Singing the Praises
Hi there, history friends!
Once again, thank you to everyone who has supported Two Pens and A Passage LLC on our journey so far, and for those who are keeping an eye on our progress! I thought it was about time for a blog post, but I have been unsure as to what to write about. So, you want to know what we are working on? Here goes.
Work has continued on the contract for the Smithsonian Museums on Main Street Spark! Places of Innovation exhibition tour, coming to Atlanta, Texas in January 2027. Working with Tourism and Visitor Center Director Kelsey Knox is such a joy. Her ideas for Atlanta and the Smithsonian are innovative and energizing. Her exuberance is contagious and together we are putting together several great exhibits on the innovative history of Atlanta and Cass County.
The exhibition lasts for six weeks, and each week will have a different theme. One of the weeks will be Innovations in Music. Do you know how much musical talent has come out of Atlanta and Cass County? Most people know the big ones, like Texas Country Music Hall of Fame singer and songwriter Nat Stuckey from Atlanta, or world-famous rock musician and songwriter Don Henley from Linden. But that is the proverbial tip of the iceberg! Many people do not realize that the founder of ragtime music, Scott Joplin was from Linden, or that country music superstar Tracy Lawrence was born in Atlanta and raised in Queen City until about the age of ten, when he moved to Foreman, Arkansas. There are about a dozen (or more) musicians, songwriters, and musical innovators from all genres on that list, proving that small towns breed BIG talent! We are working on exhibits to showcase each artist’s talents and accomplishments, including some great collaborations with the artists, their families, or their tools of the trade.
Suffice to say, it has been incredibly exciting working on the Innovations in Music week. I think exhibit visitors will really love what we are putting together for you. In the meantime, if you are in the area, I recommend that you stop by the Atlanta Texas Historical Museum. It recently underwent restoration and looks fantastic. They are open to visitors now, but the Grand Re-opening ceremony is Friday, July 24th, at 11 a.m. Say hello to Kelsey, and meet the newest employee, Kim, both of whom have worked tirelessly for months to refresh the museum and its exhibits.
For the next blog post, I’ll tell you about another week’s theme we are working on for the Smithsonian exhibition. Coming soon, Two Pens & A Passage is also working on a few other projects that are not public yet, so stay tuned for that as well. Until then, I urge you to remember that history matters! Everyone and everywhere has a story to tell, and it is our job at Two Pens & A Passage LLC to collect, preserve, and tell those stories.