DMMPG

dmmpg @ 2008-02-20T08:21:00

2008-02-20T14:09:04Z

Where are you going to find a slew of original photographs depicting life in rural Texana organized into galleries with detailed captions to help you understand what you're viewing ? Right here, folks. Our web galleries give you more than just a photo - you get the background information behind the picture, too !

So, you like what you see but want to learn more ? There's one other place that is a wealth of information on our shared history - the Portal To Texas History project, which is administered by the University of North Texas Libraries, Digital Projects Unit. The Portal to Texas History offers students and lifelong learners a digital gateway to the rich collections held in Texas libraries, museums, archives, historical societies, and private collections.

It is almost impossible to wrap your brain around these numbers, yet we are happy to announce that this web site has received well over ONE MILLION hits since it was launched in late 2006. Yep, the "little museum on the prairie" has been catching the eye of Internet surfers from around the globe. And just guess what they come here to see - the pictures ! Our custom web galleries can be remotely administered from anywhere in the world with an Internet connection, and more photos from the past are gradually being added. We hope you'll stick around, explore the site, and learn more about "the simple life". We're glad to have you visit !

In yet another technological feat for a small Texas museum, we are now proud to announce the opening of The Medicine Mound Store - the ONLY place to get your official, custom embroidered casual apparel with our popular "Medicine Mound, Texas - Population 0" slogan ! This new storefront is pretty cool, we think, and a good portion of the proceeds go to support the Medicine Mound Museum. We hope you'll surf on over to the store and check out all the specials, and we appreciate your support.

dmmpg @ 2008-02-02T09:16:00

2008-02-02T14:17:27Z

dmmpg @ 2008-02-01T20:35:00

2008-02-02T03:17:20Z

Okay, I know we've shown this video before, but it is so well produced it bears repeating for those new viewers that may not have seen it before. Texas Country Reporter Bob Phillips visited Medicine Mound late last summer, and this program segment has proven very popular with our supporters.

There's some big news looming on the horizon, as our little non-profit continues to "raise the bar" for executing innovative ideas. We were the first to have self-administered, custom web galleries usually reserved for high end web sites, the first to use the acclaimed ProShot Boxx for photographing collections, and now we're introducing yet another "first". Using the Internet to raise money is nothing new, but we've got something cooking that no other organization has, and it promises to be pretty exciting. Stay tuned to this page, because we'll be making a formal announcement by mid-February. If you are affiliated with another nonprofit group and you're reading this, pay special attention for this pending announcement.

dmmpg @ 2008-01-09T21:12:00

2008-01-10T03:47:45Z

So, how many ghost town museums do you know of that can boast of having a top hat worn by actor Johnny Depp sitting on a mannequin dressed in a Depression-era women's basketball uniform ? Not many, we'd bet....but that's the unique world that is the Medicine Mound Museum. Bet you're wondering how we got our hands on that hat, eh ? Well, it was donated by a dear friend of our founder, Myna Potts, that works "in the business" on the West Coast. Somehow, the hat looks right at home perched on that mannequin.

And what about that uniform ? It is original, and naturally quite old. But you'd be surprised how these old girl's basketball uniforms came into existence. A local farmer - a "Mounder" donated the proceeds from his cotton crop to the team so they could buy these swanky, new uniforms. Now that's what we call sacrifice !

While we're on the subject of giving back to the community, we are proud to formally announce the appointment of Mr. David D. Foster, AIA, to the position of Preservation Architect for our group. Mr. Foster grew up around Medicine Mound, and his father even helped in the construction of the old Cole building, so he has fond memories of the place and wanted to "give back" to the community where he grew up. David's practice is located in Houston, but he'll be making frequent stops in Medicine Mound in the months to come. Congratulations to Mr. Foster and his team for putting together a winning proposal !

Why in the world do we need a "Preservation Architect" in the first place ? Because there are strict government standards in place that must be closely followed if we are to retain our historic status. Fixing up these old buildings to meet modern standards while retaining their unique "look and feel" requires a special talent, which is why we are so grateful to have Mr. Foster's expertise at the Board's disposal. Developing a Master Site Plan that will carry us into the next decade means that the architect must consult with the Board of Directors to hone their vision for the future into working, architectural documents that reflect that vision. Then there is ADA compliance, regulations set forth by the Secretary of the Interior and the National Park Service, and so on..... the list is a long one, for sure. It takes a special type of architect to navigate through the myriad of rules and regulations to insure the finished product is acceptable to all.

Phase One of this project will consist of a site assessment to determine the structural state of the properties, gathering of historical data and photographs, etc. If anyone has access to ANY old photos of the downtown Medicine Mound area before the tragic fire, please let us know - we'd love to use them with this project !

There will be even more news to come in the days and weeks ahead, so be sure to check back often for news and updates as they become available ! And thanks again for everyone's support in 2007 - we're looking forward to 2008 !

dmmpg @ 2007-12-03T20:43:00

2007-12-04T02:51:32Z

With the season of giving fast approaching, it is our pleasure to announce a substantial in-kind donation from none other than Internet giant Google. Executive Director John Bates is busy administering the grant, which allows for up to $10,000 worth of Internet advertising per month for the next several months. For those that may not be familiar with how Internet advertising such as this works, we'll try to explain.

Our Executive Director applied for this grant back in September, then almost forgot about it. He was finally notified a few days ago that our group would receive an in-kind donation from Google totaling $30,000 ! The grant program is fairly straightforward - Google set up an Ad-Words account for our non-profit group, then notified us by email once the account was activated. John administers the Ad-Words account remotely, using a combination of common search terms and keywords to drive visitors to this web site and learn more about our mission. So far, the ad blitz is proving successful, resulting in a roughly 400% increase in web site visitors since the campaign began !

