Texas History Tour - Thurber!  Mingus, TX, Saturday, May 21, 9:45am

Join us for a great drive to Mingus, a delicious lunch at New York Hill restaurant, and to see what remains of the town of Thurber.  The town was wholly owned by The Texas and Pacific Coal Company. Now a ghost town, Thurber was a major brick and coal center during its heyday in 1918-1920, attracting a population of some 10,000 from eighteen nationalities.  The town was dismantled in the mid-1930s when oil supplanted coal as fuel for locomotives.

 

We have planned a very nice drive on a scenic, twisty and hilly route after we leave the relatively crowded cities south of Fort Worth. In addition to good home cooking, New York Hill restaurant offers a panoramic view of downtown Thurber, which we will also enjoy.  After lunch, we will visit a small park where some original Thurber structures are located, the most prominent being St. Barbara's Catholic Church (most of the population was Catholic.)  We will then briefly check out the smokestack, the only remnant of the Thurber power plant which made the town one of the earliest to be electrified in the US.  Finally, we will explore the historic Thurber cemetery and see some interesting graves of those buried there. 

Optional:  For those who have not been, we highly encourage a visit to W. K. Gordon Center for Texas Industrial History at the foot of New York Hill.  Operated by Tarleton State University, it is full of interesting artifacts and information on the history of Thurber.  Admission is $5, $4 for seniors and military. Pay your own.  Plan at least an hour for your visit.

 

Important Notes: 
1)  Lunch at New York Hill will be pay-your-own.  Order from their regular menu.  A 20% gratuity will be added to your bill.  BYOB if you want to enjoy your favorite libation with lunch.  The restaurant can supply wine glasses.  We will dine in their private room.
2)  Wear comfortable walking shoes. We will explore the cemetery on foot. Bring a hat to shade you from the sun.
3)  Space is limited.  Please sign up ASAP to hold your spot. 

Cost and Signup (restaurant maximum is app. 20 attendees, first come, first served):

We will charge an event fee of $5 per person for MBCA members and their immediate family.  The fee will cover the cost of the private room and other sundry event expenses.  Non-members are welcome, and will be charged $10 each.  Please register and send your event fee as soon as possible. You have 2 ways to pay:

 

1) To pay the event fee online using your credit card ($5 per member, $10 per non-member):

Click the button below to pay via PayPal. You do not need a PayPal Account to do so. If you have a mix of members and non-members attending, use the drop-down menu below to select "MBCA Member", then click the "Add to Cart" button. From the PayPal screen, click "Continue Shopping". Then, use the drop-down menu below to select "Non-Member", then click "Add to Cart" . After you are done, click "Proceed to Checkout" from the PayPal screen. Please ensure the quantities for members and non-members reflect the number of attendees in your party. Your online payment serves as your registration.

Select Member and/or Non-Member Fee(s):

2) To pay event fee with a check ($5 per member, $10 per non-member):

Click to sign up via email so we can hold your spot(s), then send your payment as soon as possible.  Make your check payable to MBCA and send to DJ de Jesus, 4159 Charron Lane, Fort Worth, TX 76116. 

 

Meeting Places and Times:
At 9:45am (come earlier if you wish to have breakfast), we will meet for a briefing at the Cracker Barrel at 8010 SW Loop 820, Fort Worth (I-20 and Winscott Road, west of Fort Worth), (817) 249-3360 ‎(see map below).  Please be on time.  We will depart immediately after the briefing.

NOTE:  Those in the Granbury area may wish to meet us at the Starbucks on 413 Hwy 377 East (by the Home Depot).  We will have a brief stop there, ETA 10:30. 
Let us know if you'll meet us in Granbury.