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May 27, 1978 |
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Collegeport, founded in 1908, will celebrate its 70th anniversary Saturday, May 27. This annual event is sponsored by the Woman's Club of Collegeport with the cooperation of the community. Collegeport Day is celebrated each year on the last Saturday of May. It is a day when residents, former residents, their families and friends get together at the Mopac to enjoy dinner, renew acquaintances, discus old time and make new friends. Barbecue with all the trimmings will be served at noon. The meat this year is being provided by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Gayle. The ladies will bring special dishes to be served with the barbecue.
Palacios Beacon, May 18, 1978 |
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May 27 At Mopac House
May 27 will mark the 70th year since the founding of the Collegeport Community.
The Woman's Club of Collegeport annually mark the anniversary with a "Collegeport Day" celebration, held traditionally on the last Saturday in May.
The celebration is described as a day when the residents, former residents and their families get together at the Mopac House for a special dinner and renew old acquaintances, discuss old times and make new friends.
This year the traditional barbecue with all the trimmings is planned for noon, with the main course donated by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Gayle, in memory of the deceased residents of Collegeport.
Those being honored next Saturday are Mr. and Mrs. D. L. Bullington, J. E. "Cap" Bullington, Leon Bullington, E. B. "Teen" Bullington, Jack Bullington, Mrs. Dovie Bullington, Bob Bullington, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Brown, Arlie Brown, Bob Thompson and son Sidney.
The women are asked to bring special dishes to be served with the barbecue, according to Mrs. Dean Merck, reporter for the Woman's Club of Collegeport.
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More than 300 were on hand Saturday, May 27, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of Collegeport on May 25, 1908.
The Woman's Club of Collegeport, sponsor of the annual homecoming on the last Saturday in May had the full cooperation of the folk in the community in making preparation for the day.
As guests arrived they saw a beautiful huge sign on the Mopac grounds, "Welcome to the 70th Collegeport Day Celebration" which had been painted by G.W. Franzen and Allen Corporon.
Mason Holsworth, master of ceremonies, welcomed the guests and expressed appreciation to all who had made this day one long to be remembered.
The new barbecue pit and building were initiated Saturday with W.L.
Ellis and his crew doing a bang-up job barbecuing the meat given by
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Gayle and the additional meat purchased
The pit and building, completed just a few days before Collegeport Day, were a gift to the Collegeport community from John Merck, Jr., given in memory of his father, John Merck and his pioneering grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. B. V. Merck.
Only one of the former business men of the 1908 era was present along with his wife, the former Viola Merck. The ad in the Collegeport Directory of 1910 is listed as follows: Dray Line and Transfer, Baggage Express and Freight, R.K. Legg Phone 23C. Mr. Legg, 92 years of age, now resides in Bay City. In a recent interview he told of the two mules he drove to pull his dray wagon, picking up freight and express from the water dock located on the Tres Palacios Bay just north of where Mrs. John Merck now resides. He said he hauled lumber for many of the homes, including the Theo Smith home, the 3 story home on the bay. He still sighs when he tells of accepting the bid of 75cents per load for the red brick he hauled for the Collegeport School building. He said he had never handled brick and that was one job on which he lost money.
Also present were Mr. and Mrs. Roy Sjoquist of Houston. Mrs. Sjoquist was the former Kay Culp, niece of Burton D. Hurd, founder and promoter of the settlement of Collegeport. Mr. and Mrs. Sjoquist owns a printing business in Houston and have graciously printed copies of "The History of Collegeport" by Mrs. Dean Hurd, "The Woman’s Club History" and "M.A. Travis’ Autobiography." If anyone is interested in copies, contact the Club Secretary, Mrs. Dean Merck, Box. M., Collegeport, Texas 77428.
The Mopac House Foundation trustees are grateful for all the response given to support the restoration program of the Mopac House. Contribution were generous, and the proceeds from the meat sales, cake auctions, place mats and afghan were so helpful that the can now see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Palacios Beacon, June 8, 1978 |
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