A large crowd of family and friends gathered at the San Saba County Historical Museum Sunday afternoon to honor San Saba native Charles Taylor McDowell.

The Invocation was given by Brother Alvino Valdez, Minister of Church Life at the First Baptist Church. Jason Howard, SSHS band director played To The Colors while Tanner Hawkins and Brian Rodgers of Boy Scout troop 55 presented the colors. Museum President Clay Nettleship presided over a brief Museum Foundation business meeting in which new officers and trustees were elected.

The officers for 2009-2010 will be John Cook, President; Clay Nettleship, First Vice president; Al Alison, Second Vice president; Lynn Blankenship, Secretary/reporter; David M. Williams, Treasurer; Nelda Weatherby, Historian; Kay Nettleship, Memorials; Paula Barrier & Vickie Stevenson, Curators: Nancy Bannister & Betty Jo Miller, Nominating Committee. The trustees will be: 2007–2010 Betty Jo Miller, Clione Rochet, John Bannister, Elsie Millican; 2008-2011 Carol MacKinnon, Ann Allison, C. K. Stevenson, Tim Inman; 2009-2012 Aileen Roberts, Terry Smith, Jerry Blankenship, and Steve Dyer.

Mr. Nettleship began the program honoring Mr. McDowell by reading a short biography highlighting Mr. McDowell’s many accomplishments.

A member of the SSHS class of 1939, Mr. McDowell graduated from Texas A&M in 1943 and began his remarkable career as a soldier and scholar. In recognition of his many accomplishments, San Saba Mayor Ken Jordan read a proclamation designating May 17th Charles Taylor McDowell Day and presented Mr. McDowell’s son, Pat, a key to the city.

At the conclusion of the program, everyone enjoyed refreshments and viewed the new Charles T. McDowell exhibit as well as other changes that have been made in the museum. The Museum foundation would like to thank the Garden Club for the lovely flowers that they provided for this special event.

The museum is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m.