Elgin Oral History Project

03/23/2026

Sue Beckwith is a long-time resident of Elgin, Texas, who has been deeply involved in community initiatives concerning local food, historic preservation, and the sustainable development of rural cities, like Elgin. She worked closely with her dear friend, former Mayor Marc Holm, on various projects, including the restoration and preservation of the original homestead of Mary Christian Burleson. Sue is responsible for efforts to establish local food initiatives. These efforts include farm-to-kids after-school programs in the Elgin Independent School District, agricultural programs at the Austin Community College campus in Elgin, and the establishment of the Elgin Local Food Center for several years. Sue was the start-up manager for Coyote Creek Organic Feed Mill, the first commercial organic feed mill in Texas, and Jeremiah Cunningham’s World’s Best Eggs, both in Elgin. Sue is the founding Executive Director of the Texas Center for Local Food, a non-profit organization headquartered in Elgin, focused on supporting local food economies across the state.

The interview was conducted on December 17, 2022, by Jacque Smith, who has lived in Elgin since 2015. Jacque has enjoyed a rich career as a teacher, writer/editor, trainer, and an award-winning visual artist. She has generated a body of contemporary abstract art that has been exhibited across Central Texas. In 2012, she joined Carol Ikard to co-write “Touching Fiber Arts,” a coffee table book chronicling national exhibitions during the first five years of the Texas Museum of Fiber Arts. Jacque served on the board of directors of the Elgin Oral History Project from 2022 through 2024 and continues to be engaged with the organization through volunteer activities.

For Sue's story, visit the link to our website >> https://oralhistoryetx.org/sue-beckwith

City of Elgin - Municipal Government
Texas Center for Local Food
Texas Historical Commission
Traces of Texas
Elgin Texas Farmers' Market

02/27/2026

02/27/2026

Welcome Lillian Reyes-Gates to our Elgin Oral History Board of Directors.

Lillian moved to Elgin as the world welcomed
the 21st century, together with her late
husband, Bruce Stewart Gates. She graduated
from the University of Texas at Austin with a
B.S. in Home Economics, concentrating in
Nutrition and Child Development. She also
obtained a master’s degree in Nutrition from
the University of the Incarnate Word in San
Antonio.

Lillian lives by the principle that one must
know one’s family history, values, education,
and sense of purpose in order to have a quality
life and contribute to one’s community.
Locally, Lillian is a member of the Elgin Arts
Association, Elgin Garden Club, Friends of the
Elgin Library, Elgin Historical Association,
and the Elgin Oral History Project.
On a statewide level, she serves on the
Executive Board of the Texas
Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics Foundation.
Lillian served as President of the Austin
Dietetics Association from 2001–2002 and as
President of the Texas Dietetic Association
from 2003–2004. She fully retired in 2017 as
Special Projects Manager and Chief Dietitian
with the Quality Monitoring Program, a
program she founded.

02/10/2026

Welcome Charlotte Swenson to our Elgin Oral History Project Board of Directors.

Charlotte Swenson grew up in the Kimbro
area, as did her parents. Her family moved
from Kimbro to Elgin in 1971. She graduated
from Elgin High School in 1976 and started
her education in the medical field as a
radiologic technologist. She worked for an
orthopedic group in Austin and in 1986
completed her education to become a radiation
therapist. She worked as a radiation therapist
for over 27 years. The last five years of that
career were spent as a traveling radiation
therapist. She retired from that field in 2012
and started teaching x-ray physics at the
College of Health Care Professions. She
retired from full-time teaching in March 2025
and is now teaching part-time.

She had a son, Jacob Maynard, who was
born in 1984 and tragically died in a car
accident in 2014. She met Tim Fender from
Missouri in 2004, and they married in 2014.
She has one sister, Jan Swenson. She was one
of the original Hogeye organizers and was a
volunteer for many years. She is co-founder of
the Grow Elgin Project, a networking group
for local folks. She also started the sMall
Mall, an event that allows kids to select gifts
for their family members free of charge.

Her hobbies include anything related to
homesteading, and she is the proud
producer of "Ears to Ya" cornbread mix.
She is excited to serve on the Elgin Oral
History Board and is looking forward to
preserving the wonderful history of our
town.

02/08/2026

We welcome Byron Mitchell to our Elgin Oral History Project Board of Directors.

Byron Mitchell is a dedicated community
leader and public servant residing in Elgin,
Texas. A proud 1980 graduate of Elgin High
School, Byron has deep roots in the community
he continues to serve with passion and
commitment.

