THUNDER IN HAND

John C. Perry holds two Civil War-era handguns. The weapon in his right hand is a Savage Navy revolver and in the left hand is a Colt Army Model 1860. More information on these guns is in the story below. Courtesy photo

Civil War gun expert to talk at Salado Museum fundraising event on April 30

By DAVID STONE, Our Town Temple

John C. Perry, a noted author and expert on Civil War-era handguns, will present “Thunder in Hand” at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 30, at Salado Museum & College Park, 423 S. Main in Salado.

Perry will discuss handgun technology at the advent of the Civil War and describe contributions made by gunsmiths such as Samuel Colt, Christian Sharps, Eliphalet Remington, and Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson.

Sharp also will bring guns that were popular during the war.

“John’s presentation will be a follow-up to a 2019 talk he made on Civil War carbines,” said David Swarthout, executive director of Salado Museum.

“John has donated several original Civil War bullets to be given away, along with copies of his last book, Galloping Thunder, to be used as a fundraiser for the Museum,” Swarthout said. “Raffle tickets will be available for attendees to purchase at the event and winning tickets will be drawn at the conclusion of John’s presentation.” 

Tickets to the presentation are $10 per person and will be available at the door. Refreshments will be served.

Perry, an avid collector of 19th century firearms, has been a student of the Civil War since he found his first minie’ ball at the age of 8.

“That find ignited a lifelong passion of collecting firearms and artifacts from that era,” he said.

Perry has written several books, including three related to the Civil War: The Alamo of the Confederacy, Myths & Realities of American Slavery and Galloping Thunder.

His latest book, Thunder in Hand, is about Civil War handguns and it will be available later this year.

Take another look at the photo accompanying this article. That’s Perry holding two Civil War-era revolvers.

“The gun in my right hand is a Savage Navy revolver,” he said. “It’s a six-shot, .36 caliber revolver that was manufactured in 1861. It was picked up off the Gettysburg battlefield a few days after the battle in 1863.”

“The term ‘Navy’ does not mean it was used by the Navy,” he said. “Instead, it denotes that it is a .36 caliber handgun. Both the North and South used this firearm, but the majority were used by Union soldiers.”

Perry said the gun in his left hand is a Model 1860 Colt Army revolver.

“This is a .44 caliber six-shot, and it was the most purchased revolver by the US government during the Civil War,” Perry said. “Again, both sides used the weapon, but the majority were used by the North.”

DRAG SHOW SUNDAY AT CORKY’S

One of America’s premier drag show performers will be at Corky’s on Sunday night.

Madame’ Brazil, a wartime veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, was the first Miss Trans USA, according to Samantha Shepherd, event specialist for Corkys.

“Madame’ Brazil is a well-known and respected artist that we’ve contacted to curate a show that will be described by many as ‘simply perfect,’” Shepherd said. “It will be an experience like never before — she will bring Hollywood to Temple.”

Joining Madame’ Brazil on stage will be Mehgan Iman Dlux of San Antonio, Marko Ross of Las Vegas, N.M., and Marilyn Williams of Austin. The event will be hosted by Enrique Antonio.

Doors open at 5 p.m. and the show starts at 6. VIP tickets are $25  for up-close seating. General admission is $15.

Standing loft tickets, which give a birds eye view from the upstairs balcony, are $10.

Tickets are available at MADAME BRAZIL

TUESDAY’S TEMPLE COLLEGE CHORALE SPRING CONCERT IS A NEW BEGINNING

Spring Concert highlights include an arrangement of the gospel tune Lily in the Valley, a Hebrew piece with a Song of Solomon text, Erev Shel Shoshanim, and John Rutter’s arrangement of For the Beauty of the Earth, which will be conducted by student-conductor Kaiya Fowler. Courtesy photo

Our Town Temple

Temple College Chorale will perform its Spring Concert, “Make Our Garden Grow,” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Mary Alice Marshall Performing Arts Center.

The repertoire for this concert is 20th and 21st century compositions on the theme of nature — roses, lilies and the earth.

Songs will be performed in English, French and Hebrew. The centerpiece of the concert is American composer Morten Lauridsen’s settings of “Les Chansons des Roses.”

Concert highlights include an arrangement of the gospel tune “Lily in the Valley,” a Hebrew piece with a Song of Solomon text, “Erev Shel Shoshanim,” and John Rutter’s arrangement of “For the Beauty of the Earth,” which will be conducted by student-conductor Kaiya Fowler.

“This is a celebration of springtime – not just the literal springtime, but the reopening of concert halls and performance venues,” said Dr. Sara Harris Baker. director. “We, like most musical ensembles, endured two years of limited in-person rehearsals and performances, and we are celebrating this year’s opportunities to make music together. Most importantly, we have missed our audiences and can’t wait to share our music with them.”

Admission is $5 at the door and benefits student scholarships. Admission for students is free with a school ID. Local attorney and pianist Wayne Bachus will accompany the ensemble.

