On the Record - Denton Old and New

Volum

e 3. Issue 3. August 2011

Denton:Then and Now

ON THE

DAILY.COM

Best Historic Landmarks

Sam Bass: The Texas Thief

The Life of John B. Denton

Our Picks for Denton County’s Top Spots From its Past

Find Out Where the Outlaw Hid His Loot

The Minister, Militiaman who Became the City’s Namesake

LIFE IS BETTERIN A COTTAGE

NOW LEASING!

RESORT-STYLE POOL PLASMA TVS

COMPUTER LAB TANNING BEDS

IPOD DOCKING STATIONS MOVIE THEATRE

MUSIC STUDIO FITNESS CENTER

BASKETBALL COURTS FOOSBALL AND POOL TABLES

RETREATDENTON.COM | TEXT RETREATUNT to 47464e Retreat Clubhouse | 1451 Centre Place Dr, Denton, TX 76205 | 940.387.0627

Welcome to the new academic year!

I have enjoyed getting to know so many of you this past year and am excited about the new students joining us. I am here to help you reach your goals.

UNT is a big campus but maintains an environment where each individual counts. You can depend on your UNT family to help you, from your professors to your advisors to your fellow students. We promise you a high-quality education and a fulfilling college experience so you can learn and grow.

The quality of your education also depends on you, so take care of yourself by:

• Asking questions.

• Getting to know your professors. Just go up after class and introduce yourself.

• Remembering that we are not teaching anything that you can’t learn (we screened you before we admitted you), but you may have to go over it more than once before it sticks.

• Taking advantage of the opportunities to do research, study abroad and get involved in student organizations.

This is going to be an especially fun year as we open UNT’s Mean Green Stadium. This is a world-class, one-of-a-kind venue where we can cheer on the Mean Green. I hope to see students filling the stands all season, starting with our first home game Sept. 10 and at Homecoming Oct. 22, which includes festivities all week long.

And be sure to check out our new Business Leadership Building. This state-of-the-art building is a great example of how technology, innovation and collaboration can enhance your learning. I’m also excited that the old Business Administration Building is now a one-stop location for students to get support services such as tutoring, testing and information about everything from academic scholarships to study abroad programs. There are plenty of ways to connect with other Eagles and keep up with UNT news and events:

• Facebook.com/NorthTexas

• Twitter.com/UNTNews

• If you are a new UNT student, use our new Facebook app, UNT Inigral, to connect to new students with similar interests and majors.

• UNT To Go, our new mobile web application, helps you keep UNT at your fingertips. You can find out the latest Mean Green sports scores, learn about upcoming events, watch UNT videos and much more. To visit UNT To Go, open m.unt.edu in your phone’s web browser.

I’m excited that you are all here. UNT is at the right place at the right time to become a top university. Together, we are going to make great things happen.

Sincerely,

Dear UNT students,

V. Lane RawlinsPresident

19

15

10

16

20 24

12

Future 14

People 25

Fellows 18

Find out about the plan that will shape downtown Denton

Shedding light on the sagas of three Denton founding fathers

Denton’s second oldest fraternity has served the city for 150 years

Union 13

Bonnie & Clyde 24

Quakertown 17

Fry History 15

Examining the event-ful history of the UNTUnion Building

Memories of the duo live on throughout North Texas

Learn why residents of this former settlement were forced to move

Breaking down this iconic street’s begin-nings and future

News

Features

Best of Denton 10

Catastrophes 12

Women 19

Courthouse 16

On the Record’s picks for the city’s top his-toric landmarks

Floods, tornados and ice cold conditions are part of Denton’s past

Discovering a Denton resident’s ties to the Roe v. Wade court case

A 115-year-old func-tional clock sits atop this Denton symbol

What’s Inside...

Sam Bass 20The story of an infa-mous Texas’ outlaw and his hideaways

26

32

3837

29

30

35

Explore

Cover Story

Photo Story 30

Past Headlines 33

Denton’s changes over the course of two cen-turies come to life

Old articles capture some of Denton’s strangest moments

Goatman 29

Centennial 32

Racism leads to a chilling ghost story at Old Alton Bridge

Residents celebrate their city’s 100th birthday

Campus Chat 36

Museum 38

Deserted Building 39

Residents’ thoughts on potential historiclandmarks

Exhibits shed light on Denton’s past

Abandoned structure was once used as a firehouse

Traditions 37

Experience

Information

Armistice and Fair 35

Trivia, Music, By the Numbers 40

A reflection on two memorable Denton festivities

Find answers to our trivia questions and learn music facts

The Mean Green spirit is on display with these UNT customs

What’s Inside...John B. Denton 26

Looking inside the life and contributions of the city’s namesake

If you drive the speed limit about 10 miles west of Denton on Highway 380, it’s easy to miss the tiny town of Stony.

Deep within the heart of Denton County, it’s home to a man who has dedicated his life to saving North Texas historic buildings from destruction. Bill Marquis, owner of Marquis Restoration and Preservation, works with old-fash-ioned tools and authentic materials to bring decaying, yet important, historic buildings back to life.

Exploring DentonAs a rookie staff writer at the NT Daily,

I stumbled across Bill while reporting on the grand opening of the Denton African American Museum, which he restored.

I had no idea who Bill was or what this man in his 60s could accomplish. However, after seeing the resurrected structure on Sycamore Street, I had to find out more about his craft.

Looking back, had I not dug deeper, I never would have known he owns one of the most seminal structures in Denton History — the oldest house in Denton County.

The 16- by 6-foot log cabin is known as the Vaughan-Christal cabin, built in 1836 by early pioneer Jonathan Bird (the namesake of Birdville ISD in Tarrant County).

Bill saved the cabin from developers and weather so that school children, day-trippers and any curious history lover could see it in its original form on his property.

In our previous interview, Bill told me,

“This cabin holds great significance to me, but it means so much to so many people. They were the ones who I really saved it for.”

It’s people like Bill who bridge the gap between the past and present — telling the story of Denton, then and now.

Present-Day DentonFor many people, Denton is just a

stopping place along the course of their lives. Although they may not have grown up here or plan to end up here, Denton is where many can claim some of their most memorable years.

When you live in a place, it becomes part of you in some way. It’s important to be engaged in its history and heritage, if only to enrich your life even more.

What You’ll FindThis edition of On the Record tells

the stories of Denton’s founding fathers and their struggles in building this city from the ground up. They worked with their bare hands, like Bill, to build some-thing that future generations could be proud of.

Along the way, there were less-than-reputable people who lived outside the law. At one time, “Sam Bass” was more than just a UNT bus line and a street name. He was an infa-mous train robber and cattle thief who preyed on local railways and ranchers.

The notorious robbers, Bonnie and Clyde, also stormed their way through Denton, only to to featured decades later in a film about their lives, which premiered at the Campus Theatre.

We have also included a Best Historical Landmarks guide based on historical impact, intrigue and significance. We highly suggest you take time to explore some of these places on a day you can appreciate them.

Throughout this magazine, you’ll find more people and places that are signif-icant threads in the fabric of Denton culture.

As you amble through the streets and observe things around you, remember you’re creating your own historic journey. Read through this magazine to discover a little more about how we got here to help grasp a better sense of where we are going.

Shaina ZuckerEditor-in-Chief

Editor’s Letter:

What I’ve Learned From This Edition:1. All the words to the UNT Fight Song.

2. Denton was named after John B. Denton because he died defending the townspeople from Native Americans.3. The alleged Curse of Sam Bass Cave was actually disease carrying ticks that lived in the caves. 4. The courthouse was burned to the ground twice — once on purpose and once by lightening.

5. The deadliest tornado tore through Denton, killing 10 and injuring 200 in 1957.

Lisa StudentStudent

Make the most of your enhanced Mean Green Card

The University of North Texas and Wells Fargo have teamed up to bring you the enhanced Mean Green Card¹

2. Order itVisit the local Wells Fargo banking location and ask for an enhanced Mean Green Card when you open a Wells Fargo College Checking® account².

