The Lake Jackson Historical Association provides Education relative to the
History and Culture of Lake Jackson, Texas.
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The History Museum and Historic Plantation Site
continue to mix the OLD with the NEW
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ALDEN DOW OFFICE .........................UPDATE
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Mobiles displayed in a 1943 exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City caught Alden Dow’s fascination. So much so that he began to create his own and even had one hung in his Lake Jackson architectural office. To him, mobiles served as a reminder that life was in a constant state of motion.
When the Alden B. Dow Office Museum opens to the public, visitors will see a replica of Dow’s mobile of discs and balls suspended in front of his large picture window, reminiscent of 1943. Local woodworker/hobbyist Duane Koch has spent hours studying, shaping, sanding, painting, and assembling the recreation. The discs, left natural and polished, are fashioned out of Brazoria County ash from the property of Steven Broadway, who lives in Churchill. The balls are painted to reflect the building’s interior colors.
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When he was eight years old, Duane began working with wood at his father’s knee. Now, he owns a 1,400-square-foot workshop, complete with an indoor spray room. He has crafted a number of wine racks and jewelry boxes for local fundraising auctions as well as furniture for his home. His favorite medium is figured wood: for example, curly cherry, birds eye maple, and curly maple.
A native of Wisconsin, Duane moved to Lake Jackson in 1992 with the Dow Chemical Company. Trained as a chemical engineer, he worked in the manufacturing and engineering divisions for approximately 40 years.
The Lake Jackson Historical Association thanks Duane (and his wife Janet) for making history come alive!!!
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NEW...."On the Same Track" Exhibit |
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Whether it’s the mechanics and engineering of small engines or simply a fun pastime that has endured over the ages, model railroading is a hobby shared by many people around the world. One such person is local resident and LJHA Board member, Jeffrey Laver. Laver has lived in Lake Jackson for over 40 years and has been collecting model trains for the past 20 years. It’s a hobby he shares with the man who designed the City of Enchantment, Alden B. Dow.
Learn more about model trains and see some amazing examples of collectible models in our new pop-up exhibit "On the Same Track - Enchanted by Model Trains." The model trains on display are courtesy of Jeffrey Laver and his grandson, Peyton Wilbanks, pictured above.
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OLD ITEM..........Curious Collection
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Image: From the Alden B. Dow Archives.
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In the picture, look above Alden Dow’s office door. There hang tools, dulled and rusted, symbols of his company’s year-long effort to build Lake Jackson. Included are a double-bitted axe; a cross-cut saw; weed, brush, and cant hooks; a pick; a mattock; a sharpshooter; spades; and shovels of all kinds and sizes.
Recently, LJHA received a collection of similar historic tools donated by the estate of Sehon Warneke. They will become part of the furnishings at Dow’s office, representing his original tools, when the building is readied for opening to the public. Mr. Warneke was a local resident and long-time owner of the Lake Hardware stores now located in Clute and Angleton. According to Warneke’s family, he enjoyed collecting and displaying vintage tools in his stores.
The function of one of the shovel-like tools (pictured below) poses a curiosity. If you know its name or how it was utilized, please call the LJHA curator Angela Villarreal at 979-297-1570.
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Johnny Suggs – First Lake Jackson Pioneer! |
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If you’ve ever been involved in baseball in the Lake Jackson area, you’ve most likely watched or played ball at J.T. SUGGS FIELD. This field, located on Old Angleton Road, was built on land donated by one of the original pioneers of Lake Jackson: J.T. “Johnny” Suggs. Born in 1911, Johnny grew up in West Columbia and began working for the Dow Chemical Company in 1940 in the engineering department.
During this time, the influx of manufacturing workers, who were putting in 16-hour days, 7 days a week in order to complete construction of the burgeoning chemical plant, were staying in temporary housing units at “Camp Chemical” in Freeport. The supervisor of Dow engineering and construction at the time was Mr. Granahan. In April 1941, he asked Suggs to present an idea to the Velasco City Council - that Dow develop 500 acres of Velasco's land in order to install neighborhoods, which would include 1,200 permanent houses for the Dow workers. Suggs made the proposal, emphasizing that Dow would pay for all the engineering so the city would not be out any money. Despite Suggs’ charming and persuasive personality, and much to his surprise, the councilmen were not interested in this offer - one would think no one could refuse. They were concerned it would add to existing construction and tear up the streets. If they had said “yes,” the city of Lake Jackson would never have existed!
Only a few weeks later, Suggs was asked to survey some nearby property selected by Dr. A.P Beutel, general manager of Dow Texas Operations. Based on Suggs' results, Dow purchased these 42,000 acres. The company solicited Alden Dow, architect and son of Dow founder Herbert H. Dow, to come from Midland, Michigan, and design a completely new city, to be called Lake Jackson.
