The Grapevine Historical Society was organized and incorporated in 1974 as a 501 (c)(3) (not-for-profit) organization. We have an active membership over over 200 individuals, families, and businesses which meet monthly for interesting presentations, and we have a rich history of projects that have helped preserve our past:
The first project - which actually predated our incorporation - was to save the Cotton Belt Train Depot, built in 1902. The railroad had served notice that it had no further use for the depot (it had been closed since 1972) and intended to demolish it. In order to save it, members of the Grapevine Garden Club, led by Alberta Nettleton, organized the Grapevine Historical Society to take charge of the depot and move it off the railroad land. The depot was cut into two pieces and moved to Heritage Park near the corner of Ball and Wall Streets, and reassembled much as it had been at its former site on Main St.
At the solicitation of the Historical Society, the people of Grapevine started donating items of historical significance and a fine little museum was set up in the depot. At first the Museum was kept open and attended by Society volunteers. But ultimately the Society employed a docent/curator for the museum. The railroad later sold the land where the depot had been on Main Street to the city. The Heritage Foundation had been formed in the meantime and took over the project of moving the depot back to its original location and restoring it.
The Grapevine Historical Society organized and held a Fall Festival in 1975. The Society held the festival annually until the Heritage Foundation took it over in 1986 and began to call it Main Street Days.
In 1909 the town council had authorized the construction of a concrete calaboose to detain the infrequent drunk or other minor lawbreaker. In 1976, the Society restored and moved this old calaboose from its original location on Bartley Street to a location beside the depot in Heritage Park. It was later moved to a location on the southwest corner of Franklin and Main Streets just across the street from Willhoite's Restaurant.
The Society purchased and donated a microfilm reader to the Grapevine Public Library, and in 1981 all extant back editions of the Grapevine Sun were recorded on microfilm and made available to the public.
When it became known that an old log cabin on Dove Road was to be destroyed to make room for a new home, the Historical Society set about saving it. On 48 hour notice, members of the Society labeled the logs, disassembled, and moved the cabin to its present location in Liberty Park on Main Street in Grapevine. The cabin originally stood on a headright settled in 1845 by Francis Throop. J. L Wiley bought the property in 1868 and sold it to John R. Torian in 1886. The Torian family members occupied it until the 1940s. The reassembled cabin was appropriately furnished by the Society and dedicated at its new site on Dec 5, 1976.
In 1979, under the organization and supervision of editor Charles Young, members of the Grapevine Historical Society assembled and published the Grapevine Area History book. In 1985 a supplement to the book was published.
In 2006, under the organization and supervision of editor Sandra Tate, members of the Grapevine Historical Society assembled and published a second book Grapevine’s Most Unforgettable Characters which contains over 400 stories of many of the people who first came and pioneered the town as well as stories of those who lived in Grapevine from that time period through the current time. Over 600 photographs of the people and area of Grapevine are included in this second book, one that is unique in its presentation.
Many books and magazines have been donated by the Society to the Grapevine Public Library including several volumes on genealogy.
The Society sponsored the Audio History Project and has recorded and preserved audio tapes of over 45 long-time residents of Grapevine. These tapes are available in the Genealogy Section of the Grapevine Public Library. They include the reminiscences of the city leaders in education, business and government about the "olden days". Several early school teachers are included talking about the early schools in and around Grapevine.
The Grapevine Historical Society originated the Historical Marker (Landmark) program and has dedicated and provided markers for various landmark buildings in Grapevine.
Also, the Society compiled the first inventory of headstones in several area cemeteries including the Grapevine, Bear Creek, Minters Chapel and Parker Cemeteries. This inventory is alphabetical by cemetery and is available to the public in the Genealogy Section of the Grapevine Public Library.