Chorale is a premiere, auditioned choral ensemble in Central Texas consisting of music students from Temple College and Texas A&M University-Central Texas, alongside community members. Chorale frequently collaborates with Temple Symphony Orchestra as part of the Temple Symphony Chorus. Recent Chorale highlights include a program of American Music in Ireland (Killarney and Kilkenny) with the Austin Community College chorus, a program of Schubert works at Carnegie Hall in New York City and a concert production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame with the Temple College Orchestra.

For more information, call the Fine Arts office at (254) 298-8555.

SATURDAY | APRIL 9, 2022

today’s best bets

• Mo’s Rail Yard Saloon Crawfish Boil. “We will have a couple DJs and a band,” said Mo’s owner Michael Mulholland. “DJ Smooth will be entertaining from noon to 3, then we will have a Zydeco band playing until 6. Sammy G will be here starting at 6.” Proceeds from the Crawfish Boil will support Temple Fire & Rescue’s Rescue Elves program, providing toys and clothing at Christmas to families in need.

• The Downtown April Market will start at 9 a.m. in the City Hall parking lot between Central and Adams. About 50 vendors have signed up. Expect baked goods, art, jewelry, salsa, clothing and many other items made locally.

• The Lone Star Gun Show will be at the Bell County Exposition Center today and Sunday. The event will include new and used guns, knives, swords, hunting gear, books, coins, medals, ammo, reloading equipment and gun supplies. The event is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $7 for adults — kids 12 and under are free.

• Popular comedian Matt Markman will headline tonight’s Comedy Showcase at Corky’s.Also on stage will be host Roderick McDaniel, opener Katie Felton and featured comedian Aaron Cheatham. Tickets to the show range from $15 to $25.

  “Our VIP tickets ($25) are right next to the stage in a comfy counch,” said Samantha Shepherd, event coordinator for Corky’s. We also have a King’s Table, which is a VIP long table that seats seven. It must be purchased in full for $125.”

• David Johnson live at O’Briens Irish Pub, 11 E Central Avenue. 9 p.m.

• The Temple College Musical Theatre & Drama Showcase begins at 5 p.m. in the Jackson-Graeter Backstage Theatre, located in the Mary Alice Marshall Performing Arts Center. The concert is free and open to the public.

• Unicorn Party at Gober Party House. A magical day is on the way! We are celebrating National Unicorn Day with a variety of whimsical activities including Unicorn themed games, snacks, and more. Dress to impress, the more sparkle, the better! Pre-Registration is required. For more information call 254.298.5690. 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. $7.

• Masonic Lodge Crawfish Boil all day at Barrow Brewing. Live music at 7 p.m. from Tumbleweed Hill.

• Whiskey Renegade live at Bo’s Barn. 9 p.m.

• Easter egg hunt at Express ER in Temple. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.  3 egg hunts: ages 0-5, ages 6-10 and 11+. Egg decorating contest, bounce house, face painters and more. Free event. 

• Flavor Fest 2022. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Join Amy's Attic Self Storage at 7950 State Hwy 317 in Belton. Enjoy the spring sunshine at this FREE outside event featuring food trucks a huge variety of vendors, unique shopping opportunities, photo booth with Belton Bunny, family-friendly games, entertainment and so much more!  100% of the proceeds go to benefit Hope for the Hungry!

• Inherit the Wind at Temple Civic Theatre. Curtain opens at 7:30 p.m.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

To include your events in What’s Happening, email information to OurTownTemple@gmail.com. Photos are welcome to for use in the publication as space permits!

On this day in 1895, Howard Edward Butt was born in Memphis, Tennessee. While he was a child, his family moved to Kerrville, Texas, because of his father's tuberculosis. His mother, Florence Butt, opened a small grocery store there in 1905; Howard became manager of the store at the age of sixteen, and was the valedictorian of his class at Tivy High School in 1914. After serving in the navy during World War I, Butt returned to Kerrville and in 1921 made the then-daring decision to operate on a cash-and-carry basis, rather than the customary charge and deliver. After several failed attempts to expand, he opened a successful store in Del Rio in 1926 and bought three more stores in the Rio Grande valley in 1928. He opened stores in Corpus Christi in 1931, Austin in 1938, and San Antonio in 1942. In 1946 he changed his company's name to H-E-B. At the time of his death, in 1991, there were more than 170 H-E-B supermarkets, and by the end of the twentieth century H-E-B was the largest privately owned grocery chain in the nation.

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On this day in 1965, the Houston Astros played the New York Yankees in exhibition baseball in the Astrodome, the first event in the new domed stadium. The Astrodome, the first fully air-conditioned, enclosed, multipurpose sports stadium in the world, was first approved by voters in 1958. Roy M. Hofheinz had led in developing it. Over the years it was the home stadium of the Houston Astros and the Houston Oilers, among other teams. It also hosted such varied entertainments as bullfighting, rodeos, and, in 1992, the Republican National Convention. After the Oilers moved to Tennessee to become the Titans and the Astros moved to a new stadium, the Astrodome continued in use as part of an entertainment complex, the Astrodome Convention Center.