How does it work, you might ask ? John has established several different ad campaigns, each having a maximum "cost per click" of $1.00. Each ad created is associated with certain keywords or common search phrases relative to the advertisement. For example, someone searching on Google for "Texas photos" will see our ad placed at the top of the search engine results, or on the top right side under the Sponsored Links column. If they click on the ad, the link brings them to this web site. This creates what is called a "Click Through Ratio", which is monitored and reported by Google. The cost of each click on an ad is also monitored and reported, so John can easily track which combination of search terms and keywords is giving us the most "bang for the buck".

We are most grateful for this wonderful gift, which we hope will put our little frontier museum at the "top of the heap" and draw many more supporters to the web site. You see, while the Downtown Medicine Mound Preservation Group is all about "Preserving Texas History Education", we also have an obligation to a greater, world-wide audience. Stay tuned to the web site for more exciting grant news in the days to come, and have a safe and wonderful holiday season. Merry Christmas from the Downtown Medicine Mound Preservation Group !

dmmpg @ 2007-10-28T14:15:00

2007-10-28T18:27:00Z

There's a reason why we should "listen to our elders" - much can be learned from them, if only we'll take the time to listen. Case in point - at the recent Medicine Mound Reunion, we were fortunate to get some video of Mr. Harland Brooks, self-proclaimed "World Champion Tadpole Swallower". You see, in a small community like Medicine Mound, the kids had to make their own entertainment, even if it meant swallowing a slew of disgusting baby frogs ! We think you'll enjoy this short clip, as Harland tells the story in his own words.

dmmpg @ 2007-10-22T13:14:00

2007-10-22T17:22:36Z

It's been a long time since we've updated our blog - almost six weeks - because things have been so busy around these parts. With the release of the Texas Country Reporter story, our web master reported 50,000 "hits" in a single day, and interest in Medicine Mound is growing around the world. We're on track to reach a half-million visitors by year's end !

The bi-annual Medicine Mound Reunion was a big success, thanks largely to our own Jeanene Stermer, Myna Potts, and a group of dedicated volunteers. One of the most precious moments of the day came when pioneer sisters Edith Chandler and Iva Collier sat down with John Bates and Dr. James Crowder to record some memories of times past, such as the time Mrs. Tidmore (allegedly) burned down the town. Here's a snippet of that interview for our readers we think you'll enjoy.......

We had close to one hundred guests attending the reunion, which brought together "Mounders" from around the country. There was even one young couple from Florida that found their way to Medicine Mound after a restaurant proprietor in town recommended a visit. One young gal told us, in fairly good English, she was from Prague, Czechoslovakia ! Tayna Fulmer & crew did a fantastic job in the kitchen with preparations and making sure the buffet line went smoothly, and we are grateful for all their hard work. Bill Neal sold and signed a few of his great books, while everyone had a chance to visit and make new acquaintances. 2008 will be our Centennial celebration, and we are already busy making plans for that one - we hope you'll join us as we celebrate 100 years in existence !

dmmpg @ 2007-09-07T12:39:00

2007-09-07T16:47:28Z

Inspiration comes from unexpected sources, and we believe this video will inspire you and bring you closer to that place we like to call "Medicine Mound - Population Zero". We are deeply grateful for this visit from Bob Phillips and the Texas Country Reporter crew, and believe they captured the essence of this once-thriving village. Enjoy the show !

We hope you'll consider making a tax-deductible contribution to our group to help us preserve the memories of rural America....

dmmpg @ 2007-09-01T10:22:00

2007-09-01T16:45:53Z

Thanks for stopping by to check out our blog page - we're happy to have you visit. So how did a little-known private museum located in a deserted town miles from the main highway become a Texas icon ? It all started as one woman's "playhouse" - the Hicks-Cobb General Store. Take a look at the photo below, folks - this is what the old general store looked like some twenty years ago.

Now take a look at that same building in the photo below, taken just a few weeks ago. Looks quite different, doesn't it ? Although the granite cobblestone exterior looks much the same, it's what's inside that seems to mesmerize our visitors. The Medicine Mound Museum is definitely not an ordinary collection of stuff displayed behind glass. The original wiring for bare light bulbs still hang from the ceiling, just as they did in the 1930's. The tattered rope that once held entire stalks of bananas still dangles in the front corner, a frayed remnant of a bygone era when life revolved around farming, church, and school. Myna Potts has graciously hosted visitors for years, but the passage of time has required a transition from "playhouse" to non-profit corporation. This transition has already brought some positive changes, and more are sure to follow. One thing that cannot be altered is the raw charm of the locale, the unique environment which is Medicine Mound. In the harsh outskirts of Hardeman County, it's not uncommon to hear the unmistakable warning of the rattlesnake or witness a coyote scampering across the farm road nearby.

Our new non-profit corporation consists of a group of dedicated individuals with a singular vision - preserving the rural Texas lifestyle and the little ghost town of Medicine Mound. We sincerely hope you'll take the time to explore the rest of the site, peruse the photo galleries, and consider making a donation or joining our group. We may be a small outfit, but we've got big plans for "Medicine Mound - Population Zero".

dmmpg @ 2007-08-21T15:36:00

2007-08-21T21:37:13Z

We are very proud to announce that Myna Potts and the Medicine Mound Museum will soon be featured on the hit TV show Texas Country Reporter with Bob Phillips, which is set to air all over Texas on September 2nd - the Labor Day holiday weekend.

There are a gazillion other cool places in Texas that Mr. Phillips and his crew might have chosen to visit, yet they chose to interview Myna and highlight the Medicine Mound Museum because it is a true Texas treasure. During their visit, the TV crew feasted on lemonade and scrumptuous blueberry scones provided by our good friends over at Valley Pecans, and spent the entire morning talking with Myna and filming around the museum. We certainly hope you'll check your local listings and set your recording devices to catch the show - the producer tells us they are very pleased with the final product. We are sure you'll be pleased with it, too !

