By Mary Leak Gomer Gower is a name mentioned in many books about Thurber. He was a resource for Mary Jane Gentry in her master’s thesis, “Thurber: The Life and Death of a Texas Town,” “A Way of Work and a Way of Life” by Marilyn D. Rhinehart, and various...
By Shala Scarlato Collections are a land of stories and mementos waiting for their time to shine. They sit in covered boxes so that outside elements don’t further degrade them. The question often asked is, “Why not just restore it?” That’s a good question. Why not? To first understand why...
By Scarlet Webber Led by Thomas Winfield Jordan, the Jordan family came to Erath before the town settled. The Jordan family fruit farm was established in 1885 and was located 2.5 miles south of Thurber. This was one of several farms that provided Thurber with fresh fruit. While many families...
By Mary Adams Colonel Robert Dickie Hunter, president of the Texas Pacific Coal Company, and associates from St. Louis believed that opening a brick plant would expand the Company’s economic power. After countless negotiations and investments, the Green and Hunter Brick Company opened in Jun 1987, and by November, brickmakers...
By Mary Adams After the coal mines and brick plan closed and a fire destroyed much of the downtown, the Texas and Pacific Coal Company had a decision to make, to rebuild or to close the town. They chose to close and salvage every piece they could. They sold houses...
By Scarlet Webber The people who called Thurber home did not just disappear once Thurber became a ghost town. There are many records of people who continued their stories after their time in Thurber, and their stories are continued to be told through their family. One such person was Fred...
By Shala Scarlato Fraternal Organizations were the backbone of much of American society both after the Civil War and before World War I. Fraternal organizations have been clouded in rumors of “magic” and “mystery” for as long as they have been around. Yet, the truth is that the organizations supported...
By Shala Scarlato Thurber was no stranger to labor strikes and unions. Many miners joined so they could fight for better pay and shorter work days. While Thurber was at its strongest, the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC) was busy trying to convince adults that children needed to be covered...
By Mary Adams Texas recognized Labor Day on the first Monday of September in 1863. A year later, the federal government made Labor Day a federal holiday on par with Independence Day. The question is, did Thurber embrace Labor Day with the same vigor as they celebrated Independence Day? Mary...
One of the first things an intern must do when starting at the W. K. Gordon Center is research. While materials are provided, it is up to us to learn about Thurber. This helps us understand the town and prepares us to answer questions guests might have. It also brings...