Sunday, August 20, 2017

2017 Hot August Update at Old Market Square / City Hall


 With all the overhead electrical wiring removed and newly planted tress and fancy brick paving this will the the spot where many photographs will be taken of the newly restored Market Square dome.
Here's a photo of last week's visit with Rogelio and Xochil Agrasanchez who are Rio Grande Valley archivists for the world's largest privately owned archive of Mexican cinema.  They have also published of several books on the topic.   We believe a considerable amount of film memorabilia collected through the years from donors of local theaters and a collection of movie posters and other resources will be used to create a rotating gallery exhibit on the second floor for what should be the final phase of the Market Square completion but we do not know when that will be.
 One of many lampposts that will illuminate the Market Square plaza
Repairing tiles over 12th St side entrance to Market Square which will lead to archives where vaults which used to protect City Secretary records for birth and death certificates are now used to store archived historical resources.
 These manually retractable bollards will be used to bar any unauthorized vehicles.
 Raised planters will also provide seating under the shade once these trees mature.
 It's time to look at some fancy brickwork.
 Base materials of sandy soil and gravel with some cement retainers will hopefully keep these bricks from budging with all the foot traffic they will get.
 Here the bricks are cut to fit 
 That checkerboard pattern should be scene of chess games and competitions
 Looking toward 12th St from plaza side
 Two brick laying masons taking pride in their work.  The two others were camera shy.  
 A free demonstration on how NOT to place an end-brick to complete a herringbone pattern
 I will have to return to see how that retangular area will be completed
This fountain was dedicated to the memory of soldiers at Ft Brown in 1912 by a women's benevolent society.  Marble pieces cut from headstones left behind when graves were interred and relocated to National cemetery in 1911 were used to decorate exterior of fountain.  It will surely be fixed soon and we hope to post that and more for the next update at Market Square.  There are many simultaneous projects going on at this time and I will try to give more updates as time and chance opportunity arise as that is how this these updates are done.  Thanks for your interest.  

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