym about
how long hummingbirds lived, especially
the Ruby-throat Hummingbirds. His answer,
“We are still learning how long they live
since, in order to determine this we have to be
able to determine with
certainty that the bird
you see this year is the
same bird you saw last
year. This is possible only with banding
or DNA analysis, and since the banding
is easier (not to mention less expensive)
that is where I go for my answer.
As the number of “banders” out
there increased, we began getting more
and more reports of returning birds.
Today we answer this question with “if
the bird survives the first year, which
is very unusual in any bird (on average 85% of birds will not survive the
first year) then Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have been known to survive
9 years, although 5 – 7 seems to be the
average. In Buff-bellied Hummingbirds
we have had one return for its 13th
season.”
I asked,
“How long do
hummingbirds
live?”
I thought to myself after reading his
reply that I had never seen a dead hummingbird, and then three days later my
husband found a dead Ruby throat out
by our propane tank. There had been
lots of battles that morning, don’t know
if that is what killed it or not.
I am a nut about cleaning feeders. I
want feeders that are tight, leak proof
and take apart easily.
When you invest in one,
make sure they have
bee or wasp guards on
them. It will say on the
feeder information box
if the feeder has wasp
guards. I change the
nectar according to
temperature and consumption. When the
birds are just coming
in the spring or leaving in the fall; reduce
the number of feeders you have and fill
them only partially full. Keep the rest
you made in a covered glass container
in the refrigerator.
Autumn is about here and the hum-
mingbirds will be leaving, I hate to see
them go, but they must. I asked Klym,
“I have heard they will return to the
same areas the next year, is that true?”
He replied, “On the nesting grounds
yes, during migration this is very
unlikely.”
Because they probably hatched right
here I expect to see our Ruby-throats
Hummingbirds again. As for the
Rufous Hummingbird, I will be watching for them and keeping my camera,
telephoto lens and tripod ready.
Maybe the Rufous will come again
and we will be home to them, too. One
picture I took was identified as a juvenile Rufous male by Klym.
So a minor investment for feeders,
food, flowers and placing some chairs
around, you have set your area up; add
a camera for sheer surprise shots. There
is no better souvenir of the summer
than your own pictures of hummingbirds.
Some of the best things in the world
are free — Hummingbirds can provide hours of laughter, entertainment,
memories and magic moments.
In fact, watching the tiny birds is like
finding a peaceful island in a roaring
ocean of stress. Have a “stay-cation”
in Texas and no matter how hot it is,
there’s pleasure to be found with hummingbirds and maybe more than a few
surprises.
Klym does have some recommendations for other reading about hummingbirds, one was referenced earlier. He
said, “Your best source of information on Texas hummingbirds, not just because I am a coauthor but because
of the quality of the material it contains is “Hummingbirds of Texas; with their New Mexico and Arizona
ranges” by Shackelford, Lindsay and Klym published by
A&M Press.
Other books Klym recommends include:
“Texas Wildscapes; gardening for wildlife” by
Bender published by A&M Press
“Peterson’s Field Guides Hummingbirds of North
America” by Williamson published by Houghton Mifflin
“Hummingbirds of North America” published by
Howell published by Princeton.
9
10
Meet the Neighbors
Monte
Spinker,
Master
Carver
by Chris Quinn
From the moment you first lay eyes on Monte Spinker he defines the
word unassuming. From saunter to smile, nothing about him would immediately relay his amazing talent. Things change slowly as you close distance
for a handshake...and an artisan’s examination. It is a very tangible feeling of sincerity and precise articulation. You immediately feel that Monte
speaks five minutes behind his thoughts and that the scrutiny and perusal
11
of things which pass by most unnoticed are glaringly obvious to Monte. “I’m one of those guys that you don’t want to
let watch you do something, because it comes pretty easy to
me and I can do it” is how Monte spoke of his beginnings in
working with wood creations. “It seemed very natural to me
when I first started.” His craft, carving, has given him much
insight into places and things but more than anything else
people. People are his passion and the carvings are simply
his way of communicating.
While known for his unique birdhouses or “bird buddies,”
handcrafted birdhouses that look like faces with entrances
through the nostrils, Monte has lent his talent to a great
many different carvings. From crosses to duck decoys, his
carvings speak where words never could and in return, leave
you speechless. The diversity of each design communicates
the difficulty of its creation, each born of instinct, sweat
and vision, all the while remaining casually personable
when you experience them. The faces all have a story, told
or untold, that simply begs the telling. “I love the creativity
of carving wood, its unforgiving, and I enjoy the reactions I
get from my customers” Monte said when I asked him what
he really enjoys about what he does. As the smell of hewn
wood begins to awaken thought, the questions come all at
once. How, when, where, who...what? Well, they are faces...
and faces talk.
What they say differs from time to time but one thing
remains the same. Monte thoroughly enjoys being part
of your family through birthdays and Christmas’, sharing
his gift and letting his creations speak for themselves. The
Bird Buddies talk to us all through the guise of our favorite
football player, deer hunter or kindly old sea captain. Each
12
are the ever elusive perfect gift. Everyone who has proudly taken home one
of Monte’s creations has enjoyed the
delight they bring time and time again
as their small tenants spend their days
passing in and out through the noses of
these friendly faces. And yes, the Little
Jimmy Dickens song is sung much
more often by Monte’s customers. If
you listen carefully you can almost hear
the faces sing it for you. When asked to
sum his work up in one word Monte
hesitated and thought carefully then
responded “Its providence.” I couldn’t
have said it better myself. Here’s wishing the “birds of paradise fly up our
noses” and tipping our hats to a true
lake area legend Monte Spinker. May
your whimsical creations always bring
the youthful joy we all need more of !
To see more of Monte’s work, check
out www.carvingsbymonte.com.
unique face, stares back at us reflecting
fond memories until suddenly a bird
appears. Small and brown it darts its
head from the left nostril of the face of
a fisherman and at once you’re taken
back. What the art says at this moment
defines the collective emotion of its
inspiration. It’s simply jovial and alive.
You gasp, then laugh immediately as
you anticipate the small bird’s next performance with a smile that cramps your
cheeks. More questions spring to mind
but you’re too completely enthralled in
anticipation. As you delight in the resident birds encore performance you
finally manage to speak. Only to ask
enthusiastically and through a wide
childlike smile...How much?!?!
