dallashistory

Captured in Time: Book gives glimpses of Denton History.

Link: http://tinyurl.com/mdm7nj

12:05 AM CDT on Wednesday, June 17, 2009
By Bj Lewis / Staff Writer

A new photo book will capture Denton’s history and offer readers a look back in time at the people, places and businesses that made the city what it is today.

The book, Images of America: Denton, produced by the Denton County Historical Commission, was sent to Arcadia Publishing on Friday for a first look. The book will be available beginning with the Christmas sales season.

The six-chapter book will feature historical text along with 226 photographs selected from archives of the Denton Record-Chronicle , museum archives, the University of North Texas’ Portal to Texas History and Emily Fowler Central Library, said Georgia Caraway, director of the historical commission.

“The bulk of these will be photos people have not seen before,” she said. “We didn’t want to just put out the same book every one else has done.”

Books of this sort are being released by cities around the state, Caraway said. Arcadia Publishing is making inroads in Texas and contacted the county first about the book.

“We had to go through the contract process with the county since we’re employees of the county. From the date the county agreed to the contract, it took us two months,” she said.

Caraway and Kim Cupit, Denton County Museums curator, searched through approximately 4,000 photos to pick images for the book. Along with selecting photos, they crafted the text.

“We used primary sources, and we have gone back and corrected some errors published before,” Caraway said. “I think there will be a lot of surprises.”

The book’s chapters will focus on the Square, city and infrastructure, Denton businesses, education, people and special events.

“We wanted it to be an expression of the vibrancy of the city,” Caraway said.

“We find there is a common thread that takes us from one chapter to the next. As people read this book and look at the photos, they will see this thread throughout our history.”

Lifelong Denton resident Martha Len Nelson was able to check out the material before the book was sent off and said it was a great ride through Denton history.

“I enjoyed looking at the pictures,” she said. “Most were new to me, and it made me think of things in the past — good times, people I knew and loved.

“It brings back memories of the city park and baseball games there, the Juicy Pig, where everyone in high school gathered, and parades where everyone turned out.”

Nelson said she learned new things reading the text, and the book will be an important historical publication.

“We don’t have a lot of pictures,” she said. “We have had books published, but we haven’t had one with so many photographs.”

The book will be available through major distributors and at the county museum for $21.99.

BJ LEWIS can be reached at 940-566-6875. His e-mail address is blewis@dentonrc.com

Is the ramp used to start the Denton Mare still in existence or has it been lost to development? Anyone on this message board ever sse the ramp?