DUANE
Duane's take
The official marker tells it this way, and I'm just the one passing it along. Now, you want to talk about something that started simple — a picnic — and grew into something a whole county claims as its own? Pull up a chair.
July 30, 1955. Members of the East and West Chambers County Farm Bureaus, their families in tow, gathered at Fort Anahuac Park for a picnic. That's four miles south of where we're standing right now.
They had youth events, they had games, they had the kind of afternoon that makes you forget the week you just had. And by all accounts, it worked. The success of that picnic — and here's the part worth saying slowly — created a sense of unity, fellowship, and goodwill among county residents who had been geographically separated by the Trinity River.
That river had a way of keeping folks on their own side of things. One afternoon in Fort Anahuac Park started knitting the county back together. Now, the people who noticed that weren't the kind to let a good thing die on the vine.
Leaders of various youth, government, and civic organizations looked at what had happened and thought: we need something like this every year. Something with purpose. So, under the direction of the Farm Bureau and the Commissioners Court, they organized the Chambers County Youth Project Show — a noncommercial endeavor, built from the ground up to involve area young people and promote their talents and skills.
The first show was held in 1956, right there at Fort Anahuac Park. But a show that matters tends to outgrow its first home. Eventually, facilities were built at this very site — land acquired with the cooperation of the J.
T. White family, and through donations from the Modesto White family and the Clifford White family. Three families, one piece of ground, one shared purpose.
Since 1968, the Chambers County Youth Project Show has been held right here. What began as a picnic on a July afternoon has become a major annual event, drawing in a variety of county youth groups year after year. Some things start with a sandwich and a sack race — and somehow, they last.
What the marker says
On July 30, 1955, members of the East and West Chambers County Farm Bureaus and their families held a picnic in Fort Anahuac Park (4 mi. S) which included a variety of youth events and games. The success of the picnic resulted in a sense of unity, fellowship, and goodwill among county residents geographically separated by the Trinity River. Influenced by events such as the Farm Bureau picnic, and aware of the need for unity within the county, leaders of various youth, government, and civic organizations began plans for an annual youth show. Under the direction of the Farm Bureau and the Commissioners Court, the Chambers County Youth Project show was organized as a noncommercial endeavor to involve area young people and to promote their talents and skills. the first show was held in 1956 at Fort Anahuac Park. Later, facilities were built at this site on land acquired with the cooperation of the J. t. White family and through donations from the Modesto white family and the Clifford White family. The Chambers County Youth Project show, held here since 1968, has become a major annual event, involving a variety of county youth groups.