Darlene Immekus demonstrates Leather Tooling

Yoakum’s leather heritage is well known. It began in the early 1900’s after the arrival of the railroad, when Texas’s cattle industry had naturally led to a leather industry.

By 1950 there were eight tanneries in the state, making boots, saddles, and harnesses.

By 1967 there were seven leather plants in Yoakum alone, including Tex Tan, the largest in the state. (per Texas State Historical Assoc.)

Meanwhile, Hallettsville helped showcase the industry with its annual high school rodeo where beautiful leather saddles were given to top winners. These saddles were publicly displayed and appreciated for their elaborate tooling.

Wallets and belts were also highly tooled. Remember the tooled belts with one’s name on the back? (Now a security no-no.)

With Yoakum’s leather history, it seems appropriate that a Yoakum teacher recently brought the art of tooling to art league members. Darlene Immekus gave a beginner class on leather tooling. Each person used a swivel knife and a bevel tool to imprint a given design into a scrap of leather. Results varied. But appreciation for the skill of tooling was truly elevated.

Darlene teaches vocational classes for Yoakum ISD. She offers summer tooling classes to anyone who is interested and sometimes exhibits her work at the Hallet Oak Gallery. She and her family enjoy a “modern western” lifestyle with horses, rodeos, trail rides, etc. She can be contacted via email: ms_immekus@hotmail. com.