Wells Fargo - UNTUNT University Union3rd Floor940-384-6500 Monday - Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

3. Use it• As your official student ID• For campus privileges • For free access to cash at Wells Fargo and Wachovia ATMs nationwide• To make purchases anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted

It’s your campus ID and a Visa debit card ¹ The enhanced Mean Green Card is a Visa debit card issued by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. ² Eligibility subject to approval. Students must provide proof of enrollment at an accredited institution when the account is opened. $100 minimum opening

deposit required to open a new checking account. Monthly service fee waived when linked to your enhanced Mean Green Card. Information contained in this document is subject to change. Printed August 2011.

© 2011 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. Member FDIC.

1. Personalize itTake your picture at the

Campus ID Systems Office Eagle Student Services Center 1st Floor940-565-4481

2011 6/15

Sean GormanManaging Editor

Sara JonesVisuals Editor

Isaac WrightAshley-Crystal Firstley

Alex Macon

Justin CurtinJun Ma

Brian Maschino

Pablo ArauzNicole Balderas

Matthew MaloneBrett MedeirosAnn SmajstrlaAlicia Warren

Alex Young

James CoreasChelsea Stratso

Samantha Guzman

Josh Pherigo

Senior Staff Writers

Staff Photographers

Staff Writers

Senior Staff Photographers

Senior Staff Designer

Contributing WriterSydnie SummersDesign Editor

“I was shocked to find that the Denton courthouse burned down twice, once by a member of Sam Bass’ gang.”

“It came as a surprise to me that the UNT name has changed as many as six times.”

“I think the story about how John B. Denton was buried three diffrent times is really interesting.”

Meet the Staff

Location: Downtown Roanoke 15 miles South of Denton off of State Highway 377.

Then: During its early years as a frontier town in the 1880s, Roanoke was a lively stop for traveling cattlemen and railroad workers. The Silver Spur Saloon, located in the historic Rock Building featured a saloon, dance hall and upstairs brothel, providing the colorful entertain-ment of Wild West living.

Now: After the saloon closed, the building served as a doctor’s office, café, grocery store and hardware store. Today the Rock Building, a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, houses the Roanoke visitor center and museum.

Highlights: To satisfy state laws of the day, an outside staircase was added to the upper f loor of the Silver Spur, allowing the “gentlemen” customers to visit the brothel more discreetly and separating it from the main saloon.

1. Campus TheatreLocation: 214 W. Hickory St.Then: The vibrant pink and green neon lights of the

Campus Theatre’s unmistakable vertical marquee have made it one of the most recognizable landmarks in Denton County. Located just off the courthouse square, the Campus Theatre first opened in 1949 as a state-of-the-art movie house geared to attract the city’s growing student population. It remained in operation as a working movie theatre until 1985.

Now: The Denton Community Theatre bought the property in 1990, and after a $2 million renovation project, more than 1200 people showed up for the grand re-opening in 1995. It’s served as the permanent home of the city’s performing arts program ever since. Last summer the Theatre was designated an official Texas State Historic Landmark.

Highlights: In 1967, the theatre hosted the world premiere of “Bonnie and Clyde,” which was filmed throughout the Denton area.

2. Silk Stocking RowLocation: 609 W. Oak St. - 1100 W. Oak St.Then: As one of the first established roads in Denton, Oak

Street predates even the founding of the city it runs through. Many of the city’s early civic and industrial leaders constructed lavish Victorian-styled homes on the street, and by the turn of the century the neighborhood had developed a fashion-able reputation.

Now: Many of the century-old homes still remain, encom-passing a historic district whose neighborhood street signs now bear the names of many of the homes’ original occupants. The Denton Historic Commission distributes a pamphlet that offers detailed information on the most notable homes and includes a map to assist in self-guided tours.

Highlights: The Scripture-Davenport home, located at 819 W Oak St., is a recorded Texas State Historic Landmark. this mission-style home was built by local grocer, Robert C. Scripture in 1885.

3. Old Alton BridgeLocation: Near the intersection of Old Alton Road and

Teasley Lane and about 5 miles south of Interstate-35 E.Then: This 145-foot steel bridge spans Hickory Creek in a

wooded part of Southeast Denton. At the time of its construc-tion in 1882 it served as an important link to Dallas.

Now: The bridge is considered architecturally significant because it’s one of the state’s last remaining examples of a Pratt through-truss bridge, which was once a popular bridge manufacturer in Texas. It is listed in the national register of historic places.

Highlights: Locally, Old Alton is better known as “Goatman’s Bridge,” a nickname given to the bridge based on a legend that the bridge is haunted by the ghost of a black goat farmer who was murdered by the Ku Klux Klan on the bridge at the turn of the century. The bridge attracts paranormal investigators from across the country. For more information on the Goatman legend, visit www.goatmansbridge.com.

4. Silver Spur Saloon

Best of Denton: Historic Landmarks

1. 1. 2.

4.

Best of Denton: Historic Landmarks

2.

4

3

21

2. 3.

-Josh Pherigo, Contributing Writer

PHOTOS BY CHELSEA STRATSO AND JAMES COREAS/SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS AND COURTESY OF SILVER SPUR SALOON. MAP COURTESY OF GOOGLE MAPS

12 News ntdaily.com On The Record

While Denton doesn’t sit on an active fault line or along the Gulf Coast in the path of hurricanes, the city resides in Tornado Alley and is no stranger to treacherous weather.

As many native Texans know, the weather in the Lone Star State can be unpredictable. In Denton, this translates into harsh winters, sweltering summers and a year-round threat of storms.

When it Rains, it PoursHigh waters damaged about 100 Denton

homes and businesses in April 2007, when Denton County received 5 to 10 inches of rain in only two hours.

No deaths were reported from the f looding, but the high water cost the county a total of $3 million in damages.

Denton Mayor Mark Burroughs said Denton’s drainage system is in need of improvement so heavy rains won’t bring the city to a standstill. The problem, Burroughs said, is the costs necessary for such a project.

“It takes a vastly disproportionate amount of capital expenditures to address even relatively small areas of the city,” Burroughs said.

Following the 2007 f lood, the city invested more than $7,000,000 to hire contractors to repair parts of the drainage system.

For a full list of the improvements and when they will be complete, visit www.cityofdenton.com.

TornadosDenton sits at the southern edge of

Tornado Alley, the large swath of Middle America plagued by a volatile combina-tion of pressure systems flowing across the Great Plains.

In 2011, the U.S. has suffered the dead-liest tornado season since 1953 with more than 500 people killed by torna-does.

The U.S. also saw its single deadliest tornado this year in Joplin, Missouri — a storm that tore apart nearly a third of the town and left 120 people dead.

According to the National Weather Service, the deadliest Denton tornado killed ten people and injured 200 in 1957.

Frigid Temps Stop Denton ColdFew Denton residents guessed they

would need chains on their tires just to

drive down ice-covered streets in early February this year.

Cynthia Northrop White, public infor-mation officer supervisor for the Texas Department of Transportation, said 2011 was among the worst winters she has ever seen in North Texas and created espe-cially treacherous driving conditions.

“We’ve had ice on the roads before, of course,” White said. “But, usually, it’s there for a day or two, then the tempera-tures get above freezing and it’s all gone. This last winter, we were below freezing for five days.”

Denton’s average snowfall is just 2 inches, according to the National Weather Service in Fort Worth.

Though the 2009-2010 winter season saw a record breaking 24 hour snowfall of 12.5 inches and the second greatest total snowfall with 13.5 inches, the 2010-2011 winter season brought below freezing temperatures that lingered for nearly a week.

In early 2007, the National Weather Service reported the area stayed below freezing for around 84 hours — around three and a half days.

-Isaac Wright, Senior Staff Writer

Denton DisastersThe City’s History of Extreme Weather

Photo by James Coreas/senior staff PhotograPher

Acting as a place for students on campus to visit daily, the UNT Union building has experienced change and expansion during its history of more than 100 years.

Making of the MemorialPlans for a Student Memorial Union

Building at UNT began in 1928, when alumni announced a drive to raise funds for it. The building was dedicated to UNT alumni military veterans.

The Memorial Union was completed in 1949, on the 50th anniversary of the estab-lishment of UNT as a state institution.

