Historical and Educational Programs

Stars are unique artifacts of an ever changing Galaxy. They contain critical information about the Universe and the Milky Way's history through their composition and movement. Uncovering the oldest stars moving through our Galaxy is absolutely critical to understanding the evolution from the Big Bang to our Galaxy today.

These stars, while rare, contain the necessary information about the beginning of the Universe and as such, Lucey has been on a treasure hunt to find and characterize the oldest stars in the night sky. She will discuss her own search for the oldest stars and how machine learning can help us find the needle in the haystack.

Lucey is an NSF graduate research fellow in the astronomy department at UT Austin. She received her B.A. in Physics with an emphasis on Astrophysics from Colorado College in 2018. Currently, Madeline works with Dr. Keith Hawkins on Galactic archaeology. For her thesis, she studies the dynamics and chemical compositions of the most pristine and possibly oldest stars in the Milky Way. 

Jim Ritts presents the 104-year old history of the Paramount Theatre, including the great performers and the impact on the six generations of Austin citizens who have graced the Paramount Theatre.

Ritts earned his bachelor’s degree from UT Austin and a master’s degree from the Medill School of Journalism of Northwestern University. Austin Theater Alliance is responsible for the Paramount Theatre, State Theatre and Moon-tower Comedy Festival. 

H.W. Brands, a New York Times bestselling historian, turns his attention to the epic struggle over slavery in THE ZEALOT AND THE EMANCIPATOR. With clear parallels to our current moment, Brands offers a dual portrait of John Brown and Abraham Lincoln, two men with radically different views on how moral people must respond to our democracy’s most extreme injustice:by incremental change within the system? Or by radical upheaval?

Brands holds the Jack S. Blanton Sr. Chair in History at UT Austin. He has written more than a dozen biographies and histories, two of which, The First American and Traitor to His Class, were finalists for the Pulitzer Prize. 

Myra McIlvain will give background for her latest books. Beginning with the first wave of German immigrants who arrived on the Texas coast and established Indianola, a seaport that rivaled Galveston. Two sisters are the protagonists in this family saga that traces the development of the town as they confront the horrors of slavery and yellow fever, Civil War and Reconstruction.

After two dreadful hurricanes leave Indianola a ghost town, McIlvain's third book finds the sisters in Washington County. Following the tumult of Reconstruction, political parties vie to regain control of Texas. Amid this historic struggle, family love is challenged when a prosperous merchant/planter admits to his son that the boy's mother was a slave.

McIlvain's most recent nonfiction is a collection of 113 Texas stories of people and events that shaped the Texas landscape such as Cabaza de Vaca known as Texas' first historian and Jean Lafitte the pirate who operated the largest slave market in the new world

on Galveston Island.

Her books include: The Doctor’s Wife, Stein House - a German Family Saga, Waters Plantation, A Long Way Home, Texas Tales, Stories that Shaped a Landscape and People.

The story of Texas is the story of struggle and triumph in a land of extremes. It is a story of drought and flood, invasion and war, boom and bust, and the myriad peoples who, over centuries of conflict, gave rise to a place that has helped shape the identity of the United States and the destiny of the world.

Stephen Harrigan is a novelist, journalist, historian and screenwriter. He is the author of ten books of fiction and nonfiction including, The Gates of the Alamo, Remember Ben Clayton, and A Friend of Mr. Lincoln.

Pope presents an illustrated history of artistic depictions of love through the ages.

Pope earned her PhD in the History of Art (University of Texas, 1981). She is a specialist in the modern art of Europe and America.

In addition to three decades of academic teaching, docent training, and informal lecture series, Karen offers lecture programs, art museum day trips, and art history-rich study tours in the US and Europe through Art inSight Adventures in Art History. 

Ted Lee Eubanks will present Our Austin Story, the history of Saint Mary Cathedral, and the interpretive exhibit in Wooldridge Square that memorializes the visit of Booker T. Washington in 1911.

Perhaps best known as a photographer, Eubanks is a certified interpretive planner and a certified heritage interpreter. With his company, Fermata, Eubanks has worked in parks, reserves, and museums in every state and numerous foreign countries — and several recent projects in Austin. 

Charles Peveto tells the RICH and DIVERSE narrative of Austin. "We need to know where we came from to know where we are going."

Peveto is an architectural preservation historian and collector of early Texas Art. As a preservationist, Peveto serves on the boards of Westgate HOA and the Old Austin Neighborhood Association (OANA). (Austin Woman's Club/Chateau Bellevue is with the OANA boundaries.) Peveto is also a board member the Austin History Center and Preservation Austin.About Shoal Creek Conservancy

Shoal Creek Conservancy (SCC) champions the Shoal Creek Watershed and the Shoal Creek Trail to create a healthy and vibrant community. SCC works year-round to implement community-based visions for Shoal Creek and the Shoal Creek Trail, hosts public tours and volunteer workdays along the creek and partners with local nonprofits and the City of Austin to make the Shoal Creek Trail an accessible, safe and highly connected part of Austin's trail system. 

Ivey Kaiser, Executive Director of SCC, grew up in Columbia, South Carolina and moved to Austin in 2011, where she has worked with Keep Austin Beautiful and REI before joining Shoal Creek Conservancy. As Executive Director, Ivey enjoys learning how Shoal Creek has served Austinites for centuries and how we are working to protect and enhance it to serve future generations.

Peyton Gardner, Development Manager, is from Corpus Christi, Texas and recently moved to Austin after spending five years in Marfa working for Ballroom Marfa art museum. Peyton's background is steeped in the arts, but he is an avid outdoor enthusiast and amateur "birder."

The University of Texas did nothing to earn the ground occupied by the Brackenridge Field Laboratory. How BFL came to be and why it is important to science, education and outreach, is an unlikely tale that intertwines the history of the city of Austin, the original Austin dam, a northerner named George Brackenridge, and the University of Texas. Without the quarry that made the dam, without the dam's collapse, thus smashing Breckenridge's dream to help develop industry for Austin on his tract of land, BFL would not have happened. Gilbert highlights some of the research BFL has fostered and explains important synergism between students, research staff, and faculty enabled so near the campus of a major university.

