Brownsville History Harvest 2014
On Saturday, September 27, 2014, Rio Grande Valley residents participated in the Brownsville History Harvest at the Brownsville Public Library Central Branch.
More than seventy community members brought items from their family collections, including glass plate negatives from the Gilded Age, haunting photographs of the Mexican Revolution, maps of historic Fort Brown, and letters from World War II.
Eight scanning stations were set up around the community room, staffed by sponsoring organizations and volunteers from The University of Texas at Brownsville, Texas Southmost College, and Brownsville Independent School District who digitized hundreds of unique items along with collecting detailed documentation for each. The collection owners were able to take their original materials home, along with free digital copies. The sponsoring organizations created and retained a digital copy in accordance with the owner's approval.
The objective of the History Harvest is to create a community collection from the area's families documenting local, regional, and national history to be held at The University of Texas at Brownsville Library and made available for research, teaching, and educational exhibitions.
The Texas Archive of the Moving Image (TAMI) also participated in the History Harvest collecting Texas-based film and video for free digitization as part of their Texas Film Round-Up program. These materials are digitized in Austin and returned by mail to the owners, along with a digital copy.
The program was sponsored by Humanities Texas. Sponsoring local organizations include Brownsville Public Library, The University of Texas at Brownsville Library, Brownsville Historical Association, and Texas Southmost College.
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Melissa Trevino, 1910 - 1950
File 1 (2 parts): Vista Parcial, La Plaza; 1934; Matamoros, Tamaulipas. 5.5" x 3.5"
File 2: Group photo; grandfather and grandmother pictured on right (Salvador Trevino and Josefa G. Guevara); taken in 1940; in Oaxaca, Mexico. 5.5" x 3.5"
File 3 (2 parts): La Presidencia; City Hall; 1910; Matamoros, Tamaulipas. 5.5" x 3.5"
File 4 (2 parts): El Teatro Anteo, Teatro de la Reforma (movie theater); 1938; Matamoros, Tamaulipas. 5.5" x 3.5"
File 5: Josefa G. Guevara; taken in 1920's or 1930's in Matamoros, Tamaulipas. 3" x 2"
File 6: Salvador Trevino; taken in 1940's or 1930's in Matamoros, Tamaulipas. 4" x 6
File 7 (2 parts): Unknown couple at wedding (pictured on far left and right--Salvador Trevino and Josefa G. Guevara); taken in 1930's or 1940's; in Matamoros. 6" x 4"
File 8: Group photo; pictured on far right is Salvador Trevino; taken in 1930's or 1940's; in Matamoros, Tamaulipas. 6" x 4"
File 9: School class photo; taken in 1950; in Matamoros, Tamaulipas. 6" x 4"
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Nicole Altamirano, 1972 - 1992
File 1: Photo: bottom row from left to right standing from the far right is Mike Altamirano; completion from boot camp "Platoon 3135 U.S. Marine Corps.; taken in San Diego, California., 1976. 8"x10"
File 2: Derry Elementary, small class (21 students), 5th grade; Mike Altamirano was the teacher for that class; taken in Houston, Texas., 1992. 8" x 6"
File 3: Top front left to right, second man to the right whose wearing the glasses is named Mike Altamirano; served in the U.S. Marines Corps.; taken in Station of California., 1973. 8" x 10"
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Pelayo Quintana Jr. (Fort Brown), 1940 - 1949
File 1 (2 parts): Fort Brown, Sabal palm-lined entrance with war cannon before Gateway International Bridge; taken with box camera, 1940 - 1949. 3.5"x 5"
File 2 (2 parts): Facing Gateway International Bridge from Fort Brown Headquarters, 1940 - 1949. 3.5"x 5"
File 3: Fort Brown, Sabal Palm-lined entrance, 1940 - 1949. 3.5"x 5"
File 4: Main brick entrance to Fort Brown, 1940 - 1949. 3.5"x 5"
File 5: Fort Brown parade grounds from post office, where Jacob Brown Memorial is now located, 1940 - 1949. 3.5"x 5"
File 6: Parade grounds facing Palm-lined main road into Fort Brown, 1940 - 1949. 3.5"x 5"
File 7: Document from United States Congress; Petition of War Assets to be donated to the Brownsville Junior College; 48.9 acres of land; 75 structures/buildings; 100 percent public benefit; Milton H. West, 1947-12-16. 8"x 10"
File 8: Map of Fort Brown; War Department; General Plan; Major Corps of Engineers Dir.; Engineering Division; U.S. Army; Fort Brown drill field, clinic area, City park area, Fort Brown Memorial Park; Fort Brown Resaca; Parade grounds., 1940-03. 27"x 40"
File 9: Map of Fort Brown; War Department; General Plan; Major Corps of Engineers Dir.; Engineering Division; U.S. Army; Fort Brown drill field, clinic area, City park area, Fort Brown Memorial Park; Fort Brown Resaca, Parade ground, 1940-03.