The answer? To quote a popular
commercial...Priceless! “I could never
get out of them the time and effort I put
into them but then again if I did...no
one could afford them! and where is the
fun in that?” says Monte. Thankfully
you can purchase them for much less
than they are worth. They quite simply
13
Daily Delights
Coffee Love
Looking for someplace “different” to have lunch can be
a challenge some days. We all have our favorite places, but
what to do when you want something “different”?
For anyone looking for a quiet, relaxed atmosphere, look
no further than Coffee Love. Set amidst a garden bursting
with color and reminiscent of my grandmother’s garden,
Coffee Love is a step out of the ordinary. A place to retreat
from the hustle and bustle, fifteen minute lunch break, this is
a place to sit and relax to enjoy a leisurely break in your day.
Personally, I’m not a coffee drinker, but that doesn’t keep
me from enjoying the soothing fragrance greeting you as you
open the door. I’ve always loved the smell, it reminds me
of my grandparents that drank coffee all day every day, no
matter how warm it was outside.
I go to Coffee Love for the Chicken Salad at lunch. I think
I’ve tried nearly every place in town that offers it. There are
lots of places to get a good Chicken Salad, but I always come
14
by Betty Abendroth
back
here. In my own humble
opinion, it’s the best in town. Of course, it helps that I’m
always with the “girls” and we can enjoy a quiet place to
enjoy our lunch.
Coffee Love offers wireless connections and the atmosphere of a great place to
spend a little time. It’s great for getting a little work done, studying for exams, or
just surfing the web.
Coffee Love is located across the street from the Central Fire Station and
TVCC on Prairieville in Athens. They offer other sandwiches like the Grown-up
Grilled Cheese and Love Club (with ham, turkey, and bacon) besides the Chicken
Salad. Top it off with sweets for dessert and be sure to sample the large selection
of Espresso Creations, Frozen Lattes and Creams, Frozen Granitas, and brewed
coffees. For those of us that are non-coffee drinkers, try the teas and sodas, or if it
ever decides to not be 100+ degrees outside, the hot chocolate is grand.
Be sure to stop by and check them out when you’re looking for something a
little “different”. You’ll be glad you did!
15
ETMC Athens Expanding
Photos and editorial by Toni Garrard Clay
The summer of 2011 will undoubtedly go down for its astonishing
combination of heat and drought. But
for the family of ETMC Athens teammates and those who visit the beautiful
hospital, there’s another landmark event
to remember: the completion of a longsought, 55,600-square foot addition
along the facility’s south face.
The sparkling new ER and ICU
16
departments proudly opened to the
public during the first week of May.
Expansion of
OB area under
way through
Fall 2011
This north-facing view reveals the
three-lane, 275-foot-long canopy at
the entrance of the new emergency
department. The “penthouse” just
above and behind the canopy is used
for housing air-handling equipment.
The new surgery space is opening in
phases until all areas are open in September, including a new day surgery
unit with 16 beds, two new operating
rooms, four furbished operating rooms
and a new recovery unit with nine
beds. All outpatient registration and
pre-surgical testing is done on the same
floor for easy in-and-out access with
improved privacy.
“Henderson County is growing, and
this hospital is designed to accommodate that growth,” said Elmer G. Ellis,
president/CEO of ETMC Regional
Healthcare System. “There are a lot of
people who need care here, and we’re
blessed to be able to provide it.”
ETMC Athens Administrator Pat
Wallace regards the expansion and
remodeling project as a visible testament to the hospital’s commitment to
providing the best care possible to Henderson County residents.
“We’re excited to be occupying this
beautiful new space,” said Wallace,
“not only because it benefits our staff
but because it benefits those we serve.
Excellent patient care is always our primary goal.”
In addition to the new construction,
another 12,000 square feet of existing space either has been or is being
remodeled.
“This whole project has been a bit
like dominoes falling,” said Steve Lowe,
director of engineering and safety at
ETMC Athens. “It takes one thing
being finished to start the next.”
The domino currently in play is
the remodeling and expansion of the
OB department. What used to be the
ICU should soon be home to eight new
This arial shot was taken in mid-June showing the southwest corner of the
building, where the 55,600-square foot wraparound has been added. Outside the
emergency room entrance is a 275-foot-long canopy to provide protection from the
elements for patient drop-off and pick-up.
LDRP (Labor, Delivery, Recovery and
Postpartum) rooms. At this writing,
those rooms were expected to open as
early as mid-September, at which time
ETMC Regional Healthcare System President/CEO Ellmer G. Ellis (facing
camera) stands among a group of individuals touring the expanded portion of the
ETMC Athens facility. They are pictured standing in the new ER waiting room
the day before it opened. The new ER and ICU opened in May, and the new
surgical department opened in September. “Henderson County is growing, and this
hospital is designed to accommodate that growth,” said Ellis. “There are a lot of
people who need care here, and we’re blessed to be able to provide it.”
the existing seven patient rooms in OB
will begin to be refurbished while the
existing labor rooms make way for a
new 15-bed nursery.
As for the departments which moved
into the expanded portion of the hospital, the new ER features 21 exam
rooms, many with windows, and two
trauma rooms. In addition, there are
new driveways and drop-off locations. Physician staffing has also been
increased in order to reduce patient
wait times.
Right next to the ER is the new
intensive care unit. The ICU now has
10 spacious patient rooms, up from
eight beds previously, and features the
latest in monitoring equipment from
Spacelabs, a leading manufacturer and
supplier. The ETMC Athens ICU is
the first hospital in Texas to install the
new, top-of-line equipment.
The radiology department will also
expand to include two new private
sonogram rooms.
With all the expanded space and new
equipment, there is a palpable sense of
17
pride among hospital staff members,
which ER technician Judy Harrod may
have summed up best: “I already loved
my hospital,” she said, “but now I really
do.”
In addition to the expanded facility,
Henderson County residents continue
to benefit from an array of specialty
clinics from Chandler to the Cedar
Creek Lake area.
• ETMC Athens boasts an Air 1 helicopter on stand-by and staff physicians
representing at least 19 different specialties.
The hospital offers extensive diagnostic and laboratory services, as well as
a fully equipped radiology department
and diagnostic cardiology services, such
as a cardiac catheterization lab, cardiac
stress testing and cardiac ultrasound.
