December 2018 Newsletter

Dear Friends of Preservation Longview,

The board of Preservation Longview would like to thank everyone for helping to make this year such a success.  Whether you supported the Farmer’s Market, were a vendor, made a donation or bought a ticket to one of our speaking events - we thank you. 

Santa came early this year to Preservation Longview!  We have received news that a generous donor will match 100% of the donations given now through the end of January 2019.  This is an awesome gift and we hope that you will put Preservation Longview on your donation list!   Donate securely here.

A look at 2018…..

Historic Longview Farmers Market:

  • The Holiday Market is this Saturday 9:00-1:00 with something for everyone! Live music all morning with Ramoth 9-1. Santa will be onsite 10-12 for Christmas wish lists and photos.  Or course, fabulous foods, handmade gifts, flowers, live wreaths, and so much more. See you Saturday!
  • This year the Historic Longview Farmer’s Market introduced a new program, sponsored by Horaney’s, called “Backyard Growers”. So, what is the Backyard Grower program?  It is a program designed to allow the backyard gardener or grower to display their produce at a scaled down version.  Example: if you have a fig or persimmon tree and want to sell the fruit from that tree, you don’t have to sign up for the whole year or make investments for a tent.  As always, all farmers and vendors are verified before they can participate in the market.
  • Gregg County AgriLife has been a nice addition to our Farmer’s Market this year with classes on good tasting, family friendly, healthy meals.

Rucker-Campbell House:

  • On October 25th our returning Project Manager, Kerry Martin, gave an informative and historic tour of the Rucker-Campbell House to the City of Longview Historic Commission. This local commission adapts criteria and manages the designation of local historic landmarks and historic overlay districts within the city of Longview.
  • Preservation Longview wishes to express a BIG THANK YOU to the City of Longview Public Works Department. A special thank you goes out to Rick Evans, Water/Wastewater Manager, for the extensive work that was done at 433 South Center Street in restoring water/sewer and for bringing in the fire line for the interior sprinkler system.
  • In order for a historic home to become a public facility, an interior fire sprinkler system is required and a “dry system” is recommended. The board of Preservation Longview selected the American Fire Protection Group for this this job due to their experience installing a dry system in historic landmarks without disturbing the historic and aesthetic integrity of the structure.

Booze, Broads and Bibles

  • On January 25th authors Dr. Charles Taylor and Kimberly Fish spoke to a sold out crowd at Booze, Broads and Bibles at the Longview Community Center.  After speaking, both Kimberly and Dr Taylor signed their books which are rich with local history.
  • Fish spoke on how Longview is credited with running the Inch pipelines that were commonly known as the Big Inch and the Little Inch. Her book the “Big Inch” details how In August of 1942, War Emergency Pipelines, Inc. launched the longest petroleum pipeline construction project ever taken in the United States - The Big Inch and The Little Inch. The pipelines were designed to meet wartime fuel demands in response to the deadly U-boat attacks on oil tankers along the East Coast, the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.  The pipelines ran from East Texas to Illinois and have been cited by various scholars as a critical part in the United States winning World War II. 
  • Dr. Charles Taylor entertained and educated the audience with humorous examples of the culture clash during the oil boom.  Conservative East Texas was forever transformed.  The Reo Palm Isle became a well-known destination where all big name entertainers performed to full houses. 

Longview and War Letters

  • On July 5th, Preservation Longview hosted New York Times Best Selling author and Founding Director of the Center for American War Letters, Andrew Carroll, to speak about his incredible mission to collect one million war letters. Carroll is the editor of several New York Times bestsellers including War Letters, Letters of a Nation and Behind the Lines.
  • Due to an overwhelming response from East Texans wanting to donate their war letters, Preservation Longview is now also helping in that effort. If you have war letters, we will donate on your behalf!  By donating your letters to the “Million Letters Campaign” you and your family will be thanked by Chapman University.  And, your letters preserved forever securing their place in our country's history.  Don’t want to give up your originals?  No problem!  We will be happy to make copies and send to Chapman University.  Please help us preserve and protect these precious insights into America’s history before they disappear.
  • If you have war letter, or copies, that you would like to donate please contact Diane Davis at 903-736-1041.

Looking ahead to 2019… 

More great speakers with very interesting topics, more vendors at the Farmers Market, continued progress on the Rucker-Campbell House, and Kerry Martin will return as our Project Manager!

Your donations to Preservation Longview and the Historic Longview Farmers Market are tax deductible.  Please include us in your year end giving!  Donate securely here.

Thank you of for your interest in Preservation Longview and the Historic Longview Farmers Market,

The Board of Preservation Longview