Lawrence E. (Larry) Gilbert Jr. is UT Professor of Integrative Biology and Director of Brackenridge Field Laboratory. A 7th generation Texan he was born in Laredo in 1942, the son of an oft-moving Presbyterian minister, but his anchor point was his maternal grandparents’ ranches in Dimmit and Webb Counties where he spent summers helping with his grandfather’s bee business and hunting. Larry attended UT Austin where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1966 with Special Honors in Botany. After a Fulbright Fellowship year at Oxford in England, his Ph.D. in Population Biology was from Stanford University in 1971. 

David Pratt has over twenty five years of management experience in leadership roles across the performing arts, film and entertainment sectors in the United States and Australia. He is currently the CEO/ Executive Director of the Austin Symphony Orchestra. He held leadership positions with the Savannah Music Festival, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Santa Barbara Symphony Orchestra, Savannah Philharmonic, Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Australian Festival of Chamber Music.

Pratt will discuss the Austin Symphony Orchestra and its impact in the community as well as highlighting the 2021/22 season. 

Since becoming director of the Blanton Museum in 2011, Simone Wicha has raised the museum’s profile nationally by bringing Ellsworth Kelly’s Austin to the Blanton, building an exceptional team of curators and educators. Under her leadership, the Blanton has developed groundbreaking exhibitions, reinstalled the presentation of its permanent collection in all of its galleries, diversified and grown its holdings, and nearly doubled its annual attendance. She is committed to strengthening the Blanton's educational mission, and in the past decade the museum has expanded its K–12 and UT Austin partnerships. Classes from every college and department at UT currently utilize the museum as a laboratory. 

Re-envisioning the Blanton’s grounds has been a priority of Wicha. She is currently leading a project with Snøhetta (a global transdisciplinary practice) and artist Carmen Herrera to transform visitors’ arrival at the museum and their engagement with outdoor spaces. Wicha is passionate about building arts institutions to achieve excellence. Her twenty-five years of experience as a leader at various arts organizations, includes the Blanton, the Noguchi Museum, The Juilliard School, and the Hispanic Heritage Awards at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.  

The story of Rosa Walston Latimer's grandmother, who was a Harvey Girl in New Mexico, sparked her interest in preserving women’s history. This led her to write “Harvey Houses of Texas” followed by “Harvey Houses of New Mexico” and “Harvey Houses of Kansas ” - all published by The History Press. 

In these books, according to a review in New Mexico Magazine, “Rosa pays devoted attention to the vibrant inner lives and daily work life of Harvey Girls, transforming what could have been a prim volume into an intimate page-turner.”

Latimer lives in Austin, TX. She is an author, playwright and an award-winning photographer. She writes for national and regional magazines and newspapers; was news editor of a print and an online newspaper and supervising director of a nationally syndicated television program. Latimer also teaches workshops and conducts seminars to help other writers move their projects forward.

"The objectives are the same, only the tools change."

Todd Clayton was in the US Navy as an officer qualified in nuclear powered submarines. He has an MBA from the Harvard Business School and a BS in Industrial Engineering from Northwestern. He has 30 years of executive marketing experience in the high tech industry in computers and communications. Todd has presented several maritime history lectures to the Austin Woman’s Club.

At recent AWC joint meetings with the Austin History Club, the focus has been on women who made a difference. Barbara Jordan leads the pack!

Carol Schlenk is Education Editor Emeritus of Texas Beyond History also has many years' experience as a classroom teacher, curriculum specialist, and teacher trainer as well as her work as education coordinator for the Texas Council for the Humanities. In addition to developing first-rate K-12 curricula for teachers, Schlenk has created interactive games and learning activities for students and has worked as a curriculum specialist with the Texas Education Agency. She has been instrumental in developing and promoting TBH content for K-12 students and teachers since 2005 and continues to consult for Texas Beyond History.

Uplevyl is an innovative global digital platform designed to transform the lives of all professional women through shared experiences, peer connections, and highly curated, personalized content. Uplevyl is sharply focused on the unique rhythms of women's lives to inspire and advance a sustainable ecosystem of self-

directed growth and accountability. Uplevyl aims to help all women elevate their professional, personal and financial lives.

Shubhi S. Rao, is a former senior executive with Alphabet Inc./Google, Tesco (U.K.), PricewaterhouseCoopers (U.K.)  and Ford Motor Company, among others. She sits on the board of directors for organizations such as the Open Lending LLC, Center for Global Development, International Center for Research on Women and is an Honorary Advisory Council member of the Federal Reserve San Francisco.

Sarah Jane Hargis will perform different songs from various Native American tribes, accompanied by stories and fables that inspired them. She will also share Native American flute origins and myths.

The Travis County District Attorney’s Office has been designing and implementing an innovative data-driven restorative justice program for survivors of crime who are most impacted by our criminal system. DA Garza and FUSE Corps Executive Fellow, Channing Neary, created community and system partnerships and cultivated a national network of support.

Jeffrey Kerr shares his recent historical novel "Lamar's Folly" recounting the adventures and misadventures of the second president of Texas. Mirabeau Lamar seeks nothing less than a Texas empire that will dominate the North American continent. Edward Fontaine, who works for and idolizes Lamar, vows to help his hero overcome all obstacles, including the substantial power of Sam Houston. Edwards' slave Jacob likes and admires his master, but cannot share his hatred of Houston. The loyalties of both Jacob and Edward are tested by President Lamar's belief that a righteous cause justifies any means necessary to sustain it.

Linnie Phebus shares the fundamentals of investing, with clues on how to read the latest news on the markets and economy. Phebus earned her BS in Finance and a MBA. She is a Certified Fund Specialist; Certified Financial Planner, and Certified Exit Planner Advisor. Phebus is active in Estate Planning associations in central Texas. 

"There is much to be learned by explained art or, as it is said, a picture is worth 1000 words."

In addition to teaching an Art History survey course at UT Austin for many years, Smith taught at AISD and has lectured around the world on luxury cruise liners. Smith earned her MA from UT Austin.

At 13 years old, Isaac Sanchez became infatuated with birds and to this day remains passionate about birds and bird photography.

