Swingin’, Steppin’ and Strolling, Saturday night in Goree

Do you remember?

Mr. Hosea’s homemade corndogs at the Halloween Carnival?

When folks lined up for Mrs. Bernice’s Western Burgers and the Wildcats ruled in Goree?

Listening to car radios and visiting with your neighbors downtown on Saturday night?

Waltzing with your darling at Rhineland?


Did you ever?

Enjoy a cup of ice cold lemon-aide, and a child’s smile, at the little girl next doors lemon-aide stand?

Do the jitterbug? Dance ‘till you dropped? Glide to a beautiful waltz?

Wish for the good old days?

Wish for something to do and somewhere to go on Saturday night?


Do you ever want to?

Step back in time? Take a stroll down memory lane?

Glide to the sounds of fiddle music, just one more time?

See our hometowns vibrant, full of people and life?

Or just find something fun to do on a Saturday night? On a date, with the family or a carload of friends?


Did anybody tell you?

You can go home again, step back in time, relive your memories, and find out what all the hoopla was about? That’s what the heritage tourism program of the Knox County Visioning Team and the GGG volunteers in Goree are all about. Bringing folks back to our hometowns, to enjoy our heritage and help us preserve it.

Why Western Swing? It’s all about us, our heritage and our future. Western Swing music, the big band sounds, house dances, bridge and street dances, they were all born right here in the cotton fields and on the ranches of West Texas. Now it’s nurtured by those who remember life on the farm, in small towns, during the Depression or the droughts of the ‘50’s and rediscovered by a new generation who are flocking to Swing Dance lessons and to learn the unique fiddle and guitar rhythms of the big band sounds of Western Swing. They’re carrying on an old family tradition, our family’s tradition and if we want, our future. The nostalgia, the music, the appeal, they’re all tied together and we can bring folks to Knox County and our new/old Knox Prairie Events Center to enjoy them. If, and here’s the big IF, we work together and get out and show our support for our neighbors efforts and help celebrate the rebirth of a community and its traditions.

Did you know?

You can return to yesteryear? Relive the sounds, sights, tastes and smells of big band dance music, community carnivals, downtown neighbors gathering and all those great memories? It’s easy! Just step on out, stroll on over to Goree and swing with us Saturday night, as we glide, or maybe just tap a toe, to the music of The Sidekicks. Indulge your taste buds with corndogs, Western burgers and funnel cakes, catch up with old friends and maybe make some new ones while you help us preserve the memories and build a future right here at home in Knox County.

Don’t miss it!

Downtown Saturday Night
Party and Street Dance
7:30 pm – 11:00 pm
Saturday, July 10th, 2010
Goree, Texas

Sharing an email update with the Tx Historical Commission:

April Garner is a Program Development Specialist with the Heritage Tourism Program of Texas Historical Commission. And this is an exerpt of an email that I sent her in response to her "what can we do to help" email.

April, how exciting to hear back from you so soon! I met with the Visioning Committee and Remelle just last night and I realize that things are moving fast around here! Goree doesn’t wanna get left behind in their dust.

We, as a small town of three hundred in Knox County, are partnering with the Knox County Visioning Group, a county wide effort for bettering our part of Texas. Knox County and Judge Travis Floyd are PIONEERS in this endeavor and it is a very well-known effort. Goree has recently created a 501c-3 organization, Going for Greatness in Goree Group, http://cityofgoree.org/goingforgreatnessingoree.aspx , and this group is partnering with the city government’s brand spankin new 4A/4B corporations (taxes begin in Oct) to rebirth a town. Nature and Historic Tourism are what we are after. Our county wide economic director, Remelle Ferrar, is almost finished with the marketing, maps, etc. for our very own “Adventure Trail” thru Knox County (about to be hot off the presses, saw the final draft yesterday). Goree will fit into this trail, but as things stand right now I need money to get the work started on the ‘city’ side. We have a historic jailhouse, domino hall, and a possible hotel site. We have a building that would be a perfect place for a walk thru historical museum like the one in Hico, Texas. Hunting is hot in our area and so is Miller Creek, a lake right by us. The exterior of our downtown needs awnings, sidewalks and sandblasting of the bricks.

That’s what is going on with the ‘city/county’ side of which I am involved. Now, on the personal side! My husband and I have bought the historic bank building in the downtown area (waiting on the deed). We want to restore it, as close to historic accuracy as possible. The purpose would be for our office space (which is now in our home) and the back portion would be perfect for a hunting lodge with four units. Our business, Trainham Ice & Meat, is in the buildings next door. We have already renovated a small house in Goree for a bed & breakfast and it is up and running. Remelle told me about tax incentives for our project. I’ve studied these incentives over the internet and it seems like our project qualifies. Before work begins, I am under the impression that I need to have this property and the others for the city well on the way of getting on the Natl. Registry.

Thank you for your help and guidance in our endeavors.