Page 6 - Heritiage Guide 2016

Page 6 HERITAGE: HISTORY OF BEAUTIFUL LAKE LIVINGSTON 2016
Bobinger: Polk County curator
By: Enterprise staff
In a large frame on the wall near Wanda Bobinger’s former of ce is a thank-you note, written
in big block letters by a young boy. Included in the frame is a stick- gure picture the boy drew of Bobinger in a purple dress, which is what she was wearing
on the day she led his class on a tour of the Polk County Museum.
She displays the letter and drawing not because the boy called her “the pretty museum lady” – Bobinger is not the type who is comfortable with praise – but because the boy really enjoyed seeing the museum ... and because it encapsulates what her job has really been about: sharing her love of history with others.
She retired on Oct. 1, after
25 years as curator of the local museum; years in which she un- doubtedly touched a lot of lives, either by sparking an interest in history or by feeding an existing fascination with the past. Most never got around to writing a thank-you note, but they had a chance to show their appreciation at a public reception, Sunday, Oct. 23, honoring Bobinger’s quarter-century of service. The event will also give the public
a chance to see three rooms of new exhibits at the Polk County Museum, which is now curated by her son, Jack.
A native of Polk County, Bobinger was born in the old Bergman Hospital in Livings- ton, but grew up in Leggett and graduated from Leggett High School in 1959. She attended the University of Houston, where she majored in biology, then trained at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Hospital to become a registered medical technologist. Her talents in scienti c research were not only utilized at M.D. Anderson Hospital, but also at the University of Freiburg in Germany and the University of Bern in Switzerland, where she
trained technicians in methods and procedures that are utilized at M.D. Anderson.
“I have always had a keen in- terest in history and in our local history for as long as I can re- member,” says Bobinger. “I give my father, W.B. Galloway, credit for that. As a rural mail carrier, he knew every country road, every pig trail, and every stream. Throughout my childhood and as a young adult, Sunday after- noons were lled with history lessons. We called it ‘riding around’ or ‘let’s go riding.’ On these drives, my father steadily called out the names of creeks and how they got their names, old churches, and communities that once thrived, only evident by the dilapidated remains of an old school house. We saw vanishing home sites, the houses and gen- erations of families long gone, leaving only the huge oak trees mingled with crepe myrtles. My father spoke of those families, always weaving a story that I would remember.”
In 1981, Wanda heard the gentle whisper of the pine trees calling her home to Polk County. Almost immediately she became involved with local heritage, hosting the rst Candlelight Tour of Homes, sponsored by the Heritage Society. The Christmas tours became a popular annual event for many years. In 1991, the door opened to a whole new career for Wanda when she was selected by the Polk County Historical Commission to be- come the new curator of the Polk County Museum.
Soon after, Wanda attended the highly-praised Winedale Seminar, a 10-day concentrated study designed to improve the quality and promote the continu- ing development of community and regional museums sponsored by the Texas Historical Commis- sion.
The need for additional
space to house and exhibit the museum’s collections of Polk County history and artifacts had been apparent for a long time, so when news came that Sechrest Berman Webster would gift her beautiful home to the museum, it was indeed a joyful moment, Bobinger said. Plans began for the transition from the library- museum building on Church Street to the Webster house at 514 W. Mill St. A Preservation Award was given to Bobinger in 1998 for outstanding achieve- ment in planning and imple- menting the new Polk County Museum. Also received was the Heritage Society’s Award for sharing vision, enthusiasm and talents in the preservation of Polk County history.
While recognized and re- spected locally for work in the preservation eld, Bobinger has also earned achievements on the regional and state level (see sidebar), and with the awards have come compliments from
35 years Benny Fogleman • Home
Ralph K. enke, D.D.S. &Associates
some very well-respected gures in the eld.