A Fresh StartThe Memorial Union Building was

demolished in 1963 to build a facility that would fit UNT’s growing student popula-tion. Construction on the second Union began the same year.

Expansion for the new union was approved in 1973 with a $7 million budget.

During the construction period, Crumley Hall was used as a temporary union.

It was completed in March 1976.More renovations came in 1997. A food

court was built on the first floor, and a seating area was created where a faculty and staff lunchroom had been.

Future PlansThe Union will be renovated as part of

UNT’s Master Plan, which also includes a new parking garage.

The plan will use sustainable environ-mental building practices, but no costs have been determined yet.

“We’re looking to do a March 2012 refer-endum for all students to participate,” said Union Director Zane Reif.

- Nicole Balderas, Staff Writer

rate. Among the 119 calls about K2 to the center between Jan. 1 and July 14 were 22 indications of vomiting, 12 of hallucinating and 3 indications of coma. Many users became extremely agitated, nervous and have problems breathing, accord-ing to the data.

In June, an Iowa teen who smoked K2 appar-ently suffered a panic attack and fatally shot himself, according to the Des Moines Register. Police say countless other teens and young adults have used the drug as a catalyst to get high, only to land in the hospital not under-standing how they got there.

According to the Texas center, 89 percent of the exposures during the first half of this year were from inhalation, with abuse listed as the reason. Only 6 percent of the exposures were said to be unintentional.

“If someone has any symptoms, they are sent to the ER for IV fluids and benzodiazepine,” Yudizky said.

Police want people to call them if they need help, and fear that young people will not do so because they are scared or don’t want to get their friends into trou-ble, especially if there is multiple drug use involved.

“With marijuana you know the results,” said State Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano. “With this, it’s a pot-pourri … and you have no idea what those chemicals contain. The package itself says ‘not for human con-sumption.’ That should be a warning for anybody.”

Shapiro said that a bill to ban the manufacture and sale of K2 in Texas is a possibility. Currently in early drafting stages, the bill could be passed during the next session, January 2011. Even if the bill does pass, it may not go into effect for a year.

That’s why, Shapiro said, many cities are passing ordinances to ban the sale and possession of K2 now. The fine for breaking a city ordinance is $500. Nearby cities that have banned K2 include Mansfield, Allen, Sulphur Springs, McKinney and Plano. Dallas is con-sidering a ban.

“The problem is, it’s such a new product, and it’s happened so quickly,” she said. “We don’t even know what the long-term effects are … Those are frighten-ing things, and we know so little about it.”

Until then, police say, it’s difficult to handle the problem because it is legal. In Denton, a person can’t get in trouble for having K2, but they can if they are high and an obvious danger to themselves or others.

“If we can tell you’re impaired, you could go to jail for public intoxication. It’s called PI-Other,” Grelle said. “We are most definitely trying to get the word out to not use K2.”

Photo courtesy of Marin Nikolov/cc

Offer valid on selected properties and 12 month lease required.

Boulder Ridge1515 Cannon Parkway

Roanoke, TX 76262(817) 430-4041

boulderridgeapts.comemail: [email protected]

Union: Through the AgesPhoto by Justin Curtin/staff Writer

Downtown Denton DevelopsAfter 154 years of existence, Denton

continues to expand, especially down-town.

Ron Menguita, Development Review Liaison for the City of Denton said the area will experience short term changes created in the Downtown Implementation plan.

“The biggest thing that came out of those plans was growth management,” Menguita said. “We want to make sure we get development, but at the same time manage our resources.”

The May 2011 Statistical Trends and News of Denton report said Denton is ranked 13 among the top 25 fastest growing cities in the nation for popula-tions over 100,000 persons.

Downtown PlanThe purpose of the city’s Downtown

Implementation Plan is to draw busi-nesses downtown and to create a unique

atmosphere for the area. The plan, which can be found at the City

of Denton website, includes a summary of the current state of downtown and suggestions for the area’s infrastructure and land. Suggestions include adding new buildings in accordance with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) criteria, incorporation of pedes-trian-friendly sidewalks and walkways and the adoption of a uniform street desig n, a mong others.

The new Denton Count y Tra nsit Authority A-Train station was part of the Downtown Implementat ion plan.

Development

Menguita said the development will begin on Hickory Street, and then will continue to the rest of the downtown area.

“In four years, five years, we want people to say, ‘Our downtown is so amazing, it’s got all these new shops and restaurants,’” Menguita said.

-Ann Smajstrla, Staff Writer

Plato’s Closet Denton1719 S. Loop 288 Denton, TX 76205

940-566-6096

Check Out Our Website! www.platosclosetdenton.com

With prices at up to 70% off mall prices, Plato’s Closet

can help you with all your back to school needs. We buy and sell gently used clothes, shoes

and accessories from all your favorite brands. So, look amazing and have a few extra dollars in your

pocket too! Check us out often for our latest merchandise.

Plato’s Closet Denton is Ready for Back to School

Plato’s Closet Dentonis Ready for Back to School

Plato’s Closet Denton1719 S. Loop 288 Denton, TX 76205

940-566-6096

Check Out Our Website! www.platosclosetdenton.com

With prices at up to 70% off mall prices, Plato’s Closet

can help you with all your back to school needs. We buy and sell gently used clothes, shoes

and accessories from all your favorite brands. So, look amazing and have a few extra dollars in your

pocket too! Check us out often for our latest merchandise.

Plato’s Closet Denton is Ready for Back to School

Plato’s Closet Dentonis Ready for Back to School

In the 1920s, Denton’s Fry Street was considered the city’s cultural core.

Brooks Dairy and Eagle Café were among the first businesses established on the street. The well-known street was originally a fair-ground, but evolved into an epicenter of Denton. Its proximity to the North Texas State Teachers College, now called UNT, helped create the change.

Fry’s Second ComingThe second evolution of Fry Street

happened more gradually. The grocery stores, shoe shops and beauty parlors that occupied the bustling city block were slowly replaced with restaurants, bars, music

venues and other establishments fitting a developing college town.

Looking to Fry’s FutureStarting this summer, Fry Street will

undergo another major reinvention as it transforms into the Fry Street Village — a project spearheaded by real estate company Axis Realty.

“It will be primarily a student housing project, but there will be approximately 12,000 square feet of retail and restau-rant space on the first floor facing Hickory Street,” said Alex Payne, the principle broker for Axis Realty.

In addition to the new retail space, the

four-story-tall Fry Street Village will house 914 residential units, a five-story parking garage, three courtyards and a pool, according to the Fry Street Village Plan.

“It’s definitely going to change the look of Fry Street,” said Lou Delaney, the owner of Lucky Lou’s Bar. “But it’s nice to see some-thing finally happening with that empty lot.”

The empty lot was formerly home to businesses like The Campus Barbershop, Mr. Chopsticks, and The Tomato — all of which have relocated since real estate company United Equities purchased the lot in May 2006.

-Matt Malone, Staff Writer

Fry Street Before and After

1869The Fry family name

appears in the history books with Lewis Fry.

2010Work begins on

upcoming Fry Street Village Project.

1880Fry Street area is used

as a city fairground.

2006Real estate company,

United Equities, purchases Fry Street properties.

CL OSE T O SCHOOL . CL OSE T O F RIENDS . CL OSE T O PERF EC T.

905 Cleveland St. Denton, TX 940.385.7500www.midtownstudentapartments.com/denton

At the corner of Eagle and Carroll. Text MIDTOWN to 47464 for more info.

NOW LEASING FOR FALL 2011!!

16 Features ntdaily.com On The Record

Courthouse Anchors Community

Photo by Ashley-CrystAl Firstly/senior stAFF Writer

Framed in the middle of the Denton Square is a three-story 19th century cream and pink courthouse that’s been considered the sparkling jewel of Denton for the last 114 years.

The Denton courthouse, also known as courthouse-on-the-square, has survived two fires, two restorations and still overlooks the Square.

No other place in Denton resembles the courthouse, said Gretel L’Heureux, tourism and education director of the courthouse.

“The center of Denton is really here,” L’Heureux said. “This is where it all started.”