Last year, around 800 expectant
mothers chose ETMC Athens to deliver
their babies, and more than 4,500 surgeries were performed.
• ETMC Cedar Creek Lake is a
state-of-the-art facility offering 24-hour
emergency care, supported by diagnostic radiology and laboratory services,
physicians’ clinics and the ETMC
Olympic Center. The facility boasts a
Phillips High Field Open MRI scanner. The word “open” is key, because
not only is the machine state-of-the-art,
18
there is no enclosure at all – no tubes
or tunnels for patients to enter. That’s
good news for larger-sized patients or
those who may deal with claustrophobia.
The Olympic Center also offers
physical, occupational and aquatic
therapy, along with cardiac and pulmonary rehab and fitness facilities.
• ETMC First Physicians clinics are
located in Athens, Chandler and Gun
Barrel City.
In Athens, there is the ETMC First
Physicians orthopedic clinic, with Dr.
David Bowles and Dr. Kevin Fain; in
Chandler, there is the ETMC First
Physicians family medicine clinic with
Dr. Sam Raborn and Dr. Orlando
DeHerrera; in Gun Barrel City, there
is the ETMC First Physicians clinics
of Drs. William Giles and You Choi,
both internal medicine specialists, as
well as Dr. Susan
McMullen, who
practices family
medicine.
For a referral
to a physician,
visit www.etmc.
org on the web
or call ETMC
HealthFirst
at
800-648-8141.
• ETMC Home Health, with offices
in Athens and Gun Barrel City, is the
largest hospital-based home health care
service in the region.
Home health care delivers an extension of hospital care for people who are
recovering, disabled, or chronically or
terminally ill and in need of medical,
nursing, social or therapeutic treatment.
• The ETMC Cancer Institute in
Athens was established at the end
of 2009 when the ETMC Regional
Healthcare System purchased what was
previously the Athens Cancer Center.
The facilities were subsequently closed
for remodeling and re-opened in January 2011 after the existing linear
accelerator, used to deliver radiation,
was replaced with a state-of-the-art
dual energy machine. The dual energy
linear accelerator is the most current technology of its kind available,
allowing patients to receive even more
precise radiation treatments with even
fewer side effects.
ETMC Athens and ETMC Cedar
Creek Lake are affiliates of the East
Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System, based in Tyler, which
offers a “continuum of care” approach
for all healthcare providers within one
provider network. It is dedicated to
offering you and your family the latest
in medical services and programs with
personalized care and attention – close
to home.
Eastern Hills Church of Christ
Hwy. 175 East • Athens • 903-675-3975 • www.easternhills.net
At Eastern Hills Church of Christ,
we seek to love God, to love others, to
serve others and share the Good News
of Jesus. We take this mission seriously
as we seek to care for others from the
cradle to eternity. God has blessed us
with incredible opportunities to serve
not only our church family but our
community as well. While we can’t list
all our ministries, we are thankful to
share where we believe God is working
in us and through us.
One ministry that we have been providing for several years is for babies and
new parents as they welcome children
into life at East Texas Medical Center.
We realize it is an exciting time for new
parents. But there is also that feeling of
“Oh my goodness, I have welcomed a
new soul onto the earth, and how am I
going to give them guidance and nurture?” We give each baby a welcome
bag with some goodies and their very
first Bible. Sometimes, we have so
many new babies we have to stop by the
church and gather more supplies.
Our Eastern Hills Food Pantry
serves residents of Henderson County
with canned goods, meats and vegetables. There are hundreds of families
who are served each week. Families
or individuals may come to our Food
Pantry every other week for help. Gene
McIntyre is a retired hospital adminis-
trator who oversees this ministry. They
have an entire squad of dedicated volunteers who help stock, serve and send
food supplies to
those in need. The
Food Pantry shares
the building with
another
ministry
called Joy Works.
These
volunteers
work to provide
adult clothing, coats
and blankets during
the winter months as
well as helping meet special needs at no
charge.
Eastern Hills is also grateful to
partner with numerous churches and
individuals to host a hot meal once a
month in our Family Life Building. This
ministry was started by
a small group who saw
a need to not only provide a meal but connect
with folks in our community. When people
attend a Meal of Kindness, they are greeted
with handshakes and
hugs in the parking
lot. Then warm friendly smiles inside
welcome them to a banquet style setting where volunteers serve them a hot
meal, drinks and dessert. Other volunteers
walk around the room
greeting these honored
guests and see if they
have special needs or
prayer request.
During the week,
Eastern Hills is a busy
place hosting a preschool, Angel Keepers,
for children 6 weeks through kindergarten in our downstairs education wing.
Over 120 children learn basic teaching
in art, phonics, math, physical education. music and Bible. They also learn
social skills, play and make new friends.
Loving God,
loving others,
serving others,
and sharing the
Good News
19
We understand that preschool children
develop their first impressions about
the Bible and a loving Creator who
cares for them. We are also blessed to
host a private school, Athens Christian Preparatory Academy for students
7-12th grades. We provide a Celebrate
Recovery group on Thursday evenings
for friends from our community to gain
support and encouragement. It goes
beyond a typical support group in that
we believe partnering with God and
others is the best way to deal with life’s
addictions and pain.
We also are involved in ministry outside our walls in the Henderson County
Jail and state prison system. We have
volunteers who work with friends in the
system to help the families as well. One
aspect of this ministry is trying to help
families as they reintegrate once their
family member has served their time, to
develop healthy family dynamics and to
invite God to heal their hurts.
One other ministry we highlight at
Eastern Hills is our grief ministry. We
have a group of individuals who send
out sympathy cards to friends in our
community who have recently lost a
loved one. We are reminded that some
do not have a church family and we just
want them to know we are praying for
them in their grief. Often this translates
to providing meals for extended family
visits.
At Eastern Hills, we are motivated
by the message Jesus delivers in Matthew:
Then the ones who pleased the Lord will
ask, “When did we give you something to
eat or drink? When did we welcome you
as a stranger or give you clothes to wear or
visit you while you were sick or in jail?”
The king will answer, “Whenever you did
it for any of my people, no matter how
unimportant they seemed, you did it for
me.” Matthew 25:37-40 (CEV)
20
In the Garden
Fall is for Planting
As the long hot days of summer give
way to cooler temperatures, September
is an excellent time to get back into the
garden to make preparations for Fall
and Winter. Here are some important
tips and tasks that will make your landscape the envy of the neighborhood.
