On March 31, 2012 the second Spring Picnic was held. Several new acitivites were added
The loudest and most excitiing activity of the the second Spring Picnic was the Bonnie & Clyde shootout. Everyone also enjoyed the sounds of the E-Flat Porch Band and the vintage baseball games featuring the Houston Babes, the Katy Combines and the Boerne White Sox.
The Antique Car, Buggy & Tractor Parade had a nice array of old wheels, including a number of antique tractors, several antique cars and two antique pickup trucks.
James Toman's collection of antique toys, mostly trucks of all sorts, was on display in the Santa Fe Museum.
Food and drink popular in the early 1900s was served.
Historical information about all the activities and foods was presented on the signs located near each activity or booth.
A quilt show was also held in conjunction with the Spring Picnic in 2012. Nearly all of the quilts were antique hand-made quilts. There were some very fine, well-made quilts in the exhibit. Also on exhibit were antique hand-crocheted bed spreads.
We were very fortunate to have many individuals and businesses come forth to sponsor the event. We greatly appreciate the sponsors' willingness to help with the first Spring Picnic--it could not have been done without our sponsors.
The Sealy Area Historical Society recently received funds from the Abe and Irene Levine Trust to restore the caboose located on the Santa Fe Museum Park grounds. The caboose was manufactured in 1927 and is one of the first 150 steel cabooses manufactured for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad. Railroad companies refer to a caboose as a "way car."
The interior and exterior of the caboose are nearly original, despite having numerous coats of peeling paint. The only additions and changes to the caboose are the addition of a toilet and electricity and replacement of the wooden tool/storage box beneath the caboose and replacement of the top rails on the cupola.
The caboose has been restored to its original 1927 appearance. Restoration of the interior and exterior of the caboose is nearly complete, with only the details remaining to be added.
WE NEED TRUCKS, WHEELS, TRACKS AND RAILROAD TIES TO MAKE THE CABOOSE RESTORATION COMPLETE.
Membership Dinner
The Sealy Area Historical Society Dinner was held in November, 2010. Members Sylvia and Mark Boles prepared the dinner that was served by candlelight at the home of members Nancy Naron and Dennis Holder. Five new members joined SAHS this year and all of the new members attended the Membership Dinner.
Christmas Homes Tour
The SAHS sponsored the Christmas Homes Tour held in conjunction with the Fantasy of LIghts for the second time in 2010. Four decorated homes and the St. John's Episcopal Church were on the tour. All of the participants did a wonderful job of decorating their homes.
Fantasy of Trees 2011
Saturday, December 3 and Sunday, December 4, 2011
The Sealy Area Historical Society hosted a Fantasy of Trees at the Liedertafel on Saturday,
December 3 from 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM and Sunday, December 4, 2012 from Noon until 4:00 PM in conjunction with the Fantasy of Lights.
A display of Christmas trees sporting a variety of themes created a true Fantasy of Trees.
Annual Dinner Held Friday December 2, 2011 at 6:30 PM at the Liedertafel
The Annual Membership Dinner was held Friday, December 2, 2011 at the Liedertafel the evening before the Fantasy of Trees opened to the public. The dinner participants dined among the beautifully decorated trees and had a very enjoyable evening. The dinner speaker was Matt Synatschk with the Texas Historical Commission. Mr. Synatschk spoke about how to establish historic districts and their importance to the community.
2013 Spring Picnic
In 2013 the Sealy Area Historical Society held its third Spring Picnic on April 13.
Highlights of the 2013 Spring Picnic include:
A Vintage Style Show spanning from the 1880s through the 1960s included some beautiful and interesting old clothing. The skirts got shorter and shorter!
An exhibit of antique toys and dolls was on display in the Santa Fe Museum. Old restored photos from Sealy's past were available for viewing and for sale. DVDs of the photos set to music are available for $5.00.
Games of yesteryear were participated in by many--the egg tosses are always very popular.
Civil War era military camps were in place for three days and two nights. The cannons drew attention from people all over town.
2011 Spring Picnic
The Sealy Area Historical Society held its first old an old-fashioned style Spring Picnic on April 2, 2011 on the grounds of the Santa Fe Museum located at Silliman and East Main in Sealy, Texas.
The Picnic was a great success. We hosted numerous games from the past, had a marionette show of Hansel & Gretel, a magic show, a performance by a dulcimer group, and, of course, the Antique Car, Tractor & Buggy Parade.
A quilt exhibit was held in the Liedertafel In conjunction with the first Spring Picnic.
2013 Ghost Tour
In 2013 the Sealy Area Historical Society held the first ever Ghost Tour in Sealy on the Saturday before Halloween.
Five downtown buildings and the Santa Fe Museum buildings were on the tour. Tour guides were dressed in period attire and portrayed the spirits of early Sealy residents and business owners. Tour goers heard about the ghost sightings and shenanigans in each building highlighted on the tour, in addition to hearing about the history of the buildings and the families who owned the early businesses in downtown Sealy.
Members of the Houston Ghost Town and Paranormal Investigations group were on hand to explain the differences between the types of spiritual activity people have experienced in downtown Sealy. The ghost investigators accompanied tour goers along the tour route and took "readings" of ghost activity. The ghost investigators also set up recording equipment in Ann's Resale Shop on Front Street and recorded several ghostly manifestations.
Civil War Savannah
Dinner with Authors Barry Sheehy and Cindy Wallace
Author Barry Sheehy and Historical Photographer Cindy Wallace presented their newly released book Civil War Savannah to members and the public on September 12, 2012. Hor d’oeuvres and dinner were served. The event was co-sponsored by the Sealy Area Historical Society and the Friends of the Gordon Memorial Library.
The event was held at the Liedertafel and was well attended. For more information visit www.civilwarsavannah.org.
2015 Ghost Tour
On the 2015 Ghost Tour we learned about life in the 1920s during the days of prohibition, flappers and the Model T. The tour included stories told by the spirit of Jack Hillboldt, who was a deputy sheriff in the 1920s. Hillboldt’s was played by Michael Kubricht. We also heard from Rudolph Engelking, played by Mark Stolarski, who founded the Engelking Brothers Broom Factory, was President of the Sealy Oil Mill and also the first president of Citizens State Bank. The life of Charles Krampitz was told by his “spirit” portrayed by Dwayne Virnau. Krampitz emigrated from Germany in 1872, built the first silent movie theatre in Sealy and built the Texas Theatre in 1929.
The Texas Theatre, the old Sealy Oil Mill at the end of east Main, and the Santa Fe Museum were on the tour. Hay wagons were used to transport tour goers to the various sites.
Diane Gremmel was on hand to explain ghost activity in downtown Sealy. Gremmel is a seasoned psychic and was voted “best Houston psychic” in 2009 by the Houston Press. She has been giving psychic readings for over 25 years and has worked with several law enforcement and investigative agencies. Gremmel’s website states that she is known for giving accurate and specific details and has converted many skeptics.She has appeared on television, radio and in print and currently teaches classes in Psychic Development for adults and children.
