Flower Mound Log Cabin
In 2015, while beginning the demolition of his newly purchased property on Quail Run Road, developer Curtis Grant discovered a historic log cabin nestled in the walls of the house. Sensing the importance of the discovery, Grant sought the advice of the Denton County Office of History and Culture, where the significance of the cabin was uncovered.
Built in the 1860s, the Gibson-Grant Long Prairie Cabin was once situated on the four-acre property originally patented to William Gibson in 1854. The cabin is an excellent example of a Texas pioneer family’s first home with its hand-hewn post oak logs with dove-tailed notching.
The Mound Foundation, an organization dedicated to preserving The Mound of Flower Mound and providing education on native plants of the area, saw the importance of the site and organized two open houses that drew hundreds of residents and visitors and began fundraising efforts for the restoration. The Foundation rallied the community and was able to help persuade the town council on the importance of keeping the cabin at its original location.
On March 21, Denton County and the Town of Flower Mound reached an agreement that will facilitate the restoration of the cabin. Denton County, a certified local government, will also procure grants and develop educational programs for the site. Directly across from Liberty Elementary School, the cabin will provide students with an enriching example of local history. Flower Mound’s Girl Scout Troop 4007 hosted Cabin-Aid on March 19 to raise awareness of the cabin and plan to create a presentation that will be available to educate these future students.
As a result of community involvement and dedicated elected officials, the preservation of the cabin will ensure that a piece of local history will be maintained for future generations. The director of the Denton County Office of History and Culture, Peggy Riddle, who also presides as the Historic Preservation Officer, hopes that the public will follow Mr. Grant’s example and be a catalyst for community involvement with more of the county’s hidden treasures.
The Archeology Committee of the Denton County Historical Commission, in partnership with the Office of History and Culture, will host an archeology day in early summer that will involve the community in the hunt for artifacts at the cabin’s site. For more information on how you can be a part of this exciting historical find, contact Peggy Riddle at 940-349-2852.
Farmer Brothers Receives Award for Best New Industrial Project
Congratulations to Stream Realty and Farmer Brothers on their recent award for Best New Industrial Project, presented by D Magazine.
Denton County partnered with the Town of Northlake and Farmer Brothers, and the result was their relocation and construction of their new state-of-the-art facility, which will bring nearly 400 jobs to the area. This is type of high-wage, high-quality development is the exact type of company the county works to attract to relocation, which is due in part to the quality of life, ready workforce, improved road system, and business-friendly environment in Denton County.
Founded in 1912, Farmer Bros. Co. is a manufacturer, wholesaler and distributor of coffee, tea and culinary products. The Company is a direct distributor of coffee to restaurants, hotels, casinos, offices, quick service restaurants (“QSR’s”), convenience stores, healthcare facilities and other foodservice providers, as well as private brand retailers in the QSR, grocery, drugstore, restaurant, convenience store, and independent coffee house channels.
Election Season
Election season is here and we are approaching municipal and school board elections across the county. Early voting starts April 25 and runs through May 3. You can vote in any polling location, however, on Election Day, Saturday, May 7, you’ll need to vote at your designated polling location. Locations may vary from previous elections so be sure and check our county website at www.votedenton.com for the most up-to-date information regarding days, times and locations.
Country Club Road Construction Update
On April 4, the contractor working on Country Club Road was scheduled to shift traffic onto the new concrete pavement from Harrison Lane to Thornridge Circle. One way traffic will remain eastbound to FM 1830. Motorists are advised to use caution to drive through this construction area. We appreciate your patience during construction, but we know the finished product will be worth the wait.
To date, the contractor, Jagoe Public, has placed 11,000 linear feet of pavement. The completed road will be two 11-foot concrete driving lanes with five foot shoulders, a 12-foot left turn lane, and an additional 11-foot deceleration right turn lane at the Denton Country Club. The safety of travel on the road will be greatly enhanced with the new left and right turn lanes at FM 1830 and a left turn lane from FM 1830 onto Country Club Road.
