By Rita Shirley LeBleu
The DeQuincy Railroad Museum’s 50th anniversary and the 250th birthday of the USA was celebrated on the Fourth of July at the Museum. The special exhibits created for the occasion will continue throughout the month.
The event opened with prayer led by Denisia Wood – and in much the same way it did in 1976, with the singing of the Star Spangled Banner. DeQuincy High School senior Melonee VanWinkle performed it then. Melonee VanWinkle Cooper did the honors once again for Saturday’s event.
Kim Rainwater welcomed attendees on behalf of the City of DeQuincy. Crystal Nix, Rotary Club of DeQuincy, prepared hot dogs and chili. The Railroad Museum Board supplied ice cream and other refreshments.
Vance Perkins, Museum Board President, emceed the event and gave a brief history of the railroad in this area and how the museum was saved, including how the Louisiana Correctional and Instructional School (LCIS) inmates were vital to its restoration.
One of those men, a former Jaycee member, who now lives near New Orleans, recalled the work.
“Linda Green and Buddy Henagan asked us if we would take a look at the old depot and see if there was anything we could do to help restore it,” Allen Coleman said.
Linda Green spearheaded efforts of the women’s clubs responsible for creating interest in saving the old KCS Depot that was on the verge of being demolished. Buddy Henagan was Mayor of DeQuincy and a railroad worker. He negotiated with railroad and government officials to secure the depot for $1.
Coleman said work began with the removal of about four feet of Johnson Grass.
“Then we got to work,” he said.
A crew repaired windows, Walls were scraped and painted. Plumbing was repaired, and a new crew was organized to do work on the engine, sand blasters and sheet metal workers.
“Restoring the train took much longer than restoring the building,” Coleman said, adding that it’s hard to imagine where it all started.
He expressed pride in seeing it all still standing strong and gratitude for being allowed to play a small part in the restoration.
Pierre Fontenot, the writer of Lagniappe’s “Uncle P’s Bedtime Stories,” gave the keynote speech. He said with aging, he has gained a new appreciation of things that he took for granted as a youngster.
“You get a few years in and you realize being alive is flat out a gift,” Fontenot said.
He said being born in America is also a gift of God, and just as humans need grace, maybe America does too. Instead of getting worked up over the latest news report, ask, “Is it going to matter in heaven? If it ain’t, cut bait.”
“America you are not perfect,” he said in conclusion, “but you are a provider, a protector and a privilege.”