Fall is the best time of year to plant,
especially larger trees and shrubs. Planting now allows the root systems to get
established during the winter months.
When Spring arrives the plant is acclimatized to its new environment and is
ready to put out strong leaves, new top
growth and lots of flowers. An important lesson we have learned from this
year is a tree or shrub planted during
the Fall, as opposed to the Spring, has a
higher chance of surviving the Summer
heat.
Late September to early October is
the best time to start planting Fall
color. As cooler type plants
become available from
growers, look to plant snapdragons, kale, cabbage,
chrysanthemums,
dianthus, pansies, violas and
dusty miller
into your yard.
Chrysanthemums
are
perenni-
als and can add wonderful color to the
garden, patio or porch blooming up to
three times in a year.
Remember, vegetables are not just
for Spring and Summer. Beans, beets,
broccoli, cabbage, winter squash, peas,
Swiss chard, lettuce, turnips, onions,
and carrots are all crops that do well
this time of year. Vegetables can be
planted from seed or transplanted.
When the temperatures begin to
drop, fertilizing your lawn and preparing it for Fall and Winter are critical.
This year especially, with the record
breaking temperatures, lawns have
been stressed and need extra care and
attention. Use a slow-release fertilizer
with a 16-4-12 formulation that is recommended for the turf and soil types in
our area. Contact your local nursery to
purchase the correct fertilizer. For best
results, remember to water
deeply after applying.
If you want a weedfree lawn during Winter
and Spring use a preemergent in September.
Pre-emergents
work
by stopping weed
seeds from germinating, so
applying
at
the right time is important. After we
receive a heavy rainfall, weeds will
sprout and grow aggressively. If you are
interested in organically treating your
lawn, Corn Gluten can be used as an
effective organic pre-emergent.
Make sure to adjust your watering
schedule for the Fall. The recommendation is to water 2-3 times a week in
the morning, if possible. Be sure to
water long enough so the root system
grows deep rather than staying close to
the soil surface. Check your irrigation
system for leaks, clogs or breakages to
make sure water is getting to all areas
in your lawns and beds.
Check your garden regularly for
insects and fungi. Plants that have suffered heat stress during the summer are
more prone to disease. If you find a
problem, take care of it as soon as possible using a recommended insecticide
or fungicide. Both organic and nonorganic products are available to stop
and protect against insects and fungi.
Fall is also a good time of year to
apply a fresh layer of mulch. Mulching helps reduce water evaporation
and keeps the soil temperature warmer
during winter to help plants survive
frost and snow conditions. Mulching also saves on watering and always
improves the appearance of your landscape.
Stephen Gent, Owner of
McDade’s Nursery, Tool, TX
www.mcdadesnursery.com
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21
Article & Photos Courtesy of
Jennifer Hannigan, TVCC
50 Years of Cardettes
It began with just a few.
It was 1960. Henderson County Junior College (now
TVCC) was in its 15th year when a small group of young
ladies gathered one spring day with the goal of finding a
better way to build school spirit. The result of that meeting would start a Cardinal tradition that is still alive 50
years later.
During fall football season that year, the dance squad
that sprang from that meeting – led by students Ethelene
Henning and Myra Odom – took to the field for the first
time.
Five decades later, the Cardettes are still entertaining fans and serving as college ambassadors around the
world. But over the decades,
the team has become much
more than just the halftime show. The Cardettes
have solidified into one of
HCJC-TVCC’s strongest
traditions.
The early years
As with many teams, the
various eras of the Cardettes
have been defined largely by
22
the directors over the years. Each of the group’s 10 directors have added their special touches to the team, creating
the strong tradition that is today’s Cardettes.
The Cardette legacy began under the direction of Jean
Bell as a dance team with around 25 dancers. Bell helped
build the foundation of the Cardettes as a mainstay at
Cardinal football games.
The group’s first big trip away from home took place in
1962, under the direction of Virginia King, when the girls
performed in the Heart of Texas Fair in Waco.
In 1963, the Cardettes came under director Maetta
Davis-Cumby. With the help of choreographer Dale
Robbins, the team grew to 60 members. The poised and
precise Cardettes quickly
established their reputation
as a traveling group. In the
early years the group performed at the Jr. Rose Bowl
in Pasadena, Calif., the
State Fair of Texas, and the
HemisFair in San Antonio.
During
the
DavisCumby years, the Cardinal
Dancers and the Cardette
Bounce first came on the
scene. The Cardette Escorts were added in 1961.
Twink Sitton Ross took over the team in 1973, adding
the infamous “flip wigs” to their uniforms during this
time. In 1974-75, the team performed at an Atlanta Falcons Football game, the Fiesta Flambeau in San Antonio
and marched in a parade during Mardi Gras in New
Orleans., La.
Ross was followed by Leigh Christiansen, who after
two short years was succeeded by Pam Tiner. Tiner’s Cardettes were good will ambassadors representing Athens
and the State of Texas, performing at events such as Texas
Governor Dolph Briscoe’s visit to Athens.
Billie Jean Hanna took over the Cardettes in 1980,
serving three years and once again taking the group to
New Orleans, La., for a Mardi Gras celebration.
The Baker Era
The Jean Baker Era began in 1983. Prior to her first
semester, only a handful of sophomore Cardettes were
planning to return in the fall. But Baker was undaunted
by her small numbers, and by the first football game of the
season more than 40 Cardettes marched
onto the field at halftime.
Jean Baker, with the help of Betty
Loter of Loter’s Designs, changed the
look of the Cardettes. They designed the
crisp white uniforms with the reversible
red and white skirts and flashy red hats
that are now the group’s trademark.
Under Jean Baker the Cardettes
became international travelers. The
group attended stateside events such as
Mardi Gras in New Orleans, La.; the
Orange Bowl Parade and halftime in
Miami, Fla.; the Sun Bowl in El Paso;
the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia, Penn.; the Hollywood Celebrity Christmas Parade
in Hollywood, Calif.; and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day
Parade in New York City, NY.
The Cardettes became the first U.S. dance team ever to
perform in Moscow, Russia. They also danced in Zurich,
Switzerland; Nassau, Bahamas; and Nice, France.
