UPDATE April 2019: CLIR Grant Awarded UPDATE 3/13/2020: Recordings being uploaded. Go to Archive.org and YouTube.com “Congratulations! We are pleased to inform you that our review panel has recommended Smith County Historical Society, Inc. for a Recordings at Risk grant in the amount of $25,258.43 to support the project Historical Magnetic Tape Preservation Project. Your p ...[Read More]
UPDATE: CLIR Grant Awarded
Things to Do in Tyler, Texas
Are you looking for things to do in Tyler, Texas? The population of Tyler is growing at a fast rate, and so is tourism. The Keepin’ Tyler Rosy Destination Training tour is hosted by The Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce for employees of the hospitality industry of Tyler. I was fortunate enough to be a part of this tour along with 22 fellow associates and Susan Travis, Vice President of Tourism ...[Read More]
Historic Preservation Mark A. Thacker, AIA
Mark Thacker is a Board member of the Smith County Historical Society. Mr. Thacker presented the program for our March 2019 meeting on Historic Preservation. Mark is a preservation architect by profession and serves as a member of the Texas Archaeological Stewards Network, a program of the Texas Historical Commission. A lifelong resident of Smith County, Texas, Mark received his architectural educ ...[Read More]
Yearbooks Added
This Is a listing of new acquisitions for our collection of yearbooks. We have been very fortunate to receive the yearbooks listed below through the generosity of our members and others. We have received elementary, junior high, middle school, high school, college and even one military yearbooks. These help us add to our ancestors’ stories. If the year that you are interested in is no ...[Read More]
Robert Lee Falkner and the R.L. Falkner Collection
Robert Lee Falkner was born Nov. 10, 1911, in Garden Valley in Smith County, Texas to Eugene L. Falkner and wife, Eunice Jackson Neill. He attended Tyler Public Schools and lived in Tyler most of his life. He was a member of Calvary Baptist Church. He was an award-winning photographer for the Tyler Courier-Times-Telegraph for four years. He was owner of R. L. Falkner Photography Shop in Tyler for ...[Read More]
The Cut
The Cut was the title of the Smith County Historical Society program at our Annual meeting on Tuesday, February 5, 2019. We are happy to say the Payne Auditorium was full of members and visitors! The highlight of the evening was our Board member Larry Wade’s presentation! The Cut was a booming African American business district in north Tyler. Larry spoke of his memories of growing up and living a ...[Read More]
Carnegie Hero Medal Commission
The Smith County Historical Society’s January 2019 Monthly Program was about the Carnegie Hero Medal Commission. Our program speaker was Carol Kehl, our Society’s Past President. I found the subject very interesting and informative, so I reached out to Carol. She was kind enough to send me some more information about the Carnegie Hero Medal Commission. Here is what she sent: “Andrew Carnegie ...[Read More]
Egg Art Eggshibit through April 27, 2019
Come see our Egg Art Eggshibit through April 27, 2019! The Fall 2018 through April 27, 2019 newest exhibit at the Smith County Historical Society is of Egg Art! We have approximately 180 hand blown eggs painted and decorated into whimsical characters. The collection was donated to us by Dr. Kerfoot Walker and family, longtime residents of Tyler, TX. The Walker’s and their three children (now adul ...[Read More]
Tyler’s Music Man ‘Doc’ Witt Celebrates the Armistice in 1918
John Franklin Witt was known to many as ‘Doc’ Witt, Tyler’s Music Man. Mr. Witt was a trumpet player, band leader, composer and teacher of music. He made a name for himself in Smith County Texas through his extraordinary musical talent. He was Bandmaster for the Tyler Kid Band in 1908, then the Tyler Municipal Band in 1916. It is no wonder that this leader of bands helped lead the Armistice ...[Read More]
2018 Genealogy Lock-In Program
The 2018 Genealogy Lock-In Program is a cooperative effort to bring genealogical topics and speakers to a wider audience using modern technology through the Genealogy Network of Texas. There will be 8 one hour to one and a half hour sessions featuring some of the nation’s best known genealogical speakers. This live webinar will be shown on a projection screen in the Smith County Historical Society ...[Read More]