This past week, Rotarian Rachel Ansley introduced an informative program to the Dayton Rotary Club. Longtime employee Alana Inman delivered a detailed presentation to the Club members.
“I have been honored to serve at the Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center for the past 12 years,” Inman said.
Located at 650 FM 1011, off State Highway 146 in Liberty, the Center spans 127 acres and includes nine facilities with five full-time staff members. The hours are Tuesday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Inman invited everyone to visit and get involved with the library.
Inman provided a brief history of the library, which began in 1973 when Judge Price Daniel (who served as Texas governor from 1957–1963) and his wife, Jean Houston Baldwin Daniel, donated land between the Hardin Cemetery and the site of the 1756 Spanish outpost of Atascosito. The Atascosito Historical Society has been a major fundraiser and supporter of the Center since its inception. The Sam Houston Center was dedicated in 1977, featuring 17,600 square feet of classrooms, offices, exhibit space, and archival storage and research areas.
Inman also discussed various historical structures on the grounds, including the 1848 Gillard-Duncan House, the 1883 Norman House, the 1898 St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, and the 1930 Hull Rotary Club building, which was of particular interest to the Dayton Rotary Club.
Upcoming events at the Center include the 2024 Quarterly Book Club. On Aug. 27, “The Lions of Fifth Avenue” will be the featured novel, followed by “The Paris Library” by Janet Skeslien Charles on Nov. 26. The public is invited to attend these meetings, which start at 6 p.m.
The club concluded its meeting with the Rotary 4-Way Test. Anyone interested in the Dayton Rotary Club is welcome to join them on Thursdays at the Dayton Community Center starting at noon.