RestorationWhat started as a meeting place under

a tree just south of Denton became a log cabin in Alton. Over time, three other buildings replaced the log cabin as Denton’s courthouses on the square, L’Heureux said.

The first official courthouse was a wooden two-story frame structure in 1875 where the Candy Store on Oak Street is today, but it was burned down.

A partner of outlaw Sam Bass alleg-edly lit a fire in hopes of destroying court records.

The courthouse was originally used

as a 16th judiciary court, L’Heureux said.

All trials were held there and crimi-nals were kept in the basement before going in front of the judge.

Its replacement was built two years later as a two-story brick building with a tall central tower where the new court-house resides now. The building was struck by lightning and burned again, lasting only 18 years.

The courthouse was constructed one final time and completed in 1897 by Tom Lovell. It was made of limestone from Ganzer farm, pink granite and red sandstone at a cost of $179,000. To accommodate the growing population and to correct building issues, many renovations have been made, including the removal of the elevator shaft.

“In the process of doing all those things it [the courthouse] started to look kind of funny because it had a certain character,” L’Heureux said. “All the beautiful wood and the stone, it’s like a castle.”

Horses and buggies carried each stone, and the sandstone bases of the 82 granite columns surrounding the building were handcrafted next to the courthouse’s construction.

L’Heureux said the stairs, banisters and clock are still original but the floors

and ceilings are replicas. “Imagine. This is all just prairie,”

L’Heureux said. “There’s not even that many people living here in Denton and it’s all just horses and buggies. No cars, nothing else. No plumbing, no nothing. And they’re building this building. It’s incredible.”

The Courthouse TodayThe courthouse is now used for

making decisions on issues concerning voting, infrastructures, jails and the health department in the commission-er’s courtroom on the second floor.

Judge Mary Horn, the courthouse’s first female judge, has an office across the courtroom. The commissioners’ offices are on the third floor but aren’t used much, L’Heureux said.

Administrative manager of the Denton Historical Commission Roslyn Shelton said her fascination of the courthouse rests at the 114-year-old clock tower that still ticks. The Denton Courthouse Museum runs on the first floor.

“Anything that has this wonderful past that gives us a feeling of our roots is very special because it goes back so many years,” L’Heureux said.

-Ashley-Crystal Firstley, Senior Staff Writer

On The Record ntdaily.com Features 17

Although Quakertown Park now serves as a 32-acre recreational field for city events, more than a hundred years ago, it was Denton’s first African-American settle-ment.

The area was named for abolitionist Quakers who helped slaves escape the South on the Underground Railroad.

According to the Denton County website, Quakertown was founded in 1875 by about 27 African-American families. These fami-lies moved to the Denton area from Dallas in search of a better life, and by the 1880s had built a thriving community.

By 1910, more than 50 families inhabited Quakertown. The settlement continued to grow as the residents built churches, homes and businesses along Oakland Avenue and McKinney Street.

Despite a strong foundation, the commu-nity was short-lived.

Around 1920, grass roots campaigns to remove Quakertown emerged because the College of Industrial Arts, now TWU, feared its proximity to Quakertown would hurt the school’s chances of accreditation.

In January 1921, a petition was formed, calling for Quakertown to be purchased and converted into a city park.

“Unfortunately, Quakertown was removed in 1921,” said Paula Mears, a museum guide at the Denton County African-American Museum. “The city of Denton voted to convert the town into a park on April 5, 1921. The residents of Quakertown had little to no say in the matter, but they were paid for their prop-erty.”

The Denton County African-American Museum occupies an original Quakertown home that was relocated and restored after Quakertown’s removal.

In addition to a doctor’s office, a funeral home and several African-American-owned businesses, Quakertown was home to one of the first African-American schools in America.

Frederick Douglas Moore, a local barber, was troubled by the lack of education

options for African-Americans in Denton. He decided to dedicate himself to educa-tion, and after passing the teacher’s exam, he became principal of the Quakertown School in 1915.

After the removal of Quakertown, Moore remained dedicated to improving the school system. His career in education lasted 40 years. The Fred Moore High School and Fred Moore Park were named in his honor.

“The story of Quakertown is both inspi-rational and regrettable,” Mears said. “The African-American doctors, teachers and families of Quakertown helped form Denton’s rich African-American history, but the removal of the community is one of the more unfortunate events in Denton’s past.”


Quakertown’s QuagmireDenton Settlers Were Forced to Relocate

Photos by Chelsea stratso/senior staff PhotograPher


Three years ago, the First Cumberland Presbyterian Church called Linda Hackler of the Denton Independent Order of Odd Fellows for help to unload 600 pumpkins for its annual Fall Festival.

Hackler and other members of the I.O.O.F. were initially unaware of the number of pumpkins but still took each pumpkin and helped decorate for the event.

As the second oldest fraternity in Denton, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows has continued its duty to serve the community to aid others for 150 years.

“We are the most active lodge in the state of Texas,” said Hackler, secretary of Denton I.O.O.F.

They Were Rather “Odd”I.O.O.F. is known for its name because

during the 17th century, people consid-ered it odd to find residents gathering to help others for the benefit of mankind, according to the organization’s website, ioof.org.

Its principles were founded on the ideals of friendship, love and truth carrying the responsibility “to visit the sick, relieve the distressed, bury the dead and educate the orphan,” according to Denton Lodge, No. 82, IOOF: A History, 1859-2009, a book written by former member Tom Reedy in 2009.

In 1859, five Denton residents petitioned

to have an I.O.O.F. Lodge in Denton County, according to the book. A charter was finally issued and the lodge was instituted that same year, as I.O.O.F. Lodge, No. 82.

I.O.O.F. CemeteryLater in 1859, one of I.O.O.F.’s 15 original

members, James M. Smoot, donated five and a half acres for a cemetery to fulfill the groups’s obligation to bury the dead, according to the book.

Lots were sold to members and the general public at an annual tax rate of 50 cents per lot, $2 for a half-block or $3 for a full block of ten lots, according to the book. As space became limited, more land was bought—7.5 acres in 1883, 6.5 acres in 1916 and 4 acres in 1924.

I.O.O.F. sustained the cemetery for 60 years before donating it to the City of Denton in 1933, according to the book.

It continues to rest on the east side of Carroll Boulevard. About 5,800 bodies are buried, including I.O.O.F. members, pioneer Denton County settlers, local and state elected officials and veterans of wars.

Helping OthersEvery year I.O.O.F. hosts a dinner for

law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical technicians and veterans. They also award scholarships to students.

Reedy said I.O.O.F. donates money to

anyone, if it’s toward a charity-related cause.

Local children’s sports teams show their appreciation by donating trophies and plaques to Denton’s I.O.O.F.


Cemetery and Service

Photo courtesy of the Denton InDePenDent orDer of oDD fellows

Projects Sponsored by

I.O.O.F.World Eye BankUnited Nations Pilgrimage for YouthTomb of the Unknown SoldiersOdd Fellow and Rebekah HomesFriendship TowersKidney FoundationArthritis FoundationEducational FoundationWorld Hunger and Disaster FundInternational Peace GardenRose Bowl Parade


Take a trip to the archives room in Willis Library and it’s easy to see memorabilia from years past at UNT.

On the wall hangs a picture of Judge Sarah T. Hughes, the woman to whom the archives is dedicated. She and many other women have passed through Denton and left their mark on the city.

As a legislator, judge, political leader and feminist, Hughes lived a life devoted to the social liberalism movement. According to an excerpt from the book “Reinventing the State: Social Liberalism for the 21st Century,” social liberalism focused on various social and economic issues like unemployment and health care.

“Even her detractors can agree that one of the things that made Judge Hughes distinctive, and yes, admirable, was that you always knew where she stood,” as quoted from an editorial in the Dallas Morning News.

Hughes was born Sarah Augusta Tilghman in Baltimore in 1896. A testa-ment to the dedication she showcased throughout her life, Hughes lived in a tent with her husband George during their last two months of law school to save money for a move to Texas.

At age 34, Hughes was primed for her first political campaign as a candidate for the Texas Legislature.

She wrote the opinion and was the presiding member of the three-judge panel that overturned Texas’ anti-abortion stat-

utes in the monumental court case Roe v. Wade.

