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The Lake Jackson Historical Association provides education relative to the
history and culture of Lake Jackson, Texas.
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Join us for the 1st Annual Alden Ball! | |
A black and white photo of the original Dow Community Band trumpeteers including Grant Scoggins, T.J. Dunbar, Jr., and Stan Gamble. From the Lake Jackson Historical Association collection. | |
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Save the Date: April 15, 2023
Get ready to swing, jive, and jitterbug at the Lake Jackson Historical Association's first annual Alden Ball! This gala intends to raise funds for the preservation and public education of Lake Jackson history.
This year's gala is Big Band themed, so we encourage guests to wear their best 1940s-inspired formal dress. Each ticket purchase will include a seat at the gala where you'll enjoy dinner, live entertainment, and a silent auction. Alcoholic beverages will be available to those of legal drinking age.
Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, March 22, 2023. Members will receive early access to discounted tickets beginning Friday, March 17, 2023. Watch our website and social media for more details!
Interested in becoming a member so you can buy your tickets early? Visit our membership page here!
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This Week: Spring Break Activities | |
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We have games and crafts at the museum for the kiddos this week while they're out of school! Activities are happening every day during spring break (March 14th - 18th) from 10 AM - 4 PM.
Questions? Contact our Program Coordinator at programs@ljhistory.org or call (979) 297-1570.
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Contribute to our upcoming exhibits! | |
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We are excited to announce two upcoming exhibitions:
Opening April 18, 2023, is Gone But Not Forgotten: Remembering Lake Jackson’s Early Businesses. This exhibit shines a spotlight on some of the early local businesses that were once an integral part of a vibrant community in Lake Jackson. From the mom-and-pop stores to family-owned restaurants and neighborhood pharmacies, each business played a significant role in shaping the town's identity.
Opening May 23, 2023, is Uncovering the Past: Untold Stories of Lake Jackson History. Uncovering the Past will showcase the rich history of our local area before it was developed into a town by Dow Chemical during World War II. The stories of those who lived on the land before its development by Dow are often overlooked, but they provide an important context for understanding the area's past and the forces that shaped it.
As part of these exhibitions, we are seeking any additional photographs, documents, and your memories to add to the displays. We invite you to contribute by sharing any photographs you or your family may have of early Lake Jackson businesses or that may show the history of the area as the town was being
built and as it expanded in the coming years.
The following is a list of some of the early businesses we are including, but not limited to:
- Lake Drug and/or Schmidt’s Service Station
- The Piggly Wiggly
- Shaddocks Supermarket
- Jack Reid’s Appliances
- LaVelle’s
- Sportsville
- Nowlin Jewelry
We understand that many of these photos may be cherished family mementos, so we are happy to digitize the photos for you at no cost. This will allow us to include a copy of them in the exhibition while at the same time preserving them for future generations to enjoy.
Please contact the Curator at 979-297-1570 or curator@ljhistory.org if you have any questions or photos you would like to share.
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Photo taken in 1944 of Georgia Walley, a local Lake Jackson resident at the time. She would soon become one of the town’s favorite history teachers.
Notice the small house behind her? That was not designed by Alden Dow. Mrs. Walley was walking along what was then Oyster Creek Drive near what is now the intersection of Oyster Creek Dr. and Nolan Ryan Expressway.
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Agnew Beauty College: This small college opened in late 1971 at 121 Circle Way St. in Lake Jackson.
Some might recognize it as something else. It would later open as a Mexican-style restaurant in 1980 by Abraham Quintanilla as Papagayo’s. This would become the famous restaurant where Selena Quintanilla made her singing debut at 9 years old.
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Remembering Resistance Recap | |
Last month, we hosted our Remembering Resistance community oral history program to complement our Black History of Lake Jackson display. Our program & education coordinator, Katelyn, gave a brief presentation on racial segregation and integration in Lake Jackson based on archival research. However, the true highlights of the program were the stories and memories shared by audience members. There are so many stories that are not documented in the archive, but rather survive through storytelling in our communities. This is why collecting oral histories is so important to historic preservation. The LJHA staff was honored to have learned so much from our community about this often untold yet pivotal era in our history.
The program was recorded with the intent of transcribing and preserving the many stories and insights that were shared by audience members. This audio and its transcription will be uploaded to our website in the near future.
Our sincere thanks to the Martin Luther King Celebration Committee (MLKCC) for sponsoring the program & generously donating to the development of educational programming focusing on historically marginalized minority communities.
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Remembering Resistance Photo Gallery | |
All photos taken by Darlene Weir, dba Anchor Productions | |
Volunteer Info Sessions & Training | |
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Are you interested in volunteering with the Lake Jackson Historical Association but you're not sure where to start? Please join us for one of our volunteer information sessions this month!
When you attend, you'll get a presentation from our staff members about volunteer opportunities. Ask questions, meet other prospective volunteers, and fill out an application if you decide to join us!
You only need to attend one info session -- choose what fits your schedule!
