We believe that:
- There is always room for improvement.
- As citizens, high school students can take an effective part in the community effort.
- By assuming our responsibilities, we can help our surroundings and become better people.
- That by encouraging students, as well as adults, the role of the responsible American citizen will be justified.
Update:
Several members of the Student Community Action Club did an awesome job of moving 4 pickup loads of groceries and filling 50 sacks full of food in less than an hour. Way to go SCAC!
This outstanding group also donated $1100 dollars to the Muleshoe Heritage Center on Saturday. Thanks so much for taking the time out of your very busy lives, for absolutely no pay, to help the community. MHS is proud of you!!!!
A SMALL MIRACLE
By Jean Allison
Standing at the center of the Muleshoe Heritage Center is a unique old ranch house known as the Jane’s Ranch House. The fact that this house dating back to the early 1900’s has been preserved is a near miracle. Even more miraculous is the fact that there is a heritage center at all in Muleshoe, a small town of less than 5000 residents located in the Panhandle of far West Texas. The nearest large city of 200,000 is over seventy miles away. This area, one of the latest developed in the United States, is renowned for its friendly people, miles of flat land and open skies, which create the most spectacular sunrises and sunsets in the world.
The Muleshoe Heritage Center now consists of five restored historic buildings, numerous artifacts and antique farm machinery, but the Center began with only dedicated citizens and ten Muleshoe High School students with a dream. My involvement began eighteen years ago when I was a United States Government teacher at Muleshoe High School. I was startled to hear one day in 1982 over the school intercom system an announcement: If you are interested in saving the Muleshoe Santa Fe Depot, meet in Mrs. Allison’s room immediately after school today.
“Well,” I thought, “what are we going to do?”
I did not have to wonder long, because a senior student came running. “Mrs. Allison, they are having a town meeting tonight to discuss saving the Santa Fe Depot. We knew that you would want to help us save it,” said this young man excitedly. These ten senior students went to that town meeting and became the enthusiastic spark for the other interested residents wishing to save the depot.
The idea of the center originated in 1982 when the Santa Fe Railway system gave the depot to the city of Muleshoe on the condition that the city move the depot to a new site. Then ten high school students and townspeople joined together to devise a plan. The first two years of meetings seemed dull and discouraging, especially to students, because few in the community believed that a heritage center was feasible.
The students continually heard, “It can’t be done. Where can the depot be located?” Over and over, “Where is the money coming from?”
Undaunted they answered, “We can do it!” And the first moneymaking project, a car wash, was conducted by these few enthusiastic students to help move the depot to a new home.
A breakthrough came in 1984 when the city of Muleshoe donated a piece of land for the depot, and this location became the Muleshoe Heritage Center. Appropriately the land was close to the railroad and near a main highway. The student’s enthusiasm was paying off! By this time many people were spending long hours to fulfill the dream of a local heritage center with many activities to raise money being conducted. The last obstacle was overcome and, on March 29, 1985, the depot was on its journey to a new location.
Previously, in September of 1983, Muleshoe High School junior and senior students organized a club named the Student-Community Action Club (SCAC). The main objective of SCAC was to support the new Heritage Center. Later the same year, interested citizens organized the nonprofit Muleshoe Heritage Foundation with a board to direct the drive for a center. The SCAC students became honorary board members, and continue to hold this position.
As soon as the depot was on its new site, the Muleshoe Heritage Foundation faced a new problem. A local rancher offered to donate an unusual two and one-half-story ranch house known as the Janes Ranch House. The owner needed the house moved from his property, so he offered the house and $10,000 to move the structure.
Board members soon discovered that the Janes Ranch house was quite a “find” with an interesting history. It was built in the early 1900’s, earlier than most of the late-developing Muleshoe area. The Janes house stood tall on the West Plains helping early cowboys navigate. Thus the tall Janes Ranch house stood as a beacon on the treeless terrain which could be seen for miles by the cowboys. The stately home later became a center of social activity in a sparsely populated area.