In other news, it is also now possible to make tax-deductible donations to our group directly from this web site. This feature has been a long time coming, but now we can accept donations directly over the Internet through two very reputable outfits - the Network For Good and Just Give. All a potential donor has to do is click on the "Donate Now" button, enter their credit card info, and make a tax-deductible contribution ! It couldn't be much easier for us or for the donor.

The Medicine Mound Reunion is right around the corner, too, and we are busy making plans for that special event. Kudos to the Waggoner National Bank in Vernon for making a donation to help underwrite the costs of this reunion - we appreciate their civic pride and want to acknowledge their contribution. Speaking of reunions, you won't want to miss the 2008 Centennial celebration - it promises to be a real "doozey" ! Our Executive Director is already making some big plans for that celebration which will be revealed in due time. We hope you'll stay tuned to this web site as the weeks and months go by to learn more.

Next time you're in the area we hope you make the short drive out to Medicine Mound to meet Myna and check out our little frontier museum on the Texas prairie. We are certain you'll come to love this place as much as we do !

dmmpg @ 2007-07-30T18:44:00

2007-07-31T02:40:18Z

Volumes have been previously written about Comanche life on the Texas prairie, so we will not attempt to expand on that subject in this forum....we'd prefer to concentrate on the future, especially as it relates to our group's mission and the Medicine Mound Museum.

The history of both white settlers and the Comanche people have been intertwined in so many different ways over the decades, it seems only fitting that our group should reach out to our Native American friends in general, and the Comanche Nation in particular. Certainly, there was a previous clash of cultures that resulted in much bloodshed, disparity, and distrust between them, but we need not perpetuate that history. Instead, we should focus on our shared history so that others might learn from these uniquely Texas experiences.

With that in mind, the Downtown Medicine Mound Preservation Group was honored to host a visit by Mr. Nick Parker, great grandson of Comanche Chief Quanah Parker, who was accompanied by our friend Linda Pelon. Mr. Parker (and family) traveled here from Tennessee for a "whirlwind tour" of the area, including Palo Duro Canyon, Medicine Mound, the Turner Ranch and Pease River Breaks. Their last stop was the Medicine Mound Museum, where Mr. Parker was given the grand tour by our founder, Myna Potts. Together, they spent a good deal of time discussing this shared history, and we believe Mr. Parker came away with a greater understanding of our mission and our vision.

The Comanche people's role in the area's history is undisputed, but there are many stories as yet untold. Contrary to many of the wild tales of confrontations on the prairie, there are also more mundane stories that help to illustrate everyday life on both sides. One such story comes down from the Jackson family, whose homestead was about a mile east of downtown Medicine Mound. The family matriarch, Ms. Jackson, was rocking on the front porch of their home when she spotted a small band of Comanche approaching. With her shotgun across her lap, she watched as the braves approached, then asked her permission to use the grinding stone to sharpen their knives and axes. Under Ms. Jackson's watchful eye, the braves took turns at the large whetstone in the yard, carefully sharpening their weapons. When all were finished, the small band of Comanche warriors mounted their horses and rode off in the direction of the Mounds. It was a simple gesture of kindness by one homesteader toward the Comanche that, until now, has gone undocumented.

There will be many more stories to be told - some from the settler's perspective, others from the Comanche point of view. It is our hope that we can nurture this new friendship with the descendants of the great Comanche Chief Quanah Parker, so that future generations may achieve a greater understanding of the Westward Expansion and the roles of various groups in the settling of the frontier. We hope you'll come along for the adventure....

Skidboot the Dog

2007-07-26T02:35:42Z



"Skidboot the Dog" on Google Video
Guess who's coming to visit ? Yep - the Texas Country Reporter ! This heart-warming segment from Texas Country Reporter, with Bob Phillips, gives our readers an idea of the kind of "down home" documentaries these folks produce. This award-winning show is coming to Medicine Mound in a few days to interview Myna, and we can't wait to see the finished product ! As soon as we know when it will air, y'all will be the first to know.....so stay tuned !

dmmpg @ 2007-07-21T23:50:00

2007-07-22T04:58:27Z

From the introduction to Our Stories - Legend Of The Mounds by noted western author and current Board Member Bill Neal......we'd like to offer up a little flavor of the era, and give you some insight into why we hold these pioneers in such high esteem. Please read on.

"....this book of is not about gunfights, cattle barons, or the headline grabbers. It is a more prosaic account of the settlers - the pioneers - who first came to this wilderness - a land beyond the forbidden 98th Meridian, a land of harsh climate, of seemingly constant winds, of frequent droughts, of deadly winter storms, of insufficient trees for buildings, fence posts, or fuel - a land the early explorers had called "The Great American Desert". Still, despite these hazards, they loaded up their few worldly goods on prairie schooners and headed west with little more than the clothes on their backs plus a lot of hopes, dreams, and determination to survive, endure, and triumph. It is the story of the monumental, uphill-all-the-way and often desperate struggle of these common folks - a struggle just to exist, and wrest a meager living from the land with the few and primitive tools they possessed, a struggle to finally pay off the mortgage and own their own piece of land and thus control their own destinies while leaving a treasured heritage of land and freedom to their children.