Hughes encouraged women to run for public office, and lobbied for and promoted legislation allowing women to serve on juries — a privilege denied in Texas until 1954.

In a key moment in U.S. history, Hughes was summoned to Air Force One on Nov. 22, 1963, to administer the presidential oath of office to Lyndon B. Johnson after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

-Nicole Balderas, Staff Writer

Lady of the Legislature

Shirley Cothran

Cothran was crowned Miss America in 1975, making her Denton’s second Miss America in a five-year span. A Denton resident and UNT graduate, Cothran earned her doctorate from TWU. She currently tours as a motivational speaker.

(Born in 1958)Phyllis George

George, a Denton native, was crowned Miss America in 1971. She later became a television personality on CBS for the programs “NFL Today” and “The Early Show.” George grad-uated from UNT and received the Distinguished Alumna Award in 1977.

(Born in 1949)Louise Ritter

Ritter qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1986. She was the gold medalist in women’s high jump in 1988. She earned her Bachelor’s in Physical Education from Texas Woman’s University.

(Born in 1953)

More Famous Denton Women

PHOTOS COURTESY OF UNT ARCHIVES


In Denton’s beginnings, North Texas was a wide, open landscape acting as the stage for the same lawless-ness of the Old West roman-t ic i z e d b y modern films and books.

One histor-ical f igure known for his pursuits o n t h e prairie was Sam Bass, the train r o b b e r who spent t i m e preying on the r a i l -w a y s around

Denton County and Dallas.

Bass’ greatest heist was at the Union Pacific train at Big Spring Station, Neb., in 1877, according to an article in the Frontier Times.

A year later, Bass and his gang turned its atten-tion to Texas railways.

“He would g o f r o m Pilot Knob in Denton C o u n t y d o w n

to Round Rock, in between Austin and Salado,” said Jim

Heath, a member of the Denton County Historical Commission. “Everything from Austin toward Denton was his territory. He drifted back and forth.”

Treasure hunters have long be en convinced that the outlaw’s swift return to robbery after the Union Pacific heist proves he took his $10,000 share, worth $200,000 today, and allegedly hid it in a cave in Denton County.

The most common alleged site of the cave is Pilot Knob, a tall cliff face surrounded by trees that can be seen from Interstate Highway 35W about three miles south of Denton.

“He liked it up there because he could see out in every direction,” Heath said. “If the law was coming toward him, he could see them no matter which direc-tion they were coming from.”

A representative for the landowner of the Pilot Knob area and surrounding ranch-land, Petrus Investment in Fort Worth, said the cave was demolished decades ago.

Bass botched his last big job in Round Rock after he and his gang were pursued for four months by Texas Rangers.

A c c o r d i n g t o

numerous articles published in the DRC, Bass planned to rob the bank in Round Rock and use the money to retire in Mexico. The Texas Rangers got a hold of one of his men, however, and knew about the job before he stepped into town. When the outlaw arrived, a Round Rock sheriff deputy attempted to collect the firearms of Bass and his men before he was shot dead by Bass.

A fire fight ensued and Bass escaped, but was wounded. The Rangers pursued him and found him in crit-ical condition. Bass died in Round Rock two days later on his 27th birthday, July 20, 1878.

I t w a s n e v e r confirmed who fired the fatal shot but two different Rangers took credit for it.

On his deathbed, he allegedly refused to give law enforcement any information about his men and confessed to the killing of Sheriff Deputy A.W. Grimes, the catalyst for the Round Rock shoot out.

“If I killed him [Grimes], then he’s the first man I’ve ever killed,” Bass said, according to historical accounts.


Texas’ Most Wanted

PHOTO COURTESY OF DENTON COUNTY MUSEUMS

Don’t want to miss class or fun in the

sun?Then visit the Student Health and Wellness Center during the summer! Summer services include:

Primary care Lab testing

Full-service pharmacy

X-rays

Allergy injections

HoursM-Th 8am-5pmFriday 9am-5pm

(940)-565-2333

healthcenter.unt.edu

Immunizations

From the folk song “The Ballad of Sam Bass” to hushed rumors of his old haunts carrying a curse, few legends are as notorious as Sam Bass, the Texas train robber.

Bass earned $10,000 during the heist of a Union Pacific Train, worth $200,000 today, but kept stealing, leading treasure hunters to speculate Bass hid his share of the gold from the law in caves.

Sam Bass Cave(s)Few Denton residents are aware of a

place known as Sam Bass Cave and even fewer can point it out on a map.

Jim Heath, a member of the Denton County Historical Commission, said the cave was located at Pilot Knob, a cliff face surrounded by trees that faces Interstate Highway 35W about three miles south of Denton.

However, Richard McCaslin, the chairman of UNT’s history department, said he believed the cave was located at Bolo Point on Grapevine Lake.

An article in the Denton Record Chronicle published in 1947 mentioned a third cave in Roanoke dubbed “Sam Bass Cave.”

Heath said Bass’ area of operation was between Austin and Denton. Bass allegedly took refuge in a cave near the Stagecoach Inn in Salado, a small town about 20 miles outside of Austin.

The Curse of Sam Bass CaveA DRC article published in 1947

reported on what it called the ‘curse’ of

Sam Bass Cave in Roanoke. During separate visits to the cave,

seven North Texans fell ill and were rushed to hospitals in Justin and Fort Worth with fevers exceeding 100 degrees.

Ticks living in the cave were carriers of a disease called Relapsing Fever.

Dr. J.H. Allen of Justin called for the cave to be demolished because people continued to visit it and get sick.


Hiding From the Law PHOTO COURTESY OF DENTON COUNTY MUSEUMS

©2011 Charter Communications. Residential customers only. Installation, taxes, fees, and surcharges are extra. Certain equipment may be required at installation, and charges may apply. Internet speeds may vary. Activation requires a valid service address and may be subject to credit approval, prepayment, or major credit card. Standard rates apply for Charter Cloud Drive after day 90. Charter does not warrant that Cloud Drive will be provided error-free, uninterrupted, or virus-free. All services provided are subject to the subscriber agreement, which is subject to change. Services not available in all areas. Restrictions may apply.

When you’re done putting off homework, put super-fast Internet to work. With speeds way faster than DSL, Charter Internet® lets you stream reference videos, video chat with friends from class, and email large files to professors–all in an instant. All in time for tight deadlines.

Call 1-888-GET-CHARTER or visit charter.com to learn more.

N TEXAS

INTERNET SPEEDS SO

FAST,IT’S A PROCRASTINATOR’S

DREAM.

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, seen as violent criminals during the Great Depression and later sensationalized in popular culture, were well known in Denton long before their names were in lights on the Campus Theater’s marquee.

The North Texas ConnectionBonnie and Clyde stood alongside

bank robber John Dillinger as the face of the violence some turned to to survive the harsh realities of the Great Depression.

Jett said the notion that Bonnie was a key part of the duo’s criminal pursuits is more legend than fact.

Clyde, one of these ’public enemies’ called North Texas home. Robin Jett, a Lewisville resident and author of “Travel ing Histor y Wit h Bonnie and Clyde,” said Clyde lived in west Dallas.

Jett said some accounts place Clyde’s first foray into his life of crime

took place in the heart of downtown Denton.

“On West Oak, just a few blocks from the square, there used to be a gas station,” Jett said. “Some say that he [Clyde] and his brother actually stole

the safe from this gas station at around 3 o’clock in the morning. They were driving erratically and, back then, if

you were driving like that early in the morning, someone was going to stop you.”

Jett said the pair was never able to open the safe and were soon set upon by law enforcement.

Clyde’s brother was apprehended, but Clyde hid under a house and evaded the law and hitched a ride to Dallas.

Off the PathJet t sa id Da l la s i s home to

“many a Bonnie and Clyde Bridge.” Denton Cou nt y resident s have given one bridge a similar honor.

The Ray Roberts Lake State Park is home to remnants of a Depression-era bridge. Local residents named the bridge ‘Bonnie and Clyde Bridge’ because it was believed that the pair used it to travel back and forth to McKinney.


