FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date:     September 16, 2002

Contact:  Vivian Skinner (972-296-1642, skinwood@aol.com)

          Carla Boss (214-942-2166, bosscruiser@aol.com)

                                        

HISTORIC EXHIBIT TELLS 100 YEARS OF OAK CLIFF HISTORY

     An exhibit about Oak Cliff and Southwest Dallas history will be on display on Saturday and Sunday, October 5 and 6, 2002 as part of the 90^th Anniversary of the Tyler Street United Methodist Church celebration. It will be open at 6:30 pm before the presentation of a play called STAINED: A Drama of Life in Stained Glass, and again 30 minutes after the conclusion of the play. The play begins at 7:30 each night.

This production, presented by the CrossWise Players follows three generations of a family as they discover God’s presence in the triumphs and tragedies of life. Historical facts from the history of southwest Dallas County are woven into the story. The windows featured in the production were created by turn-of-the-century artist Roger MacIntosh whose many glass works are listed in the National Register of Historic Places including the Adolphus Hotel, the Herbert Marcus home, and the Guther Hotel in San Antonio. The sixteen stained glass windows in Tyler Street are of some of MacIntosh’s finest work.

     The exhibit of Oak Cliff and Southwest Dallas history includes pictures, memorabilia and artifacts from 1900 to the present. It is primarily the work of longtime Winnetka Heights resident Carla Boss and Vivian Skinner, a Carter High School Graduate and current resident of Duncanville.

     Carla Boss says, “The display includes artifacts from Oak Cliff history as well as pictures of bygone buildings and parks and a video of interesting and sometimes hilarious stories told by longtime Oak Cliff citizens.” Vivian Skinner’s favorite items in the display include historic women’s hats. “These hats take you back to a grander time in Oak Cliff history when our mothers and aunts dressed to the nines for shopping, church, and parties. It’s like a trip down memory lane.”

Former Channel 8 news reporter Sonya Van Sickle will appear at the beginning of the drama and will briefly talk about the church, Oak Cliff history, and the history and significance of the stained glass windows. The production is dedicated to the memory of Annette Elliott, longtime CrossWise member and teacher in Dallas and Cedar Hill for 18 years.

Tyler Street United Methodist Church is located at 927 West Tenth Street, Dallas (in the historic Winnetka Heights district.) Rev. Chris Allen, pastor of the Tyler Street Church and Jimmy Emery, director of Fine Arts, welcomes the community to participate in this extraordinary event. For more information about directions or dates, call the church at 214-946-8106 or CrossWise Productions at 972-467-6897. A map and additional information about the play is available at the www.crosswiseplayers.com web site.

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