LIBRARY NOTES
It’s going to be a busy October at the city Library with three programs within eight days Oct. 18-25.
Dr. Steven Gonzales will present a program on the El Camino Real de los Tejas at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18.
The library’s annual “lock-in” is the next day with programs scheduled from 8 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19.
Paranormal researcher Greg Lawson, a Rockdale native, will be on hand for a book signing on Thursday, Oct. 25.
ROYAL ROAD—Dr. Gonzales is the executive director of El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Association.
El Camino Real de los Tejas is the old royal road that came up from Mexico City to establish Texas in Spanish colonial times.
It’s the road that led to the founding of Texas. There are many caminos reales that make up the Camino Real.
In times past these roads have different names because of the places that they were going to.
The Old San Antonio Road and the Nacogdoches Road, La Bahia Road and the Laredo Road.
Every Texan of note that we can think of, all the way from Spaniards such as Alonzo de Leon to Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, Sam Houston, all traveled along portions of the Camino Real at one time or another, and it’s really elemental to the state’s history.
We think about things like the battle of the Alamo and Goliad, and we forget that those troops were actually traveling along roadways, pathways, and those were largely the Camino Real and segments of it.
Dr. Gonzales believes that we can have a greater appreciation for the places we live in by understanding the cultural and natural history of the area.
LOCK-IN—In celebration of October as Family History Month, the Lucy Hill Patterson Memorial Library is joining the Genealogy Center of the Waco-McLennan County Library in its 18th Annual Genealogy Lock-in.
Here’s the schedule:
• 10 to 10:50 a.m.—“Don’t Forget the Ladies: A Genealogist’s Guide to Women and the Law,” Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL, The Legal Genealogist.
• 11 to 11:50 a.m.–“Discovering Your Ancestors Land Holdings in the Texas GLO,” Kevin Klaus, Information Specialist Texas General Land Office (GLO) Archives and Records.
• 12-noon 10 1:30 p.m.– “Genealogy Basics: Getting Started on Your Family Tree,” Carl Smith, Genealogy Librarian, Montgomery County Memorial Library System.
• 1:40 to 2:40 p.m.– “Organizing and Preserving Photograph Collections,” Ari Wilkins, Library Associate at Dallas Public Library
• 2:50 to 3:50 p.m.–“Locating Ancestors on the Dawes Roll,” Kathy Huber, Manager, Genealogy Center, Tulsa City County Library. For locating an ancestor who enrolled.
• 4 to 5:15 p.m.–“Using Autosomal DNA Testing to Solve Genealogy Brick Walls,” Drew Smith, Assistant Librarian, Academic Services, USF Tampa Library, co-host of Genealogy Guys Podcast.
PARANORMAL— Lawson has traveled to over 40 countries visiting some of Earth’s strangest sites and conducting his own investigation of their paranormal histories.
He is a 26-year law enforcement officer, professional investigator, police academy instructor, college educator, and former expert witness for investigative procedures.
He also researches and investigates human paranormal experience and locations known for spiritual or unusual activity. He has authored two books on the subject and specializes in providing alternative perspectives to explain human experience.
He is also a 10-year military veteran with the US Army, Navy, and Air Force, and is currently a lake patrol and underwater recovery team sergeant in Central Texas.
He uses the thousands of hours of training he has received through his profession and his experience as a detective along with his Master’s Degree in Education to study paranormal human experience and physical anomalies.
All three library programs are free.
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