The Cardettes also performed for President Ronald
Reagan and Vice President George Bush live on national
television during the 1984 Republican National Convention.
The Cardettes were also involved in Texas Governor
Ann Richards’ 1990 inaugural events and parade.
Baker also created the annual Cardette Spring Show,
which continues to amaze audiences each year in April.
The Cardette Pom Squad became popular during this
time as well.
During Jean Baker’s years from 1983-1995, her daughter Debbie Baker was the choreographer for the team.
Together they were strong disciplinarians who demanded
the traditional “thank you” response.
Debbie Baker designed the traditional entrance routine to “Deep in the Heart of Texas” with the “red wave”
and choreographed the routines for all of the Cardette
special events.
Upon her mother’s retirement in 1995, Debbie Baker
followed in her footsteps and took over as director. She
was associated with the Cardettes for more than 17 years.
Under Debbie Baker’s direction, the Cardettes traveled
again to Zurich, Switzerland; Hollywood, Calif., for the
Hollywood Celebrity Christmas Parade; and New York
City for the Macy’s parade.
They performed for the entire Air Force Academy at
a football game in Colorado Springs,
Colo., and continued the tradition
established in 1990 by marching in
the Capitol One/Adolphus Children’s
Christmas Parade in Dallas. The Cardettes still march in the Christmas
parade each year.
Cardettes today
Debbie Baker retired in October
2000 and handed over the director title
to Darla Hannigan Mansfield.
Over the past decade, the Cardettes
have continued to build a reputation
that has spread around the U.S. and
23
abroad. The Cardettes have danced in
the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,
the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C., in Branson, Mo., with
Tony Orlando, at the Azalea Festival
in Norfolk, Va., and been the closing act at the annual Philadelphia
Thanksgiving Day Parade.
During the group’s most recent
trip, the Cardettes represented Texas
last summer at the 2010 Pan-Pacific
Festival Parade. The parade was held
along Kalakaua Avenue, Waikiki, on
the island of O’ahu, Hawaii.
During their trip, the dance team
held the lead position in the parade
and was given the honor of escorting one of the few remaining Pearl
Harbor survivors, Allen Bodenlos.
The Cardettes also performed on
the historical USS Missouri and Tripler Army Medical Center for Aging,
bringing goodwill and their Texasstyle “thank you” response to aging
veterans.
This past summer, in honor of the
50th line of the Cardettes, the group
performed on a Mediterranean cruise.
In addition to their travels, at
home the group is regularly involved
in community improvement projects.
The team presents the spring show
each year for the area. Also, a special
group of Cardette alumni come back
each year for the Dance Your Heart
Out Camp, which trains future Cardettes in dance techniques, poise and
life skills.
In addition to their travels, the
Cardettes today remain a mainstay
on the TVCC-Athens campus. The
group still brings their poise, grace
and precision to most of TVCC’s collegiate competitions.
Their familiar red and white can be
seen at football games, campus pep
rallies and, of course, every Cardinal
football game at halftime.
24
Porter’s Bluff to Tyler Road
The Lost Texas Highway
Imagine being down by the Trinity River at the edge of Henderson
County. You are near a deserted bluff
filled with tangled and thorny vegetation and tall leafy trees. There is a mist
drifting from the river going up the
eroded bluff and settles high over it.
Now picture the riders riding up
from the river onto a small trail on
horseback. Put it in a movie-like backdrop; eerily you hear the song Ghost
Riders in the Sky playing softly then
rising in great pitch to a thundering
chorus. “,…Yippie yi Ohhhhh Yippie
yi yaaaaay; Ghost Riders in the sky.”
The horsemen gallop up the steep
slope from the river onto a small road
going east. The fog descends again and
the riders and their horses are lost from
view.
If roads had ghosts to rise up and
speak, then Porter’s Bluff to Tyler Road
would be speaking to us non-stop as we
travel down the vestiges of it. But there
is mostly silence. Maybe it does have
voices, if it does; the voices are found
in the names of places and things. But
the origins of the name Porter’s Bluff
are long forgotten by most people. The
ancient ones who did remember are
dying off.
But this area of Texas had its very
own, very ancient trace. Like most of
the earliest roads, its history is long forgotten. Porter’s Bluff-Tyler Road was
an important early west to east road in
Texas history. It was first mapped from
1846 to 1849 by state surveyors John
Lawler and Samuel Huffer. It is found
on some of the earliest maps. It is difficult now to piece together just where
it started and where it officially ended.
One thing is for certain, it was longer
than first thought by many local historians.
By Diane Murray
But how the road came to exist is
another story. Often a road originates
from being the path of least resistance.
The early Porter’s Bluff-Tyler Road
was created by buffalo traveling from
the most dependable water source to
the next available one by finding of the
easiest route to travel overland.
It was a real road traveled by buffalo and Native Americans and later
by early Texas explorers and hunters.
Native American artifacts and petroglyphs found near the road attest to the
fact it was used by them before white
men came. It is laden with history and
happenings along its route.
It was a stage route and the stage
coaches had many stops on it. There
were at least eleven known stage coach
stops along it. It was a cattle drive road,
so cattlemen were familiar with it.
Later trains used to bisect remnants of
the road.
25
Now modern vehicles
travel it daily never knowing the road had a name
instead of a set of highway numbers.
The earliest Texas
Anglo settlers came from
other states or other parts
of Texas down it. Some
were born on it, lived
near it, died and were
buried close by it. Many
families born and raised
in towns near the old road
remained and their ancestors are among us. Some of the cemeteries near the road are
Guthrie, Berry, Big Rock and Goshen just to name a few.
The very first property surveys and plats name Porter’s
Bluff to Tyler Road as property boundaries all the way from
the Trinity River to Tyler.
But occasionally there are other places or things named
for the road but the origins long forgotten. There is a Porter’s
Bluff Addition in Eustace, there is a a construction company
named Porter’s Bluff, several older roads used to be named
Porter’s Bluff and several historical markers tell of the road.
In an article written by Irene Van Winkle in 2006 for the
Kerr County sesquicentennial, she stated, James Tilford
Caddell, born in Tennessee and came to Texas where he
lived in several places. In 1848, he wrote he worked on the
road from Taos (Porter’s Bluff) on the Trinity River to Corsicana with 26 other laborers.