In 2002, the Texas Commis- sion on the Arts underwrote a generous grant to Exhibits USA and the Texas Association of Museums for a comprehensive research project with a focus
on small and midsize museums throughout Texas. Site visits were made to 40 museums and the report was published in the 2002 Museumlin: “As we trav- eled Texas’ major highways and minor back roads, we met cura- tors from placed like Jefferson, Lufkin, Conroe and Livingston. Our trips to these museums
were magical, but in Livingston, Wanda Bobinger, a stalwart of the museum community, shaped a distinctive character for the Polk County Museum. The objects and exhibits could not
be separated from her enthusi- asm. Together, they became the experience. The museum was a backdrop or vehicle for the con- veyance of story and personality. Ms. Bobinger weaved oral his- tory and folklore as she showed us an extraordinary collection
of artifacts. These visits were reminders of why museum work is important and the need to acknowledge individuals who are dedicated to the protection of the objects that de ne us.”
The Livingston Merchant’s Guild, in cooperation with
the cities of Coldspring and Woodville, and Texas Economic Development conducted a three- day tourism assessment in 2002. Nearly 60 people from Polk, San Jacinto and Tyler counties at- tended the workshop. The assess- ment team visited the Alabama- Coushatta Indian Reservation, Lake Livingston State Park, the dam site, Heritage Village in Woodville and sites in Cold- spring. The long-awaited report arrived and stated: “Polk County Memorial Museum has an excel- lent collection and exhibits. The guided tour makes it come alive. Outstanding ... this museum
has been designed to create an experience for the visitor.” Stan Hodge, director of Tourism Re- search in the Governor’s Of ce of Economic Development, said, “The Polk County Museum is one of the nest small museums in the State of Texas.”
In Austin, 2005, John Nau III, chairman of the Texas Historical Commission, and Larry Oaks, executive director, presented Bobinger with an award for individual achievement in the areas of historical interpretation, museum education, conservation of collections and community involvement with other programs of work.
Bobinger served a two-year term as board member for the state’s Heritage Trails program. The Texas Forest Trails include 35 counties to promote heritage tourism, economic develop- ment and historic preservation. In 2005, the program won the
Serving Polk County for
Preserve America Presidential Award.
Bobinger is credited with a number of published historical articles with the Stephen F. Aus- tin Center for Regional Heritage Research in Nacogdoches. In 2009, author and historian Bob Bowman and his wife Doris honored Wanda with the coveted Best of East Texas Award, pre- sented annually to an individual or organization deemed one of a kind and the best there is. “The award is intended to acknowl- edge unique men and women who are known for the love of our special corner of Texas,” Bob Bowman said.
Asked to sum up in one sentence the success of 25 years as the Polk County Museum’s curator, Wanda replied, “I always gave it my very best.” Then, with a brief hesitation, she added, “I did it my way.”
Long-time Polk County Museum Curator Wanda Bobinger was eating at a local restaurant recently when she was approached
by a woman who shared the kind of story Wanda just loves to hear. The woman had brought her granddaughter
to the local museum and Wanda had taken the time
to walk through the exhibits with the young girl, telling her stories that made history come alive for the child. “She talked about it for days,” the grandmother told Bobinger, adding that, after that experience, the child, when on trips, always asks to visit a museum.
That is the kind of “award” Bobinger treasures most,
but she’s picked up several more during her 25 years of museum service:
• Corene Hollenburger Award for preservation – 1983
• Star Appreciation Award
for sharing times, means
and service honoring the 150th anniversary of Texas statehood – Feb. 19, 1996
• Silver Award of Merit
on Texas history and preservation for public speaking and program presentation – May 9, 1996
• United Daughters of the Confederacy Jefferson Davis Award for dedication to the preservation of the history
of the War Between the States through her research, writings and recitations – June 21, 1997
• American Association of University Women’s Award, Woman of the Year – 1999
• Outstanding Polk Countian in Historical Preservation, Polk County Chamber of Commerce – 2004
• Pro led in Notable Women of Polk County, published
by American Association of University Women – 2005 Historical positions held in the county:
• Member and of cer of
the Polk County Historical Commission, 1991-2016
• Member of the Polk County Heritage Society, vice- president, program chairman, secretary, 1991-2008
• Board member of the Livingston Main Street Design Committee and Advisory Committee
• Board and committee member, Texas Forest Trails
• Courthouse preservation
• Historical research on Polk County Courthouse for Texas Historical Commission’s grant funding
• Ex-of cio member on advisory committee for Polk County Courthouse Judicial Center, 2006-2007
• Member of the Robert Rankin Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution
• Charter member of the John Floyd Gilbert Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas
• Charter member of the Ike Turner Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy
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