If it could talk, the Tyrone community building would no doubt have many stories to tell.
The structure served as a schoolhouse from 1914 until 1972, when students were split between Houston, Cabool and Summersville and it was turned over to the citizens of the southeast Texas County community. Since then it has hosted a variety of activities, including everything from dance lessons and plays to quilting, church services, fundraising auctions and volunteer fire department board meetings.
Thanks in large part to the efforts of a trio of Tyrone residents – Nancy Foster, Rosalee Jones and Alma Thomas – the historic building recently received new siding and windows on all sides, and a pair of new doors and storm doors. Funding for the project was raised through donations, sales of snacks during Tyrone’s annual deer hunter breakfasts in November and a ham and bean dinner in January.
“And a lot of hard work,” Thomas said. “We were just three ladies who decided to get it done.”
Thomas said about $5,000 was raised and spent on the project. Most of the work was done by Cabool resident Vince Hummer, whose bid was about half of the $10,000 submitted by some other bidders.
“He did it for far less money than anyone else would do it for,” Thomas said. “He was trying to help us as well as we were trying to help him.”
Before the ham and bean dinner, a local man said he would provide a large sum toward the project – on one condition.
“He said he would give us a sizable donation if we had the dinner, but we had to have fried potatoes there,” Thomas said. “So we did – we cooked 40 pounds of fried potatoes.”
“We couldn’t fry them fast enough,” Jones said.
A hundred or more people came and went from the community building during the dinner, resulting in $3,200 being raised.
“We didn’t expect that much,” Thomas said. “I counted 60 people at one time. It was wonderful.”
Tyrone was founded in 1892 and was for years a thriving community. At one time or another, it boasted a flower mill, grist mill, canning factory, mattress factory, hotel, garage, casket manufacturer, dentist, doctor and post office, as well as multiple blacksmith shops and churches and four grocery stores.
A Tyrone School reunion was at the community building in 2000. Thomas said she hopes a wheelchair ramp can soon be added to one of two entrances on the its east side, and an interior makeover is on the radar.
“Once we get the outside taken care of, we can work on the inside,” she said. “But we’re proud of our building and this latest work done it is a great example of a community coming together.”