Most of these settlers or their ancestors immigrated from Eastern Europe where their ancestors were serfs, peasants, and servants at the mercy of feudal lords who, with their progeny, owned forever the land our forefathers tilled. The ownership of land was thus the ultimate symbol of freedom and self-determination. Ingrained then, deep within the settlers was a hunger for freedom, for human dignity, for the right to be judged not by title or birth but weighed instead on a scale that took into account only a man's character and what he had accomplished. And, for most of them, it was all wrapped up in owning their own piece of land. Hence, their tenacity and fierce determination to take on all odds, brave the elements, diseases, discomforts and the dangers of this uncivilized and untamed frontier, and, by by the sweat of their brows, achieve ownership of their own land. In the process, they, and the hardy souls like them who kept pressing the frontier Westward, turned this harsh wilderness into the breadbasket of the world, and left us a legacy not only of land, but also freedom and democracy, of which we are proud."

dmmpg @ 2007-07-11T00:31:00

2007-07-11T05:17:02Z

A tip of the proverbial hat goes to the good folks at Adobe Systems for making their software available to qualified non-profits for a nominal administrative fee......our group has acquired a new version of Adobe Acrobat Professional Version 8.1, and has already begun the process of document conversion. This great software tool allows us to make most of our founding documents and policies more readily accessible from our Downloads page. Of course, you have to have the free Adobe Acrobat reader installed on your computer, but that is almost universally installed on computers these days anyway. The point is this - we are streamlining and polishing the look and feel of our pertinent documents, and things will only get better.

Soon, we'll begin creating our own Request For Quote (RFQ) pages - interactive PDF forms where we can specify jobs that need to be quoted, and contractors/vendors can respond in kind to bid on the myriad jobs that need to be done as we move forward with our plans for the future. Better yet, these pages will be linked on other non-profit web sites for maximum exposure, stoking the fires of competitive bidding. It's a win-win situation for everyone, it seems........all made possible via the power of Internet.

In the photo above, founders John and Myna Potts take a break from their busy schedules to enjoy a rare, cool breeze in front of the Medicine Mound Museum during the deluges of the last month. Folks, we can't tell you how much this project means to them both - years of collecting and memories and photos of a bygone era will be saved for future generations to learn and enjoy, and the Potts are to be commended for their foresight. You know, at one time it was suggested that the two old buildings that remain of Medicine Mound be converted to chicken coops - can you imagine ?!?

Executive Director John Bates is researching more funding options through State, Federal, and local agencies and private philanthropy in the quest for enough "seed money" to get us through our first three years or so. There are literally dozens of projects that need to be tackled, and the sooner the better. Stay tuned to these pages for the latest news and reports from Medicine Mound, TX - Population Zero.

dmmpg @ 2007-07-07T12:08:00

2007-07-07T17:05:28Z

Some folks might wonder why we've expended so much effort to save two little rock buildings in the middle of nowhere, and that's a legitimate question that deserves some explanation. We won't recount the entire history of this frontier village on this blog since much of that is covered elsewhere on this site.

Our passion is born out of respect, love, and admiration for those that came before us - several generations of hardy pioneers that sacrificed much yet did not lament the lack of modern conveniences such as electricity, all the while toiling hard just to have two nickels to rub together. The lives of the early "Mounders" revolved around work, school, and faith - there just weren't enough hours in the day for much else. Living on the Texas prairie was like an episode of "The Simple Life" magnified by one hundred. It is difficult for some to imagine what it must have been like to milk your cows by hand, churn your own butter, or haul your water up from the depths of the earth. Our grandfathers plowed the fields with mules, our grandmothers sewed our clothes from scraps or feed sacks because "store bought" clothing was a luxury many could not afford. School kids brought their own lunches in a bucket, sometimes not much more than biscuit and a piece of salt pork or fruit. The children invented their own games out-of-doors, and got into mischief just like kids do nowadays, but they dared not disrespect their teachers or their elders for fear of certain punishment. Family values was more than just a political catch-phrase....it was a way of life which we believe deserves remembrance. Neighbors pitched in to help each other whenever there was a big job to be done, or brought your family dinner when someone was ailing. This was rural America, and it is what drives much of what we do, as each one of our Board of Directors has some ties to the old community and the rural lifestyle.

The Medicine Mound Museum is more than just a collection of old "stuff". The Hicks-Cobb General Store served an important function as a gathering spot for generations. Ira Hicks knew all the town-folk by name, and many depended on the store's credit system to get them through hard times until a good crop was harvested, allowing them to pay off their bills, as witnessed by the store's hand written ledger system. The collections in the museum are a priceless microcosm of a lifestyle that is mostly forgotten, but we intend to keep it alive so that others may learn.

Lest you begin to think all was gloom and doom on the Texas frontier, there are plenty of anecdotes about practical jokes and fun times, too. One of their favorite pastimes was to ride out to the nearby Medicine Mounds to go "Kodaking", as it was called.....a picnic lunch and a camera (if you had one) was mostly all that needed for a Sunday afternoon of fun with friends. Whether you rode on horseback, hitched a team to the buggy, or had an automobile, the Medicine Mounds were a magnet for everyone around the county.

As you can see from the snapshot above, the cowboys were the real deal, complete with six-shooter ! This is just one snapshot of hundreds in storage at the Medicine Mound Museum. Once we can obtain enough operational seed money to begin full-time restorations, many more of these old photos will be brought back to life by our digital imaging specialist. There are irreplaceable artifacts in the museum which need proper conservation in a controlled climate, something we do not yet have. Interactive displays must be designed and built, databases of genealogy and cemetery records created and maintained, and so on. There's plenty of work to be done, and we're anxious to get started ! Stay tuned...... we'll have more announcements in the days to come.

dmmpg @ 2007-06-28T14:58:00

2007-06-28T19:37:09Z

The old timers tell us that there hasn't been this much rain in north Texas since Calvin Coolidge was President, and we believe 'em. The photo below was snapped last Tuesday about 1/4 mile from the Medicine Mound Museum, as our Executive Director toured the area to assess the damage from torrential rains that have left the roof over the Medicine Mound Museum badly damaged.