This information adds to some of the existing known history to just how far the road went. Porter’s Bluff road on
the Trinity River went west to Corsicana. The exact route
to Corsicana is unclear to the local historians but the article
written by Van Winkle confirms the road went west to Corsicana.
The better known part of the route goes from Porter’s
Bluff in its easterly direction to Tyler. It went down parts of
Farm Road 85 which turns into Texas Highway 334 at Seven
Points. From Seven Points it veered across the Cedar Creek
bottoms long before Cedar Creek Lake appeared.
It went through or close to Centerville, an ancient town
now covered by Cedar Creek Lake. Remains of a bridge
going to the town are still visible in the lake. The bridge
crossed two more creeks, the North and South Twin Creeks.
Centerville’s claim to fame is that it was the second county
seat of Henderson County and on Porter’s Bluff-Tyler Road.
26
It was named Centerville because it was located in the
center of Henderson County. Later the county seat settled
in Athens.
From there the road continues back to parts of Highway
334 along segments of Highway 175 then it ambled near
current day Eustace.
The road went onward through from Eustace to Goshen
(along FM 316). Goshen borders Purtis Creek State Park
and the park marks its southern boundary road as Porter’s
Bluff-Tyler Road. From Goshen it goes to Big Rock and
Walton, stage coach stops. Many times the road went crosscountry. Some county roads and fields are a part of the trail,
especially after it left Goshen and before it came to Edom.
Porter’s Bluff-Tyler Road takes up again from Big Rock on
FM 2339.
It continues easterly until we get to Edom where the official Porter’s Bluff-Tyler Road historical marker is located. It
is placed at the corner of FM 279 and FM 2339. Behind the
FM 316 at Goshen near Purtis Creek State Park
historical marker is another marker denoting it was named
Wagon Road Park, established 1849, Porter’s Bluff-Tyler
Road. It is an ancient park fenced off and overgrown. There
are some visible remains of part of the road structure in the
park area.
The road continues down most of FM 279 and parts of
Highway 64 to Tyler. Another stage coach stop is located a
few miles out east of Edom. If you are sharp eyed and see
the historical marker deeply shaded by trees and you are part
mountain goat, you can go up the steep embankment and
see the Coaltharp-Beall House, built in 1849.
If you are observant, you can trace the age of the road.
Many points are still visible, such as the old historical markers
denoting stagecoach stops or houses, ancient service stations,
old travel courts and many other reminders of things past. It
is an exciting historical trek for those interested in local and
state history. You just have to remember some of the road
is not there or untraveled because it is nothing more than a
cow pasture. It reminds one of Route 66, not all of it is there
anymore but what is there speaks volumes.
While things and places were named after the road, the
road itself was named for a very interesting town.
What is known about Porter’s Bluff is that it was a thriving
settlement on the Trinity River where present day Henderson County meets with the border of Navarro County. The
town was named for Colonel Robert H. Porter who was born
in South Caroling and fought in the Texas Revolution. For
his service in the war he was given a tract of land surrounding a Buffalo crossing on the Trinity River.
John H. Reagan, a prolific surveyor of Texas land and
a war veteran who himself was given large tracts of land
for his service, was literally all over the place in Henderson,
Van Zandt and Navarro Counties. Reagan was first County
Commissioner in Henderson County, a state representative and a U.S. Representative among many other notable
accomplishments.
Reagan surveyed the greater part of Henderson County
and parts of the surrounding counties, including Navarro
and Van Zandt but at the time they were all one county,
Nacogdoches County.
Reagan helped Porter survey, plat and layout the town and
Porter wanted to name it Taos. For unknown reasons it was
mostly called Porter’s Bluff except on a few documents and
early letters. If the town had remained named Taos, Porter’s
Bluff Road might have been called by that name, the Taos
to Tyler Road.
It is very noteworthy to find out the town nearly became
the capital of the state of Texas, thanks to Reagan being
a state representative, but it missed that distinction by only
three votes.
The town was a hub and had a large population for the time. The Trinity River was
really the first highway. The river provided
the most reliable form of transportation and
shipping. The town of Porter’s Bluff had a
20 room hotel, a sawmill, several stores, a
blacksmith shop, wharves, boat landings
and warehouses, plus the homes of around
40 families who lived there. Much later on
it had a post office briefly operating from
1900 to 1904.
Some early records agree the town was
washed away in a flood. Other records
indicate the town prospered until the early
1870s when a railroad was built, the Houston and Texas Central Railroad from
Stage stop outside of Edom where Coaltharp-Beall House marker is located.
Bryan to Corsicana. Probably both instances are true. Quite
a few towns were washed away in the wild and deadly Trinity
River floods. Other forms of transportation killed the river
traffic too, but the road called Porter’s Bluff remained.
After the thriving little settlement itself disappeared it
became a ferry crossing called Porter’s Bluff. The last ferry
operator was L.D. Ragsdale. The ferry ceased operation in
1896. This was information related by Joe McFaul in 1996,
Ragsdale’s grandson. McFaul lived in Loon Bay and has
since deceased. McFaul’s sister, Anna Dean Sapp had the
medal that was presented to Ragsdale for his service for running the ferry. The medal was inscribed, “L.D. Ragsdale,
Porter’s Bluff Ferry.”
When the Trinity is at a low point you can still see ferry
crossing pilings and posts protruding from the banks.
The Porter’s Bluff families left for the other settlements
around there, Rice and Corsicana in Navarro County, Berryville, Aley and Styx in Henderson County to name a few.
If you do a Google Earth view it will show
a location named Porter’s Bluff on the west
side of the Trinity River Bridge over FM
85 on the Navarro County side. There is
nothing there, just a thicket of trees and a
glimpse of the river bank.
But the road lived on and came to be
called several names; Porter’s Bluff Road,
Porter’s Bluff Highway, Porter’s Bluff
Trail, Porter’s Bluff Trace, Walton to
Goshen Road or the Porter’s Bluff to Tyler
Roads and finally the Dallas to Shreveport
Road. That information escalates the road
to an even better status. Watch out I-20,
here she comes, the old Porter’s Bluff-Tyler
Road!