Bonnie and Clyde Pass Through

Some say he [Clyde] and his brother actually

stole the safe from this gas station at

around 3 o’clock in the morning. ”

“

-Robin Jett, Lewisville resident and author of Traveling History

With Bonnie and Clyde.


Denton’s Founding FathersJoseph A. Carroll

Sitting quietly among the hustle and bustle of Denton traffic at the corner of Carroll Boulevard and Hickory Street is a gray six-story structure. Plastered across the front in jet black letters is its name — Joseph A. Carroll Building. Carroll followed his passion for law, becoming a legal adviser and land agent and became known by residents as one of the founding fathers of Denton. He worked on a committee with surveyor Charles Lacy and fellow legal adviser Otis Welch, naming some of Denton’s first streets and deciding how the land would be used. After serving in the Civil War for three years, Carroll was elected district judge. He kept the position for five years before choosing to join the banking business.Carroll’s final contribution to Denton was a one-year tenure as the city’s mayor.

-Alex Young, Staff Writer

Responsible for the designing of the courthouse in 1896 and the assembly of the Opera House on the Square in 1899, Charles Alexander Williams was an ambi-tious man who helped bring Denton into the limelight. Williams was born in Crawford County, Arkansas on April 8, 1832. He arrived on Texas soil in 1845 when he moved to what was then Collin County, residing there for seven years before voyaging to Denton, according to History and Reminiscences of Denton County. The Dallas Weekly Herald on January 23, 1869 described Williams as a “genial and gentlemanly general agent to Denton.”

The founding of Denton could not be discussed without mentioning Otis G. Welch, one of Denton’s earliest legal advisors who literally mapped the city.Welch also served in the military and started Denton’s Independent Order of Odd Fellows.Upon Welch’s arrival in Denton, he began a law firm with fellow lawyer Joseph A. Carroll. There, Welch “took on the duties of transcribing earlier land records into the Denton County Land Office records,” according to Denton Lodge, No. 82, IOOF: A History 1859-2009.Around 1861, he and Carroll drew a map of Denton and planned out its streets to help further expand the city.Welch served as a lieutenant in the Confederate Army 29th Texas Cavalry.


Otis G. Welch

-Alex Young, Staff Writer

Charles Alexander Williams

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DENTON COUNTY MUSEUM

26 Cover Story ntdaily.com On The Record

A True Pioneer: The Story of John B. DentonThere are few verified written accounts of

the life of John B. Denton. No photographs or illustrations of the city and county of Denton’s namesake exist.

Even his middle name is shrouded in mystery — various accounts claim it’s Barnard, Bunard or Bunyan.

Historical accounts agree that John B. Denton was a charismatic preacher, laywer and captain who left an indelible mark on North Texas before his untimely death at the hands of Keechi Native Americans.

According to an article in the Frontier Times written by Judge J.M. Deaver in 1931, John B. Denton was born in Tennessee July 26, 1808.

After being orphaned at a young age, Denton apprenticed under blacksmith and Methodist minister Jacob Wells, who moved Denton and his new family to Clark County, Ark.

Denton ran away at age 12 to work as a deck hand for ships travelling the Mississippi River and returned to Clark County in 1824.

According to the Denton Texas Historical Commission, John B. Denton met his wife, Mary Grenlee Stewart, in Clark County. His wife is often credited with teaching him to read and write.

“With the faithful help of his wife, he

acquired the rudiments of an education upon which he improved until before his death,” Deaver wrote. “He had become one of the best read and educated men of his day and time.”

In 1826, Denton became a Methodist preacher, travelling for 10 years throughout Arkansas and Missouri.

It wasn’t until 1836 that Denton became what Deaver called a “loyal and consistent Texan,” and crossed the Red River into the nascent Republic of Texas.

Frustrated with the difficulties of estab-lishing a Methodist ministry in the fron-tier, Denton began a career as a lawyer in Clarksville, Texas. The rhetorical skills he developed as a preacher served him equally well as an attorney.

Captain J.C. Terrell described Denton in court in a 1906 book about the early days of Fort Worth as being “as calm, cool and emotionless as if he were an animated statue.”

“But every point he made was as clear as the noonday sun,” Terrell wrote. “And he spoke as he shot — to the center every time.”

With the wild frontier of Texas dependent on volunteer militias for safety, Denton joined the Texas Militia in 1839, and quickly became a captain.

He fought under the leadership of General Edward H. Tarrant, the name-sake of Tarrant County.

On May 14, 1841, Denton and a group of volunteers went to seek out a Keechi Native American village responsible for the deaths of a family in Clarksville.

Upon trying to take the village, the militia was met with gunfire.

“John Denton was instantly killed by a shot through his body as he was raising his rifle to fire,” Deaver wrote.

Denton left behind his wife and six chil-dren, three of which grew up to be physi-cians and Methodist preachers like their father.

Denton was beloved in Clarksville, apparent by “the cries and screams that awoke the citizens of that town when the first courier arrived with the sad news that the Indians had killed Captain Denton,” Deaver wrote.

John B. Denton’s fame only grew in the five years following his death. When the Texas legislature voted to establish a new county on April 11,1846, it seemed fitting the county be named after the man who defended its people against Native Americans.

- Alex Macon, Staff Writer

PHOTOS BY JUN MA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER AND COURTESY OF DENTON PUBLIC LIBRARY

On The Record ntdaily.com Cover Story 27

A True Pioneer: The Story of John B. Denton

Members of the Texas militia

hastily buried Denton’s body near a

creek in what is now Denton County

immediately after his death.

In 1856, a group of boys in Denton

County found the remains of Captain

Denton, identified by

survivors of the Native American raid.

John Chisum, a rancher in Denton

County, took the body and buried

it in his yard until 1900, when the

Old Settler’s Association of Denton

County wanted to bury it in the city of

Denton.

Dug up for the second time, the

remains of Denton were finally

laid to rest in the southeast corner

of the lawn on the city of Denton’s

Courthouse-On-The-Square in a large

ceremony on Nov. 21, 1901.

Denton’s Death

Opposite right: An old sketch depicts Denton’s son, Reverend John B. Denton Jr.Top: Denton residents gather at Denton Square for the final burial of John B. DentonAbove: An artists sketch portrays Denton’s death at the Battle of Village Creek

TEXT “UNTVIP” TO 22022

TO GET UP TO $20 OFF.

Get up to 50% off flashdrives, school supplies starting at $.50, and more.

VOERTMAN’SBOOKSTORE

1314 West Hickory Streetvoertmans.com

Story of Denton SpecterOne of Denton’s most chilling ghost

stories surrounds Old Alton Bridge, located near the intersection of Old Alton Road and Teasley Lane. After a tragic and violent event took place there, it has since become known as “Goatman’s Bridge.”

In the 1930s, an African-American man and his family moved into a house just north of the bridge. The man, Oscar Washburn, raised and sold goats. He became known around North Texas as a reliable businessman, and earned the nick-name “Goatman” from the community.

On an August night in 1938, members of the Ku Klux Klan crossed the bridge and kidnapped Washburn from his home. They placed a noose around his neck and threw him over the side of the bridge.

Upon seeing that Washburn’s body had disappeared, the Klan returned to his house and murdered his wife and children.

Washburn was never seen after that night and was presumed dead.

According to goatmansbridge.com, a website dedicated to paranormal activity at the bridge, “mysterious disappearances” became “alarmingly routine” at the bridge after the incident.

One legend claims if residents turn off

their headlights and honk twice before crossing the bridge, they will be met by the Goatman. Another reports a sort of half-man, half-goat creature haunting the woods near the bridge. Others talk of seeing a pair of glowing eyes at the bridge’s end.


Tragedy, Legends Characterize Goatman’s Bridge

Denton Then ...

... And Now

Photos by James Coreas and Chelsea statso/senior staff PhotograPhers and Courtesy of denton County museums

32 Explore ntdaily.com On The Record

Centennial Celebration

Photos courtesy of Denton county MuseuMs

After 100 years of existence, Denton commemorated its early years with a centennial celebration from April 21 to April 27 , 1957. Festivities included a parade, fireworks and costumed residents gath-ering at the Courthouse-on-the-Square.

