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You know the Christmas Season is about to begin with Spangler’s has its Christmas Open House. For decades, the Spangler’s gifts located at 32 W. Plaza downtown has always decorated for Christmas and then opened for a Holiday Open House and without fail it will get you in the Christmas spirit. This year is no different. Beautifully decorated, Spangler’s has the look, feel and smell of Christmas. Come Saturday and get in the Christmas Spirit at Spangler’s!
Texas and Beyond, he newest business to arrive downtown opened to the public this week . Beverly Roberts, the proprietor of boutique is focused on offering local and American made gifts for a wide array of tastes. Literally. For instance, one of the unique products she carries is Evan Burt “Green Fudge”, a jar of season jalapeno pepper relish you mix with cheese and eggs and baked to be served with chips.
Another product line they carry is rolled oats, corn meal, flour and bread mixed milled in the old fashion Butte Creek Mill in Eagle Point, Oregon. A Living Treasure stands rustically over Little Butte Creek, water pouring out of her antique timbered side as it has for far over a century. Her belts, pulleys and stones have not stopped turning and telling the story of the people who settled the Oregon territory. It is not only a story of history but of the destiny of those who would preserve the treasure from extinction and share it with future generations.
On the National Register of Historic Places, the world famous Butte Creek Mill is the only grist mill in Oregon still grinding flour. Stone Grinding Flour the same way they did in 1872. You can taste the difference in all their products from their whole wheat flours, gluten free flours, organic flours to their oats.
Pure Maple Syrup from Glenna Farms in Wisconsin is another line they carry. Glenna Farms was established in 1995 when Rick & Kristine Glenna decided to purchase an 80 acre maple syrup operation from Arthur V. Olson. The century old sugar bush located next to the dairy farm was well known for producing one of nature’s finest sweeteners, Pure Maple Syrup.
Hand made crosses, home decor along and jewelry are other items in this eclectic downtown shop. “I would like to add a new product line from a different state each month,” said Roberts.
A new member of the Paris Downtown Association and eParisTexas.com sponsor, Roberts said she chose downtown because she really wants to be a part of all that is happening downtown. Stop in and see her new store at 35 Lamar Avenue, two doors down from the historic Grand Theater. Texas and Beyond is open Tuesday thru Friday 8am-6pm and Saturday 9am-5pm
Spangler’s was started by Ralph and Ora Spangler on September 11, 1943 at a location just off the plaza on Bonham Street. It was one of the first bridal registry and gift stores of its caliber in North East Texas and Southeast Oklahoma. It later moved to its present location at 32 West Plaza. In the past 68 years Spangler’s has had the privilege of serving three generations of many families with their bridal selections. It has been known for many years for its high quality of chain, pottery, stainless and sterling flatware, and crystal as well as gifts of distinction for any occasion. This year Spangler’s was chosen by the Readers Choice as the Best Place to Buy a Wedding Gift.
John and Stella Nance, present owners, purchased the business in 1994 and have carried on many traditions of the founders such as Christmas Open House. This year the event will be November 12. This day has become a tradition that many local and out of town patrons mark the start of their Christmas season. Patrons enjoy an array of food along with door prizes throughout the day. Gail Chiles, manager, transforms the store into a Winter Wonderland to display all the unique Christmas items available. An assortment of decorated Christmas trees gives patrons many unique ideas for decorating their homes for the holidays. All the employees of Spangler’s invite everyone to come join them for a joyous day of welcoming the Christmas season to Paris.
After days of scraping and prep work, Clarksville Street seemed like it was about to be repaved. Not a day too soon either. Complaints were rampant and business slowed to a halt as rough roads made the drive to the downtown area unpleasant. To the further consternation of commuters, both arteries to downtown (Lamar Avenue and Clarksville Street) have now be scraped leaving no easy way to get back and forth through town. According to Tray Turner at TxDot, this isn’t going to be back to normal tomorrow either. “Depending on the weather, this project will be on-going into December.”
Nonetheless, new asphalt was expected to be laid bright and early Monday morning…it was until a water main broke turning a portion of the south side of the street a stream. It is suspected that the paving machine, a 62,500 lb behemoth of equipment, caused the water main directly underneath to rupture.
“The 8 inch cast iron main that ruptured this morning was at least 50 years old, and buried closer to the surface (18 inches) than the three feet that we do now. You can see why we try to avoid putting water mains under streets when at all possible,” said Ron Sullivan, Director of Public Works for the City of Paris. “It not the construction company’s fault, it’s just an old main.”
When asked how long he expected the repair to take Sullivan replied, “I hope it can be in done in a couple of hours. We won’t know until we turn the [water] pressure back on. It could cause a blow out somewhere else. In that case we could be here until midnight.”
RK Hall, the construction company responsible for the repaving was able to move over a lane and begin paving after some delay.
By Jeff Parish
There’s something about old buildings that inspire a sense of wonder. The Gibraltar was no exception when Cub Scout Pack 12 Den 4 visited recently
“Whoa!” the boys could be heard saying frequently as Constable Larry Cope led the tour, which included Cub Scouts J.L. Fitzgerald, Joseph Daniel, Jaxon Rutherford, Briar Thomas and Ayden Wright, as well as den leader Patricia Thomas.
“Awesome!” came nearly as often.
They entered through the old bus station and toured the building, walking up all eight flights of stairs to even look off the roof. The visit was one of the Tiger Cubs’ monthly “Go See It” activities, this one to see a local historical location.
The old hotel has had several owners since Richard Blyth, Ed Norment and B.P. Bailey built it in 1915 for about $300,000 ($45 million today). One of those was Bill Whitener, who bought it in 1965 largely for elderly housing. He lived there with his family, including daughters Sandra Whitener and Kathie Pruett who visited the Gibraltar with the scouts for the first time since the 1970s.
“It’s weird,” Whitener said.
“It doesn’t look anything like it did. They’ve done a good job.” Pruett said as she pointed out an area around the second floor railing where her family’s apartment was. The Gibraltar was gutted in the 1980s, and while a lot of work has been done, none of the interior walls have been rebuilt. “I had a kitchen and a living room and three bedrooms.”
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