Ennis (Images of America) - Tapa blanda

Whatas history got to do with it? A lot according to authors Laurie J. Wilson and Peggy Holland Rankin, whose new book on Ennisa past was released Feb. 16 by Arcadia Publishing.

The book, aImages of America: Ennis, a a pictorial history of the Bluebonnet City, is now available for purchase through Arcadia for $21.95, Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com and other outlets.

aThis book is for everyone, a said Rankin, a longtime Ennis resident. aThe wonderful photos we collected show a part of our rich heritage and there are many pictures included that haven't been published before. I know everyone will enjoy these photos and stories that show the early years of Ennis.a

Rankin added that itas been an honor collecting photos for the book, including the striking cover image of Ennis High Schoolas graduating class of 1923, provided by the Telfair family.

Wilson said sheas equally thrilled and has high hopes that the book a the first full-scale photo history of Ennis a will be a credit to the city.

aI really hope this is something the community can be proud of, a she said.

Wilson is no stranger to loving history. With her husband, Michael Wilson, a former member of the Landmark Commission, sheas been researching Ennisa past since moving with her family to this city from Dallas a decade ago.

Rankinas enthusiasm is just as genuine, deriving from her personal pride as a descendant of the Baldridge family, among Ennisa first settlers and town leaders.

Rankin and Wilson are quick to point out that they owe a debt of gratitude to theEnnis Public Library Historic Archives, the city of Ennis Archives and the personal collections of numerous citizens, all of who are credited in their bookas acknowledgments, for providing illustrations and information.

aImages of America: Ennis, a recording local events and personalities through the years as well as featuring more than 170 photographs, is the first published account devoted to the history of Ennis. The new book also benefits two leading local historical organizations, the Ennis Heritage Society and the Ellis County Czech Heritage Society.

aIave met with members of both groups and royalties will be split between the Heritage and Czech Heritage societies, a Wilson said. aThey also appear as honorary authors of the book.a

All major aspects of Ennisa past are touched on in the 128-page book, ranging in date from the 1870s to the 1960s a the early railroad and cotton industries, civic life, major happenings and innovations, celebrities, etc. All cultures that have prospered in Ennis are also spotlighted a Czechoslovakian, African-American, Hispanic. Even the early Jewish community, a once thriving part of the cityas social and commercial strata, is remembered. These stories are told in thematic chapters covering such subjects as aEarly Years, a aStories We Tell, a aSchool Bells, a aChurch Days, a aGrowing a Communitya and aThen and Now.a

The book has already had the positive effect of drawing people together, Wilson said, uniting them in the common goal of producing a fascinating work of value to present and future generations of Ennis citizens. In fact it seems all of Ennis has been involved.

aIt has been wonderful the number of peoplewho responded after the first story about this project ran in the Ennis Daily News, a Wilson said. aItas been great seeing it all come together.a

Wilson and Rankin explained that although the cityas history is a big part of the book, Ennis people are the real focus.

aWe both decided in the very beginning that this book, while telling the story of the city of Ennis, would also tell the story of its people, their careers, their families, a Wilson said.

The authorsa approach was encouraged by the Ennis Heritage Society, one of the two beneficiaries of the bookas proceeds.

aAfter months and months, Laurie Wilson and Peggy Rankin's dedication and hard work have come to fruition, a said Ennis Heritage Society President Sugar Glaspy, who co-founded the organization with the late Tia Atwood in 1981. aLaurie and Peggy (did an) outstanding job of incorporating a multi-cultural perspective of the history of Ennis. They have turned up a lot of photographs that most of us have never seen before. Many of the photographs in the book have come from the Heritage Society collections now at the Ennis Public Library, and from private collections within the community.a

Members of the Ellis County Czech Heritage Society, the other local historical group to receive funds from book sales, are equally excited about the publication of aImages of America: Ennis.a

aTo my knowledge, this is the first book concerning the history of Ennis that is multi-cultural, a said Czech Heritage Society President Victor Havel. aIt covers all the diverse organizations that make-up Ennis a religious, ethnic, educational and business, all in one book.a