The total reconstruction of Country Club Road in Argyle, funded by the 2008 Denton County Bond Election, is our largest county road project currently underway. Work is currently on track to meet the anticipated completion schedule by the end of this year.
For complete project information, a detailed copy of the plans, and status updates, check our webpage often at http://dentoncounty.com/Departments/Commissioners/Commissioner-Pct4.aspx.
Communities In Schools of North Texas
One in four students in North Texas are in at-risk of dropping out of school. With the help of Communities in Schools of North Texas (CISNT), part of the nation’s largest dropout prevention network, many will beat the odds this year and stay in school.
CISNT, a non-profit administered through guidelines by the Texas Education Agency, is part of an innovative national approach established to combat the dropout problem.
We welcome the support of the community to achieve our mission through these approaches. Your financial support, volunteer support and donation of resources that benefit our students are deeply in need. I have served on the board of CISNT for many years and have personally witnessed how a student’s life can be positively changed by matching a caring mentor with the student.
In order to achieve their mission and continue to serve almost 5,000 at-risk youth throughout the academic year, CISNT hosts an annual fundraising gala. This year CISNT presents: Masquerade – An Evening of Intrigue and Entertainment, on Saturday, May 21, at 6:30pm, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Lewisville. Special Entertainment is provided by David Magee – Master of the Mind.
Tickets start at $100 and tables start at $1,000. Your support demonstrates to community members, friends, neighbors and colleagues your commitment to empowering children to stay in school and achieve in life! For more information, click on event link: http://cisnt.org/events/event/cisntbanquet/
Emergency Services Seminar
Weather in North Texas is unpredictable and can change in an instant! We can never be too prepared for rough weather and unforeseen natural and man-made disasters that may impact the region. In an effort to help residents be better prepared, Congressman Burgess is hosting his annual Emergency Preparedness Summit & Fair on Saturday morning, April 23, 8 a.m. to noon, at Aubrey High School, 510 Spring Hill Road, Aubrey, TX 76227.
Congressman Burgess is partnering with Aubrey ISD, the City of Aubrey, the Town of Providence Village and Denton County Emergency Services, plus many other organizations to host this informative and family fun event for all age groups – kids to seniors! At this free public event, families can tour indoor and outdoor exhibits/vehicles providing emergency and disaster preparedness resources and make and takes, as well as view live safety demonstrations.
There will also be a “Kid Safety Zone” with activities geared to children that will engage the whole family in becoming prepared for any type of emergency situation. The event will open to the public at 8 a.m. with access to the fair, and presentations will begin at 8:30 a.m. and conclude at noon. Learn how to protect your family as we #PrepareNTX!
For more information, contact: Robin Vaughan, Deputy District Director, Office of Congressman Michael C. Burgess, MD, 940-497-5031, [email protected], website: burgess.house.gov
Did You Know?
Denton County CERT is an organization of citizen volunteers who report to the Denton County Office of Emergency Management and are trained in disaster preparedness, medical triage and treatments, light search and rescue, and other skills.
The team assists the community by providing disaster preparedness education to the public through safety fairs, assisting first responders in searching for missing persons, and can respond during a disaster to assist emergency services responders.
Emergency Services (Fire, EMS, Police) can be overwhelmed and their resources stretched in the immediate hours after a disaster. CERT is trained to step in and assist (upon request) in the immediate hours after the disaster, as well as collecting damage assessment information.
The Basic CERT course is held twice each year and is approximately 20 hours long (and free.) Contact Brenda Gormley by email at [email protected] if you would like to more know when the next class will be held.
35Express Update
The reconstruction of I-35E is part of the 35Express Project, an expansion of I-35E from US 380 in Denton to I-635 in Dallas. The 35Express Project is scheduled to be substantially complete in mid-2017.
As always, check out the project website at www.35express.org for more detailed information and detour routes, as well as regular updates on additional lane and road closures and upcoming construction. Be sure and sign up for the alerts to receive up-to-the-minute information to ease your commute. In addition, access to traffic cameras along I-35E is available.
If you have any questions or comments, please let me hear from you. My email is [email protected] and my office number is 940-349-2801.
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