The shot above illustrates the torrential downpours that have plagued the area all spring - the land is saturated. The storm cell that caused this flooding so close to our facility dropped six inches of rain between breakfast and lunch last Monday - that's half the usual amount received in an entire spring season in a matter of mere hours !

The storm damage to the roof over the Medicine Mound Museum has been patched, and we will seek funding for reimbursement from several sources. Then the serious work of rebuilding the roof begins. Small contributions of assistance have trickled in, but we need some serious cash to make this work - we'll hope you'll consider sending us a check (made payable to "DMMPG") and mail it in ! We'll be back in a day or two with more photos and information. Stay tuned..........

dmmpg @ 2007-06-22T10:53:00

2007-06-22T15:48:49Z

It has been a long & difficult journey, fraught with minor hurdles and difficulties, but we are proud to announce that our Letter of Determination was finally issued by the IRS, and is enroute via U.S. Mail. In other words, it's official now - we've been recognized as bonafide, responsible non-profit corporation within the meaning of the tax code.

Now for the disheartening news - severe weather within the last 48 hours has further damaged the roof over the Medicine Mound Museum, and rain has once again leaked into the building and soaked some of Myna's priceless collections. While only a few items got wet, the aging roof is a legitimate cause for concern. Executive Director John Bates will be at the site for the next few days, assessing the damage and trying to get estimates from contractors. Our group will be sending out proposals to several organizations to assist us financially so that we can begin to protect these Texas treasures while we work with a preservation architect to insure their historic character remains undiminished.

The Downtown Medicine Mound Preservation Group would like to publicly thank all those folks that have helped make this journey from concept to reality - your contributions, encouraging words and prayers have really helped bring this project forward. We could not possibly have done this alone, and truly appreciate each and every one of you. From the old-timers still living to the conservation and design experts to the small and large financial contributors, each and every one of you hold a special place of honor for "Preserving Rural Texas History Through Education". Give yourselves a round of applause !

dmmpg @ 2007-06-15T12:16:00

2007-06-15T19:09:36Z

There's a certain magic in the air around Medicine Mound.....it is real and palpable. With the recent spring rains there has been an abundance of growth, including the lovely bluebonnets in the photo of the Medicine Mounds, below. This has been an exceptionally wet spring, with plentiful rainfall, filling the fields with wheat and other crops that wave in the warm Texas breeze. It is a time for renewal, a time for fulfillment. It is our time.

We're doing our part to beautify the area, too. Bluebonnet seeds have been scattered along Farm Market Road 91 Spur, on the opposite side of the roadway from the Museum. With a little luck and decent rains, we should have a "bumper crop" of bluebonnets greeting visitors next year.

After years of being privately owned and operated, the Medicine Mound Museum and what remains of this frontier village is on the verge of a transformation. Progress has been incremental so far, but that has given us plenty of time to put all the elements in place that are needed to run a well-oiled nonprofit organization.

John Bates, our Executive Director, is taking a well deserved break from his administrative duties, but that doesn't mean we are standing still. With the summer travel season upon us, there will be a few more visitors to the Medicine Mound Museum, and historians are now seeking us out. Myna recently hosted Mr. Rolando Romo of Texas A&M in Laredo, who is researching the Quanah Parker family. Mr. Romo is a graduate student writing his thesis, and has offered to share that with the group so we can make it available to the public. This is what we want - folks seeking us out. There's so much history crammed into one facility that we'll soon need more room, but that's another project for another time.

Our new postcards are flying off the shelves, and the design has been quite a hit, it seems. Soon we'll order a few thousand more to be distributed around the region. The question of everyone's lips is "Where in the heck is Medicine Mound, Texas ?" Maybe we'll put it on a tee-shirt soon !

Much like the bluebonnets pictured above, the Medicine Mound Museum will soon blossom and grow to grace the Texas landscape....... we hope you'll make the journey with us !

dmmpg @ 2007-06-05T20:02:00

2007-06-06T04:12:07Z

There have been some interesting developments since our last entry, so let's bring you up to speed on what's happening behind the scenes at Medicine Mound. We're happy to announce that our professionally designed postcards have been delivered and are being distributed to area businesses and attractions. It's just the beginning of a renewed effort to draw visitors to our facility.....our graphics expert is designing a new tri-fold brochure to be unveiled later this summer.

See the photo above ? It was taken in 1995 by a photographer named Brandon Jennings from New York City, and he recently forwarded us a copy for display. Well, the building looks even worse off now - the roof has totally collapsed, exposing what's left of the interior to the ravages of wind, rain, and sun. The tin awning that used to shade old men playing dominoes from the hot Texas sun is almost gone. The mortar that has held these old cobblestone walls together for over seventy years is deteriorating. With near-record rainfall this spring, the roof over the Medicine Mound Museum is leaking, leaving the Texas treasures inside vulnerable. Can't something being done to rehabilitate and restore this unique architecture ? The answer is complex, but deserves some explanation. Let's review........