Info Session 1: Saturday, March 25, 2023, at 10 AM
Location: Alden B. Dow Office Museum
101 South Parking Place, Lake Jackson, TX 77566
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Info Session 2: Tuesday, March 28, 2023, at 5:30 PM
Location: Lake Jackson Historical Museum
249 Circle Way, Lake Jackson, TX 77566
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Sing With Me: The Story of Selena Quintanilla | |
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Visit MacLean Park to experience StoryWalk®, a new initiative from Lake Jackson Library designed to get you moving, reading, and learning! The Lake Jackson Historical Association is proud to sponsor the StoryWalk® book for March 2023: Sing With Me: The Story of Selena Quintanilla by Diana Lopez and illustrated by Teresa Martinez. This book tells the inspirational story of Selena Quintanilla, the Queen of Tejano Music, a story which began here in Lake Jackson. Spanish translations are available, and don't forget to do the interactive activities that accompany each page!
The Lake Jackson Library will also host a free community storytime for Sing With Me on Saturday, March 25th at 10:30 AM at the Lake Jackson Historical Museum.
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Book your Event with LJHA! | |
Did you know that the Lake Jackson Historical Museum and the Alden B. Dow Office Museum are available to rent for private events?
Our two museum locations are unique and exciting places to have your events! We can welcome up to 200 people in our two-story museum space on Circle Way and up to 40 people in our 1940s office museum on S. Parking Place.
Historical Museum Rates:
$100 per hour
$150 per hour if your event requires us to close the museum to the public during our regular hours (Tuesday - Saturday, 10 AM - 4 PM)
Alden B. Dow Office Museum Rates:
$75 per hour
Not available to rent on the second Saturday of the month from 10 AM - 4 PM.
Are you a nonprofit or community organization? Call us about holding a meeting at the Alden B. Dow Office Museum for FREE!
Call (979) 297-1570 or email director@ljhistory.org to learn more about our policies and inquire about your event!
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StoryWalk® with Lake Jackson Library
March 1st - 31st
MacLean Park, 93 Lake Rd, Lake Jackson, TX 77566
Free admission
LJHA is proud to sponsor the StoryWalk® book for March 2023: Sing With Me: The Story of Selena Quintanilla by Diana Lopez.
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Spring Break Activities
March 14th - 18th, 10 AM - 4 PM
249 Circle Way, Lake Jackson, TX 77566
Free admission
We'll have games and crafts at the museum for the kiddos while they're out of school!
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Volunteer Info Session 1
Saturday, March 25th, 10 AM
101 South Parking Place, Lake Jackson, TX 77566
Learn more about volunteer opportunities at LJHA!
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Community Storytime with Lake Jackson Library
Saturday, March 25th, 10:30 AM
249 Circle Way, Lake Jackson, TX 77566
Free admission
Visit the museum for a community storytime hosted by the Lake Jackson Library! We'll be reading Sing With Me: The Story of Selena Quintanilla written by Diana Lopez and illustrated by Teresa Martinez. We're proud to sponsor Sing With Me as the StoryWalk® book of the month.
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Future Aldens with Snapology
Saturday, March 25th, 1-3 PM
249 Circle Way, Lake Jackson, TX 77566
Free admission
On the fourth Saturday of every month, Snapology visits the Lake Jackson Historical Museum to lead an engaging LEGO engineering workshop for kids inspired by Alden B. Dow's historic architecture.
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Volunteer Info Session 2
Tuesday, March 28th, 5:30 PM
249 Circle Way, Lake Jackson, TX 77566
Learn more about volunteer opportunities at LJHA!
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Jackson Plantation Historic Site Open
Saturday, April 1st, 10 AM - 5 PM
1030 FM 2004, Lake Jackson, TX 77566
Admission by donation
Founded in the 1840s, the Jackson Plantation was the second of three plantations developed by Abner Jackson. Originally known as "Lake Place," the site was once a bustling sugar plantation that stretched over 4,642 acres with more than 80 enslaved workers.
Come visit and learn about one of Texas' most important archeological sites.
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Alden B. Dow Office Museum Open
Saturday, April 8th, 10 AM - 4 PM
101 S. Parking Place, Lake Jackson, TX 77566
Admission by donation
On the second Saturday of every month, see the restored Alden B. Dow 1943 office in downtown Lake Jackson. Learn all about the city’s beginnings and the indelible mark that A.B. Dow left as the principal architect of Lake Jackson.
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The Alden Ball
Saturday, April 15, 2023, 6 -9 PM
249 Circle Way, Lake Jackson, TX 77566
Tickets go on sale Wednesday, March 22nd
Join us for an elegant evening of Big Band jazz to support the preservation of Lake Jackson history. It'll be a gas!
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Something to Chew On with Jim Pierce
Thursday, April 20th, 12 - 1 PM
249 Circle Way, Lake Jackson, TX 77566
Admission: $5 for non-members, free for members
Come lunch and learn with us! For our April Something to Chew On, we are excited to welcome
Jim Pierce, who will tell the story of Pecan Lake's unexpected creation in Lake Jackson and the dramatic saga of when exotic animals escaped from a menagerie on its shores.
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Honor Someone You Love
Pave the walkway to the Lake Jackson Historical Museum or the Jackson Plantation Historic Site with a personalized brick.
Order a memorial brick here.
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Follow us on social media! | |
Funding has been provided to LJHA by Humanities Texas and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as part of the Federal ARP Act. | | | | |
