FROM SPARK TO FLAME

You have heard how we got started with just “THE SPARK OF AN IDEA.”  Now, let’s see how that spark was fanned into a flame.

Early in the life of the organization, we set five goals. Let’s check our report card to see how many of the goals we have accomplished.

Goal #1 –Collect and document the history of Frisco, utilizing oral, written and visual mediums.

• First, we started a campaign to collect and record photos depicting Frisco’s history. Sharon Weinberg did a great job chairing that effort, and we continue to welcome additions to our photo collection.
• Our oral and visual history recordings were started early with Dr. Pink and I interviewing some of our older citizens. Later, Pete Hosp continued the recording job, and to date we have recorded 39 video histories. Now, thanks to Claudia, Judy, Marla and their committee, with the help of the city, we are continuing to add several new interviews to our video library each year.

Goal #2 — Establish a central location for the purpose of conducting business and storing artifacts.

• The city was very gracious to have furnished us an office at the beginning. We now have a nice office in the museum.
• As to a place to collect and store our artifacts, that is a different story. Our artifacts are stored all over the place – from paid storage units, under water towers, in private homes, barns, etc. But we finally have a home for many of our collected items in the museum, in the log cabin, the depot, Gaby’s Blacksmith Shop, and soon to be in the two homes here in Heritage Center.

Goal #3 – Was to “Plan and promote Frisco’s Centennial Celebration in 2002.”

• That goal has been accomplished!  We were very active in helping to plan and carry out the big 2002 celebration.
• We produced _Frisco: The First One Hundred Years_, the most comprehensive book available on the history of Frisco, Texas.

Goal #4 – Develop historical publications for the purpose of promotion, preservation and education.

Here is a list of our publications:

1. Historic calendars (4 years)
2. Heritage Cook Book
3. Reprint of _Lebanon On The Preston
4. History book, _Frisco: The First One Hundred Years
5. Frisco – Now and Then
6. Reading ‘Riting & ‘Rithmatic
7. Our History (coloring and activity book)
8. History of Zion Cemetery

Goal #5 – To participate in cooperative efforts with other organizations to establish a Heritage Museum – and – encourage the preservation and restoration of historic buildings and sites.

• I am happy to say that much of this goal has been accomplished. Thanks to the city and all the supportive citizens who overwhelmingly voted in favor of a big bond issue a few years ago, we now have one of the finest museums for a city our size.
• Also, we are well on our way to accomplishing the second part of this goal – to “encourage the preservation and restoration of historic buildings.”  Many buildings and sites that we feel should be preserved have been identified. Some of these have been brought to the Heritage Center and are currently being restored. For others that could not be moved, we have made, and plan to make, replicas.

Here’s a list of some of the buildings that have been, or are being restored:

1. Lebanon Baptist Church
2. Crozier-Covington-Sickles House
3. Smith- Muse House
4. Log Cabin
5. One Room School House
6. Replica of Frisco RR Depot
7. Replica of Gaby’s Blacksmith Shop

This is still a work in progress. The two houses must be restored inside, and that is one of our current projects. Still another to be done is a replica of the old Calaboose.

Not a building, but another major restoration project is our steam locomotive that Ken Creager, John Hoxie and a horde of volunteers worked on diligently. And, not to be forgotten is our Little Red Caboose that is currently being restored.

Question: How have we managed to accomplish all of these, and many other, things in ten years? It hasn’t been easy! It has taken a lot of work from many volunteers, and it has taken a lot of projects and programs.

In addition to the publications, buildings and other projects I have already mentioned, here is a list of some of the programs and fundraisers that have kept us busy over the last 10 years:

1. Collecting historic pictures
2. Maintaining scrapbooks of Heritage activities
3. Historic home tours (first in December 1999)
4. Antiques Identification Fair (December 1999)
5. Plant a Memory program
6. Art & Essay Contests (first in 2000)
7. Bus trips to Waco, Texas and to Hugo and Frederick, Oklahoma
8. Bricks for Maple Street School Heritage Center
9. The circus (first in 2002)
10. Historical markers (first in 2002)
11. Museum’s Movie Theater project
12. Museum exhibit “Practicing Medicine In Early Frisco”

And the list goes on —

So, what does our report card look like dollar wise?

Treasurer Thelma Griffin tells me we have raised almost $700,000 dollars ($664,000) in the last 10 years. That’s an amazing number to me, and it does not include the many artifacts which have been donated, nor does it include the thousands of hours of volunteer labor our members and others have donated.

This $664,000 of revenue came through:

1. Contributions – $278,127
2. Product Sales – 180,480
3. Program Fees – 175,907
4. Membership dues – 26,952
5. Miscellaneous – 1,256
6. Grant from Exxon 830

Here is a partial list of major contributors:

1. The Bicentennial Association in 1998
2. The Bond Committee (money left over from 1998 campaign)
3. Macy’s employees ($3,100 in February 2001)
4. The Muse family
5. Embassy Suites
6. Parkview
7. Best Buy
8. Hibernia Bank

And many, many more from other supportive businesses and individuals.

I think you will agree that our list of accomplishments is quite impressive!

So, the spark, which first began to glow in 1998, has been fanned into a lively flame, and it continues to glow brightly!  With your help and the help of those who come after us, we will keep the flame alive to accomplish even more new goals.

Let me challenge you to KEEP FANNING THE FLAME with hard work, new blood and new ideas!