A San Antonio native, a St. Mary’s undergraduate and University of Delaware PhD in physical chemistry, Dr. Sanchez joined the Chemical Engineering Dept. at UT Austin in 1988. He was elected to the US National Academy of Engineering in 1997, the highest recognized honor in engineering. He was on the Board of Foundation for the Homeless, a Coordinator of Feed My People, and is an Elder at Westlake Presbyterian.  

For over 40 years, Keith Shuley has advised clients seeking to address environmental, construction and complex contracting issues. He is known worldwide. Keith holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the U. of Washington, MBA from UT Austin, Masters of Architecture from Rice, J.D. from U. of Houston and has been on the faculty at UT Austin since 1982. Shuley will show his gorgeous photos of Iceland, why he selected his subjects, and a few photography techniques.

Join us at the Chateau Bellevue parking lot at 8:00 A.M. where we will board a chartered bus. The morning will begin with an introduction by Ted Eubanks as we embark on a tour of these Central Texas landmarks. We will stop for coffee and snacks (not included) returning by 5:00 pm.

Preview Ted Eubanks: www.tedleeeubanksphotography.com

Prior to the Nov 19 Gillespie County Historical Society Christmas Tour, Kenneth Hafertepe, PhD, author of the recent Guide to the Historic Buildings of Fredericksburg and Gillespie County,  will speak on “The Houses of Fredericksburg.” The illustrated talk will cover the log, fachwerk, and rock houses that characterized the early years of the community, and also later houses, both from the Victorian era and the early twentieth century.

Hafertepe is a professor of museum studies at Baylor University and an award-winning author on American and Texas architecture and material culture. He has written on the Smithsonian Castle, the French Legation and Governor’s Mansion in Austin, Ashton Villa in Galveston, and the Spanish Governor’s Palace in San Antonio. His books on The Material Culture of German Texans and Historic Homes of Waco, Texas won the Ron Tyler Award from the Texas State Historical Association. A popular speaker, he has presented at the Alamo, the Ft. Worth Amon Carter Museum, the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, and the San Antonio Witte Museum.

Bill Brice will tell us the work and history of the Downtown Austin Alliance. Brice works to enhance relationships with member property owners of the Alliance. Before joining the Downtown Alliance team in 2003, Brice served as YMCA executive director and director of special events and communications for the Vail Valley Tourism and Convention Bureau.

Members and guests are invited to celebrate and learn about the history of AWC. We will honor all AWC Past Presidents and especially remember Miss Jane Smoot through a 22-year friendship she shared with Mr. John Plyler, caretaker of Flower Hill, her family estate. Mr. Plyer now serves as Trustee and Caretaker on the Board of the Flower Hill Foundation. We also welcome Mr. Daniel Ronan, Executive Director of the Flower Hill Foundation, whose extensive experience in the arts, culture and heritage sectors developed his appreciation for Flower Hill’s legacy of beauty, history and public service.

The Gillespie County Historical Society will host a tour of seven older homes in Fredericksburg. The tour will include Karen Haschke’s family home, the Klingelhoefer Haus, which is still owned by her original family. This is the first time the Klingelhoefer Haus has been on the historical homes tour.

Austin's Award Winning Woman-Owned Architecture Firm, Jobe Corral Architects, will visually engage our group with their design images. Jobe Coral specializes in the design of well detailed and highly crafted environments using authentic materials. They believe great projects spring from a deep understanding of the site, a respectful and transparent relationship with clients, and a full

comprehension of the project program. Paying close attention to these factors, and to how clients actually live in and use a space, informs the process and allows creation of a unique concept for every project. Architecture follows the path of aligning Art, Nature, & Science, and these exceptional women will share the process of design and construction in their thriving

business.

The Norse of Norway, Denmark, and Sweden went on “Viking” raids sweeping along the beaches and up the rivers of Eastern and Western Europe. It was the shock and awe period of the medieval age. Raiding gave way to trading and settling. They struggled for the mastery of England, they founded Dublin and the Dukedom of Normandy, and they laid the foundations for modern Russia. Exploring westward, they colonized Iceland, Greenland and even had outposts on Newfoundland. They made it to North America 500 years before Columbus, and established a trading network from Baghdad to the North American Coast.

Todd Clayton was in the US Navy as an officer qualified in nuclear powered submarines. He has an MBA from the Harvard Business School and a BS Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University. He has 30 years of executive marketing experience in the high tech industry in computers and communications. He and his wife Patti are life-long sailors. Over the past five years Todd has presented several maritime history seminars to the Austin Woman’s Club.

Professor Jerry Powell is a former trial lawyer and retired professor of law at the Baylor University School of Law. He is the author of a series of legal thrillers set in Texas in the 1890’s. The central character is an old warhorse of a trial lawyer named Catfish Calloway. 

Powell, a native Wacoan, earned his JD from Baylor Law in 1977, and was ranked first in his class. During his time at Baylor Law, he was a member of the

national mock trial team and the national moot court team, and executive editor of the Baylor Law Review. He joined the Dallas law firm of Vial, Hamilton, Koch & Knox in 1977, and had an active litigation practice with the firm. He made partner in 1982. In 1986, he returned to Baylor Law to teach, and in 1987 he was appointed the Abner V. McCall Professor of Evidence Law. Powell also has been named a Master Teacher by Baylor University, the highest honor granted to Baylor faculty members.

To learn more Jerry and his published novels, visit his website at https://greadingpowell.squarespace.com/

The Lansdowne is a reciprocal club with the Austin Woman’s Club which means that any of our members may stay and/or dine there. You will learn the ropes on this process. The Lansdowne is a historic structure located in Mayfair, a much desired location in central London. After part of the parliament building burned, Parliament met in Lansdowne while it was being rebuilt. The Treaty of Paris was signed there, ending the American Revolution. See pages 33 and 34 of the Austin Woman’s Club yearbook for a list of 21 reciprocal clubs around the world.

Barbara Woelk is both Kiowa and Chickasaw. She'll speak on the importance of storytelling and how both oral and written stories impact how cultures view and react to the world.

From metabolism and obesity to mental health, the gut microbiome is a key regulator of many bodily functions. Many studies are underway to determine how our diet and lifestyle influence the composition of our microbial communities and potential therapies are being examined that target the microbiome to improve health outcomes. Bray gives an overview of the various types of human microbiomes and how behavioral and environmental factors can interact to modify the composition and function of the gut microbiome, and in turn, be modified themselves.

