Power to the People: The Electrification of the Brazos Valley
The Children's Museum of the Brazos Valley
October 1-31, 2009
111 E. 27th Street
Bryan, TX 77803
(979) 779-KIDS
www.mymuseum.com
Hours of Operation:
Monday - Saturday:
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
For free tickets to this exhibit, please stop by BTU during normal business hours. BTU is located at:
205 E. 28th Street
Bryan, TX 77803
Coming Together to Build an Exhibit
It started off as a small exhibit; a way for Bryan Texas Utilities (BTU) to share their 100 year history of service to the Brazos Valley with its customers; some antique tools, meter reading equipment, historic photographs and the like on tables in a location where people from the community could see them.
Knowing that the LBJ Library & Museum had done an award-winning exhibit, "Power to the People: The Electrification of Rural Texas," several years ago, BTU decided to talk to them. Sandy Cohen, the library's curator, Mike MacDonald, the registrar, and exhibit specialist, Gary Phelps, encouraged BTU to meet with Iris Haecker Neffendorf, park manager of the LBJ State Park and Historic Site where much of the exhibit had been stored after it was dismantled.
These generous people were eager to share their exhibit and graciously offered to loan it to BTU for the month of October. And it didn't stop there. Pieces that the Library did not have, Danny Lester, director of public works, Burl Young, warehouse manager, and electric department supervisor, Gene Courtney, from the City of Burnet Public Works and Pedernales Electric's communications manager, Anne Harvey agreed to loan BTU as well.
Remembering the words of advice famed newspaper columnist Bob Considine once wrote, "Seek the best that other brains have to offer and give them credit when they have helped," BTU began their odyssey of recreating this amazing display.
Shawn Andaya-Pulliam, executive director, and Christina Seidel , assistant director of the Children's Museum of the Brazos Valley enthusiastically got behind the exhibit, offering not only to display the exhibit in their facility but also to offer every assistance imaginable. Texas generosity and community spirit are alive and well!
On a recommendation from Cindy Peaslee, Downtown Bryan Economic Development Association executive director, BTU approached Phillip Garrett owner of Conlee-Garrett Moving who said, "Sure we will move it and take it back for you." Cindy also agreed to be on the lookout for rare examples of Bryan's earliest electric appliances for the exhibit.
Donald Brown, instructor of Construction Sciences at James Earl Rudder High School was also ready to pitch in and help and thought his students would enjoy the project as well. His principal, Hugh Piatt, said "Go ahead if you think it will be good for the students." Although every student in Mr. Brown's classes signed up to volunteer, some expertise in showcasing the objects was required and that is where the volunteer efforts of Dr. Susan Stabile and her class in Museum Science at Texas A&M fit in. Ensuring the exhibit would look its best, Brian Blake, communications director for the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum, offered the loan of professional quality display cases.
For the first three days of the exhibit, electrical engineer, Richard Mathias and his wife, Mary Ellen, of the Mid-America Science Museum, will present their acclaimed "Sermon from Science." This program, already viewed by more than 20,000 students and educators across the country, culminates with a riveting electrical demonstration of a 400,000 volt conical Tesla Coil. As with the others who participate in this project, the Mathias' received no monetary gain for themselves.
This exhibit is about the ruggedness of life before electricity and the benefits it has brought to our lives as well as how the City of Bryan worked to produce the electricity for its residents. Hopefully, as you stroll through the exhibit you will learn about and enjoy BTU's rich history. But this presentation is also about how wonderful people saw an opportunity to present something of value to the people of all ages in a community and eagerly volunteered to make this exhibit possible.
The exhibit will be held at the Children's Museum of the Brazos Valley at 111 E. 27th St. in Bryan which is open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on Monday through Saturday. Tickets to the exhibit are free for the month of October, but must be picked up prior to entering the museum from BTU headquarters at 205 E. 28th St. in Bryan.
For more information about the Children's Museum of the Brazos Valley, please visit their website.
To see our exhibit supporters, without whom none of this would have been possible, click here.
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