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In the winter of 1943, Johnny Suggs became the very first resident to move into the new city of Lake Jackson at the address 111 Trumpet Vine. Streets were not finished, but because housing was so badly needed, people came anyway. There were no clothes dryers in those days, so clothes had to be hung outside to dry. Mosquitoes were so thick that folks could only hang a few pieces at a time before rushing back inside for respite from these legendary insects. There was no telephone system – only rural eight-party lines–so whenever the phone rang, everyone picked up. Suggs would always say, “Hellooooo,” no matter which phone was ringing!
Around this same time, a few LJ men met and visited the Angleton Jaycees. Shortly thereafter, they organized a meeting at Suggs’ home to form their own chapter. They elected Suggs as the first president, an honor which Suggs modestly shrugged off. “It was probably because they were at my home, and I furnished the Cokes.”
In October 1943, Lake Jackson had its first big celebration with a street dance sponsored by the Jaycees. Alden Dow paid for a big band. Logs burned in the background from the clearing operations, and it was a beautiful scene. John Suggs, freshly anointed as president of the Jaycees, gave a speech in which he described Lake Jackson for the first time as the “City of Enchantment.” The speech had been written by Art Webb who owned Lake Drug.
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Suggs worked for Dow Chemical from 1940-45, when he resigned his position in order to develop a cemetery, Restwood Memorial Park. In addition, he established many of the early residential developments in Lake Jackson, including Lake Forest and Flag Ridge Estates. He assisted in the founding of Lake Jackson State Bank and American Savings and Loan. He also made numerous philanthropic donations to several organizations and charities. For all of his generosity and dedication to Lake Jackson, he was named Outstanding Citizen of the Year in 1966 by the Brazosport Chamber of Commerce. Who knows if Suggs similarly chalked this tribute up to buying a round of Cokes, but most anyone else in the community would have recognized it as a high honor.
So, the next time you drive by Suggs Field, you will know that the man behind the name was critical to our city’s beginnings. His generosity, creativity, bright sense of humor, and original surveying laid the “groundwork” for the charming and desirable city that Lake Jackson is today!
By Fran Hammond
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Pave the walkway to the museum or the Jackson Plantation Historic Site with a personalized brick. Order a Brick here.
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Upcoming Events
Dairy Bar Celebration
April 9, 2022
On the Same Track: Enchanted by Model Trains Exhibit
Now on view!
The Bard Visits Lake Jackson-Shakespeare Exhibit
April 19-July 9, 2022
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A Word from the Executive Director |
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From the minute I arrived here in Lake Jackson, I've been struck by the beautiful spirit of giving embodied by everyone in this community. So many have given their time by stopping at the museum to introduce themselves or by sending a quick welcome note. Others have given their efforts by volunteering with us, everything from helping us continue beautifying the plantation site to assisting with our new oral history project. And still more have given financially. At the end of each month, I gather the donations collected in our donation boxes throughout the museum. I am always struck by the love that is given with each of these donations. It's not the amount that's important, although we definitely appreciate the twenty-dollar bills dropped by our visitors into the boxes. But what really makes my heart swell are the little donations. The crumbled dollar bill that someone had in their pocket. The five and two singles folded together, just what someone had in their wallet. Or the handful of coins at the bottom of the box, often dropped by a small child who gave what they could. All of these donations embody the spirit of giving that is inherent to those in this area. Whether you are giving of your time or your resources, it's all of you that allow LJHA to continue working everyday towards our mission of preserving and sharing the history of Lake Jackson. Your donations allow us to welcome into the museum anyone who would like to visit, without an admission fee. Your volunteering gives us a chance to offer more programming to the public, helping us to further reach the community. No matter the size of what you give, we are deeply grateful for it all. Thank you for loving LJHA. "It's not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving." - Mother Theresa |
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Trivia Answer:
Annette Greer was Lake Jackson's first postmistress when the post office opened in November 1950. Last month's winner, Sharon Suggs-White, has
won a $5 gift certificate good at our recently updated museum gift shop!
New Trivia Question:
When Lake Jackson's municipal swimming pool opened in 1950, what was it originally called?
Be the first person to call the museum at 979-297-1570 or email director@ljhistory.org with the correct answer to win!
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Thanks to LJHA's Most Recent Contributors
John Treichler, Dr. Thomas Lunsford,
Steven Broadway, Duane Koch, and Rob Whitmarsh
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Funding has been provided to LJHA by Humanities Texas and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as part of the Federal ARP Act. |
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Lindsay Scovil
Executive Director
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Angela Villarreal
Curator
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Deborah Duty
Marketing Coordinator
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