27
The road traversed
through natural prairies,
deciduous forests and into
the East Texas piney woods
and rolling hills. It went
from Navarro County to
Henderson County, into
Van Zandt County and
the last known stop, Smith
County. But it was possible it rolled from Smith 1940s Gas Station along the Porter’ Bluff to Tyler Road
28
County eastward under another
name or the same name, that part
is unknown now.
The road went across various
kinds of soil; waxy black, clay,
sand or caliche. None of them
were dependable when wet. Texas
weather can be very unpredictable, rains could come quickly
and only a slight amount of rain
would ruin travel for wagons,
stagecoaches or carts. Only someone
walking, sturdy horses or mules with a
single rider could make it.
One Hog Fork (old name for current
day city of Tool) farmer told of crossing the Cedar Creek bottoms on part
of Porter’s Bluff-Tyler Road to take
his produce on another road to a cannery in Mabank only to be stuck there
for over a month by torrential rains.
One can only guess that he might have
thought the bottoms a good place for a
lake one day.
So ends our story. A broken wagon
wheel, impassable roads, a stop on the
stagecoach, the birth of a new child,
the death of a loved one, any other
unexpected event may have halted the
settlers. They put down their sparse
belongings right beside the road and
they ended up living nearby, traveling
up and down the road. A lot of those
families remained for many generations. Maybe they just fell in love with
the area. The soil was good and the
rocks were few.
But the grand highway lives again,
a wonderful reminder of our history.
The Porter’s Bluff-Tyler Road is still
a place to visit and explore again and
again with stories about the names and
places. The road won’t die if we can just
remember to tell our children about its
very exciting past. So this fall go for a
road trip down the Porter’s Bluff-Tyler
Road and enjoy the lost highway.
Recipe from
“Chef Bob”
Chicken Tortilla Casserole
The Down Home staff will be looking for recipes to share with our readers.
We’ll include the tried and true that we use all the time and hope you’ll submit
your favorites as well. We are fortunate that our good friend and favorite cook,
Bob Hall, left us with a treasure of his favorites in a cookbook. Unfortunately,
Bob is no longer with us, but we know how much he loved to share his recipes
and samples. He would try recipes and then “perfect” them before sharing
with all his friends. We share some of these as a tribute to Bob — we miss him
and his “free samples.”
3 C. cooked chicken, cut into bite size
pieces
12 small flour tortillas, quartered
1 (4 oz.) can green chilies, chopped and
drained
1 lb. American cheese, grated
1 C. milk
2 C. cream of chicken soup
2 T. butter, melted
1 onion chopped
Combine chicken, onion, green chilies, milk and soups. Set aside. Pour
butter into a 9x13 pan and coat bottom.
Layer bottom of pan with flour tortilla
quarters, chicken mixture and cheese.
Repeat, ending with cheese on top.
Refrigerate over night.
Preheat oven to 350° and bake for 1
hour or until hot and bubbly. Serves 8.
Hummingbird Cake
1-1/2 C. Crisco oil
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
1 C. chopped pecans
2 C. sugar
1 C. flaked coconut
3 C. flour
1 ripe banana, mashed
1/2 tsp. salt
1 small can crushed pineapple
1 tsp. baking soda
Do not use mixer!! Mix all ingredients together in large
bowl. Bake in three greased and floured 8-inch cake pans, or
a tube or bundt pan at 350° for 1 hour until done.
Icing
1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
3 T. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 C. powdered sugar, sifted
Cream softened cream cheese and butter. Add vanilla and
powdered sugar, mix until smooth. Spread over cake.
www.thedownhomemagazine.com
29
Praline Snickerdoodles
3 C. flour
1 tsp. cream of tarter
1 tsp. baking soda
1 C. butter softened
1-1/2 C. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C. toffee pieces.
1/2 C. chopped pecans
1/4 C. sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
In medium bowl, combine flour,
cream of tarter, baking soda and salt.
Set aside. In large bowl, beat butter 30
seconds. Beat in the 1-1/2 cups sugar.
Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in as
much flour mixture as you can. Stir in
as much of any remaining flour mixture as you can, the toffee pieces and
pecans. Cover; chill 1 hour or until
dough is easy to handle.
Preheat oven to 375°. Combine the
1/4 sugar and cinnamon. Shape dough
into 1-1/2 inch balls; roll balls in sugar/
cinnamon mixture. Place balls 2 inches
a part on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake
in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or
until edges are golden brown. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.
Makes 48.
To store: Layer cookies between
waxed paper in an air tight container;
cover. Store at room temperature up to
3 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Green Rice
8 T. butter
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 C. bell pepper, chopped
2 cans chicken broth (or 5 bouillon
cubes)
1 C. uncooked rice
1 tsp. salt
1/4 C. parsley flakes
pepper to taste
Saute onions and peppers in butter.
Mix bell peppers/onions, chicken
broth, rice, salt, parsley flakes and
pepper together and cook uncovered
for 1 hour or until rice is done and
water is cooked out.
(Editors note: My mom liked to add some
chopped jalapenos to the peppers and
onions for a little extra zip!)
Aunt Bea’s Dinner Rolls
5 to 6 C. unsifted flour
1/2 C. sugar
1-1/2 tsp. salt
2 pkgs. dry yeast
1 C. milk
2/3 C. water
1/4 C. (1/2 stick) butter
2 eggs
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix 2 cups
flour, sugar, salt and undissolved yeast.
Combine milk, water and butter in
a saucepan. Heat over low heat until
liquids are very warm (120° to 130°).
Butter does not need to melt. Gradually add to dry ingredients and beat 2
minutes at medium speed with electric
mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add
eggs and 3/4 cup flour. Beat at high
speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl. Stir
in enough flour to make a stiff dough.
Turn out onto lightly floured board;
knead until smooth and elastic, about
8-10 min. Cover with plastic wrap, then
a towel. Let rise 20 min. Punch down
dough; form into smooth balls. Place
into greased pans. Brush with melted
butter. Cover pans loosely with plastic
wrap. Refrigerate 2 to 4 hours. When
ready to bake, remove from refrigerator. Uncover rolls carefully. Let stand
at room temperature 10 minutes. Bake
at 375° for 15 to 20 minutes or until
browned on top. Remove from pans,
serve warm.
(Editors note: When I make these, I mix
the dough the night before and leave them
to rise in the fridge overnight. Much easier
than having to do them all in one day!)
