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