Citizens work together for Texas first lady's visit

If Linden looked spiffy for Cecilia Abbott's April 18 visit, it was because of local citizens. Volunteers-the way small towns do things.

Abbott, Texas' first lady, came to celebrate Linden's new status as a Main Street City, one of two selected this year and one of 89 total. Linden is one of the three smallest Main Street towns.

Abbott flew into Texarkana, then traveled in a black SUV with Texas Rangers and other security personnel. It's likely she is the highest-ranking public figure to speak in Linden.

To get ready, townspeople had to do many things. The chair of the Main Street citizen advisory committee, Jo Anna Duncan, had a typical experience.

She had firm plans when she awoke April 17. She would drop by the flower center and obtain the plants to fill the flower boxes around the square.

"These are the boxes built by Linden-Kildare High School's Future Farmers of America students and paid for by Sam Higdon, former resident, now town supporter. Nothing makes the downtown look more alive than flowers," she said.

The governor's wife was coming the next day, Tuesday, and the town had to look its best.

But when Duncan arrived at Jayne's Farm and Feed Store, it was closed. Monday is a day off. Only for a brief moment did that cause a problem. You see, living in a small town is different.

"I'll call and tell her to come down and open up," Duncan said to herself.

And that's what she did. About an hour later, Pam Henry arrived with a pickup bed full of flowers. It would take Duncan and her friends the rest of the day to pot, arrange and water the plants to their satisfaction.

In the end, Duncan paid for the flowers with her own store check. She's pretty sure to be reimbursed, but she said softly, "It doesn't matter."

Down one block on North Main Street, lawyer John McIntyre had already prepared. In fact, he was ahead of the game. He and employees of the Linden Economic Development office across the street had already put flowers in their own vases on North Main.

"So we just repotted our vases," McIntyre said. "Others along the street had already joined us, too. We were ready."

Randy Partee, the county's maintenance supervisor, arrived early April 17 at the courthouse, the center from which the first lady would speak.

"I have to make sure the electrical service to the outside is working properly. I sometimes turn it off if people are misusing the plugs and creating a problem," Partee said.

On a nearby vacant lot just two blocks away, a tractor lawnmower was cutting the grass, seemingly for the first time. The yard looked like a field.

Lots of cutting was going on. In the town's oldest barber shop on the square, Curtis Hunt, who had opened his door earliest at 7:30 a.m., found his chairs full. Maybe the fellows wanted to look good for the first lady, too.

"Been here 54 years and seems I remember one other time when as big a political figure as the governor's wife came here, but I'm not sure," Curtis said.

He had, however, seen one tour bus come into town, he said, to see the state's oldest continuously serving courthouse.

"They stopped, walked around for the moment and look inside at my barbershop as if it were an antique," he said with a smile of understanding.

The schools were helping, also. The band would play and the choral group would appropriately sing, "Waltz Across Texas." Elementary students brought up a library book for the first lady to sign. The honor society got to hand out programs before and load up the chairs afterward.

The town's outside workers had been cleaning the town for days. They'd even put the large, colorful bows on the courthouse's columns. The grass had been cut by detainees from the county jail.

Lots of flags were installed. New banners on light posts said 'welcome to Linden.'

Police Chief Alton McWaters, as he blocked off parking around the square and awaited the arrival of Mrs. Abbott's motorcade, said he noticed the central flagpole on the courthouse lawn needed repainting and looked bad.

"I hope she doesn't notice," he said. "I just did."

Then, Cecilia Abbott arrived! She smiled, spoke and smiled more, seemingly a real campaigner. Some of those who rode with her said, "She's very down to earth, especially enjoys the Main Street visits and really likes to meet people."

Here's a brief background of this person who is the first Hispanic first lady of Texas.

Her grandparents were immigrants from Mexico. She has been a teacher and principal at several Catholic schools in Texas and has worked in the field of senior adult health care. 

She has college degrees in psychology, education and theology. She is on the board of four schools and has enjoyed being a classical pianist.

"Main Street communities represent the best of what Texas has to offer," the state's first lady said. "It is our downtowns where the past, present and future meet."

Here are a few views of the first lady's first visit to Linden and the town's preparation.