He added that the release ofaImages of America: Ennisa will entertain as well as educate local readers about the importance of preserving history.

aThe Ellis County Czech Heritage Society is very excited about, and proud, to have participated in the aImages of Americaa book, a Havel said. aWhat better way to display the contributions of the Czech community to Ennis' heritage than through a pictorial history book of this caliber.a

For editor Kristie Kelly of Arcadia Publishing, the Ennis book project is more than a business deal; itas like aold home week.a

aI grew up in the Metroplex a Arlington a and felt that I should approach the communities that I already knew had a special history to tell, a Kelly said. aAnd the good folks in Ennis were eager to share their place in history. Arcadia and I feel privileged to be able to help people tell their stories.a

Of the work the writers have accomplished, Kelly said sheas proud. aLaurie and Peggy have brought together various historical groups to tell Ennisa story, a she said, aand I think itas in that collaboration a where disparate parts of a community come together to help define a place a that a certain amount of awonderfula happens, and the community as a whole benefits.a

Kelly is also happy that another local history book is to be forthcoming from Arcadia by one of her new authors: Wilson has signed on to co-write aImages of America: Waxahachiea with Kathy Eriksen, editor and co-owner of WaxahachieJournal.com.

aImages of America: Ennisa may be ordered via arcadiapublishing.com, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Locally, members of the Ennis Heritage Society as well as the general public may purchase copies through the organization. To reserve a copy, contact Sugar Glaspy at 972-846-2161 or Peggy Rankin at 972-875-5613.

The Ellis County Czech Heritage Society is also selling copies to members and the public. For more information, contact the Ennis Convention and Visitors Bureau at 972-878-4748 or Victor Havel at 972-872-9790.

Title: A Gift From the Heart
Author: Kelly Kovar
Publisher: Ennis Now Magazine
Date: January 2009

Peggy Rankin and Laurie Wilson are passionate about Ennis and about history. Their interests came together when they decided to work on a book about the history of Ennis. Last year, Laurie called Peggy and proposed the partnership. aLaurie is just one of those wonderful people that you feel like you have been friends with forever, a Peggy reflected. aShe thought I knew all the people to go and talk to. I told Laurie, aIf you will be the brains, I will be the mouth.a And, it has just worked out to be a perfect partnership for me, a Peggy shared with laughter.

The book they wrote together, Images of America: Ennis, covers local history from the 1880s to the 1960s. aIt gives a glimpse into the lives and the times of those that settled Ennis and endeavored so it could grow to what it is today, a Laurie said. aThese early pioneers and their children had not just physical strength, but a strength of spirit and conviction that helped them to endure very difficult times and conditions in those early decades.a

aDoing this allowed me to meet many people I would not otherwise have had the privilege of getting to know, a Laurie said. aTheir support, as well as that of the Ellis County Czech Heritage Society and the Ennis Heritage Society, was invaluable. This book wouldnat be what it is without the support and assistance of all those that believed in it and were instrumental in making it happen.a All of the proceeds from the book go to the Ennis Heritage Society and to the Czech Heritage Society. Laurie and Peggy are working on the book for free, as a gift to Ennis.

aOur book is a pictorial with captions that tell what each picture is, a Peggy explained. aThe book has a wonderful collection of photos. People opened up their private archives and collaborated on identifying photos. There is a wonderful wealth of local historians here. There are some people here with a tremendous amount of knowledge.a

The book is organized chronologically, and Peggy and Laurie tried to cover all of the cultures in Ennis. aWe talked about the early businesses and how they evolved, a Peggy added. aEnnis State Bank may be the oldest, continuously operated business. There were so many other businesses like the Raphaelas dry goods store and Hesseras Drug that we have great pictures of. We have some wonderful photos of churches, of the families, the schools, the railroad and cotton. The background of the community was the churches, some that arenat even in existence still, because in the past the community was geared around the churches.a

