Grapevine Cotton Belt Section Foreman's House

Grapevine Cotton Belt Section Foreman's House. . , Dedicated to all of the Section Foremen and their families who lived in this building on the Grape Vine Prairie, It is the house that spans the industrial ages. Although simple in design and built without the modern facilities that a 1990s resident would expect, the Grapevine Cotton Belt Section Foreman's House sheltered numerous railroad families from 1888 through the 1950s., After the Cotton Belt Railway deemed its use as a railroad home finished, the old house was not ready to die. The structure was moved to 3036 Hall-Johnson Road in south Grapevine and used as a residence until 1990. On June 7, 1991, the Grapevine Heritage Foundation purchased the house and on January 12, 1993, moved it back to its resting place near the Cotton Belt railroad tracks. In 1995, restoration began., Originally constructed according to standard company plans, with a living room, dining area, kitchen and bedroom downstairs and dormitory-style sleeping quarters upstairs, it was the front porch swing that was important to Bill and Dottie Crawford. It was there in 1941 they "courted" under the watchful eye of Section Foreman James Madison Harris, Dottie's father., The Section Foreman was the vital community member who ensured that the section of track between neighboring communities of Coppell and Watauga was in proper working order so mail and consumer goods could safely reach their destinations. It was the Section Foreman and his crew of four linemen who worked the tracks daily utilizing a handcar. Crew members often rented rooms in local homes. And, according to Dottie Crawford, crew members were sometimes commandeered into service by Mrs. Nancy Harris, wife of the Section Foreman, to tend her flower beds., The Grapevine Section Foreman's house heard the whistles of the steam trains, and later the diesels. It saw horse-drawn drays and later trucks pull up to the Depot to load up with goods brought by rail car for local merchants and residents. The old house stood proud when the tap-tap-tap of the telegraph wires told that Lindberg had just landed in France. It heard the first car roar down Main Street driven by Nash Groover and saw the horses rear up in their harnesses at the commotion the car caused., The Section Foreman's House saluted as the troop trains rolled past carrying young soldiers bound for battle in World War I. The old house stood proud when Raymond Paul Miller, son of Section Foreman Grover Cleveland Miller, came home from the Marines during World War II and embraced his little nieces, Janet and Gayle White, under the trees in its yard. And it watched quietly and unobtrusively as Grapevine changed along with the Nation from a small rural farming community into an island in a sea of technological development in the years following the war., Like Grapevine's great community spirit, the Grapevine Cotton Belt Section Foreman's house lives on to enrich the lives of all who visit it. The Section Foreman's House tells its own unique story -- filled with genuine Texas characters -- who share their special remembrances. The old house exemplifies the Grapevine spirit...the ability to change with the times as necessary and the ability to keep its historic roots for future generations. We dedicate the Grapevine Cotton Belt Section Foreman's House to the memory of all who lived here and loved here and made Grapevine and America a better place., The reconstruction of the Cotton Belt Section Foreman's House was made possible by the Grapevine City Council; Grapevine Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors; Timmy Ware, A-Ware House Moving; Ninja Framers; Gary Anderson, Protect Roofing; Bennett Builders; The Grapevine Dirty Dozen; Ron Emrich; Lloyd Latta; M. Diane Yarbrough, Graduate Student, University of North Texas; Charles E. Harris (Longview, Texas); Robert R. McClonahan (Pine Bluff, Arkansas); Dorothy Beth Francisco; Members of the James Madison Harris family, including Bill and Dottie Crawford; Members of the Grover Cleveland Miller family including G. C. Miller, Jr., Roy Miller, Nancy Coleman, Bill and Janet Daniel, Sidney Miller, Bill Miller, Celeste White, Daisy Fowler, Sarah Rosemary Smith, Bob and Gayle Walker, Jeani Sanderfer and John Smith III., The Grapevine Heritage Foundation Board of Directors: , Melva Stanfield, Chair . Paul W. McCallum, CEO . Marion Brekken, Vice-Chair . Ted Willhoite, Secretary . Jess Daniel, Treasurer . Marian Carpentier . Bryan Klein . Mark Maness . Joan Pierce . David Shrum . James Swinney . Sharron Spencer, City Council Liaison . Doug Evans, Ex-Officio . Tommy Hardy, Ex-Officio . Jerry Hodge, Ex-Officio . Karl Stundins and Sallie Rae Andrews, Grapevine Heritage Foundation, This building was dedicated on May 18, 1996, by the Honorable William D. Tate, Mayor, in the presence of descendents of previous section foremen., Captions: , The 1888 Grapevine Cotton Belt Section Foreman's House crosses the tracks on January 12, 1993, as it returns to its home on Main Street., 4th of July, 1946, at the Section House-Raymond Paul "Red" Miller (Marine) and his nieces Janet White Daniel (left) and Gayle White Walker (right) get ready to cut the big watermelon., Typical Cotton Belt Section Crew, circa 1900