The students were intrigued by the history of the house. They were told that John Janes traveled to Kansas City on ranching business and met a pretty young lady in a bank where she worked. He fell in love with young Anna, but her parents weren’t sure about this Texas rancher. Nevertheless, the couple were married, and Jane’s brought his bride to the Bailey County area in 1913, to prove his love and worth, he built the unique house in 1915. it was constructed with a full basement and two complete levels, completely modern with steam heat and electricity. The house had two bathrooms, something unheard of at this time on the Plains. Whether the house was a Sears and Roebuck prefabricated house or was built by the late Fred Bone of Amarillo, Texas, an outstanding architect and builder of this time, is unknown.The Jane’s Ranch house vibrates with other mysteries. Why was there a large ballroom on the upper floor with an adjacent sitting room? The house was located in a vast area of few people, so there seems to be no need for a ballroom. Perhaps John was again trying to please his young bride, a “city” girl brought to this desolate area by her young rancher.
When the lonely young bride looked out across the Plains, all she could see for miles were cattle grazing lazily on green, or sometimes brown, grass with a windmill dotted here and there. One can almost hear Jane’s say to his wife, “We will have a ballroom, and we will have the “doggonest” parties ever.”
“Yes, and where will all of these people be coming from?”
“Honey, just say party to a cowboy and he will be there.”
And it is said that they did have the “doggondest” parties with ranchers’ families coming from miles around. When visiting this room today, visitors may hear the stomping boots and feel the excitement as those attending dance the Little Foot.Sadness came to the family in October of 1918 when Anna, John’s wife, became ill with influenza and died within a few days.John was left with his young daughter and a deep sadness. In 1919 he sold his cattle and never returned to the cattle business. He leased his land but retained the ranch house with several surrounding acres, which he continued to call home. It was there that he spent most of his summers with his daughter.
After hearing this compelling story and viewing the old house, members of the Heritage Foundation and the SCAC students were convinced that the Jane’s house should be saved. More planning, scheming and fundraising projects ensued before, in 1987, the house was successfully placed at the Heritage Center and renovation began.
What began as a dream of a few community supporters and 10 high school students blossomed at the Center. Soon after the Jane’s ranch house moved to its new home, another house from the early 1900’s joined the Heritage family. The Muleshoe Cookhouse was donated to the Center in 1988, and it also had quite a history. Between 1903 and 1907 Edward K. Warren and his son purchased a total of 80,000 acres for their ranch from the XIT ranch. The XIT at that time was one of the largest ranches in the United States. The warrens called their acquisition the Muleshoe Ranch, and this is believed to be the origin of the city of Muleshoe’s name. Cowboys came from miles around to eat at the Cookhouse, and the old bell which rang to call the cowboys in to eat still hangs in front of the house. The bell’s ringing was a happy sound to the cowboys, because they were used to droughts, blizzards, sand storms, prairie fires, poor market prices, ravages of wolves and the coming of the settlers. Sitting at the long table (a replica recently made by a cowboy board member) in the Cookhouse, the cowboys discussed these problems over a meal and a cup of coffee.
Other historic buildings followed and were placed at the Heritage facility. The ranch hands’ two –story house was reunited with the Jane’s house, near where it had originally been located. The upper story of this building was used as a bunkhouse for the hands, and the lower floor was a garage, a rarity for the early 20th Century.
A small log cabin was donated in 1989 to the Center by the Fried family, which was not indigenous to the area but historic nonetheless. The log cabin originally built around 1870 was found by the Fried family on the North Canadian River bottom near Shawnee, Oklahoma. The Frieds were told that at one time 15 people lived in the one-room structure. The Frieds purchase the cabin for $100 and moved it to their home site in Muleshoe, where it remained until it was donated to the Heritage Center. When the SCAC students heard that 15 people lived in the one-room log cabin, they asked, “Where did they all sleep?” They were informed that earlier the cabin had a sleeping loft. Restoration of a loft with a new raised roof on the log cabin became the students’ next project. The new addition was completed in 1999 with funds from the city of Muleshoe, as well as from the SCAC student group.
