Page 127 - Abilene Living

This is a SEO version of Abilene Living. Click here to view full version

« Previous Page Table of Contents Next Page »

to do research about the Indians in this area and design your own costume. I think this was the frst thing that got me interested in the area history. Wally Akin, the long time manager of the Paramount Theater wanted some “OA’s” at the Paramount every night for a week during an Indian show. We danced on stage every night and at the end of the week I was named the best Indian dancer which was a huge thrill for me.

After college and mortuary school, I entered our family business. I created a sixty second spot on television called the “Pioneers of the Abilene Area.” In order to do this, I went back to the pioneer families of Abilene and wrote down their stories. The year was 1968, and I have not stopped since. Starting out, I went into basements, attics, closets, and storage boxes to fnd old pictures that the families shared with me. I did not keep the pictures; I made slides from them.

In 1978, I published my frst book, “The Pioneers of the Abilene Area.” People requested to see these old pictures, so I put together slide shows and started showing the pictures to whoever wanted to see them. This included schools, civic clubs, nursing homes, conventions, and organizations. To create interest, I started dressing like a cowboy from the turn of the century. Someone tacked the nickname “Cactus Jack” on me. Parts of the cowboy outft ranged from a few years old to my hat which is over 150 years old.

I had a history radio show for a couple of years that I called “Ride Along with Cactus Jack.” All this time, I kept collecting old pictures and stories of early Abilene. My collection today is nearly 4,000 slides.

Some of my best “fnds” came from families that were clearing things out of some relative’s house who had passed

Hometown Living At Its Best 139

OPPOSITE PAGE While sharing his picture collection to schools and civic clubs, Jack earned the nickname “Cactus Jack.” To make the presentation even more interesting he assembled an outft for Cactus Jack comprised of some new and some old materials. The hat he wears as Cactus Jack is 150 years old. TOP Much of the memorabilia Jack has collected come from families that are cleaning out an old attic or clearing out a house of someone who has passed away. ABOVE

A young Cactus Jack began showing his collection in the early 1980s.

Page 127 - Abilene Living

This is a SEO version of Abilene Living. Click here to view full version

« Previous Page Table of Contents Next Page »