The Irving Heritage Society will host their general membership meeting and program on Tuesday, January 29, following a spaghetti supper at 6:30pm at Joe’s Coffee Shop, 425 West Irving Blvd.   Jennifer Landry, Director of Irving Museums will present a program on the latest update of the Irving Archives and Museum.  This new museum is under construction just down the street from Joe’s in the Heritage District and is scheduled to be opened in the fall.

The spaghetti supper will be free to Heritage Society members or a $5 donation for guests.  Seating is limited and reservations are needed by Jan. 22 by calling 972-252-3838.  Door prizes will be awarded including two pies from Joe’s Coffee Shop.  

The Irving Archives and Museum will be a 22,000 square foot exhibition space.  In addition to the central exhibitions, it will also contain a temporary exhibit gallery for national traveling exhibits from the Smithsonian and others, a community space, a variety of exhibitions, a Spark!Lab, the archives, and a museum store. Attendees will learn the about the details, as well as items sought for some of the exhibits.

For more information on the Irving Heritage Society, visit www.irvingheritage.com or call 972-252-3838.

The November 4, Sunday, tours of the Irving Heritage House will feature an exhibit of memorabilia of the Hump pilot Robert L. Willis in honor of the upcoming Veterans Day.  Located at 303 South O’Connor, the Heritage House and Mary’s Playhouse will be open for free tours from 3pm -5pm with docent led tours at 3pm and 4pm.  Admission is free.

The family of Robert L. Willis will share photographs, records and other personal items of his time as one of the Hump pilots from 1942-1945.  Mr. Willis flew the Hump 105 trips in one year.  He was awarded the Distinguished Flyer Medal.  The Hump pilots were a select group of Allied pilots who flew the China Burma India route known as The Hump over the Himalayan Mountains during World War II.   This world’s tallest mountain chain also provided extremely severe weather, thus creating an extremely dangerous and challenging flight route from India to China for transporting supplies.

For more information, visit www.irvingheritage.com or call 972-252-3838.  The public is invited to see this special exhibit while touring the Heritage House.  Complimentary copies of the book “From Rails to Wings” by Norma Stanton will be given to all visitors during the exhibit.

Free tours will be given of the Irving Heritage House, 303 South O’Connor, on Sunday, September 2 from 3pm-5pm with docent led tours at 3pm and 4pm.  In honor of the 1936 wedding of Charles and Catherine Schulze, Catherine’s wedding gown and bridesmaids’ dresses will be featured in the bridal gown display during the monthly tour.  Built in 1912 by C. P. Schulze, brother of one of Irving’s co-founders, this restored pioneer home has been designated as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark.    

Mary’s Playhouse in the back garden area will also be open for tours during that time.  Many toys of the Schulze children as well as vintage items are displayed in what was originally built in 1920 as a chicken coop.  Families are encourage to visit.

Guests on September 2 will receive a complimentary copy of the Irving history book “Rails to Wings” by Norma Stanton.

For more information visit www.irvingheritage.com or call 972-252-3838.  Group tours may also be arranged at alternate times.

The Irving Heritage Society will host the dedication of two historical markers on Friday, June 22 for the Estelle Community and Harrington Cemetery.  Located at 4200 Valley View Road, the dedication will begin at 10am.  Parking is available on the grounds.   Lawn chairs are suggested as seating is limited.

The Estelle community was located on what is now largely DFW Airport property in western Irving.  The community evolved during the second half of the nineteenth century from scattered farms on the Grapevine Prairie.  At its height, the community had a steam cotton gin, two churches, a blacksmith shop, a school and a general store.  The city of Irving annexed the Estelle area in 1968.

Bryant and Ryan Harrington came to the Estelle area shortly after the Civil War.  The brothers amassed large land holdings on which they raised cattle and farmed.  In 1883, the Harringtons donated land for a community school and Masonic lodge and a two story frame building was built on the land.  In 1916, the community built a two-story brick schoolhouse on the same piece of land.

For additional information, contact the Irving Heritage Society at 972-252-3838.

Under the shade of the large tree in the front lawn of the Irving Heritage House, the Irving Heritage Society held their annual meeting with the election and installation of new officers on May 6. Current president Lea Bailey presided over the business meeting.   Marlene McDargh conducted the installation of the new officers.  That slate included:  President  – Philip Prince, President-Elect-Linda Shotwell, 1^st Vice President (Membership) – Kitty Boyle, 2^nd Vice President (Programs) – Jearlene Miller, 3^rd Vice President (Projects) – Gary Westerman, Recording Secretary – Pam Engman, Corresponding Secretary-Shirley Smith, Treasurer – Anne Pfaff, Historian – Pamela Slaughter, and Parliamentarian – Lea Bailey.  Directors included:   Tim Fooks, Lee Mosty, Mark Murray, Imogene Rogers, Gary Schepf, Karen Jackson, and Corine Barberena.

Following the program, those in attendance enjoyed an ice cream social before tours of the Heritage House.  For more information about the Irving Heritage Society, visit www.irvingheritage.com or call 972-252-3838.