Something's going on over at the Parkers...

Gather round, Village people, and listen to a story from the winter closure of 2010. It's a story of love, strength, admiration, and finding a firm foundation. It's an allegory for life's turmoil, and the exhiliration found when cries for help can finally be answered.

It's a story about a cabin...the cabin called "the Parker."




Now folks around these parts had been noticing for quite some time that something just didn't seem right about the Parker. She looked a little "low" on some days. Sad, you could say--down in the corners. She didn't have friends to prop her up and give her the firm foundation that would make things square for her again. Oh she was stable enough, all right.




But as much as she tried to hide her dismay, the poor little Parker cabin was coming apart at the seams. She was afraid that people would see right through the cracks in her facade. And more than anything, she just wanted a little support.




One bright sunny day, this little dogtrot cabin's dreams came true.

Some fine friends from the City of Fort Worth's Transportation and Public Works Department heard her cries. They lovingly lifted her from the depths of despair (and dirt) and placed a firm foundation beneath her.




The Parker cabin was able to "pull it together" at last!




She felt solid as a rock! People weren't looking right through her anymore!




And her new friends Ron and Louis sealed the friendship with some chinking.

Now this story is about rectifying outward appearances. But we can all agree, that it is what's inside that ultimately counts.

And the Parker cabin decided to make some changes there as well.

Nothing was wrong with her insides, mind you. But sometimes it's a good idea to make some changes to keep oneself from getting "stale."

And there you have it, folks: the story of a cabin looking for a little "pick-me-up," and the gallant gentlemen who rushed to her aid. We hope you'll come visit the Parker cabin and see the changes for yourself!

Coming soon: the little tool shed who had no backbone...

Cynthia Ann and Quanah Parker Trail exhibit here in Fort Worth

“The Cynthia Ann and Quanah Parker Trail Exhibit” is a new heritage tourism effort of the Texas Lakes Trail Regional Heritage Tourism Program. The subtitle of the exhibit is “A Woman OF Two Worlds and a Man IN Two Worlds.” The photo exhibit will be on display from May 8th thru June 30th at the UT Arlington/Fort Worth Center’s Gallery 76102 at 1401 Jones Street in downtown Fort Worth, Texas.

Cynthia Ann and Quanah Parker are two important names in U.S. frontier history. Much can to be learned from the dramatic story of these two courageous individuals. In 1836, a Comanche raiding party took Cynthia Ann from her family and over the following years, she became wife to a Comanche chief and mother to children, including Quanah. After Cynthia Ann was taken back by Texas Rangers, Quanah became one of the most important Comanche leaders both in war and peace. The Lakes Trail Program recognizes the importance of their life stories and is initiating this effort to tell both youths and adults about these two persons and about the many significant places in Texas and Oklahoma important to knowing about their lives.

The photo exhibit is planned to be developed into a traveling exhibit for use by schools and museums. In conjunction with the exhibit, the Trails Program is planning a print and an on-line itinerary listing the many places in Texas and Oklahoma significant to learning more about Cynthia Ann and Quanah Parker. There are numerous historical sites and markers, museums and communities where their story can be learned. Through the story of these two persons, one opens heritage tourism doors to many important aspects of Comanche, Native American and frontier heritage across broad areas of Texas and Oklahoma. Information about these places will be available at the exhibit and through the development of the “Cynthia Ann and Quanah Parker Trail Program.”

Several persons and organizations are involved in this effort. Douglas Harman, President of the Lakes Trail Region and Clara Ruddell with the Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau worked with the Lakes Trail Program to put this exhibit together. The project also includes plans for a “Cynthia Ann and Quanah Parker Trail” which highlights the many places to visit relevant to their lives. Clara Ruddell is the principal researcher assembling the photo materials. The Redstone Visual Impression Company, through its graphic designer Paula Abney, created the exhibit materials for display. Many organizations and individuals have assisted in making available photos and information which have gone into the creation of the exhibit. Special recognition must be given to the Comanche Nation and the many members of the Parker family for keeping this story alive and sharing materials and information. Ben Tahmahkera, great great grandson of Quanah, has provided special inspiration for the project. This exhibit is the beginning of an effort to bring more attention to the important Native American heritage in our region.

The Texas Lakes Trail Program is one of the ten regional heritage tourism programs created through the Texas Historical Commission. For more information about the exhibit and program, the following people can be contacted: Jill Campbell, Coordinator of the Lakes Trail Program at 817-559-2288, Douglas Harman, President of the Lakes Trail Program at 817-691-6322 and Clara Ruddell at 214-693-5915. Gallery 76102 is managed by Megan Topham 817-272-5908, and the Gallery’s information number is 817-292-0365. Gallery 76102 is located at the UT Arlington/Fort Worth at 1401 Jones Street, Fort Worth Texas. Regular hours for the Gallery are Tuesday and Thursday 12 to 6 pm and on Saturday 10 to 2 pm. Special visiting times can be arranged through the Gallery. The exhibit is free.

-info courtesy the exhibit's press release

Signs, signs, everywhere are signs...

...or rather fancy new exhibit text and graphic panels! The signs for the Parker cabin are here and installed! And as you can tell, we are QUITE excited.

With this installation, all of the new interior signage is complete. All that remains are two outdoor signs: the Foster house and the Howard cabin! The Foster panel will be installed within the next couple of weeks, and the Howard panel will be completed AFTER the Howard cabin itself is completed.

Come check it out!

What is the "job" of a museum?

Why do museums exist? Different people have many different answers to this question. Some relish museums as keepers of our culture, adding to the collections through artifact and monetary donations whenever possible. Others use museums as a place to learn more about history, science, art, and animals. And still others think that museums serve as a great distraction on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

So which of these views is correct? If you said, “D”--all of the above--you are absolutely right!

According to the International Council of Museums, the American Association of Museums, and professionals in the field, there are generally five essential functions of a museum: collect, preserve, educate/interpret, exhibit, and research. In layperson’s terms, museums:

• gather and keep “schtuff*,”



• take care of “schtuff,”



• teach others about “schtuff,”



• show the “schtuff” to people, and



• let people research the “schtuff” while also researching the “schtuff” themselves.
  
  I think the general public tends to easily recognize the collecting and exhibiting roles of museums, but sometimes forgets about preservation, education, and research. As a museum educator, I am intimately involved with the education side of things, but often have trouble conveying what my role in the museum actually is. My answer: I’m a bridge. My entire job is to connect the museum to the visitor in a meaningful way, be it through experience, event, outreach, or written article.
  
  Preservation is one of the MOST important parts of museum work. I read an article once stating that at any given time, you may only find 1-3% of a museum’s collection on exhibit. The rest is being carefully preserved in storage, so that future generations may benefit from the wisdom the objects have to share.
  
  And then there’s research. We get a number of calls every year from writers, genealogists, and frontier-Texas buffs wanting to know more about what we have. They want to research our collection of letters; they want to know more about a structure’s history; they have a 5th grade essay on pioneer life and need to know what a butter churn is. Helping these researchers is part of our function, yet they and this work are largely invisible to the average visitor.
  
  We have a writer coming today to explore the Parker Cabin, a favorite amongst local historians and romantics seeking to connect with Cynthia Ann’s plight. Research? You betcha. One of the reasons we exist? Most definitely.
  
  *highly technical museum term meaning artifact, art, animal, or other item being collected