Molly Bray, Ph.D., is a Professor and holds the Susan T. Jastrow Endowed Chair in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at UT Austin. She has a master’s degree in Exercise Physiology and a Ph.D. in Human and Molecular Genetics.

To the Austin Woman’s Club, she is 1929 charter member "Mrs. JW McLaughlin," but local postcard collector Richard Eisenhour refers to her as "the mysterious Miss Alberta Askew." In 2019, Richard chanced upon a large collection of Miss Alberta's 1905 cards that she sent to a Belgian attorney named Albert Nothomb. This collection, combined with Richard's original research, affords the unusual opportunity to present a tantalizing and picture-rich narrative that dispels much of the mystery of 'Alberta and Albert.'

Jaimie Davis, PhD is the principal investigator and creator of the EdEN lab (Education, Evaluate, and Nutrition). Her research over the past 20 years has focused on developing, implementing, and evaluating nutrition interventions to reduce obesity and related cardiometabolic diseases in pediatric populations. She is one of the leading experts in using garden-based approaches to improve dietary behaviors and reduce disease risk. She and her team with assistance from HEB are doing great work in low income elementary area schools in teaching gardening and cooking to help kids eat healthy food.

Elizabeth McGreevy is the Executive Director Project Bedrock, author, and natural resources planner. She is a professional natural resources and ecological consultant with more than 25 years of expertise in Hill Country ecosystem and working lands analysis, planning, education, project management, and best development practices. Her well-researched book, "Wanted! Mountain Cedars, Dead and Alive", advances many of the regenerative strategies that serve as the basis of the Project Bedrock mission. A sixth-generation Texan, she received her master's degree from Texas A&M and is a certified permaculture planner.

Mary Priddy developed and manages the Bright Green Future Grants Program, which awards schools with grants of up to $3,000 for sustainability projects. She also manages the Austin Green Business Leaders Program, which recognizes businesses for their sustainable actions.

Priddy graduated from Texas A& M University with a Biochemistry degree. Following a ten-year career as a teacher in the Austin Independent School District, she spent twelve years as a standup comic. Mary has been working at the City of Austin since 2003 and joined the Office of Sustainability in 2007, where she currently works as the Education and Outreach Coordinator. Her primary focus is schools and businesses. 

Priddy is an animal advocate who co-founded DenMar’s Animal Refuge Network (DARN), a nonprofit dedicated to helping rural shelters across Texas. Mary was the 2015 recipient of the Keep Texas Beautiful Sadie Ray Graff Youth Educator Award.

For most of five decades, evolutionary biologist David Hillis has studied the biodiversity of the Texas Hill Country. Since the 1990s, he has worked to restore the natural beauty and diversity of his Mason County ranch, the Double Helix. In his excursions around his ranch and across the Edwards Plateau, Hillis came to realize how little most people know about the plants and animals around them or their importance to our everyday lives. He began thinking about how natural history is connected to our enjoyment of life, especially in a place as beautiful and beloved as the Hill Country, which, not coincidentally, happens to be one of the most biodiverse parts of Texas.

Featuring short nontechnical essays accompanied by vivid color photos, Armadillos to Ziziphus is a charming and casual introduction to the environment of the region. Whether walking the pasture with his Longhorn cattle, explaining the ecological significance of microscopic organisms in springtime mud puddles, or marveling at the local Ziziphus (aka Lotebush, a spiny shrub), Hillis guides first -time visitors and long-term residents alike in an appreciation for the Hill Country’s natural beauty and diversity.

David M. Hillis is the director of the Biodiversity Center at the University of Texas at Austin’s College of Natural Sciences. He was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 1999 and was elected to the US National Academy of Sciences in 2008. He is also known for his discovery of numerous new species, including Austin’s iconic Barton Springs Salamander.

Pierce O’Donnell, one of the most sought after trial attorneys in America will tell us how Bitcoin evolved and how a hacker stole $24 million from his client. The mastermind behind this heist will shock you.

Pierce was named one of the “100 Most Influential Lawyers in America” by The National Law Journal. He is a member of the elite International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the American Law Institute, the American Board of Trial Lawyers, and the American Trial Lawyers Association. 

Mrs. R.A. Buford was a founder and third president of Austin Woman’s Club. 

The “Picturesque ‘Evans Castle’ at the corner of Eighth and San Antonio streets, entered a new cycle of existence yesterday when it was formally opened to the public [with a formal Silver Tea filling all three floors] as the Austin Woman’s Club.” — the Austin American Statesman, 1929

With women of great courage and vision, the Austin Woman’s Club began in 1929 with the purchase of magnificent Chateau Bellevue. Built in 1874, its Sesquicentennial is in 2024, and soon, we will celebrate our Club’s One Hundredth Anniversary. This event will honor all Past Presidents, especially those who overcame obstacles and doubts in our earliest years. Amazingly, today, we will hear a firsthand remembrance of Mrs. R.A. Buford, one of the original organizers of the Club who served as President in 1932. With others equally dedicated and determined, Mrs. Buford’s name is everywhere in the official minutes, historical notes and newspaper clippings, giving glorious accounts of the notoriety of our Club’s earliest times.

Nancy Buford, our speaker, is a well-known Enfield resident who has lived her entire adult life here in Austin and is integrally involved in the community in numerous ways. Her happy and beautiful marriage to the late Robert Littlefield Buford, Jr., a real estate investor well known in civic, business and social circles, brought about a fond, close, loving relationship with Mrs. R.A. Buford, Bob’s grandmother. The legacy of voluntarism and service of this early Austin family is extensive and continues through Nancy and Bob’s adult children, daughter Christy Werner and son Robert L. Buford III and their families.

Wanda Garner Cash talks about her book “Pancho Villa’s Saddle at the Cadillac Bar.” She has the inside story!