We filed all the paperwork to set up a Texas non-profit corporation in the summer of 2006. We've gathered a great Board of Directors with diverse talents, written & adopted By-Laws, and held meetings. We are constantly researching what it takes to operate a successful non-profit, and worked for weeks pouring over our IRS Form 1023, cramming as much detailed information as possible into the Application for Non-Profit Status. In November of 2006, the signed forms, fees, and reams of related material were sent to the IRS. We registered with Dunn & Bradstreet so we can apply for grants online through the Federal government's Central Contractor Registry. We have reached out to institutions of higher learning and partnered with some great folks with a similar mission. Our web site and photo galleries have consistently garnered high praise. We also now belong to the Texas Association of Museums. Some respected Texas foundations have expressed interest in helping us financially. A highly recommended preservation architect from Austin is eager to get started on our initial assessment and Master Plan. A prominent state tourism site recently named us "Texas Favorite Detour", plus we've been mentioned in Texas Highways magazine. We've adopted detailed fiscal policies, and set up a local bank account. More recently, we've authored and adopted an in-depth Acquisition and Disposition policy that governs how we will care for our collections. Even the group's founding documents are available to the public via the web site, giving us a measure of operational transparency that goes above and beyond what's required by law. Our Executive Director has done everything in his power to bring this project to fruition, yet these Texas treasures still languish. So why are these historical buildings still deteriorating ?

The Internal Revenue Service has had our completed Form 1023 package since November. Our "user fee" checks were cashed months ago. We've waited patiently, knowing that the IRS was working on a backlog of applications received since Hurricane Katrina, etc. Our Executive Director called them in late April and was told we were "on deck" and "next at bat". Another call was placed to the IRS at the end of May, only to be told our application had not yet been assigned to an IRS examiner. Depending on whom you talk to, our application is either under review or collecting dust on a desk somewhere, all the while our buildings are in dire need of work and every expense we incur is out-of-pocket. Now, the IRS puts all these applications into three categories :

(1) those that can be processed immediately and a Letter of Determination issued right away, usually within 60 days of receipt ;

(2) applications that lack some minor bits of information and need some "tweaking" ;

(3) applications that require "further development", which will be assigned to an Exempt Organizations Specialist.

Well, we've given the IRS everything they needed, and more. We got a letter in the mail the other day requesting that we "tweak" some of the statutory language in our Articles of Incorporation, and that has been done. We expect our Letter of Determination will arrive any day now, which will be cause for celebration ! Stay tuned to this page for updates as they become available - we'll keep you posted ! And thanks for all the love and support....

dmmpg @ 2007-05-28T00:57:00

2007-05-28T06:03:48Z

There's my brother plaid pajamas, and Uncle Pete's green tie...... the flowered dress was momma's, in leaner times.

Grandma took old scraps and patches and gave them brand new life. She said, "No matter where you lay your head, this will keep you warm at night."

"Child, always remember we're all stitched together into this family quilt. Every stripe, every color, each one to the other, the burlap next to the silk."

"It might get a little frayed, but you would be amazed how well it keeps away the chill when we're wrapped in the love of the family quilt."

It's a patchwork world we live in, the craft of unseen hands. And I guess we're just too human to see the plan. But I know to Him that made us, there's more than meets the eye. Kind of like those torn pajamas, and that old green tie.

So I try to remember we're all stitched together into this family quilt. Every stripe, every color, each one to the other, the burlap next to the silk. It might get a little frayed, but you would be amazed how well it keeps away the chill....when we're wrapped in the love of the family quilt.

Take a moment to just marinate on those words....they are the lyrics to one of the most hauntingly beautiful country ballads I've ever heard. Matter of fact, the first time I heard it play on my computer, my eyes welled up with tears as I remembered my own grandmother's quilts. The talented young ladies that perform this song are known around these parts simply as "J 3" - Jill, Janel, and Jenny. I liked the song so much they let me put it on our MySpace page ! Now, if we could just convince them to perform at Medicine Mound for us.......

Did you happen to notice the new photo on the home page of the site ? That longhorn steer resides at the nearby Medicine Mound ranch, and we liked the shot so much we put our graphics expert to work on it. In a few days, it will be popping up all over Texas - we've made it into a high-quality glossy postcard, and we've got thousands of them ! The new postcards will be distributed to the fancy rest stops on Hwy. 287 and other area attractions in an effort to draw more visitors and interest in the Medicine Mound Museum. Did you know that most of the vintage photos at those new rest areas came from the Medicine Mound Museum ? Yep, tis true.

There are even more vintage photos being added to our web galleries, yet it a painfully slow process. Each old photo is carefully scanned at high resolution, then all the dust specks and blemishes removed using Adobe Photoshop before making careful adjustments to brightness, contrast, and tonal levels. Some photos can take several hours of careful retouching at high magnification, then each one is downsized for optimum viewing on the Internet....whew ! We get bleary eyed just thinking about it. Even so, it is a labor of love born of respect for our extended frontier family, and we are proud to present them for the world to study and enjoy. John Bates, our Photographic Technology expert, put it this way - "In a way, restoring these old photos is like bringing these folks back to life again....it's almost spooky to watch the transformation as I work on them, but I love it !"

Y'all enjoy the holiday, and we'll have more news for you soon !

What Made The Greatest Generation So Great ?

2007-05-22T02:00:58Z

If you've followed the news at all lately, especially around the Memorial Day holiday, you've no doubt seen the reports of how "The Greatest Generation" is dwindling fast....those folks that fought their way through the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, World War II, etc. That generation is dying fast, and there aren't many left. It is nice to know that they are getting the recognition they deserve, but did you ever stop to ponder just what made "The Greatest Generation" so great to begin with ? We believe we can answer that question with four words - "hard work" and "family values". Cliche ? Perhaps, but we think it is accurate. We would do well to emulate them, and believe our world would be a better place for it.

Let's use the family in the photo above as an example. This man - we'll call him "Bill" - began his young life with very little, yet managed to raise a fine family even as he worked from dawn to dusk looking after his crops. Six days a week, 52 weeks a year, year after year. Sundays were his only days off, for the most part, and those were spent at worship services and with family. He instinctively knew that some years would be leaner than others, so whenever there was a little extra money he saved most of it and used some to buy more land and equipment. More land meant more crops to bring in more money, but it also meant more work. Thank goodness for the tractor and the combine ! The kids spent their formative years watching and learning from "Bill", who always made time to play with them in the fading light of dusk, even if meant getting down on all fours to play "horsey" although his back was already aching from working in the fields all day. This "Greatest Generation" was spawned by an even greater generation - our parents and grandparents that struggled through so much to make Texas a better place to live. You see, "hard work" and "family values" weren't just catchy phrases uttered by limousine-riding politicians....it was a way of life seldom practiced in modern times. It was, plainly stated, rural America.

