The Galveston Historical Foundation has released the list of this year’s Historic Homes Tour, and I’m excited to see that a restoration that has been in progress for a few years has been added to the list. Is it fully restored? We will see on May 6! I have also seen the house where I’ll be volunteering, and it is small, but they have recently finished restoring/updating it. I was getting kind of nervous because, based on the Google Maps photo from 2019, I thought I would have to bring my hedge trimmer and paintbrush to get it up to shape. Thankfully, someone did an excellent job restoring it, and it looks terrific.

I always volunteer with the Candy Lady. Anyone who has taken the tour for several years or is from Liberty County or Galveston knows who this precious being is on the first week of the tour, and this year is no different. The only thing different is that this house is not the cover house. It is a smaller house and we will do the best we can to get you in as soon as possible, but there will be lines and possibly booties involved, so stay tuned. I am the gatekeeper, and I’ll have a clipboard; but don’t worry, I never wave it around and say that I’m in charge. I leave that to the paid employees of a historical foundation. I know your struggle, and it is my struggle.

I love being a gatekeeper, although I don’t know who is the key master, and I also don’t know who to call if someone in the line asks if the house is haunted because that’s not discussed on the tour. I’m the person who lets you through the gate. Depending on the size of the house, there is a limit to how many people can enter at a time. Last year, I sent 700 people into the cover house in five hours. That was a record for me, but I doubt it will be reached this year, and that’s okay. We will enjoy this tour. I wanted to discuss other known gatekeepers, such as dream expert Fredrick Von Krueger, but he never returned my calls. His loss.

Breaking news!

Well, at least for me. Someone researching rocket slides (who knew this was a thing) emailed me about a photo from Gilham Park from the 1960s, and I’ve been ecstatic ever since. No, it wasn’t Rose Hill Park; it was Port Arthur, and I know the kids around Gilham Circle enjoyed the hell out of this rocket slide. It’s an aerial view of the water tower, and you can see the rocket slide nearby. I’m sure I speak for those who grew up here when I say that we love this photo because we all know this was ours; that park witnessed many dreams and wishful plans to make our adult years great. Thank you to those in charge of the parks who brought a lot of happiness to us kids. Whether it was Rose Hill or Gilham, we are grateful to you.

Sometimes, I get random texts about SETX history, and this week was no different. I got a text about the name of the South Texas State Fair. Luckily, a friend of mine, who is a research genius, did a report on the fair, so I replied with her work because I’m not a genius and she is thorough in her research. Everything is flowers and unicorns currently, but this is something few people know: Why “South” and not “Southeast”? Well, according to my friend’s report, they had random small fairs in SETX until 1906 when the Beaumont Horse Show and Race Meet gave the area its first taste of carnival flair.

In the next two years, they would have the Jefferson County Trucker’s Fair in 1907 and the Southeast Texas Fair and Pure Food Show in 1908. Between 1909 and 1914, the latter was called Southeast Texas Fair. It wasn’t until 1915 that they changed the name to South Texas State Fair. It is still unknown why they went with “South” instead of “Southeast.” It could be just some random name that they thought was appropriate at the time.

We were back in Sabine Pass yesterday. That makes three straight Saturdays I was out in Sabine Pass Cemetery. Will there be a fourth? I have no idea. Two weeks ago, the saturated grounds hampered our efforts; hopefully, we will have better luck when the data comes back later this week. Fingers crossed, we’ll have positive results.

Until next week, enjoy your fried fair delicacies and eat a corndog for me because I’m not getting onto that mess known as I-10. For those who do, good luck and Godspeed.