Cash, born and reared in Laredo, is a granddaughter of the Cadillac’s founder Mayo Bessan and a daughter of Porter Garner, who built its modern reputation during his tenure from 1946 until 1979. This memoir, a mixture of narrative storytelling and oral history, traces the humble beginnings of the Cadillac Bar, the iconic Nuevo Laredo venue that became the go-to place for decades of locals and visitors from all over the world. The bar built a reputation as one of the finest eateries and watering holes in the Southwest, even surviving a 1954 flood that devastated cities on both sides of the Rio Grande. Its history sprawls across more than an half-century and its food and drink drew inspiration from the culinary traditions of southern Louisiana, from pre-Prohibition New Orleans, and from the dusty border towns that straddle the Rio Grande in far South Texas.

Cash, an award-winning journalist, lives in the Texas Hill Country after retiring in 2016 as a professor and associate director of the School of Journalism at UT Austin in 2016.

Karen Pope, AWC member, will walk us through an important period in art history — from Impressionism (born in the same year as the Chateau) to the 1890s.

Pope earned her Ph.D. in the History of Art (U of TX. 1981) is a specialist in the modern art of Europe and America. In addition to 3 decades of academic teaching, docent training and informal lecture series, Karen founded Art inSight, offering lecture programs, art museum day trips, and study tours in the U. S. and Europe, with the goal of expanding her companions’ understanding of art history. Karen is involved in the operations of the historic Neill-Cochran House Museum.

Sam Houston is native Texan and the great nephew of Sam Houston, an iconic Texas hero. With many props and several hats that representSam Houston’s life’s journey, this first-person narrative traces his historic life. Sam has served as an officer on the Board of Directors for Meals on Wheels Central Texas for the last 25 years.

The United States began as colonies isolated by huge oceans. In only 60 years after winning independence, the U.S. spans a huge land mass, from sea to sea. Todd Clayton will talk about ambitious infrastructure investments that provided a foundation for the prosperous country we are today.

Todd Clayton has spoken at AWC many times. He has a MBA from Harvard Business and a BS in Industrial Engineering from Northwestern. 

With a master’s degree in History with emphasis in Texas Music and Culture, Diana Finley links food to the stories of people around her table and around the world. She leads cooking demonstrations and classes in clubs, spas, event spaces and private homes featuring Mexican cuisine, Cajun celebrations, Traditional Southern Suppers, A Taste of Tuscany, and other full meals. Most recently, she taught a Texas Chili class at Austin’s flagship Central Market, featuring

history lessons and recipes from the San Antonio Chili Queens of the 1800s, to Lady Bird Johnson’s Pedernales Chili and Diana’s own favorite recipe for the State Dish of Texas.

Her new food memoir, a collection of essays and recipes will be released in the early fall of 2024. In this autobiographical odyssey, recipes unfold like chapters, each dish a narrative etched with memories, emotions, and the passage of time. From the simplicity of childhood comfort foods to the more complex symphonies of adulthood, her culinary journey mirrors the tapestry of experiences.

Austin Woman’s Club charter member, Mrs. Joe Gilbert (1877- 1961), led such a comparatively tranquil life in Austin. No one could never imagine the harrowing experience and narrow escape that she endured just prior to her 1900 marriage. 

Galveston native, Richard Eisenhour, knows all about Mrs Gilbert’s thrilling tale and will regale us with the dramatic story.

Kathleen Ligon provides a background and overview of Proposition 6 and the newly created Texas Water Fund, including how it came about, the status of implementation, and what it can do for Texas communities. 

Ligon has worked on the Texas Water Development Board’s executive team since 2019. As Associate Executive Administrator, she serves as the liaison to the agency’s three-member board and leads agency wide special projects. In her current role, she led the implementation of flood mitigation planning and funding legislation from the 86th Texas legislative session, including a $1.5 billion appropriation, and she will be leading implementation of Proposition 6, the constitutional amendment creating the Texas Water Fund. Kathleen has almost 20 years of public service experience with the state of Texas, with 17 of those years at the TWDB. She graduated from UT Austin degree in Urban and Regional Planning in the School of Architecture.

Sherry Maysonave, who co-authored Tatae’s Promise, a book she co-authored. It is based on eleven audio tapes recorded by Hinda Mondlak Goldman, the mother of co-author Moises J. Goldman, in the months prior to her death in 1985. Speaking in Yiddish and Spanish, Hinda chronicles her torture at the hands of the Nazis, her escape from Auschwitz with her younger sister, her subsequent travails, her fear of Nazis and Russian soldiers, her search for true love, and her immigration to Mexico City.

Maysonave is an award-winning author and acclaimed motivational speaker. Tatae’s Promise has been reviewed by many notable authors and educators since it was published in late 2023, including Betty Sue Flowers, Ph.D. - Professor Emeritus UT-Austin who wrote: “Hinda is vividly alive in this reweaving of her memories. A memorable story of resilience and enduring love.” 

The two primary ways that you take in language from the outside are by listening to someone else speaking and by reading words. In some ways, these modes are

similar. Both are rooted in the sounds of language, for example. But, they also differ in significant ways. For example, speech is available for only a moment, while words persist on a page. Markman will talk about the ways that hearing speech versus reading text differ and how that affects the experience of listening or reading as well as your understanding and memory for what you encountered.

He has written over 150 papers on topics including reasoning, decision making, and motivation. Markman brings insights from cognitive science to a broader audience through his blogs at Psychology Today and Fast Company as well as his radio show/podcast Two Guys on Your Head. He is the author of several books including Smart Thinking, Smart Change, Brain Briefs, and Bring Your Brain to Work.

Richard Gruetzner will examine the origin and history of the Wendish people in Germany and why a large group made the decision to emigrate to Texas in the nineteenth century, the difficulties they faced, and their impact on the cultural heritage of Texas. Also discussed will be the efforts to keep alive their

ethnic traditions in the English-speaking world.

Born and raised in Austin, Gruetzner lives in Burnet County. After studying aerospace engineering at Texas A&M University, his career path changed to that of Law Enforcement with the Travis County Sheriff's Office, retiring in 2012 as a lieutenant. He is the current President of the Texas Wendish Heritage Society, the Vice-President of the German-Texan Heritage Society and one of their partner representatives to the International German Genealogy Partnership. 

He also serves on the Boards of various other non-profit organizations. Richard has given lectures on Wendish and German heritage topics for various organizations including the German Department of UT-Arlington and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UT-Austin.