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Porfiria Canul, 1850 - 1977
File 1: James Henry Klahn; grandfather; Brownsville Marshall; County Judge; taken in the late 1800's. 2.5" x 4"
File 2: Paternal great grandfather, Henry James Klahn; moved to Galveston, Texas from Germany; taken in 1858 at Brownsville, Texas., 1858. 6.5" x 4.2"
File 3: Obituary of Henry James' daughter, Sara Klahn; written on 1954. 8" x 11"
File 4: 1850 census document from Cameron, Starr, and Webb counties; page 321.
File 5: Brownsville Herald newspaper clip from 7/7/1892; Samuel James Klahn, chief of police and city officers. 8.1" x 11"
File 6: Portrait of Samuel James Klahn conductor of Brownsville Street and Interurban Railway (Brownsville Street & Interurban Railroad) electric trolley train; taken in 1915; Morales Studio in Brownsville, Texas. 8" x 3.8"
File 7: Samuel James Klahn's birth certificate; documented on 1893 at Brownsville, Texas. 8.5" x 7.4"
File 8: Samuel James Klahn's certificate of baptism; documented on 5/9/1895 at Brownsville, Texas. 5.5" x 8.5"
File 9: Samuel James Klahn's death certificate; documented on 3/26/1964 at Brownsville, Texas. 9.25" x 7.5"
File 10: Samuel James Klahn's wife, Maria Antonia Barbosa, birth certificate; documented on 6/22/1957 at Brownsville, Texas. H. D. Seago, county clerk. 8.5" x 7.4"
File 11: Elva Klahn Mendez, Porfiria Klahn Canul, Maria Barbosa Klahn, Samuel James Klahn; taken in 1951 at Brownsville, Texas. 7" x 5"
File 12: Maria B. Klahn's death certificate; documented on 8/23/1977 at Santa Maria, Texas. 9.2" x 7.5"
File 13: Muralla House, family home. Backside Porfiria Klahn, 3rd from the left; taken in 1918, 1940, in Brownsville, Texas.
File 14: Porfiria Klahn sitting on Klahn's transfer truck; taken on 1942; in Brownsville, Texas. 4.8" x 3"
File 15: Samuel Klahn standing at truck door moving day at Buena Vida Housing Project; taken in 1942 at Brownsville, Texas. (Not available) 6" x 3"
File 16: Samuel Klahn and Porfiria Klahn on her graduation day; graduated from Santa Maria High School; taken on 1939 in Santa Maria, Texas. 3" x 4"
File 17: 7 photographs; entrance to Palm Blvd (Los Ebanos arch); Samuel J. Klahn in front of Klahn's Flower shop; Samuel Klan; Samuel Klahn in front of meat market and Houston Paving company; taken on 1949, 1943; in Brownsville, Texas.
File 18: Samuel and Maria Klahn in their flower shop on 12th street; taken in 1952; at Brownsville, Texas. 8" x 10"
File 19: 6 photographs; Samuel and Maria Klahn's flower shop; baby photographs; taken in 1949; at Brownsville, Texas.
File 20: 5 photographs; Samuel J. Klahn; Brownsville and Matamoros Gateway bridge; graduation; taken in 1960's; at Brownsville, Texas.
File 21: 3 photographs of Paula Barbosa Perez, Elia Chapa, Celia Chapa, baby Belia Chapa; Boca Chica Beach; Samuel J. Klahn and his sisters; taken in 1949; at Brownsville, Texas.
File 22: 6 photographs belonging to Porfiria Klahn with friends and family members; taken in 1930's; at Brownsville, Texas.
File 23: Baseball team city league sponsored by Samuel James Klahn; taken in 1920's, in Brownsville, Texas. 5.5" x 3.5"
File 24: Porfiria Klahn; Jr. High Graduation; 13 years old; taken in 1935; in Brownsville, Texas. 4" x 3"
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Ruby Garcia, 1978
File 1: Letter from Elena Pescador Salas to Mela del Jesus Gamon in Cuernavaca, Mexico., 1978-01-24. 8.5" x 11"
File 2 (2 parts): Envelope containing letter addressed to Elena Pescador Salas; place of letter in Cuernavaca, Mexico.
