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W. C. Williams Building Historic Marker dedication scheduled for July 30, 2016 in Palacios, TX

The historic W. C. Williams Building, built in 1909, will officially be recognized as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark (RTHL) during a ceremony scheduled to begin at 10:00 AM on …

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W. C. Williams Building shared a post — feeling nostalgic at W. C. Williams Building.

2 days ago

I must share this post. This Texas Dance Hall legacy was so important to Texas history and culture and still impacts so many rural areas to this day. This particular venue has special meaning for us because of the artists who appeared in concert over the years. What great memories... #musicicons #musichistory #omegaliveproductions #texasmusicoffice #texashistoricalcommission #williamsbuildingpalacios Omega Productions Texas Historical Commission Texas Music OfficeHundreds of historic dance halls dot the Texas landscape. Built by organizations like rifle clubs, agricultural, gymnastic, singing, and other fraternal societies, these halls provided communities with a common place to gather for enjoyment and to engage is the pressing issues of the day.

Gruene Hall's legacy is more than being the oldest, continually operating dance hall in the State of Texas. Built in 1878, Gruene Hall is considered the birthplace for many great songwriters and musicians.

German Texans built a significant number of halls in a variety of architectural styles, from the simple rectangle to the intricate and innovative 12-sided structures designed by Joachim Hintz in Bellville and Cat Spring.

But these treasures are not unique to any given cultural group. Other European immigrants, like Poles and Czechs, constructed community-use spaces for similar purposes. ... See MoreSee Less

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W. C. Williams Building shared a post — feeling impressed at W. C. Williams Building.

2 days ago

Rereleased ‘Chulas Fronteras’ Doc Celebrates the Norteño & Tejano Music of the Texas-Mexico Border. These genres represent lots of history and are celebrated to this day.
#musicicons #musichistory #texasmusicoffice #williamsbuildingpalacios #omegaliveproductions Omega Productions Texas Music Office Texas Historical Commission
bit.ly/2zjRZxU ... See MoreSee Less

Rereleased 'Chulas Fronteras' Doc Celebrates the Norteño & Tejano Music of the Borderlands

The Les Blank and Chris Strachwitz documentary calls attention to the amazing perseverance of the Latino spirit.

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W. C. Williams Building shared a post — feeling blessed at W. C. Williams Building.

3 days ago

We are sharing this post from two years ago because it was a special year and once again to confirm how blessed Donna and I are to have such a great family. #livingonthebay #matagordabaytexas #paradiseinpalacios Omega Productions ... See MoreSee Less

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W. C. Williams Building shared a post — feeling educated at W. C. Williams Building.

5 days ago

Here’s some history on Indianola and the great influx and impact of Germans on Texas history and culture. #livingonthebay #matagordabaytexas #paradiseinpalacios #williamsbuildingpalacios #texashistoricalcommission Texas Historical Commission Save Texas History Texas Back Roads Texas General Land OfficeThere was one way to get from Germany to Texas in the 1800s: across the vast Atlantic Ocean by ship on a three-month voyage that was anything but luxurious.

After such a trip, the port at Indianola must have looked like an oasis to the German migrants. Imagine their joy as they sailed into magnificent Matagorda Bay. This is where, for thousands of tired, downtrodden Germans, their life began anew.

In the 1840s, Indianola was controlled by the German immigration company, the Adelsverein, and named Karlshafen or Karls’ Harbor, after the German leadership.

In a single year, more than 5,000 Germans passed through the port town before traveling north along the Guadalupe River to New Braunfels or Fredericksburg.

From the 1840s to the 1870s, Indianola grew into Texas’s finest harbor city. Hospitals, factories, and hotels were built. At its height, more than 6,000 people lived in Indianola, the Calhoun County seat. It was a grand city.

And then, in 1875, disaster hit. Indianola was packed with people in town to watch a high-profile murder trial. A hurricane rolled across the bay, battering the town, carrying seawater deep into Indianola for two days. At least 300 people were killed. The port and almost all the town’s buildings were destroyed.

Eleven years later, in 1886, a second, even stronger hurricane knocked out the partially rebuilt Indianola. Today, it is little more than a fishing village. But her legacy as the first German gateway to Texas lives on. ... See MoreSee Less

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W. C. Williams Building shared a post — feeling proud at W. C. Williams Building.

6 days ago

Member Monday at the Oklahoma Hall of Fame at the Gaylord-Pickens Museum. We are posting this story for several reasons. Besides it being World Humanitarian Day, we support the struggle this story represents. Donna and I look forward to Technical Producing this year’s Oklahoma Hall of Fame Broadcast. We are blessed to be associated with such a fine organization which is committed to our mutual values. #musicicons #musichistory #omegaliveproductions #oklahomahof Omega ProductionsIt's World Humanitarian Day AND #MemberMonday — Clara Luper seemed like the obvious fit.

During her 41 years as an award-winning Oklahoma educator, Luper taught history and made history. She grew up in Okfuskee County (near Hoffman) and went on to receive her Bachelor of Arts degree from Langston University and her master's degree from The University of Oklahoma.

Luper is known as the mother of the civil rights movement. In 1958, she coordinated the first publicized sit-in in the nation at the Katz Drug Store lunch counter in Oklahoma City. Thanks to her persistence and patience, Katz desegregated the lunch counters in each of its 38 stores.

"I knew I was right, because somewhere I read in the 14th Amendment that I was a citizen and I had rights, and I had the right to eat. Within that hamburger was the whole essence of democracy. If you could deny me the right to eat, you could deny me the right to live or work where I want." — Clara Luper

This month is also the 50th anniversary of the OKC Sanitation Strike, where more than 200 Black sanitation workers went on strike, citing poor working conditions, pay and racist treatment. Luper was instrumental in leading this movement.

Visit reveel.it/lp/s/pbpsg2 to learn more about Luper's life and accomplishments. ... See MoreSee Less

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The W. C. Williams Building, built in 1909, has been a cornerstone and anchor to the commercial and cultural life of Palacios and Matagorda County Texas for 110 years.

In February 2015, the structure was designated as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark (RTHL) by the Texas Historical Commission.

In July 2016, the RTHL Marker was dedicated by the Matagorda County Historical Commission and the Texas Historical Commission.

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W. C. Williams Building Historic Marker Dedication ceremony was recently held in Palacios, TX
W. C. Williams Building Historic Marker dedication scheduled for July 30, 2016 in Palacios, TX