San Jacinto Celebrates Evening With History

What: San Jacinto Museum of History is hosting an Elegant Evening with History.  This private event is a fundraiser and marks a milestone in the life of the Museum. Funds are needed to replace the loss of income that will result from the temporary closing of the Museum for interior renovation.  It will be the last chance for the media to view the current exhibit, Texas Originals and  Dean Shostak will play Davy Crockett’s fiddle one last time in Houston. Funds raised from the evening will be matched dollar for dollar by a private grant. There is still time and opportunity to give a donation to the Museum and take advantage of this matching grant.

Who: Special guests Congressman and Mrs. Tom Delay, State Representative Wayne Smith of Baytown,  Mayor and Mrs. John Manlove of Pasadena, Mayor and Mrs. Wayne Riddle of Deer Park, and Mayor and Mrs. Guido Persiani from Beach City, Mayor Calvin Muniger of Baytown, Mayor Alton Porter of La Porte and Mayor Nancy Edmonson of Shoreacres.

When: September 1, 2005

Where: San Jacinto Monument and Museum, One Monument Circle La Porte, Texas 77571-9585  phone: 281.479.2421 

Schedule:

6:30pm – Cocktail reception on the Upper Terrace. View the Battlefield and Monument at dusk while tasting Texas wines.

7:00pm – All museum venues open for viewing and private tours begin.

7:30pm – Yellow Rose Dining in the Rotunda. Feast on international cuisine by the exclusive Melange. Enjoy a roving musical performance by accomplished guitarist Chuck Gunn.

8:15pm – Evening culminates in the theatre with a concert by Dean Shostak playing Davy Crockett’s fiddle. Dean is a music historian and nationally acclaimed touring artist who performs in theaters, schools, universities and festivals throughout the country. Dean is the only musician who is sanctioned to play this priceless instrument. He performs regularly in Williamsburg, Virginia.

8:45pm – Conclusion.

Highlights of the evening  include:

●        A private tour of historical artifacts and archival documents never before placed on public display. 

●        A private viewing of the Herzstein Library, which houses some of Sam Houston’s personal papers. 

●        A ride to the Observation Floor for a spectacular nighttime view of downtown Houston. 

●        A private after-hours showing of the historical documentary “Texas Forever!” 

●        Last chance viewing of a wonderful special exhibit, Texas Originals: Real and Imagined, before it returns to the Witte Museum in September. 

●        A personal visit with the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the San Jacinto Museum of History Association, Interim President, Museum Curator and Library Director.

Photo Opportunities for the following unique and priceless historical artifacts:

●        A copy of the  Declaration of Independence, originally owned by Sam Houston, given to Peter W. Gray in 1851. 

●        A Holy Bible originally owned by Maria Brown Austin, wife of Moses Austin and mother of Stephen F. Austin. Mrs. Austin eventually gave the book to her daughter, Emily Austin Bryan Perry, who gave it to her son. 

●        The royal blue satin gown worn by Mrs. Audrey Jones Beck at Galveston’s Mardi Gras in February 1941. Beck’s dress features six replicas of the San Jacinto Monument created with silver and copper sequins as well as turquoise, white and brown rhinestones. 

●        An original flintlock musket converted to a percussion rifle. This firearm has a 6-sided metal barrel along with silver mountings on the stock. The engraving on the rifle’s box reads “Presented by J. Madison, President of the US, to C. Reece. The Reward of Signal/Valor & Heroism, at the Battle of the Horse-shoe. March, 1814.”