At the opposite end of the cultural spectrum, the book talks about Ennisa Wild West days. aAt one time we had probably 13 saloons here in town. Bonnie and Clyde came through, a Peggy mentioned. aWe tell stories about Blood Alley. Off of the avenue, there was an alley by the old bank building. The locals gave it the name of Blood Alley because people were killed there in saloon gunfights in the 1880s.a

aPeggy and I gathered hundreds of photos; the final draft sent to the publisher contained approximately 220 photos from the 1880s to the 1960s, a Laurie said. aWe took it to the 1960s so we could cover Polka Festival as it deserves, considering the impact it has made on tourism in the city. David [Slovak] was aninvaluable asset to me during the process of gathering research for this book. And his band was wonderful about helping to get a picture for the amusic traditiona spread in the last chapter.a

The photos in the book, all black and white, include pictures which have not been previously published. aI gathered a lot of photos and went around with [press] releases, a Peggy said. aThere were people with a wealth of information and pictures and stories of Ennis.a

Peggy gives Laurie credit for the success of the project. aLaurie has been the true backbone of this book, a Peggy asserted. aShe has done the organizing and putting it together and has just done a splendid job. Laurie just has this magic way of organizing. Laurie did most of the picture captions.a

Laurie said there was lots of writing involved. aBy the time I was finished, it was at approximately 16,000 words. I'm not certain my husband wants to hear anything else on the history of Ennis for a while, a Laurie shared with a smile.

Laurie and her husband, Mike, do a lot of volunteer work. Mike Wilson is on the library board and he volunteers at the library doing the digital archiving. Laurie is extremely active with the
library, and she and her husband have been archiving a number of the family collections, which have been given to the city or to the library. The Ennis Heritage Society has a collection on permanent loan at the library and it is available for genealogical research. aEnnis has always had a huge sense of community and tradition. Throughout my research, I saw many instances of a community that came together to weather both good and bad. Whether mourning a loss or celebrating a good cottoncrop or the end of a war, the community as a whole came together, often gathering as they still do today, along Main Street or the avenue.a Laurie credits her writing partner, Peggy, with being essential to getting the book completed. aPeggy helped in more ways than I can begin to list in all the many different phases of putting the book together, a Laurie said. aI canat imagine the book coming together as it did without her.a

Peggy and her husband, Randy, are Ennis Heritage Society members, and Peggy is an officer and board member. aBeing born and raised here, I love the little town of Ennis, a Peggy said. aPeople who are longtime Ennisites experience a real sense of pride when new people move here and absolutely love the city. It doesnat take long to see what a great place Ennis is. People really support each other here. I feel like this book is a way to give something to the city and to the public. I know it will be a benefit to the city and to the two heritage organizations. I was not surprised that we got so many pictures, because there are so many wonderful things here. Ennis is very proud, not just of family history, but also the culture and what the city has become. And, the city just keeps improving with each year.a

Title: New book provides historical view of city of Ennis heritage
Author: Joann Livingston
Publisher: The Ennis Journal
Date: 2/20/2009

Images of America: Ennis provides a historical overview along with several hundred photographs celebrating the community s past.

The new book is a joint effort of Laurie J. Wilson, Peggy Holland Rankin, the Ellis County Czech Heritage Society and the Ennis Heritage Society, who worked with Arcadia Publishing, a leading local history publisher in the United States, in getting the book to print.

In the authors words, Images of America: Ennis is a celebration of where Ennis has been and for all that is yet to be.

In their commentary on the community s history, the authors note how Ennis and its residents have overcome several challenges since its inception. Starting with the city's incorporation in 1872, they provide details about such influences as the impact of the railroad, the importance of cotton farming, the arrival of Czech immigrants and the community s growth and economic development.

The photographs themselves provide additional details through their images and the informative narrative given for each one. Divided into eight sections Early Years, Building a Community, The Way We Were, Where the Rail and Cotton Met, Church Bells, School Days, Stories We Tell and Then and Now many of the photographs give rare, never-before-seen glimpses into Ennis storied history.

Faces, places and more are within the black and white images of days past, which were graciously donated for use by the authors. Sources include the city of Ennis, the Ennis Public Library, local families and individuals, among others.

As written by the authors, This ...