2014 TCHS Raffle Project

Replica of Simmons Gin was perfect size for playhouse or distinctive storage shed

October 27, 2014

Historical Society Raffles Replica of Simmons Gin

     The Simmons Cotton Gin in Frederick has been a fixture on West Grand Avenue since the town’s early days.

The Tillman County Historical Society is celebrating the old building’s heritage by making it the organization’s 2014 Christmas raffle project. Some lucky person will win a smaller duplicate version of the distractive building for their own back yard! The building will make an amazing playhouse or a distinctive storage shed.

Simmons Gin building on West Grand Avenue in Frederick

Raffle tickets for the building are $5 each or five for $20. All proceeds will be used toward operational expenses of the Pioneer Townsite Museum in Frederick.

The raffle is an annual historical society project that has spanned several years with prizes being reproductions of numerous buildings at the Pioneer Townsite Museum. Past projects have included the museum’s 1902 Horse Creek School, the 1924 AME Church, the 1902 Frisco Depot, and the Frisco caboose.

This year’s reproduction building is distinguished by its large size, easy-access doors, and four operational windows. The building measures eight feet wide, 20 feet in length, and 10 feet tall. It is built on a metal frame, and features a tin roof. Vinyl brick-look siding on the building is meant to represent the real gin’s orange brick façade.

The building was constructed by Pioneer Townsite director Jimmy Espinosa and the museum’s assigned inmates from the Frederick Work-Release Center.

The real Simmons Gin is owned by the historical society, which hopes to someday incorporate the facility into the Pioneer Townsite Museum’s exhibit space. The actual gin encompasses two buildings, but Espinosa designed the reproduction as an interpretation of the gin’s main north building.

The historical society purchased lumber and materials for the project from Frederick businesses.

The drawing to determine the building’s winner will be held December 22 at Frederick’s Gourmet Gallery and will be broadcast live on KYBE’s 8:00 a.m. “Town and Country” radio program.

 

In this 1924 panorama shot of Frederick (taken from the city water tower, looking toward the east) the Simmons Gin is at front center.