TX BIOS:  Mrs. T. C. Brown
   Selected and converted.American Memory, Library of Congress.
   
   Washington, 1994.
   
   Preceding element provides place and date of transcription only.
   
   This transcription intended to be 99.95% accurate.
   
   For more information about this text and this American Memory
   collection, refer to accompanying matter.
   
   U.S. Work Projects Administration, Federal Writers' Project (Folklore
   Project, Life Histories, 1936-39); Manuscript Division, Library of
   Congress.Copyright status not determined.
   
   0001
   
   Claudia Harris P.W.
   
   Amarillo, Texas
   
   District #16 PANHANDLE PIONEERS Interview: [DEL: Revised by :DEL] Mrs.
   T. C. Brown
   
   1605 Hillcrest Street
   
   Amarillo, Texas
   
   Mrs. Brown came to Amarillo 35 years ago. Previously she had attended
   school at Clarendon in the public schools, but not at Clarendon
   College, which she remembers as being established by the Rev. Hardy.
   Earnest (Dusty) Miller and his wife are graduates of Clarendon
   College, as she recalls.
   
   When Mrs. Brown first came to Amarillo saloons were still in
   operation, but they were soon closed after an election at which the
   citizens voted local option. Women could not vote at the time and took
   little interest in political affairs.
   
   At the time there was no paving in the town. The Elks Club was the
   show place of Amarillo, being the finest place of its type between
   Denver and Dallas. The Deandi Theatre was in operation on Taylor
   Street, across from the location of the new post-office (west). The
   Grand Opera House was located at Seventh and Polk streets. The opera
   house later burned down. The old McIntosh Hotel was "somewhere on
   Lincoln".
   
   Street cars were in operation on the busiest thoroughfares of the
   town, one running to Glenwood Park every thirty minutes. "We young
   folks thought that it was highly hilarious to ride out to Glenwood on
   Sunday afternoons", recalls Mrs. Brown, smilingly.
   
   When Mrs. Brown first came to Amarillo, she worked for J. Levy, who
   had the first department store in Amarillo. Mr. Levy, as she remembers
   him, was a charming young man who came to Amarillo to enter business,
   in which he was most successful.
   
   Mrs. Brown also worked for White and Kirk's, which was then at Fifth
   and Polk where Harry Holland's store now is.
   
   Mrs. Brown remembers that in the early days of her residence on the
   plains the dust was not so bad, although the wind blew hard then, as
   now. But there was more snow and rain. Winters were colder. Mrs. Brown
   remembers the winters of 1918 and 1919 as the coldest that she ever
   saw.
   
     NOTE: [????]
     
   0002Interview from Mrs. Brown at 1605 Hillcrest
   
   I came here 35 years ago. I did not go to school here but I did go to
   school in Clarendon. When I first came I worked for Mr. Levy who had
   the first real department store in Amarillo. It was located at 501-3-5
   Polk Street. He came here just as a young man and went into business.
   He was an Alysesch Jew and had a charming personality. He was a good
   manager and prospered.
   
   I also worked at White & Kirks. It was located where Harry Hollands
   now is at Fifth and Polk Streets.
   
   When I fist came here saloons were still here but the people voted
   local option. The women didn't vote of course so I didn't pay too much
   attention to the election. There was no paving at all and none was put
   in until 1911.
   
   The Elks Club was the first show place of [DEL: [?] :DEL] Amarillo. It
   was the nicest place of its kind between Dallas and Denver. There was
   the D & I and the Grand Opera House which was at 7th and Polk. It
   later burned down but I was away at that time.
   
   Dust wasn't so bad then. Of course the wind blew and there was some
   dust but nothing like it is now. I think that was due to the pastures.
   All that's under cultivation now and causes more dust than if it were
   a pasture.
   
   There was lots of snow. 1918 and 1919 were the coldest winters I ever
   saw.
   
   Mrs. Wetsell was a Lady Courageous if there ever was one. She is the
   sweetest and [DEL: alertest :DEL] most alert woman I ever knew and she
   is about 80 years old too.
   
   The old McIntosh hotel was on Lincoln some place but I [DEL: can :DEL]
   cant remember the number.
   
   I never went to the Clarendon College but Dusty Miller and his wife
   are [both?] graduates of that school and should know a great deal of
   its history. I think Rev. Hardy organized it.
   
   I remeber the street cars. There was one that ran out to Glenwood
   Park. They just ran every 30 minutes. We young folks just thought it
   awfully hilarous to ride out to Gleenwood on Sunday afternoons.
   
     NOTE: [????]

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