Newstory: Dedication of Restored 1907 Jail, September 20, 2014

Contributed by Brenda Scott Hines
July 2015
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The Observer/Enterprise, Coke County, TX - Friday, September 26, 2014

Old jail's restoration history detailed in Saturday's ceremony

Descendants of Coke County pioneer families, descendants of Coke County 
sheriffs, present and past sheriffs, and honored guests made up a special 
audience for the dedication of the 1907 Coke County Jail. Also, a room 
full of people with various connections to the history of the county 
and the preservation process of the Coke County Historical Commission 
added to the support for preserving the history of Coke County.

The Old Jail has a dedication plaque to Roberta Cole Johnson of Brenham, 
Texas, whose bequest funded the restoration and future maintenance of 
the building. The annex building has been named the Blake Annex to 
honor Charles and Joy Millican Blake who were entrusted by Mrs. Johnson 
to name the projects worthy of her bequest.

Two special guests couldn't make the ceremony. Charles and Joy Blake 
were confined to their home in Brenham because Charles had tackled a 
project which left him with a viral infection to be treated with 
intravenous and then oral antibiotics until the infection is eradicated. 
They were missed by those in attendance.

Kara Dotter came from San Diego to see the completion of a project for 
which she laid the groundwork . Her masters thesis from the University 
of Texas documented the construction and laid out a preservation plan 
in accordance with the preservation practices of historical projects 
nation-wide.

Jeff McCrea, his family, and parents were acknowledged for making 
the preservation process their own and carrying out the plan that 
had been established.

Preservation is not an HGTV-flip project with Skill saws and sledge 
hammers. It is more hack saws and putty knives and bended backs that 
reveal, preserve and protect building structure.

Bonita Copeland Cartrite researched and wrote A History of the 
Old Coke County Jail and Sheriffs with Related Facts and Tales 
documenting the lives and events of her father, Sheriff Melvin Childress 
who along with her mother Essie Childress were the last to live in 
the Old Jail during the 1960's. She and her family were honored at 
the event. Funds from the sale of her book were donated to the Coke
County Historical Commission and there are only a few of the books 
left. A re-print is planned to include Sheriff McCutchen.

Eddie Paul and Billie Roberts Good were acknowledged for having 
the close ties to the Old Jail where Mr. Good lived with his family 
and Mrs. Good is a Coke County pioneer descendant. Mrs. Bobbie Allen 
(Bill) and Mrs. Peggy Davis (Vaughn) and Mrs. Phelan Wrinkle were 
acknowledged for their over-seeing of the preservation process and 
handling the paper work.

Commissioner Bobby Blaylock was the MC for the program and was 
acknowledged for his store of Coke County history and his problem 
solving throughout the preservation process. As have been mentioned 
with appreciation, Coke County commissioners and their staffs, 
the City staff, Olive Nursery and Britten's Garden and Landscape 
for falling in to complete the xeriscape project and George Grim 
for having seen to the conquering of the weeds over the years.

Future plans for the annex are developing and the area will soon 
be ready to preserve and exhibit Coke County history.
People in period dress added to the historic atmosphere at the
dedication of the old Coke County Jail and its new annex Saturday 
morning, September 20, 2014. The overflow of attendees were 
protected from the rain as they listened to Bobby Blaylock and 
the program inside the new building.

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