Jun 19, 2023 | From The Vault of Texas History
By Tracy Gupton Juneteenth is celebrated annually across the great state of Texas and beyond, but many are unaware of the event’s origins. Famed West Columbia resident Charlie Brown, the wealthiest Black man in Texas in the early 20th Century, was instrumental in...
Jun 18, 2023 | From The Vault of Texas History
By Tracy Gupton A direct line to the creation of Father’s Day is blurred by history. But when researching the origin of the annual holiday Americans observe in recognition of beloved dads, that line becomes more sharply focused on West Columbia, Texas. The nascent...
Jun 6, 2023 | From The Vault of Texas History
By Tracy Gupton and Ben Tumlinson Columbia Historical Museum It was the largest amphibious invasion in the history of warfare. More than 156,000 brave young soldiers from the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada stormed the nearly 50 miles of beaches of...
May 29, 2023 | From The Vault of Texas History
By Tracy Gupton “HE GALLANTLY GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY” is the closing sentence written on a proclamation delivered from President Franklin D. Roosevelt to the parents of fallen soldier Charles Frank Ringgold in West Columbia, Texas, in 1944. Private...
May 12, 2023 | From The Vault of Texas History, News from Columbia Historical Museum
Longtime Columbia Historical Museum director Bill Womack pictured with his grandson Carrson Karl at the West Columbia museum in happier days By Tracy Gupton Hearts are heavy among those of us who serve as members of the Columbia Historical Museum Board of Directors as...