The amount of time and labor, which went into renovating and restoring the old structures to, as near as possible, the period of the structures is difficult to describe. All of them were in different stages of disrepair. The Jane’s house had a gaping hole in the roof of the upper floor bedroom. Years of rain and sand had created dried mud on the floor. But once the citizens of the area gained a vision of what the Center could mean to the area, they went to work.
It was another miracle that people with the necessary expertise seemed to come along as needed. A young lady with museum experience became the first president of the board carrying a new baby on her hip. Her donated time and knowledge were invaluable to the board at that time. A later president loved doing the actual physical labor involved in the restoration process. He also had a talent for organizing civic groups and interested citizens to do the cleaning, painting etc. Another president was a young man recently from the Dallas, Texas, area who was a landscape architect. He was able to organize local citizens with the necessary equipment, and the Heritage Center was landscaped, gained a parking lot and a rail fence under his expert guidance. A former president’s wife began the Heritage Thrift Shop, which has, until this day, paid the day-to-day expenses of the Heritage Center. It is now managed by Mrs. White, a former president of the board (still a board member) along with volunteer community members. One of the recent presidents, a recently retired electrical engineer with the space program, used his engineering skills at the Center, especially when repairs were involved.
Other far-sighted residents of the area have given valuable expertise, labor and money to make the Center successful. The SCAC students have responded regularly by contributing money each year, as well as assisting with Center activities. This high school club has contributed over $18,000 to the Complex since 1983 when the club was formally organized. Calls come regularly to the SCAC group from the Heritage Foundation board.
“Please send some of the students to help move furniture at the Center.”
“Can the students man one or two of the rest stops for the Tour de Muleshoe bike ride?”
“We need some of the SCAC members to run the concession stand during the presentation of the Musical Keepers of the Legend.” And many other calls for assistance.
The world’s largest mule shoe, the project of a local youth, Kermit Price, working to become an Eagle Scout in 1994, is the last addition to the Center. Standing at the entry to the Complex, this 27 foot tall and 14,000 pound mule shoe’s magnitude adds interest to the Center, and it beckons visitors to stop by for a visit.
The Muleshoe area has benefited tremendously from the Center, as it provides a place for many activities. The former Muleshoe Santa Fe depot is now a place where senior citizens hold many functions and has been used for family reunions, showers and even a wedding. The modern kitchen, beautiful parlor (decorated and furnished with antiques by a local family in memory of the father) and large meeting room are perfect for gatherings of all kinds.
For several years, the Jane’s ranch house has been the perfect backdrop for an outdoor musical drama presented by local talent. The play, “Keepers of the Legend,” of near Broadway talent brings the area’s history to large crowds.
An “old Fashioned Christmas” Open House is held each year after the town’s lighted Christmas parade. Each building at the Center is ablaze with Christmas lights, and inside the buildings, Christmas trees sparkle. Local groups entertain with Christmas carols and refreshments are served as visitors enjoy an evening of Christmas joy. The SCAC students each year decorate an Old Fashioned Christmas tree at the Jane’s house. They enjoy making the decorations just as pioneer families did on the West Plains. As the students decorate the house and tree, they break out singing Christmas carols and ad cans of food under the tree for the underprivileged.
Another activity held annually is the “Tour de Muleshoe” bike ride sponsored by the Heritage Foundation and nearby interested businesses. This bike ride brings riders from all over Texas and nearby states. This year the ride will be held on June 16, and another exciting day is expected by the many participants and visitors.
Little did I realize when I heard the announcement, “If you are interested in saving the Muleshoe Santa Fe depot, meet in Mrs. Allison’s room,” how far this venture would take our community. From a few interested citizens and ten high school students, a monument to hard work and cooperation, the Muleshoe Heritage Center, a small miracle, has risen. The SCAC students and area residents have discovered that dreams do come true.