27th Alton C. Allen Historical Conference Saturday

The 27th annual Alton C. Allen Conference will take place Saturday and has the theme of “Traveling by train, one stop at a time”

In partnership with the Lavaca County Historical Commission and the Dickson-Allen Foundation the conference will be held at the St. Peter Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

According to Lavaca County Historical Commission (LCHC) director Doug Kubicek, this year the conference will emphasize the roles of the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad, and the Southern Pacific Railroad in South Central Texas.

For those planning to attend and have not pre-registered, registration on Saturday will take place from 8 to 9:30 a.m.

Registration fee is $10 per person and includes lunch meal of homemade chicken noodle soup and chicken salad sandwiches.

Kubicek said the conference has several speakers lined up, including himself, who will present programs about railroads who had an impact on Texas.

“By 1887, most of Texas had benefited from trains passing through our counties,” Kubicek said. “We hope this conference will offer valuable insights and answers, providing a clearer understanding of why many towns in Lavaca County and South Texas were founded or relocated. We will examine some of the changes brought by the railroad, including local histories, architectural styles, population growth, economic development, and music along the rails.”

A schedule of the presenters and the topics who will speak about include:

• 9:30 - 10:45 a.m. – Kevin Fontenot (music Historian), whose topic is on “When the Trains Come In: Texas Music and the Railroad”

Fontenot is a native of Oberlin, Louisiana and has a M.A. degree in history from Tulane University. He is the co-editor of Accordions, Fiddles, Two Step Swing: A Cajun Music Reader.

Fontenot is a regular speaker at the Louisiana Historical Association, Central Texas Historical Association and the International Country Music Conference.

• 10:30 - 10:45 a.m. – Break

•10:45 - 11:45 a.m. – Roger Raney (LCHC member) and Doug Kubicek (LCHC director) will share the hour.

Raney, who has a B.S. degree in Education, with a major in History and a minor in Government from Southwest Texas State University (SWTU/Texas State), will speak on “Yoakum Hub City of the SA and AP/SP Railroad”.

Kubicek, a graduate of Sam Houston University with a degree in U.S. History and Cultural Geography, will speak on the topic titled “All Board” Next Stop: Sweet Home, Mont, and Hallettsville”. He has been a member of the Texas and Lavaca County Historical Commissions for over 50 years and has 30 years of experience in education.

• 11:45 a.m to 1:15 p.m. – Lunch

• 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. – Frank Duff Wagner’s (associate curator of the Shiner Edwin Wolters Memorial Museum and secretary of the LCHC) topic is titled “When You Smell the Smoke and Cinders”. Wagner is a graduate of SWTU with a degree in education. He has 24 years in the teaching field.

Also during this session, Carroll Scogin-Brincefield, (author and Historian) will speak on “The Little Prairie Queen”. She has a Masters of Art in History degree from Central Missouri State University.

• 2:15 to 2:30 p.m. – Break

• 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. – Regina Williamson of Sheridan (author) will present the topic titled “Towns Along the Way: Raab Switch to Eagle Lake”. Williamson, who currently serves as the chairperson of the Colorado County Historical Commission, has a graduate degree in Social Work from Texas State University. She has published a book on the history of the Briscoe family and co-authored the book, Confederate Veterans Buried in Victoria County.

Closing out the conference a panel discussion called The Caboose will take place with Ken E. Stavinoha (book author) along with retired SP/UP employees Bruce Blalock Everett Bludau and Stuart Schroeder joining in on the panel.

For more information and early registration forms please email Kubicek at Kubicek1854@gmail.com or call 361-798-4280.