Denison, Texas -- The City of Denison, the Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site, and the Denison High School Class of 1960 will come together Saturday, October 10, to celebrate Denison’s connection to President Dwight D. Eisenhower and honor another hometown aviation hero, Lt. Col. USAF (Ret.) BC Thomas.
There will be various events throughout the day! Start with the Eisenhower Memorial Brick Dedication at 9:00 a.m. where 32 newly inscribed memorial bricks will be dedicated.
The memorial walkway honors individuals from the region whose lives and service reflect President Eisenhower’s enduring legacy of leadership and patriotism. Now in its 16th year, the annual dedication brings the total number of memorial bricks to 2,374, creating a lasting tribute to veterans, families, civic leaders, and others connected to Eisenhower and his remarkable legacy of service. The ceremony is part of Denison’s celebration of the 136th anniversary of President Eisenhower’s birth and will include remarks honoring both Eisenhower and the individuals represented by this year’s bricks. Retired Major General Eldon Joersz, who holds the world airspeed record in the SR-71, will serve as guest speaker.
The Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site (609 S. Lamar Avenue) will celebrate President Eisenhower’s 136th Birthday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free tours of the Birthplace House will be offered at the top of every hour until 2 p.m. Entertainment will begin in the Pavilion at 10:00 a.m. with performances by Shawnda Rains Entertainment, followed by the Scott Middle School Band and The Hyde Park Signers. At 12:15 p.m. there will be a children’s bicycle parade and birthday cake, followed by a demonstration of skills by students from Legend Martial Arts.
At 1:30 p.m. listen to book readings Chris Langlois is the author of several books for young readers about World War II including How Easy Company Became a Band of Brothers, Draftee Marches with the Band of Brothers, and Patrick the Paratrooper. Local author Craig Talley will be present to read from his new children’s book Katy and the Railroad That Built a Town.
In addition to craft tables and games, several community partners will be at the event: the Civil Air Patrol, the Grayson County Amateur Radio Club, and the Red River Railroad Museum. And more! Eisenhower State Park will demonstrate Dutch Oven cooking, the Veterans Association of Whitesboro GTMVPA will display military vehicles, and Bois d’Arc Kingdom will make an appearance. And, for the first time ever, we will have a Farmers’ Market organized by Untethered Feathers at the Eisenhower Birthday Celebration!
Come experience all that Denison has to offer to celebrate Eisenhower’s birthday. The Perrin AFB Historical Museum (436 S. McCullum Avenue in Denison) will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. that day. Come see the Wall of Honor Exhibit. The Red River Railroad Museum (101 E Main St., Ste. 106) will also be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The community will gather for the dedication of a new mural honoring Lt. Col. USAF (Ret.) BC Thomas, a Denison native and celebrated SR-71 pilot at 4:00 p.m. The mural (401 W. Main, on Burnett Avenue, between 34 Chophouse and Dance Xplosion) was commissioned by the Denison High School Class of 1960, Thomas's graduating class, and was designed and painted by muralist Ryan “ARCY” Christenson, whose work throughout Denison includes murals honoring General and President Eisenhower, the Yellow Jackets and Battle of the Axe, and Lake Texoma.
Thomas was born and raised in Denison and is a graduate of the Denison High School Class of 1960. He is recognized for having flown more hours as an SR-71 pilot than anyone else and is the only individual in the U.S. Air Force to have flown all three of the nation’s high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft: the U-2, RB-57F, and SR-71.
The mural traces Thomas’s remarkable aviation career and his Denison roots. It depicts his ancestors, BC Murray, Denison’s first newspaper publisher, and L.S. Owings, Denison’s first mayor, along with the aircraft Thomas flew against a backdrop of the curved Earth and the darkness of near-space. At the center is a likeness of Thomas in his pressure suit. The tail number in the mural also commemorates a notable moment in SR-71 history: Thomas was required to divert to Norway, resulting in the first SR-71 landing at a non-U.S. facility.
The dedication will bring together members of the Denison High School Class of 1960, Thomas’s family and friends, and individuals connected to the SR-71 program.
The BC Thomas mural is one of three aviation-related murals in Denison. The others honor Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, who piloted the aircraft during the 2009 “Miracle on the Hudson,” and Tuskegee Airman Major Jewel Butler.
