There’s been a lot of buzz around the recent arrival of the oft-rumored Fine Arts Theater hitting the real estate market, with a hefty pricetag in the ballpark of $1.5 million. Owned by the McBride family since 1983 with high hopes of renovation, there were overtures in 2014 and then renewed interest in 2016 but alas… it has never come to pass. A recent episode of the Politically Denton podcast explored some of the backstory and future possibilities, but I figured it would be a hoot to have a look back at the history of this iconic spot from back in the day.
Read MoreA FAREWELL TO MABLE PEABODY'S BEAUTY PARLOR AND CHAINSAW REPAIR
Labor Day weekend was a dark news cycle that included Hurricane Harvey footage and terrible rumors Denton's legendary LGBTQ+ haven Mable Peabody's Beauty Parlor & Chainsaw Repair was suddenly closing. Sunday was the secret finale for this Grand Dame of Denton hangouts, whose quiet passing can only be fully understood if we survey this venue's storied history from back in the day.
Read MoreTHE 1897 TEXAS AIRSHIP INVASION
Proving that history can indeed be a heckuva lot stranger than science fiction, today’s installment revisits a wacky wave of “Mystery Airship” reports that flooded Texas newspapers in 1897. Long before the infamous Roswell UFO crash sparked the public imagination and endless alien conspiracy theories in 1947, folks were spying odd “Aerial Travelers” during an outbreak of sightings between 1896 and 1897 that sounded like something straight out of a Jules Verne novel. The earliest autumn sightings were in California, but hundreds of reports quickly spread east into the Midwest and Texas by the following spring. You may have heard about the most famous sighting that occurred in Aurora, TX on April 17, 1897, which has been the subject of several books and numerous TV investigations, because it spectacularly crashed and locals purportedly buried it’s pilot thought to be “a native of the planet Mars” in their cemetery. The Aurora Spaceman’s graveyard even has a State Historical marker! The literally hundreds of other eyewitness encounters with various Mystery Air-Ships across Texas both before and after, however, are even more insanely entertaining and fantastically bizarre. Read on for more craziness!
Read MoreDENTON WOMEN OF DISTINCTION
Women’s History Month may be an annual event, but in Denton it’s a more or less daily occurrence to recognize outstanding ladies who are getting’ stuff done. We’ve profiled many a Denton trailblazer, but there are endless more tales to be told! This month we’ll introduce you to TWU’s Space Doctors, an African-American pioneer, and a couple of beauty queens who were far more than a pretty face.
Read MoreTHE LEGACY OF DENTON'S FREDERICK DOUGLASS SCHOOL
“The past is never dead,” William Faulkner hauntingly reminds us of the South, “It’s not even past.” Black History Month is an important time for reflecting upon our past and present, dedicating time to explore aspects of Denton history both praiseworthy and shameful as we together strive towards the betterment of our community. Yet remembrance and public memory are never without struggle, which has been true since back in the day.
Read MoreA SHORT HISTORY OF DENTON'S WHITEHAWK COMMUNITY
Some may have heard the rumors of a “hippie commune” somewhere in North Denton County, but longtime Dentonites likely recall stories of the Whitehawk Valley community that’s been experimenting with eco-friendly energy independence for decades. Going Green before it was a thing, the Whitehawk community were ahead of their time even back in the day.
Read MoreFINDING AMELIA EARHART IN DENTON, TX
The mysterious 1937 disappearance of Amelia Earhart has puzzled the public for almost 80 years, with numerous theories circulating about the vanished celebrity pilot. Last week, The Historical Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery made public results that may solve the mystery, which reminded us about the unexpected discovery of Earhart photos taken during her visit to Denton’s Texas Woman’s University back in the day.
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Shiloh Field is the largest community garden in the USA, and a neat spot to check out.
OFFBEAT DENTON ODDITIES: VOLUME 4
So far, since 2014, we’ve scooped you Dentonites on more than 15 wacky local sites to explore and we’re just getting started! Urban explorers have been introduced to hidden nuclear bases and a huge Jackalope BBQ smoker, gaudy mansions and a forgotten drive-in, fiberglass giants, world-record wonders, and numerous secret hideouts, but there are plenty more wildly weird places to visit in or around Denton if you’re seeking offbeat adventure. Here are a few more to add to your bucket list.
Read MoreMYTHICAL CREATURES IN THE DENTON WILD
Denton has been a’buzz recently about foxes and bobcats or even coyotes seen scampering ever closer from the edges of the city limits, which has caused some concern for house pets. We’ve even playfully addressed “Mythical Beings in Denton” when footage of the long-fabled White Stag (sometimes called The Christmas Unicorn) was definitively captured on smartphones. This magical sighting has had several folks now asking us: What other legendary critters are maybe really lurking around out there in the Cross Timbers? I’ll break down some of the top contenders and examine how much fact or fiction is involved.
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