Austin Women’s Club Charter Member, Mrs. Joe Gilbert led such a comparatively tranquil life in Austin. One could never imagine the harrowing experience and narrow escape she endured just prior to her 1900 marriage. Galveston native, Richard Eisenhour, knows all about Mrs Gilbert’s thrilling tale!

The Austin metro area has been among the fastest growing metros in the country for over a decade, and the city of Austin is a major driver of that growth. This long-sustained growth is linked to Austin’s resilient economy propelled by a young, highly educated workforce. However, with this growth also come growing pains, including soaring housing prices, continued geographic segregation, and persistent racial disparities in health and wealth outcomes. 

Lila Valencia will explore Austin’s dualities of growth gains and growing pains and the implications these demographic shifts can have on planning related to affordability, transit, access to healthcare and education, as well as infrastructure.

Although United States citizenship was not granted to all American Indians until after World War I, they served in the United States military in large numbers before becoming citizens. Citizenship was granted eventually to all American Indians partly in recognition of the large number who voluntarily served in World War I.

Barbara Woelk will talk about the attitude of tribal members towards military service and how they supported members during and after their military service. Barbara will share stories of military service by her family and her tribe, as well as American Indians in general.

Every town has a story about where its name comes from, but there are many towns in Texas that have strange names and interesting stories about where they came from. Most are tiny towns that had to struggle to come up with a name that hadn't already been chosen by another town; some of the names are just the result of weird mistakes. But they are all fun to look at and they might make you laugh!

Jo Virgil, recently retired, has had a full career working in journalism and community relations. She worked as a freelance reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and has had pieces published in various magazines and books; she served as Community Relations Manager for Barnes & Noble; and she was the Community Outreach Coordinator for the Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities. She has a Master of Journalism degree with a minor in Environmental Science, reflecting her love of writing as well as her deep appreciation and respect for nature. She loves researching, writing, learning new things, and traveling to explore and learn. She is also a long-time member, and now the Vice-President, of the Texas Folklore Society, a wonderful organization that meets once a year in various towns in Texas to share folklore stories, fun visits with members from all over the state, and hoot-nanny music.

Seasoned members and newer members of the Austin Woman’s Club will learn of heirlooms the Chateau has been bequeathed over these many, many years. Our treasures have been catalogued and photographed by Peggi and Susan and they have graciously agreed to share their extended knowledge with all of us!!! Our treasures are on display throughout the Chateau’s three floors. You will be inspired to explore these treasures.

At 13 years old, Issac Sanchez became infatuated with birds. To this day remains passionate about birds and bird photography

A San Antonio native, a St. Mary’s Undergraduate and University of Delaware PhD in physical chemistry, Sanchez joined the Chemical Engineering Dept. at UT in 1988. He was elected to the US National Academy of Engineering in 1997, the highest recognized honor in engineering. Married to Patty Praytor for 21 years, between them they have four sons and 14 grandchildren. He was on the Board of Foundation for the Homeless, a Coordinator of Feed My People, and is an Elder at Westlake Presbyterian. 

Fredericksburg, only 80 miles from Austin, was founded in 1846 by German immigrants. They include Cindy’s great, great grandparents. Cindy will go back in time and share little known facts on Fredericksburg’s history. Expect to get Cindy’s favorite spots around town too and discover what’s going on in Fredericksburg beyond the wineries!

Addie Broyles wrote about food for years as a columnist for the Austin American-Statesman, but it wasn't until the pandemic that she realized she was writing about so much more than recipes and how to save money at the grocery store. She launched her Substack newsletter, called The Invisible Thread, in 2021, where she writes about the things that connect us that we cannot see: love, loss, longing, belonging, and bewildering joy.

On the side, she has also built a business as a tarot card reader, where she helps people see their own story in a new way. The Missouri native has lived in Austin since 2005, where she started her career as an intern at Texas Monthly. She still subscribes to the newspaper, loves swimming at Barton Springs, and is raising

her two boys on a pocket farm in North Austin with her home-steading husband, Frank.

Broyles will share the highlights and lessons from her years in the newspaper industry and what she's learned about building community and resilience in the face of change. She'll also give us a quick lesson in tarot cards as a tool for self-discovery.

Florencia Bassoon will answer this question by exploring the history of this campus museum as it assembled one of the most significant collections of Latin American art in the United States.

Bazzano joined the Blanton Art Museum in 2015. She assists with the rotations of the Latin American permanent galleries. She cu- rated Border Vision: Luis Jiménez’s Southwest (2021); and co-curated Words/Matter: Latin American Art and Language at the Blanton (with Beverly Adams, 2018). Previously Bazzano worked for the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University and the Smithsonian Museum of American Art in Washington, DC. She also taught art history for many years and has an extensive list of publications, including the book Liliana Porter: The Art of Simulation (Routledge, 2008).

Bazzano is an alumna of The University of Texas at Austin, where she received her undergraduate and master’s degrees. She earned her PhD in Latin American Art from the University of New Mexico.

When G. Fritz Benedict started teaching astronomy in 1970, common knowledge was of one star with planets. We now know thousands of stars with planetary systems. How did we find these alien worlds, and what do we know about them? If they exist, can we find other civilizations like ours? Yes! Have we? Not yet.

Following the historic costume exhibits developed by University of Texas at Austin Textiles and Clothing students for the 150th Gala “The Gilded Age,” UT Austin Associate Professor Gail Chovan will share insights into the historic garments on display that reflect the aesthetic, mores, and technology of The Gilded Age — from about 1880 to early 1900’s.

Click here for pictures.

Chovan will also discuss:

• Highlights and personalities represented in the 6000+ collection of historic costumes from UT Austin

· Learning objectives for students and career opportunities

· Collaboration with textile, design, and retail industries.

Gail Chovan specializes in conceptual clothing design, artisanal techniques, and the history of costume. She focuses on the genesis of ideas and exploration of inspiration, while instilling strong technical skills in her students. Chovan teaches courses in History of Dress and Cultural Change and oversees the Historic Textile and Apparel Collection, which houses over 6000 pieces of clothing and artifacts that have been donated.

