Mansfield digs into history for preservation month

By Amanda Rogers

Mansfield Record

Historic Preservation Month kicked off this weekend and runs throughout May with a schedule of events celebrating Mansfield’s history.

“We have stuff going on all year, but this is a chance to bring it into one month to focus our attention on our history,” said Art Wright, the city’s historic preservation officer. “This is our history and a lot of people don’t know a lot about it.”

The month-long celebration started Friday with a discussion with author D. Preston Davidson, a former U.S. Deputy Marshal who writes about Texas historical fiction.

The Historic Downtown Mansfield Car Show defied the rain Saturday, rolling in with classic cars on display on Main Street.

Coming up May 11 will be the Chalk the Walk Contest from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Registration and chalk are free, and prizes will be awarded. Check in at the Mansfield Historical Museum & Heritage Center, 102 N. Main St.

Also on May 11 will be the Mansfield History Hunters Scavenger Hunt from 1-4 p.m. in downtown Mansfield. Check in at the Mansfield Historical Museum & Heritage Center and then start hunting. Registration is free and prizes will be awarded.

“The scavenger hunt is interesting because of the way we’re doing it,” Wright said. “It’s what it would be like if you were a farmer and came to town. It shows how life worked. You would have to go to get ice for the ice box and go get money at First National Bank. Working on that has been fun.”

Wright also will lead three free historic guided tours, starting with the Crime Tour at 6:30 p.m. May 10, beginning at the Mansfield Historical Museum & Heritage Center. At 10 a.m. May 18, Wright will lead a tour describing the historic downtown buildings starting at the Mansfield Historical Museum & Heritage Center. At 9:30 a.m. May 25, he will give a tour of the Mansfield Cemetery and Mansfield Community Cemetery, on Cemetery Road off of Burl Ray Road. The cemetery tour will focus on military graves, Wright said.

“We’re working on military records and learning their history,” he said. “Sharing the history is something I’m looking forward to.”

Throughout the month, the Mansfield Historical Society will post “This Place Matters” signs throughout town, designating significant historical spots. People are encouraged to find the signs, read the history on the Historic Preservation Hub (click here) and then post a photo of themselves with the sign at the site on Facebook.

All Historic Preservation Month events are free and open to the public.

“I hope that people will learn a little about this town and the things we had to overcome and get some love for those old buildings,” Wright said.

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