Byron enjoyed a successful 28-year career
with Abbott/Hospira Inc. before retirement, and
currently works with the Texas Department of
Public Safety.

His commitment to public service extends
well beyond his professional life. He serves as
President of the Elgin ISD Board of Trustees,
where he helps shape the future of education for
local students, and as President of the Elgin
Juneteenth Organization, preserving and
celebrating an important part of the community's heritage. Byron is also an active member of the MLK Holiday Commission.

Faith and family are central to Byron's life.
He is a Deacon and founding member of Strait
Gate Fellowship Baptist Church.

Byron was married to the late Winnie
Milligan Mitchell and is the proud father of
three children—Byron, Brent, and Jessica—and
"Paw Paw" to his grandson, Nyles Mitchell.

In his spare time, Byron enjoys singing and
spending quality time with family and friends,
always finding joy in the connections that matter
most.

01/11/2026

A tremendous cabinet card photo of two young men in Elgin, Texas, circa 1895. At first I thought they were cowboys but upon closer inspection they look more like bookkeepers or shop clerks. You can see a MK&T (Missouri, Kansas and Texas) railroad car behind them. How great is this?

01/11/2026

Enjoyed reading and seeing all the comments and photos on this post! Had to share!

Holy cow, look at this wonderful photo of downtown Elgin, Texas circa .... 1915? I'm just looking at the cars there on the left side and I think it was about then. Perhaps some of you Elgin-philes can tell us which, if any, of those buildings still stand.

I have mentioned the John Miller Morris collection of some 12,000 photos of Texas at SMU's Degolyer Library in the past. Most of them appear nowhere else. Check it out!

11/04/2025

We celebrated T. Berry and Sydna Arbuckle’s love for and dedication to preserving our Elgin Oral History. We planted two crepe myrtles in their memory at Veterans Park in early October. We gathered with friends and family and shared stories about them. We remember you, T. Berry! We remember you, Sydna Arbuckle. Thank you!

10/28/2025

The Elgin Oral History Project (EOHP) invites you to join the Board of Directors for a get-together at The Clever Tiger Art Gallery 6-8 p.m. Thursday, November 6. This event will give EOHP directors, friends, and supporters an opportunity to share stories about Elgin and offer ideas about future endeavors. For more information about our organization, please visit https://oralhistoryetx.org/.

10/10/2025

Please note there will be street closures in and around the Veterans Park Expansion where our October 11th Tree Dedication ceremony will take place at 2:00 p.m. However, parking will be available at the Freight Depot, the Depot Museum and CARTS area on Central Avenue. Plan accordingly.

The Crosswalk of Unity painting project is taking place October 11–15 on Avenue C. Public Works will be closing sections of Avenue C and Depot Street starting at 2 pm on Friday, October 10th through the end of the day on Wednesday, October 15. Public Works will be closing sections of Avenue C and Depot Street starting at 2 pm on Friday, October 10th through the end of the day on Wednesday, October 15.

The road closure map is for your reference.

Closure Details:
•North Ave C will be closed from the alley just north of W. Austin Street to the alley just north of Depot Street.
•The 200 block of Depot Street will be closed (one-way section).
•The 100 block of Depot Street, the 100 and 200 block of Central will be closed to through traffic, but local businesses will remain open and accessible.
•North–south traffic should use Main Street as an alternate route.

Project Timeline:
•Friday, October 10: Surface preparation and primer
•Saturday, October 11 – Monday, October 13: Paint intersection murals
•Tuesday–Wednesday, October 14–15: 48-hour dry/cure time

We appreciate your patience and support as we bring this new piece of public art to life in the heart of downtown.

The Crosswalk of Unity Project is featured in the Fall issue of Downtown 78621 >> https://elgintexas.gov/DocumentCenter/View/12830/Downtown-78621---Fall-2025

10/03/2025

We invite you to join us Saturday, October 11 at 2 p.m. for a Tree Dedication honoring the memory of Sydna Arbuckle and T. Berry—two longtime Elginites who devoted their lives to preserving the stories of our beloved community. Learn more about their legacy and explore interviews they helped collect through the Elgin Oral History Project.

Location: Veterans Memorial Park playground at Depot Street and Acenue C.

Cookies and punch will be served following the ceremony.

Visit Elgin, TX
City of Elgin - Municipal Government
Elgin Chamber of Commerce