Wilson County Sesquicentennial Celebrations

July 14, 2008; Dawn P. Barnett

WILSON COUNTY SESQUICENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS

The Wilson County Sesquicentennial Committee became official July 14, 2008 when the Wilson County Commissioner's Court unanimously voted to appoint John Grammer, Shirley Grammer, Maurine Liles, Gene Maeckel and LaJuana Newnam-Leus to a committee for the Sesquicentennial celebrations of Wilson County.

Since the time of appointment, the committee has had meetings and started the process of preparing for the county's 150th Birthday.  The Wilson County Sesquicentennial Committee met with the former Sesquicentennial Committee of Atascosa County to get ideas and advise on how to conduct the Sesquicentennial program in Wilson County.

OBJECTIVES:
1.  The committee is preparing to publish a Wilson County Sesquicentennial Souvenir History Book.  It will make the reader aware of the wonderful history of Wilson County and will give one an idea about the Sesquicentennial program for 2010.  This project is well under way.  The committee is making every effort to have the book ready to sell to the public by Christmas 2009.

2.  In addition to the book, the official Sesquicentennial poster, logo, t-shirts, caps, vest, totes, throws and pens will be sold to the public.

3.  The events planned are:

     A.   FAITH OF OUR FATHERS - January 3, 2010  The faith of our fathers was also celebrated at our centennial in 1960.  Wilson County Pioneers relied heavily on their faith as they struggled to survive, establish ranches, farms, communities, governments, churches, schools and other important aspects of society.

     B.  There will be a special celebration of Wilson County's birthday February 13, 2010.

     C.  A Trail drive or a rodeo with a special BBQ will help celebrate and call attention to the tremendous history of Wilson County's cattle industry.  We will remember the Spanish Vaqueros, the American Cowboy, Texas Trail Drivers and the longhorn cattle.

     D.  September 25, 2010 will mark the ceremonial date for the Sesquicentennial time capsule burial.  First, we must dig up and open the Wilson County Centennial capsule buried on the Courthouse Square in 1960.  The Sesquicentennial time capsule, which will contain memorable items of our sesquicentennial, will be buried on the Wilson County Courthouse square.  Fifty years from this date, Wilson County will be 200 years old and another committee will be in charge of opening the 2010 capsule.  Thus history opens doors to other generations.

     E.  Other events will be planned.

Donations, the sale of advertisement to appear in the book, the book itself and souvenir items will be sold to help generate money to carry out the sesquicentennial festivities.