By the time that little girl pictured riding "horsey" on her daddy's back (we'll call her "Jane") was all grown up with a family of her own, she instinctively knew that her young son would benefit greatly from similar experiences. Every summer, as soon as he was old enough, the young boy was sent to work on the family farm with his grandfather, "Bill". By then, the grandfather was considered well-to-do by most standards, with seven square miles of farmland and a slew of profitable investments to see them into their twilight years. The young man learned how to drive a tractor, service a well pump, hoe weeds, harvest grain, and shoot a .22 rifle. But he also learned that is it honorable to help those less fortunate, it is admirable to respect your elders, and that you must work hard and apply yourself in order to achieve your goals. You see, that little girl riding "horsey" was my late mother, and "Bill" was my late grandfather. Although they passed on years ago, I still remember the lessons learned. Hopefully, my own offspring will benefit from what I learned and passed on to them.

As we approach the Memorial Day holiday, I would encourage all of you to seek out your elders, visit with them, and do whatever it takes to make those twilight years enjoyable for them. These are the folks that overcame financial calamity, decades of drought and natural disasters, world wars, and more so that you - yes, you - could sit there comfortably at your desk reading this blog on your computer. We owe them this much, and so much more. If you're just a little bit curious about what life must have been like for these folks, we encourage you to visit the Medicine Mound Museum - where "preserving rural Texas history through education" is more than just a catchy phrase......it is a microcosm of rural America. Have a great holiday, y'all !

dmmpg @ 2007-05-16T17:27:00

2007-05-17T13:05:15Z

The time is drawing near when we anticipate receiving our Letter of Determination from the Internal Revenue Service, which will alter our operations in several ways....mostly in terms of daily operations and eligibility for grant funding. Our Board of Directors is understandably excited at the prospect of (finally) getting the nod from the I.R.S. The whole process of setting up a viable non-profit corporation is a daunting task, fraught with bureaucratic hurdles, and we've all worked very hard to come this far. There is much yet to be done.

As soon as it is practical to do so, Executive Director John Bates will be relocating from Detroit to Texas in order to take charge of museum operations and begin the tedious job of cataloging and photographing all the collections currently housed in the Medicine Mound Museum. One of the first priorities will be getting the old W.W. Cole building rehabilitated so it can be used as a "base of operations" while we work on fixing up the Hicks-Cobb General Store. This will be a long-term project which will require significant funding from several sources. We are in the process of preparing grant applications which, if granted, would allow us to make significant improvements to the facilities and to better display the various collections to the public.

Just getting off the ground is challenging - our group needs "seed money" to pay salaries, buy computers & scanners & printers, and so forth. Another challenge is trying to set up high speed Internet service in an area of Texas with more cattle and wheat fields than people, but it is necessary to maintain our great web site and allow us to funnel photos and information to our scholarly partners, such as the University of North Texas and the Portal To Texas History web site. Then there's the matter of having some items professionally restored and displayed, such as the big map of Texas territory hanging just inside the doors. We need a proper heating & cooling system, better access for the disabled, lighting, displays, and so much more.....the "wish list" is a long one, but the cause is most worthy.

Our digital imaging specialist has his hands full these days, scanning and retouching many of the hundreds of old photos in the museum's collections. This is a painstaking and time-consuming process, yet it is just another aspect of our mission. If you haven't seen our innovative web galleries lately, we encourage you to surf on over to the "Galleries" link at the top of the page and check it out. Sure, other web sites have photo galleries, but Medicine Mound is the first museum in the world to install this new database system - driven by ColdFusion technology - which allows us to administer everything remotely from any place with an Internet connection, add titles and captions, and even display EXIF data from digital cameras. Soon, we hope to add yet another feature to our unique galleries that should be a boon to the impaired - narrated captions ! Just imagine - you click on a photo in our gallery, and you'll actually hear the narrator explain who, what, where, and when the photo was taken. We are deeply grateful to Larry Davis of e-3 Design for developing this custom web application for our group. Larry's work certainly keeps us on the cutting edge of technology.

If you live in Texas, you'll want to stay tuned to this site so you'll know when record a special segment of Texas Country Reporter with Bob Phillips. Filming is slated for later this month at the Medicine Mound Museum, and we'll announce the air date right here as soon as we know it. This is an excellent opportunity to get an intimate glimpse of the Medicine Mound Museum and the woman behind its success - Myna Potts. We are honored to have Mr. Phillips and his crew visit this little slice of Texana known as Medicine Mound. In keeping with tradition, there will be "rat trap" cheese and blueberry scones to go around, and plenty of lemonade to wash it all down. We certainly hope Bob enjoys his visit.

There's one more item to tell you about - the stories. Bill Neal's wonderful book - "Legends of the Mounds" - is now being scanned for inclusion on the Portal To Texas History web site, and will soon be available to view or download from their site (which is linked from our own site). Kudos to our friend, Dreanna Belden (University of North Texas) for helping make this possible. There are so many good stories about pioneer life from this area of Texas that need to be told, and we hope you'll take the time to visit the Portal To Texas History and take advantage of this wonderful resource.