During her summers, Chovan taught courses in Fashion & Design and Advanced draping at the Cours de Civilisation Française de la Sorbonne as well as at the Paris College of Art in France. She established and serves as the UT Director of the TXA Paris Study Abroad Program. She is currently pursuing an MLA in Museum Studies through Harvard University.

We are excited to feature Miss Lucille Morley, 1890 — 1981, Austin Woman’s Club’s distinguished and beloved Music Chair whose nieces and nephews accompanied her

on extensive summer travels abroad, staying in fine hotels while attending England’s and Europe’s finest concerts, music festivals and operas.

AWC member Connie Hudson will explain the many ways Miss Morley was a fascinating “unconventional woman in conventional times.” The Morley Family, as you know, is well remembered as a very significant part of Austin’s early history. Come learn how and why Connie loved and admired Miss Morley, who not only attended her wedding but also gave Connie and husband, Steve Hudson, her love and wedding gift of stock on their wedding day!

In reading Club history, no doubt Miss Morley helped initiate the Club’s new “Morning Musicales” in the 1930s, which were sponsored by the Music and Drama Committee and presented on the fourth Thursday from October through March. The West Terrace, then, also became increasingly important and admired by Club members. Viewing it as “the perfect setting for performances,” they insisted on changing the name to the ‘Sunken Garden,’ and in the summer of 1938, succeeded in furnishing Austin with its first outdoor Summer Opera, “The Bohemian Girl” by Balfe, an opera which had premiered in London in November 1843.

Need short description below posted. Sent Noel Slides on July 29 as .pdf.

Learn how Dr. Bergin treats the bones and joints she herself didn’t keep in good shape. How can older adults can live a safer, healthier, and happier life?  Why you should ditch high-heeled shoes and other 'No-Nos'. Dr. Bergin’s Blog: www.drbarbarabergin.com

My patients often ask, “How did I end up walking like my grandma?”, says Dr. Barbara Bergin. “There is a pathway, and I love to talk about it, starting with the definition and components of our normal gait, and ending with a discussion of the pathological components of your Granny’s limp, how she got it, and some steps (no pun intended) you can take to prevent it! Does it hurt? Or is it just part of that aging process?” 

In 1986, Dr. Barbara Bergin co-founded Texas Orthopedics, Sports & Rehabilitation Associates, at a time when other orthopedic groups in Austin and the country wouldn’t readily choose to hire female orthopedic surgeons. Through her leadership, Texas Orthopedics is now one of the largest orthopedic practices in Texas. Dr. Bergin recently retired from her orthopedic practice. She and her husband, Dr. Paul Nader, moved to Sun City, Georgetown. Her parents moved nearby. 

She’s active in the Georgetown community, as a volunteer for the Ride On Center for Children (R.O.C.K. equine-assisted therapy) and the Sun City Instrument Playing Performance Artist Charter Club. She is a novelist (Endings, Sunstone Press, 2007), and a singer-songwriter-guitar player, performing and writing folk, bluegrass and country music, releasing her first CD in 2020, (Blood Red Moon). She is a cowgirl and a rancher. 

Works of public art have the capacity to resonate deeply, stimulate curiosity, and inspire the imagination in unexpected ways. At The University of Texas at Austin, the public art collection is one of the most distinguishing features of the main campus, shaping impressions and offering a distinctive setting for memorable experiences.

As the university’s public art program, Landmarks enriches the lives of students and visitors by presenting art that is broadly accessible and free to all. Some fifty works of modern and contemporary art are throughout the 433-acre campus and viewed by thousands of people every day.

Catherine Whited is the Education Coordinator for Landmarks, the public art program at the University of Texas at Austin. An alum of UT, Catherine received her B.A. in Classical Archeology and her M.S.I.S. from the university’s School of Information with a portfolio in museum studies. At Landmarks, Catherine manages all aspects of the education department including public programming, producing educational resources, and overseeing the volunteer docent cohort.

 Catherine also serves as a member of the advisory council at the Neill-Cochran House Museum and a Co-Chair of the Austin Museum Partnership.

Cindy Stone shares important cultural insights and artifacts of Native Americans of the Southwest – Apache, Navajo, and Pueblo.

Jim Haley gave a detailed exploration of the Gilded Age, focusing on its impact and manifestations in Texas. Haley discussed the origins of the term 'Gilded Age' coined by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner, highlighting the era's characteristics of unrestrained capitalism and wealth concentration. Haley contrasted the experiences of the North and South during this period, noting Texas's unique position due to its history and economic conditions. 

James Haley has been a force in Texas history for fifty years. He is a member of the Texas Institute of Letters and a fellow of the Texas State Historical Association.  He is the author of twenty-five books, he has won the Western Writers of America Spur Award twice and the Texas Historical Commission book award twice, in addition to the Tullis Prize, the Parmelee Award for Original Research, and numerous other accolades.  He will have a selection of his books to sign and sell (for cash or personal check, no credit cards) after the program, including his prize-winning biography of Sam Houston, his history of Texas titled Passionate Nation, and others.

Click Here to see his presentation.

The University of Texas at Austin is home to the Briscoe Center, one of the nation’s leading research centers for historical study. But even the most fervent Longhorn fan may not be aware of the treasures that are part of our holdings—or how to access them. This overview of the center and its collection strengths will explore how one of the University’s earliest special collections has evolved and its influence on how we understand our nation’s past.

Erin Purdy is the deputy executive director for the Briscoe Center for American History at The University of Texas at Austin. She was a curator at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, the editor-in-chief of Cleveland Magazine, and a researcher and writer for The History Factory before fulfilling her childhood dream of moving to Austin, Texas. Initially hired at the Briscoe Center in 2005 as an oral historian, her responsibilities increased to management of the center’s communications and public outreach efforts, including exhibits, publications, and print and online communications. She left in 2016 to work for Texas State University in presidential, fundraising, and admissions communications, but greatly missed working in history. It was her great fortune to return to the Briscoe Center in 2021. Erin lives in Kyle, Texas, with her husband Chris Miller and Callie, their incredibly spoiled rescue dog. 

Click here to see her presentation.

Charles Peveto and Adam Powell will give a history of the Austin History Center Association (AHCA), from its founding as a friends group in 1979 as a partner to the Austin History Center and a division of the Austin Public Library. 