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Ruth Aguirre, 1942 - 1946
File 1: Grandfather Moises Guerrero on the shore in Japan during World War II; taken at Okinawa, Japan., 1942 - 1946. 3.5" x 5.5"
File 2 (2 parts): Grandfather Moises Guerrero age 26; World War II; taken in the Philippines, 1942 - 1946. 2.5" x 4"
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Sofia Gonzalez, 1980 - 1999
File 1: Fernando de Leon (father of Sofia Gonzalez) outside a McDonald's restaurant; taken in Brownsville, Texas., 1980.
File 2: Isabel de Leon holding daughter Sofia Gonzalez in parking lot of Wal-Mart at Boca Chica Blvd. in Brownsville, Texas., 1999. 4"x 6"
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Theresa Campos, 1920 - 1970
File 1: Olivia Garcia Mendoza Rodriguez's first communion; Mrs. Campos grandmother; taken in Brownsville, Texas. 10" x 8"
File 2: Olivia Garcia Mendoza Rodriguez perhaps in a Charro Days costume; taken in Brownsville, Texas. 10" x 8"
File 3: Virginia Garcia Mendoza Almaraz, Tony Gonzalez, Olivia Garcia; adopted children; taken in Brownsville, Texas.< 1930 - 1939. 10" x 8"
File 4: Petra Gonzalez, the neighbor, adopted Olivia and Garcia Mendoza when their mother died; taken in Brownsville, Texas., 1920 - 1929. 10" x 8"
File 5: Olivia Garcia at South Padre Island, 2000. 10" x 8"
File 6: Antonio Gonzalez in a social gathering, 1960. - 1970. 10" x 8"
File 7: Antonio Gonzalez and his son, 1956. 10" x 8"
File 8: Marine or navy sailor, 1940 - 1949. 10" x 8"
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Toni Wise, 1912 - 1945
File 1: Photo of Brownsville Train station; with people on it surrounded it by a crowd; R.B. Creager, Chairman of the Republican Party of the State of Texas; and president-elect Warren G. Harding; right to left: unknown woman, Lindberg family member, Harding, Creager, others; taken in 1921; in Railroad Depot Park, Brownsville, Texas. 5.5" x 3.5"
File 2: Photo of Merchant's National Bank; gas pump, Texas Bank and Trust; Awning of Vivier Drivers; Crest Building; Federal Building down the street; taken in 1914; in corner of Elizabeth and 11th Street, Brownsville, Texas. 5.5" x 3.5"
File 3: Photo of Cueto Building; unknown address; taken in Brownsville, Texas. 3 3/8" x 5"
File 4: Photo of Palmito Ranch; Carlos Orive on horseback; taken in 1916; in Brownsville, Texas. 3 3/8" x 5"
File 5 (2 parts): Postcard of the Juana Champion Fernandez House; built in 1912; sold to Pauline Bollack; now the Fernandez-Bollack House; the original is Runyon photo; taken in 1915; in Brownsville, Texas. 3.5" x 5"
File 6: During Charro Days; Carmen Landin Gavito (L); Tina Garza (R); taken in late 1930's; in Brownsville, Texas. 3.5" x 5.5"
File 7: Photo of Carmen Landin Gavito; taken in 1945; in Brownsville, Texas. 2 5/8" x 10"
File 8: Washington Street; Drs. Landin and Landin Optometrists; owned by father and son; both Melchor Landin; taken in early 1940's; in Brownsville, Texas. 8" x 10"
File 9: Photo of Dr. Melchor Landin, Jr. in his optometrist office; taken in early 1940's; in Brownsville, Texas. 8" x 10"
File 10: Wedding photo; Carmen Gavito and Dr. Melchor Landin Jr.; taken in August 1951; in Brownsville, Texas. 8" x 10"
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Veronica Ramirez, 1985 - 1991
File 1: Marriage certificate of Veronica Ramirez from Mexico; Matamoros, Mexico., 1985. 8" x 11
File 2 (2 parts): Birth certificate of Marcos E. Manuel Ramirez Alvarez; 1991; Matamoros, Mexico., 1991. 9" x 11"
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Viviana Medrano, 1938 - 1968
File 1 (2 parts): Adelina Chavez and grandson; taken in Ejido Soliseno near Matamoros, Mexico., 1968.
File 2 (2 parts):Identification card belonging to Adelina Chavez who lived in Santa Maria, Texas at the time, but was born in Las Prietas, Texas in 1881. Taken in Matamoros, Mexico., 1940. 3"x 5"
File 3 (2 parts): U.S. Citizen's Identification Card belonging to Adelina Chavez issued in Thayer, Texas., 1938. 3"x 5"
File 4: Adelina Chavez and her niece, 1965. 3"x 5"
File 5 (2 parts): Adelina Chavez and Paquita; daughter, and son (Juan); taken in Ejido Soliseno, Matamoros Mexico., 1968. 3"x 3"