Tenaha Beautification & Events Committee Dedicates McNeill Park


Photo: Members of the McNeill family are seen with Carolyn Hooker (holding Microphone) during the dedication of McNeill Park in Tenaha. The family members include (from left) Larry McNeill, Dave McNeill, Dawn McNeill, Tracy McNeill Pullen,Tara McNeill, and Rose McNeill.

December 15, 2014 - The Tenaha Beautification and Events Committee hosted a dedication of the new McNeill Park on Thursday, December 11, 2014. Community members gathered for the event just off the square and to visit with Santa.

Carolyn Hooker opened the dedication of the park by publicly thanking Larry McNeill and the McNeill family for the land. Hooker then related some history of the McNeill family.

Dave McNeill Sr. lived from 1885 to 1958, he purchased his drug store building in 1914 from Robert Spivey after graduating in 1912 with a pharmacy degree from Texas Christian University (TCU) and opened the McCreary and McNeill Drug Store with Archie McCreary. In 1924 the pharmacy became McNeill Brown when Happy Brown became a partner and they remained in business until 1950 followed by McNeill and Son in 1955.

McNeill was elected to the board of aldermen, now called the city council, and remained in that capacity until 1927 when he was elected mayor of Tenaha. He was re-elected for each following term until his retirement in 1944.

During McNeill's tenure as mayor, Tenaha began its public water system in 1941, "This was a giant step for our community that previously had no indoor plumbing," said Hooker. "Mayor McNeill was also very proud of a creation of a city park inside the city of the town square. At its high point in the 1940s it had trees and lawn, benches and street lights and was heavily used by farmers and their families who came into town each weekend filling the square with so many people the sidewalks in front of the store buildings were full."

Hooker remarked on the appropriateness of there now being the McNeill Park. She then continued to share some McNeill family history. "Dave McNeill Jr. lived from 1916 until 1998 and unlike his father he did not live his entire life in Tenaha, but considered it his home, "He would tell you, as a child he spent as much time with his father in the drug store building or roaming the town square as he did at their residence and he became well acquainted with the merchants and businessmen of the town," said Hooker.

Dave McNeill Jr. graduated from Tenaha High School in 1933 and went on to earn a law degree from the University of Texas school of law. He held the position of Tenaha ISD Superintendent until 1942 when he became Shelby County Attorney. He resigned from his six year law partnership with W.I. Davis Sr. in Center in 1952 and moved to Houston with his family to join the law firm Vinson, Elkins, Weans and Francis where he practiced law until his full retirement in 1986.

It was rare for Dave McNeill Jr. to not be in Tenaha from 1952 and into the 1990s during each month with his wife Lois, the daughter of Dr. J.M. and Anna Baldwin Parker, and their two sons Dave and Larry. Dave McNeill Jr. was often called upon by his father and other town leaders to provide legal counsel, "Like his father he cared deeply about the town and its citizens," said Hooker.

Hooker then introduced members of the McNeill family and presented them before those present. The family members included Larry McNeill, Dave McNeill, Dawn McNeill, Tracy McNeill Pullen,Tara McNeill, and Rose McNeill.

The park is located just next door to the family drug store which was recently restored. Several items have been donatged to the park by various individuals and businesses. The sign for the park was donated by Tony Willoughby, tables and benches have been donated by the Crawford family; Viskosky family; Ben D. Hooker Family; Wayne Christian Family; Scull Timber Company; Howard and Elaine Ballard; George, Teresa and Naylor Bowers; John Shellhorn; and Floyd Watson Family. Roland and Diane Cross and family have made donations toward future lighting of the park.

The park has decorations including lights and trees decorated by the children at Tenaha ISD.