The newly expanded two-building Austin History Center campus on Guadalupe has the potential of becoming a world-class facility, not only as a depository of Austin's RICH and DIVERSE history, but to tell those stories through meaningful programming...'Our Austin Story'.

Charles Peveto is Honorary Chair of the Friends of Chateau Bellevue. He will share what he sees as opportunities for partnership between AHCA and Friends of Chateau Bellevue. Charles will also update us on the Old Austin Neighborhood Association activities.

Charles Peveto is a dedicated advocate for Austin’s rich and diverse history. A long-time activist in Austin’s preservation community, he has played a key role in the Austin History’s Center’s evolution into a formal partner with the City of Austin. An architectural historian and Texas A&M graduate, Charles has served the Texas Historical Commission for over 44 years and is the board president of the Austin History Center Association. 

Adam Powell’s experience is mission-driven — a union organizer, school district administrator, state employee, and political candidate. He is a Texas Christian University graduate with a degree in history, where he gained hands-on experience in archival preservation with TCU Special Collections and the National Archives at Fort Worth. Powell has served as a SAFE Alliance Board Member, Committee Member with CapMetro, and as Vice President of the North Shoal Creek Neighborhood Association.

Click here for photos of this presentation.

Leading a multidisciplinary team of 150+ in Austin and at 39 historic sites across the state, Inez Wolins is responsible for operations, earned revenue, establishing innovative strategies to increase visitation and participation through educational and interpretive programs and services, and creating impactful exhibitions.

She holds a master’s degree in Museology and Art History from Syracuse University and pursued doctoral work in Educational Technology at New York University. She brings to the Texas Historical Commission experience as a museum director and as senior director of education and visitor experience at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, CM Russell Museum, and the Autry Museum of the American West, among others. Wolins served as Chief of Interpretation and Education with the National Park Service overseeing 16 historic sites along Boston’s Freedom Trail, and as Interim Chief of Interpretation & Education for 63 parks in the northeast region.

A frequent reviewer for grants awarded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, she chaired the Interpretation, Volunteers, and Education committee for the National Park Service, was a seven-year board member for the American Alliance of Museums, led the Association of Women Art Museum Directors’ Caucus, was on the exhibition and education committee of American Federation of Arts, a reviewer with the National Endowment for the Arts, Florida Division of Cultural Affairs, and Kansas Arts Commission, and chaired the 2023 meeting of the Mountain- Plains Museums Association.

Throughout her tenure with parks and museums, she held joint appointments with graduate programs at Drexel University, Framingham University, Bank Street College of Education, Pratt Institute, and University of South Florida. She has led Interpretive Master Plans and Management Assessments for Gettysburg National Military Park, Eisenhower National Historic Site, Workman and Temple Homestead Museum, New York Historical Society, and Pecos National Historical Park. In addition to consulting with more than 30 museums and historic sites nationwide, Wolins has authored close to 40 journal articles and book chapters about the role of community engagement, education, public history, and visitor experience.

Click here to learn more and see her slide show.

Karen Pope shared an illustrated survey of Pompeo Coppini’s key works, including the stories of the Littlefield Fountain and the Alamo Cenotaph. Pope will chart Coppini’s shift from Confederate monuments to works that have come to define Texas and its heroes.

AWC Member, Karen Pope, Ph.D. in the History of Art (University of Texas, 1981), is a specialist in the modern art of Europe and America. She retired in May 2015 from a full-time position on the Baylor University faculty, teaching art history courses in 19th-century European and American Art, the priority of the Allbritton Art Institute. She has three decades experience in academic teaching, docent training, and informal lecture series.  Since 1995, she has offered lecture programs, art museum daytrips, and art history-rich study tours in the US and Europe through Art inSight Adventures in Art History. 

Click here to learn more and see her presentation.

Hipstorian Linda McCoy walks us through one of the first neighborhoods in Tarrytown, part of the original Walsh Tract. William Walsh was born in Limerick, Ireland, and left his homeland around the age of 14 during the Great Potato Famine. He originally owned 100 acres near today's Lake Austin as well as the land that is now Davenport Ranch. Walsh was a quarryman and lime manufacturer and bought the land as an industrial site as well as a place to raise his 10 children with his wife, Dora. He was a very enterprising, hard-working, and generous man. His legacy is woven into the very fabric of the neighborhood and Linda will tell his story from Famine to Fortune.

Linda McCoy grew up in San Antonio but got to Austin as soon as she could - and she vows to never leave! She has two grown sons, Zikolos, who teaches English in Osaka, Japan, and Griffen, who is studying Fashion Design at ACC. Linda loves researching Austin's amazing history and says 'going down rabbit holes' is her superpower. She has lived in Austin since 1992 and is an avid, competitive standup paddle boarder. She is the current president of the USA SUP and is involved in several environmental nonprofits in Austin, including Keep Austin Beautiful and Shoal Creek Conservancy. Linda recently assisted Walsh's descendants, Chuck Munson and Chris Walsh, in getting the Walsh Boat Landing in Tarrytown rededicated to honor the elder Walsh. She worked with the Mayor's office to have a proclamation declaring March 23, 2025, as William Walsh Day in Austin, Texas.

Click here to see the slideshow from her presentation.

Mollie and Rufus Mann. Onnie Clem. Kate Stone. Ordinary Texans from days past? Their personal letters, archived in the Texas General Land Office and other places, tell a different story. Experiences and details that perhaps should have stayed private many years ago.

 Buck Cole will share the invaluable role of personal letters in understanding history, particularly the often-overlooked experiences of “ordinary” individuals. You’ll learn how intimate personal documents can offer unique insights into daily life, emotions, and perspectives that official records often miss, bringing the past to life in a deeply personal way.
 
Bio: Buck Cole is a native of Waco, Air Force veteran, retired Texas and American history teacher, and former K-12 Education Coordinator for the Texas General Land Office Archives. He makes history come alive by sharing
stories to schools, historical organizations, and civic groups using documents from museums, libraries, and the one he knows best, the Texas General Land Office Archives — home to 38 million documents and 45 thousand maps that tell the story of Texas (and lesser-known places.)

 Visit his website, Historify.co., the simplest and quickest history read on the Internet.

Click here to see the wonderful Texas maps that were given.