Various members of the Denton commu-nity acted out “The Centurama,” a play on the history of Denton showcasing “100 Years of Progress.”

Split into 18 episodes, “The Centurama” covered everything from the city’s role in the Civil War to the construction of the Opera House on the Square, according to the event’s program.

Former Denton Mayor Jack Bryson encouraged residents to get into the spirit of the event and dress up in old-fashioned apparel for the celebration.

Men without beards, ties and top hats were thrown into a mock jail until they paid a 5-cent fine.

Several Denton organizations, including churches, businesses and schools, came to support the celebration, entering floats in the parade and joining either the “Brothers of the Brush” or the “Centennial Belles.”

Former Texas Governor Price Daniel attended the parade and the naming of the Centennial Queen, 18-year-old Denton High School senior Patsy Pitner.

“Dr. Livelong’s Medicine Show,” a comedic parody of traveling medicine

shows common in the U.S. at the time, arrived at the Courthouse-on-the-Square in a donkey-pulled wagon. Homer B. Bronstad of Denton High School acted as Livelong, peddling his patented “Over the Top Tonic.”

The event concluded with the last act of “The Centurama,” called “The Wheel of Progress,” followed by the national anthem and a fireworks display.

Harwell V. Shepard, former president of the Denton Centennial Commission, wrote in the event’s program that in the last 10 decades, the world had seen enor-mous change.

“We believe that Denton and Denton County have been in the van of this prog-ress,” Shepard said. “And that our own progress has been due in great measure to the pioneering spirit, the courage and the love of freedom exemplified by such God-fearing men as John B. Denton, for whom our county and city were named.”

Lighthearted and entertaining, the cele-bration reflected on Denton’s hundred-year history with the hope that the “Wheel of Progress” would continue turning for another hundred years.

-Alex Macon, Senior Staff Writer

http://getconnnected.unt.edu

UNT is more than just classes and exams?

Putting the green back in your wallet.

http://moneymanagement.unt.eduChestnut Hall 313 (940) 369‐7761

Nuts…summer is over, time to pay for school

Headlines From History

Hunting for Hidden Treasure

A Dallas Morning News article from Jan. 17, 1899, shed light on one of Denton’s as-yet-unsolved mysteries. According to the article, residents heard rumors of buried treasure in west Denton and hidden silver buried west of Aubrey. The story said travelers from Mexico hid a bar of silver underground long before the founding of Denton, and a man riding a covered wagon found the bar and kept it for himself. The man never confirmed if he had taken the treasure, so residents continued the hunt to no avail.

Meeting With a Meteor

The DMN reported on Dec. 15, 1908, that a meteor “apparently as big as the moon” sailed over Denton, casting a shadow over the city at 6 a.m.

Residents claimed small parti-cles broke away from the meteor, which was reportedly seen above the northwestern horizon and disappeared in the southeast. Residents of Weatherford claimed the “monster meteor” lit up the town with a glare strong enough to light up rooms with shades drawn over the windows.

Coming Across an Old Campsite

The city of Sherman was left confused when, on Aug. 21, 1897, the DMN reported that Health Officer Charles May found an old campsite that had not been used for years. A bois d’arc tree was found in the woods next to the site and appeared to be used as a reference point for the campers, mark ing their spot to set up. Who used the camp, when they set up and what became of them remains a mystery, as the campers never returned to the site.

Denton has more than 150 years of history under its belt, making it tough to single out all the bizarre events that have happened since its founding. These articles from more than 100 years ago tell the story of

some of Denton County’s oddest occurrences.

-Sean Gorman, Managing Editor

The Z

ebras Head

Tobacco Products & G

ifts

113 Fry StFri 10a - 12p

Sat 12p - 12a

Sun 2p - 10p

Mon - Thu 10a - 11p

like us on

On The Record ntdaily.com Explore 35

When the Allies of World War I and Germany settled on a peace agreement to end the war Nov. 11, 1918, Denton residents came together and rejoiced as a city.

According to Georgia Caraways and Kim Cupit’s “Images of America: Denton” Mayor Paul Beyette deemed the day a holiday and requested for all public schools and busi-nesses close to rejoice the event.

More than 2,000 residents paraded on the Denton Square and fireworks were set off in response to the ending of the war.

According to the U.S. Army Center of Military History, President Woodrow Wilson deemed the day Armistice Day, a national holiday honoring American soldiers.

Years later, on June 1, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation that renamed the holiday Veteran’s Day, an annual holiday that exists to this day.

-Sean Gorman, Managing Editor

Denton’s connect ion to its history of horsing has been on display since the founding of the Denton County Fair in the late 1800s.

After the fair was discontinued because of the city’s f inancial issues, it returned 25 years later, was renamed and has been held annually to this day.

First Years of the FairThe first Denton County Fair

came in 1895 after the Denton County Blooded Stock and Fair Association was organized May 16 of that year. The group hosted the fair and a horse race on Avenue A and Hickory Street near North Texas Normal College.

Fans lined up for the horse race on the track, located on West Chestnut Street.

The city sold the property to help pay off its debt and discon-tinued the fair temporarily in 1903, according to the book “Images of America: Denton” by Georgia Carway and Kim Cupit.

Festivities ReturnFollowing the fair’s absence for

more than two decades, interest in it trickled back into the minds of Denton County residents in the early 1920s.

Denton County took the first step to reviving the fair with the creation of the Denton County Fair Association in 1928.

The fairgrounds were moved to a 13-acre area at the intersection of East Hickory and Exposition Streets and returned in 1930, according to Caraway’s and Cupit’s book.

For twelve years, the fair was held annually until a four-year closure because of World War II.

Dr. W.C. Kimborough paved the way for future fairs with a 22-acre donation of land near University Drive for the event to be held.

A name change in 1958 changed the title of the event to the North Texas State Fair, a festival held annually to this day.

-Se an G or m an , Man ag ing Editor

Denton’s Post-War Party

County Fair Revival

Photo courtesy of Denton county MuseuMs

Fireworks were set off from the courthouse to celebrate the end of World War I on Nov. 11, 1918.

CampusChat

Q: What places in Denton are going to be landmarks in 50 years?

Here’s what our Twitter followers said would be a landmark in the future:

-James Coreas, Senior Staff Photographer

Ilan Cane

Business Junior

A: The Murchison because it’s a unique looking building.

A: Voertman’s will be a historic landmark because he will leave millions to UNT.

A: The Drug Emporium because it is the last of its kind.

Mindy Briann Bailey

GeneralstudiesJunior

Timothy Malone

History Junior

A: Fouts Field since Mean Joe Green played there.

KatherineKiraly

Radio, television and film Senior

A: The new animal shelter because it’s going to be ground-breaking.

Matthew Wills

Radio,televisionandfi lmJunior

A: I think the new stadium will be a landmark because it’s already becoming a Denton icon.

EarlenaWarren

AppliedartsandsciencesSenior

Visit NTDaily.com for other stories about Denton County’s background — Old and New.

hudman714@ntdaily Dan’s Silverleaf - Sweetwater Bar and Grill - Beth Marie’s

JUmberson@ntdaily the palace-sized home near the end of Teasley

lancedapantz@ntdaily The UNT College of Music ;)

Traditions Mirror UNT Spirit UNT Fight SongTexas colleges all have their own

traditions — Texas A&M has the Aggie Bonfire, University of Texas has Bevo the longhorn and Texas Tech has the Carol of Lights. While UNT isn’t as well known as its Texas counterparts when it comes to traditions, the Mean Green spirit runs deep with rituals.

HomecomingTo celebrate the homecoming game

for Mean Green football, UNT students hold a parade the morning of the game and a bonfire the night before.

The parade consists of student- and faculty-made f loats, and runs a route from the Square to campus.

The bonfire has been a tradition since 1935, and is held annually except when Denton County burn bans are in effect.

The Eagle ClawTo show suppor t for UNT, a l l

students and alumni have to do is put

two fingers in the air making a “V” for victory, hold out their thumb and curl them tight like an eagle’s claw. To add exclamation, spirited students even screech out an eagle’s “CAW!”

Boomer the Victory CannonOne of UNT’s more recent tradi-

tions is based off an important time in American history.