Submit your favorite recipes to Down Home at: betty@goabgraphics.com.
Be sure to mark the subject line with What’s Cooking’.
30
Playin’ Around
Events in and around Henderson County
SEPTEMBER
24
25
De Junque de Trunk, 8 am, Cain Center; Community Garage Sale
Tarrant Regional Water District Clean-up Day at Tom Finley Park, Gun Barrel City,
8:30 - 11:30 am; After-Party Picnic, 11:30 am - 1 pm; 903-432-2814
Bluegill Family Fishing Tournament, 9 am, Lake Athens/Texas Freshwater
Fisheries Center; 903-670-2222
Denim & Diamonds IV, Pinnacle Club, 4:30 pm, Benefits The Library at Cedar
Creek Lake; ticket info at denimanddiamondsevent.com
St Jude Pancake Breakfast at Chili’s, Gun Barrel City, 8-10 am; 903-887-0572
OCTOBER
6 & 7
7
8 & 9
8
15
15 & 16
21 & 22
22
27
31
Pinnacle Women’s 14th Annual Garage Sale, 7am - 6pm, 8am - 1pm on Friday;
On Hwy 175 behind the Rodeo Arena in Mabank on Easly Pkwy
10th Annual Wine & Cheese Tasting, Benefits Henderson County East Texas Crisis
Center; Stone Oak Ranch, Murchison, 6-9pm; 903-675-2137
Fire It Up Team Roping, Henderson County Regional Fairpark Complex
6th Annual Fall Festival & Black Eyed Pea Cookoff, East Texas Arboretum,
9 am - 5 pm; 903-675-5630
Dixie Echoes & Proclaimer in concert, Texas Gospel Music Hall, Hwy 19 South,
Doors open 5 pm; 903-677-2492
Texas Palomino Exhibitors Show, Henderson County Regional Fairpark Complex
Moon Walker Gaited Horse Show, Henderson County Regional Fairpark Complex
Lord’s Acre Benefit, First United Methodist Church Malakoff, 6pm, Fish Fry;
903-489-1467
“A Night in Rock ‘N Roll Alley”, Benefit for the Cedar Creek Lake Area Chamber of
Commerce, Doors open 7pm, Lakeplex Lanes, Seven Points;903-887-3152
2nd Annual “Walk Like MADD” walk, Gun Barrel City, 903-675-6112
Halloween at the Hatchery, Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center, 6-8:30 pm
Trick-or-Treat at Mabank Pavilion
Chili Supper 2011
NOVEMBER
5
5 & 6
8
10
12 & 13
19 & 20
Mexican Plate Dinner, Benefits Disciples Clinic, 11am - 1pm, First Hispanic Baptist
Church, 910 W. Cayuga Dr., Athens, 903-203-3840
Fire It Up Team Roping, Henderson County Regional Fairpark Complex
Kiwanis Chili Supper, Cain Center, 11am - 8 pm
Christmas Park Land of Lights Opens, Nov 10 - Jan 2; 6pm - 10pm
U.S. Pony Show, Henderson County Regional Fairpark Complex
Henderson County Horse Committee Working Cow Horse Clinic, Henderson County
Regional Fairpark Complex
DECEMBER
3
9
9 & 10
10
16 & 17
31 & Jan 1
Annual Christmas Parade & Holiday Market, Downtown Athens, 6pm
Mabank Tour of Homes, Benefits Tri-County Library, 903-887-9622
Gun Barrel City Christmas Parade, 6pm; 903-887-1087
2nd Annual “Old Fashioned Christmas on Market Street”, Downtown Mabank
Live Stock Supporters Show, Henderson County Regional Fairpark Complex
Eustace Christmas Parade, Downtown Eustace, 903-425-4702
Texas High School Rodeo Queen, Henderson County Regional Fairpark Complex
Fire It Up Team Roping, Henderson County Regional Fairpark Complex
Athens Kiwanis Club
Tuesday, November 8
11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
CAIN CENTER
6 at the Door
$
Proceeds Benefit Youth Services
31
Home
For
Supper
by R.L. (Skip) Glaspy
32
Back in ’52 there was a drought to end all droughts. The ground
had busted wide open, with cracks running this way and that. Farmers burnt the spines from prickly pear cactus, then used them to feed
the cattle because the grass had withered and died under the blistering
sun. It had been seven months of hot, dry agony. The old-timers talked
about how they had never seen it go this long without rain.
That same fall, when school started back up, the heat was still unbearable. We had all the windows up at the old school house. Every once in
awhile, a spattering of breeze would whisk through the chalk scented
school room. It was hard listening to my old teacher, with her raspy,
monotone voice, while I sat there gasping for breath. My shirt stuck to
my back with sweat, while we all prayed for rain.
About mid-fall, we were coming out of the cook shack that stood
apart from the school house. A cool wind was bearing down on us from
the north. We drew deep cool breaths into our hot lungs, the first in a
mighty long time.
Back to the north it began to turn bluish-black and the clouds were
churning together. In about fifteen or twenty minutes the first ear splitting clap of thunder was heard and the cool rain began to come in
sheets. It seemed to grow stronger as the day wore on. The river was
over behind the school and the head waters covered the wooden bridge
early in the afternoon.
The principal of the school was also my teacher and we were never
on good terms. She told us we were going to spend the night at the
school since all the dry washes were now raging torrents of flood waters.
We lived nearly a mile south of town.
I told my sister to watch me, and then I gave her the sign to come
on, we were going home. I eased over to Mr. Murphy, who drove our
one and only bus, and started talking to him. Slowly I began to suggest
that we go look at the dry wash that stood between me and home. Back
then, in South Texas, a dry wash was coated with cement. It was just a
big, smooth dip in the old gravel road.
Finally, Mr. Murphy agreed that we could take a look at just how
bad it was. I waved to my sister and we got on the bus and headed out
toward our place. He stopped the bus and opened the door so we could
see. We jumped out and ran in the direction the water was coming
from. I told my sister to hold onto my belt. I waded in. The force of the
water was strong. By the time we got across the wash, we were almost
back in front of the bus. Mr. Murphy was calling me every name he
knew as we turned and waved to him.
About a quarter mile further on, there was one more smaller wash
to cross. We looked back, the bus driver was still watching. We headed
for home, soaked to the gills and happy to be home in time for supper.