15 May, 2024

From the Archives: Early Black-Owned Businesses in Plano

Black-owned businesses have always been vital to the economic success and prosperity of Plano. One of the first Black members of the Plano community was Andy Drake. After initially coming to Plano from Louisiana as an ox-driver, he was asked by Si Harrington, one of the founding families in Plano, to stay and work in 1864. After the Civil War, more Black people came to Plano but were […]

2 mins read

#ArchivesBFF: Exploring Love & Friendship

The February National Archives #ArchivesHashtagParty theme is BFF (best friends forever), and we’ve explored the Genealogy Center’s archives to bring you some gems. High School Notes to/from Cupid Plano High School has had a newsletter for many years called Wildcat’s Tale. The Genealogy Center has some from 1933-1935 and 1965-1967. The February 1934 issue included a […]

2 mins read

Plano Library Speaks: Podcast Episode #5

https://traffic.libsyn.com/planolibrary/PLSpeaks5.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window | Download Welcome to Plano Library Speaks, the podcast of Plano Public Library! In this episode, your hosts, Rachel and Bob chat with library staff about a variety of topics, including science Early Learning programs, the Genealogy Center and more. See our show notes below for details and links.

5 mins read

#ArchivesBookLove

In a collection full of great Plano history, one of our favorite pieces is a prime example of #ArchivesBookLove. One of the first donations to the archives collection was the original diary of Lizzie Mathews Carpenter (1876-1880). The archives has five volumes of her diaries, although the others are transcriptions of the originals. Elizabeth Mathews […]

1 min read

#ArchivesSignatures

In the age of the email signature, there’s something beautiful about a handwritten name. Your signature is evidence of who you are and it is supposed to be as unique as a thumbprint (although famous forgeries exist). This month, we are celebrating #ArchivesSignatures for the National Archives and Records Administration’s (NARA) #ArchivesHashtagParty.  Used to seal […]

1 min read