UNT’s spirit group the Talons intro-duced Boomer the Victory Cannon, a Mexican American war cannon replica, in 1970.

The cannon is fired by the Talons to announce a UNT touchdow n, k ick-of f, ha lf t ime, a nd t he end of game at home football games.

Boomer had its 15 minutes of fame when it was featured in the 1991 f i lm Necessa r y Roughness, shot on the UNT campus and Fouts Field.


Let’s give a cheer for U of NT;

Cheer for the Green and White.

Victory’s in store whatever the score,

Our team will ever fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!

Shoulder to shoulder we march along,

Striving for victory.

Playing the game for the honor and fame,

And the glory of UNT.

U ... N ... T ... Eagles!UNT Eagles Fight, Fight,

Fight!

Did You Know?Since its establishment in

1857, Denton has encountered plenty of interesting events. Here are some lesser-known

facts about the city.

To capture its rich history, the city of Denton has five museums, each offering different information on Denton’s culture. Here are two Denton hot spots for infor-mation.

Denton County African-American Museum

Located directly across from the Bayless-Selby House, the African-American Museum allows guests to experience the rich African-American history of Denton County.

“The museum was originally a home located in Quakertown, an area of Denton that was settled by African-American families in the 1880s,” said Paula Mears, a museum guide at the Denton County African-American museum.

“The house was relocated to Denton’s historical park and converted to a museum, and Quakertown is now home to Quakertown Park.”

The museum features photos and stories of Denton’s African-American heritage and historical artifacts recovered from the orig-

inal Quakertown.The museum is located at 317 W. Mulberry

St. and is open 10 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday.

C ou r t hou s e - on-t he - S qua r e Museum

Found on the first floor of the historic Denton Courthouse, the Courthouse-on-the-Square Museum educates and enter-tains.

“The Courthouse Museum has a little something for everyone,” said Kim Cupit, the museum’s curator. “We have informa-tion of various towns in Denton County, as well as collections of weapons, dolls and various kinds of art.”

It boasts various collections, including “Furniture from Denton County” and “Thimbles from Around the World.”

The museum is located at 110 W. Hickory St. and is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.


Preserving Denton

It is named the Redbud Tree •Capital of Texas.

This area was once inhab-•ited by the K’itaish Native-American tribe.

In 2008, Paste Magazine •rated it best music scene of the U.S.

There is an underground •shelter in the city for the president of the United States to live in if the country goes under attack.

-Pablo Arauz, Staff Writer

On 6,300 square feet of land, a dingy yellow-brick building is tagged with graffiti drawings inside and outside, has broken windows and boarded doors. Green vines sprouting red flowers engulf the right side and parts of the dark brown tile roof have caved in.

A chocolate painted wooden door to the right of the entrance is cracked about 7 inches revealing green carpeted stairs that lead only to the second floor. Entering will result in a class B misdemeanor.

This 82-year-old withering structure that has been unoccupied for the last 15 years used to be Denton’s fire station No. 3 first built in 1929 at 117 Avenue B.

Denton resident Wanda Arrington and her husband Fred Arrington have owned the building for 40 years where they began a dry cleaning service for the first 15 years. Arrington said they then moved their business next door, now University Cleaners.

“We made a bid on it and got it,” she said. “It was a place to put our dry cleaners…and it worked out well cause people don’t stay long. They just bring their clothes in and leave.”

Until 1996, many businesses have gone in and out of the building, according to the Denton Historical Commission books.

Todd Varner, supervisor at Denton Code Enforcement, said because it hasn’t been maintained properly, the building was deemed a health hazard by the city

and ordered Arrington to either sell or demolish the property on April 21, 2011. She was given 90 days.

Varner said the department has been on the case since Jan. 19.

T h e m a i n -tenance of the bu i ld i n g h a s been hard to keep up with since her husband died last year, Arrington said. She said she found it in her best interest to sell it.

Chuck Howell, captain of the D e n t o n F i r e St at ion, s a id the members of the fire depart-ment a spi red to purchase the property from her but the cost is too high.

“We’d talk to her about possibly purchasing it to have our associ-ation meetings there,” Howell said. “It was a little too much to afford…it

costs that much to repair the whole thing.”


Firehouse Forgotten

PHOTO BY JAMES COREAS/SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

40 Information ntdaily.com On The Record

Denton TriviaWhat does the “I.O.O.F.” in I.O.O.F. Cemetery stand for?

I.O.O.F

50%Independent Order of Odd Fellows

42.3%International Organization of Odd Fellows

The I.O.O.F., Independent Order of Odd Fellows is a charitable fraternal organization that began in England in the 18th cen-tury and brought to the U.S. in 1819. Many of the founding fathers of Denton were members of this fraternity and were buried in the cemetery on Eagle Drive and Carroll Street.

How many times has UNT’s name been

changed?

41%Three times

13.4%Six times

Texas Normal College and Teachers’ Training Institute 1890North Texas Normal College 1894North Texas State Normal College 1901North Texas State Teachers College 1924North Texas State College 1949North Texas State University 1961University of North Texas 1988

Who was the � rst Mayor of Denton?

23%J. B. Sawyer

41%Joseph A. Carroll

Although Joseph A. Carroll was influential in Denton history, J.B. Sawyer was the city’s first mayor. Carroll went on to become mayor of Denton 1900.

We wanted to see how much Denton residents knew about their city’s history. We polled our readers on NTDaily.com with a few random Denton trivia questions. Did you guess correctly?

What year was Denton o� cially established as a city?

49% 31.4%1857 1843

The city of Denton was established in 1857 while the county was established in 1843.

To learn more about Denton and some of its historical landmarks, watch our video at NTDaily.com.

On The Record ntdaily.com Information 41

Denton Music

In 2008Paste Magazine names Denton Best Music Scene.

Some Denton Artists Signed to Major Labels:

The Eagles• Roy Orbison• Eli Young Band• Midlake• Bowling for Soup• Brave Combo• Nora Jones • Pops Carter•

1890InUNT ‘s College of Music is established

It currently has the largest enrollment of any music institution accredited by the National Associate of Schools of Music.

-Compiled by Isaac Wright, Senior Sta� Writer

1

4

3

2

9

87 6

5

1211

10

UNT’s One O’ Clock Lab Band has been nominated for

SIXGrammy Awards

In1947The � rst U.S. Jazz studies program is established at UNT.

PHOTO BY JAMES COREAS/SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERLocal band plays at J&J’s Pizza on the Square.

42 Information ntdaily.com On The Record

Denton: Then and Now By the Num13ers

1880 1910 1920 2004 20081943 1962 1984 1992

Population

Year

140,000

20,000

60,000

100,000

0

Quakertown was an

African-American

settlement in Denton

from 1880s to 1920.

Woodson Harris

Grocery off the

square burned

down.

Mel Wheeler sold KDNT AM and FM, Denton’s only radion station, to Garland resident Galen O. Gilbert.

Paste Magazine names Denton best music scene.

The Denton County Transpor-tation Committee approves the Transportation Road Improve-ment Program to accommodate the growing population.

The history of population in Denton.

10Were Killed and 200 Injured by a Denton

Tornado in 1957

Denton’s average tornado activity is 258 percent higher than the national average.

Tornado Alley

1857Denton was Established as a City

Sources:Weather.com• Texas Almanac• U.S. Census • BureauCity-data.com•

1806Year the City’s

Namesake, John B.

Denton, was born

113 F Denton’s Highest Record Temperature

-Graph by Ashley Crystal Firstley, Senior Staff Writer

-Numbers provided by Alex Macon

cityparc.com940.384.7272 | 1310 Scripture St

live close. drive less.

scan & learn

WALK TO CLASS & FRY STREET • RESORT-STYLE AMENITIES • PRIVATE BEDROOMS

940.384.7600 • 2601 West Oak St.

LIVE WELL. LEARN WELL.

SCA

N >

LEA

RN

on shuttle bus route + fitness center + HUGE private bedrooms & bathrooms + walk-in closets + resort-style amenities

apply online @ uptowndenton.com

On the Record - Denton Old and New

Documents

Transcript of On the Record - Denton Old and New