Special to The Flash
STEPHENVILLE (March 7, 2017) – The Stephenville Historical House Museum and Sundown on the Square are pleased to announce the completion of a year-long endeavor to secure the services of a firm to repair and update the historical Center Grove Schoolhouse. Funding for this project was provided by Marion Cole, Metta Collier and Patricia Weldon who planned the Sundown on the Square event which raised $40,000. Without community support the repairs could not go forward.
Center Grove Schoolhouse was built in the 1890s and is considered one of the oldest school buildings left in Erath County. After being donated by Mr. & Mrs. John B. Collier IV (Diamond C Ranch), the school was moved to the museum grounds in 1986. The community banded together, including Mrs. Nancy Crouch’s seventh grade classes selling M&M candies, to raise the funds necessary to move the school from its original location close to Country Club Lake. The two room building has served as a meeting room and a school room for museum visitors for the last thirty years.
The task of finding a firm that would take on repairing an historical building proved to be daunting. Since appropriate materials and techniques are needed to do this type of repairs, many contractors declined to make a bid. While the museum appreciated the contractors’ reluctance, it caused the process to take longer than anticipated. In December 2016 three bids were finally secured, with the local firm of Cutting Edge Wood Works being selected to complete the repairs needed. Work will begin in the spring.
The Sundown on the Square downtown festival will take place this year on Saturday, Oct. 14th. Plans are already underway to create a fun filled evening for all.
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