That's about all for now, but we'll be back with more in a few days. Thanks to all for your continued support - we couldn't do it without you !

dmmpg @ 2007-05-01T08:29:00

2007-05-01T14:17:58Z

You know, our group has consistently stayed on the forefront of technology even as we have toiled to preserve the past, and it has not always been easy to blend the two disciplines. The Medicine Mound Museum is slowly morphing into a "virtual" museum, and while we anticipate the old Hicks-Cobb General Store will stand for decades to come it is unrealistic to think that our thousands of viewers will ever make the trek to Medicine Mound. In order to bring our message to the masses, we must utilize available technology and give it all a certain "coolness" factor that appeals to both young and old. Having a professional digital photographer on staff is a big plus, yet we are constantly striving to make this site even more informative and visually appealing. Having said all that, we are pleased to announce yet another innovation that we believe holds much promise for the way that museums and other institutions display their collections on the Internet - the ProShot Boxx.

We predict that the ProShot Boxx will quickly become an indispensable product for photographing museum artifacts due its ease of use that produces predictable, professional results with little effort, even by amateurs. In keeping with our tradition of innovation, the Downtown Medicine Mound Preservation Group will be the first museum in Texas to utilize the ProShot Boxx to showcase our artifacts on the web. We believe so strongly in this exciting development, we are going to help make it available to other institutions.

The sample photo above (taken by our webmaster partner, Larry Davis) illustrates just how effective this new contraption can be. Objects are perfectly illuminated with just a single light source - a 100-watt incandescent bulb ! No more sophisticated strobes to set up, no more fiddling with directional lighting to get the right effect - the ProShot Boxx does it all for you with very little effort. It can even be used "in the field" using natural light - a boon for archaeologists and others that work on location.

We'll have more to say about this exciting development in the days to come - a ProShot Boxx is on its way to us for use and evaluation, courtesy of the inventor - Robert Morrissey. Mr. Morrissey is a highly respected commercial photographer whose works have appeared in Time magazine, National Geographic Explorer, and the Wall Street Journal. We're thrilled to have been chosen for this ground-breaking opportunity, and look forward to putting the ProShot Boxx through its paces. Stay tuned, folks - things just keeps getting better and better !

dmmpg @ 2007-04-29T16:13:00

2007-04-30T04:18:23Z

Greetings ! Well, spring has sprung on the Texas prairie and the bluebonnets have just about "peaked" in Hardeman county. The surly-looking longhorn you see pictured above belongs on the nearby Medicine Mound Ranch, but we just couldn't resist snapping that picture as we drove by recently.

The Downtown Medicine Mound Preservation Group held another meeting of its Board of Directors on April 21st at the Quanah Public Library. Earlier in the day, we were happy to entertain the Executive Director of the West Texas Historical Association, Mr. Tai Kreidler, who was accompanied by his lovely wife, Holly. Both spent a good deal of time at the Medicine Mound Museum soaking up all the history, walking around the site, and visiting with some of the folks gathered at the museum. Thanks to Bill Neal (and his wife, Gayla) for hosting Mr. Kreidler - he sure seemed to be enjoying his visit !

And speaking of Bill Neal, seems that his latest book, Getting Away With Murder On The Texas Frontier, is getting the peer recognition it so richly deserves - we hear The Western Writers of America has nominated Bill's work for a "Spur Award" in the Best Nonfiction category ! Folks, if you haven't read any of Bill's books, you are really missing out on a treat. Mr. Neal has an easy style of writing that takes you back in time when you could kill a man and get away with it, but if you stole a horse or some cattle you'd likely wind up swinging from the nearest tree.......

We also heard from Doris Cozart, a key member of the Texas State Genealogy Society, addressing the Board about a certification program for Texas pioneer families as a means of recognizing these important "First Families of Texas". Ms. Shirley Barnes Tate briefly addressed and updated the Board with regard to their "Old Mounds" cemetery marker project. There will soon be another Texas Historical Marker in the area !

Things are beginning to come together for the group, and nearly all the pieces are in place for a successful operation - the web site galleries are coming along nicely, important operational policies have been adopted, and the vision is clear - as soon as the IRS issues our Letter of Determination we'll be contacting some of our potential funders to garner some seed money to see us through our first few years ! With all that said, there's still a ton of work to be done. Stay tuned...

dmmpg @ 2007-04-09T18:31:00

2007-04-10T00:28:33Z

Ahhh....... springtime in Texas ! We thought you'd enjoy this shot of the glorious Texas susnset with the Medicine Mounds in the background - a simple reminder that springtime is a time for renewal, a time for new prospects. And with that, we are happy to announce that we can now be found on MySpace - the world's largest social networking site ! You can see our MySpace page by simply following the graphic link on our home page. (We didn't put the link here because we didn't want you to wander away...)

We'll be holding our next Board meeting on April 21st in the conference room of the Quanah Public Library at two o'clock in the afternoon. Visitors will be welcomed, and we only ask that they remain mindful of the fact that this is a business meeting. Executive Director John Bates will make a lively presentation entitled "Momentum & Direction" for the Board, then spend the rest of the weekend making digital images in the area.

Speaking of digital images, we hope you've taken the time to peruse our "new and improved" web photo galleries now online. They're just going to get better with time, as John works hard to get images scanned, restored, and uploaded for inclusion in the galleries. It is a painstaking process - some of these old photos are cracked, have dozens or even hundreds of tiny specks on them, and need a lot of "tweaking" before they are presented to the public. It is a labor of love born out of respect for those that came before us.

We hope you'll help spread the word about Medicine Mound, and consider joining our group or making a small contribution. Cash is always welcomed, but we also need Home Depot Gift Cards (they don't expire, and help us purchase needed supplies for building maintenance). Your contributions are sorely needed and greatly appreciated.

If you're on the road between Vernon and Quanah, be sure to wander over to the Medicine Mound Museum to meet Myna and the gang ! Until next time........