Museum of North Texas History

720 Indiana St.

Wichita Falls, Texas

Jenny to Jet

Wichita Falls Municipal Airport

4000 Armstrong Drive

Wichita Falls, Texas 76305

October 2023

Director's Corner

Hello All!

It's October and a number of exciting things are taking place at the Museum this month!

Here is our October, by the numbers!

One, the last Art Walk of the year takes place this Thursday evening from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. We couldn't be more excited to introduce local Burkburnett artist, Asaka Fukumori Kreidler, whose fabulous work includes range of styles and subject matter. Visit Art Alley during the month of October to see her work.

Two, the Museum has been nominated and selected as a finalist for an ACE Award for the Inclusion Advancement Award. Join us for the ceremony on Wednesday, October 18th, at 11:30 a.m., at the brand new Delta Hotels by Marriott Wichita Falls Convention Center near the MPEC.

Three, the Railroad Museum Artifacts have arrived! All items outlined in the agreement between the City of Wichita Falls and the Museum are now in the house! Soon, these artifacts will become part of the permanent collection of the Museum. Thanks to some hard-working volunteers, none of the Museum's items remain on the site. The artifacts, beginning to be arranged in the display cases, are visible to the public while they are being cataloged. Come have a look during Art Walk.

Four, Halloween is upon us. While there will not be a collective event downtown, the Museum will sponsor a fun and festive fall backdrop for family pictures and have goodie bags for trick-or-treaters on Saturday, October 28th, during regular museum hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free as usual, but donations ($5 for adults and $2 for children are always appreciated.) Dress up, make sure your phones are charged, and come see us!

AND

Lastly, the Museum lost a valuable friend, Don Burkman, who passed away September 28th. Don served over 10 years on the Museum's Board of Directors. He always wanted the best for the Museum and we will continue to work hard to provide a museum Don would be proud of.

Have a wonderful beginning of actual fall!

In appreciation,

Nadine

TEXOMA GIVES

Each year, Texoma Gives provides area nonprofits an opportunity to tell their stories to the public in a very direct way. The Museum of North Texas History appreciates everyone who took the time on September 7th to make a donation.

October After Hours Artwalk

The Afterhours Artwalk season comes to an end on October 5th! Come downtown to support the artists, musicians, and small businesses.

BE SURE TO STOP BY THE MUSEUM!

2023 ACE Awards

The Museum of North Texas History proudly announces its nomination for the Inclusion Advancement Award from the Wichita Falls Alliance for Arts and Culture. The honorees in each category will be announced at The ACE Awards luncheon on October 18th at 11:30 a.m. at the Delta Hotels by Marriott Wichita Falls Convention Center. Tickets to the event may be purchased from the Wichita Falls Alliance for Arts and Culture.

Click here to purchase tickets.

The nomination acknowledges the work of the Museum to include all the citizens of Wichita County. Building on its mission to collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret the history of the North Texas area, The Museum of North Texas History strives to truly embody North Texas.

Halloween at MoNTH

Come by during regular museum hours on Saturday, October 28th. We'll have goodie bags for trick-or-treaters. Be sure to bring your camera and take advantage of our Fall/Halloween Photo Op!

All The News Fit To Print

Long before the internet, Huntley and Brinkley, Walter Cronkite, and the 6 o’clock news, there were newspapers. Remember them, pieces of paper with black print that got on your fingers when you turned the pages?

Newspapers appeared in the Wichita County area in the early 1880s. The Wichita Mirror, printed by a 19-year-old, was a 6 x 8 inch news sheet. The copies of the paper do not exist today. From 1882-1908, The Wichita Herald was published as a weekly and was cited as the “official” newspaper of the City of Wichita Falls. The weekly Wichita Light, published by Matheny and Norwood, became the legal printer for the City of Wichita Falls in 1889. Other weeklies appearing between 1890 and 1900 include The Wichita Falls Post, The Wichita Post-Democrat, The Wichita County Democrat, The Wichita Warrior, The Dinner Horn (mostly advertising), and The Wichita Daily Times.

In the late 1890s, a man came to Wichita Falls who would change the newspaper future of the city. Ed Howard, with only three years of formal education, came to Texas from Chattanooga, Tennessee where he had worked as a printers’ apprentice. Coming to Wolfe City, he worked with his brother at the Wolfe City Chronicle. Howard later owned the Chronicle. After marrying Jettie Malone in 1891, they moved to Wichita Falls.

Howard bought an interest in The Wichita Herald, joining Frank Daugherty, and in 1898 purchased the Wichita Weekly Times. The Wichita Ledger, published by Bigger and Company, was chosen for city notices in 1902. Opponents of Howard’s policies, especially on probation, published the Wichita Daily News from 1910-1911. In 1907, The Wichita Daily Times, another Howard paper, began publishing, following the organization of the Times Publishing Company. By 1928, when Howard bought the Wichita Falls Record News, he controlled the newspapers in Wichita Falls. Following Ed Howard’s death in 1948, his son Rhea continued as publisher of both the Wichita Falls Times and the Wichita Falls Record News. The two newspapers, with two staffs, continued both a morning and evening paper for many years.

Other newspapers published in Wichita Falls include The Wichita County Socialist (1912), The Wichita Morning Tribune (1914), The Wichita Weekly Times (1883-1918), and The Wichita Falls Post (1938). Also in Wichita County, Iowa Park had The Texan, The Iowa Park Register, The Wichita County Promoter, and the Iowa Park Herald. Burkburnett had the 6666, The Burkburnett Star, the Burkburnett Informer-Star, and continuing in print, the Informer Star.

On left, Ed Howard and his son, Rhea Howard.

Trains Continue in the Museum

Thanks to the generosity of MoNTH volunteer, Ron Mauch, the Heart of Downtown Model Train Exhibit will continue at the Museum. The exhibit opens on the second Saturday of the month, through the end of the year.

The next special Saturday is October 14th.

Trains will run during the last After Hours Art Walk of the season, on October 5th.

Railroad Artifacts

"Many hands make light work" was certainly true on Sunday, October 1st. Artifacts, given to the Museum by the City of Wichita Falls, were moved from the former Railroad Museum to the Museum of North Texas History. Many thanks to our group of hardy volunteers and Board members.

These artifacts, representing the railroad history of Wichita Falls, will become a new exhibit within the Museum. Stop by during Art Walk and watch as the cataloging process takes place.

Art Alley - October

Starting in October, the Museum of North Texas History presents the fourth in our artist residence series. Asako Fukumori Kreidler arrived in Burkurnett in 1952. Her art reflects her Japanese heritage and her study of artistic styles. Asako's art shows her appreciation of all aspects of beauty. We are proud to present the works of this amazing woman during the month of October.

In Memorial - Don Burkman

A member of the Wichita County Historical Commission for over 40 years, Don Burkman contributed so much to the Museum of North Texas History, the Wichita County Historical Commission, and the Wichita County Archives. He gladly shared his time, his many artifacts, and his encyclopedic knowledge of the characters of Wichita Falls.

Don told a good story and loved a good story. We will genuinely miss Don.

Don passed away Thursday, September 28th.

MoNTH and the Wichita County Historical Commission are planning a future event to honor Don.