Guests gathered on the lawn of a 1915 Craftsman-inspired dwelling for a special neighborhood sign dedication Sunday, Nov. 14. The ceremony took place in Garland’s Travis College Hill.
County Judge Clay Jenkins and Garland Mayor Scott LeMay, two officials who have led local governments through the challenging days of the COVID-19 pandemic, spoke about the past 21 months—emphasizing the resilient spirit of citizens, as exemplified by the story of 108-year-old Travis College Hill neighborhood near downtown Garland.
The more than 600 Garland casualties of the disease were remembered and honored with a new sign by Garland Plan Commissioner Chris Ott. The sign will be installed soon.
Local vocalists Philip Collins and Courtney Collins sang an original duet, “Stairway to Your Heart.” The song is about a courtship that occurred on Garland’s 11th Street during World War II. As the result, in part, of a resilient act—the installation of an outdoor stairway on one of the street’s dwellings. They were accompanied by renowned local musician Winifred Council.
Present were Garland City Council Members Dylan Hedrick (mayor pro tem), BJ Williams (deputy mayor pro tem), Deborah Snyder Morris, Rich Aubin and Robert Vera. Aubin was recognized for going above and beyond in 2016 to stand alongside Travis College Hill residents while the neighborhood’s nomination for a National Register of Historic Places was advanced.
At the ceremony, Friends of Garland’s Historic Magic 11th Street awarded Robert Vera and his wife Jeanne Vera, the nonprofit’s first honorary lifetime membership for his support in recent months.
The new commemorative sign, funded by a grant from Garland’s Office of Neighborhood Vitality sits on the highly visible corner of 11th Street at Avenue B. It relates the story in verse and features many colorful photos. The sign tells of the neighborhood’s endurance through two pandemics, two world wars, the Great Depression, the 1927 tornado and other challenges. 11th-Street neighbor Dawn Peacock read the poem.
Surrounding the sign is a new pollinator garden, filled with native, drought-resistant plants including those that attract Monarch butterflies. The garden was designed and implemented by Reba Collins of Keep Garland Beautiful. It is the second official Monarch Waystation in the Travis College Hill National Register Historic District neighborhood. The first, also designed by Collins, was installed in 2018 at the South Entrance to the Travis College Hill addition.
A new Little Free Library was installed at the site. An original bilingual book, “Los dos perros” (“The Two Dogs”), was the first book in the library. It was written and illustrated by two young residents of the neighborhood. The Little Free Library structure was inspired by the yellow and white Craftsman dwelling on the property. It was designed by property owner and homebuilder Dale Adams.
Trayc Claybrook, Karin Jill Wiseman and John Wiseman unveiled the sign. Trayc’s residence on 11th Street including her “Don’t Give Up” yard sign was depicted on the colorful commemorative marker. The downtown Garland boutique The Frocksy, shared with the Karinwisemancollection, was remembered as a local business that had to adopt the “Don’t Give Up” spirit during the pandemic shutdown.
John Wiseman played the leading male role in the Becoming Garland Avenue-2020 Revival musical drama. Sadly, the show was shut down by COVID-19 shortly before it was scheduled to go on stage in 2020. The drama was then reinvented as a movie for all to see on YouTube. The musical was featured on the resilience-themed commemorative sign.
Rev. Dan Anderson-Little, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church gave the invocation. Louis Moore, president of Friends of Garland’s Historic Magic 11th Street, served as the emcee.