Hostess House marker dedication slated

On March 2, 1836, Texas declared its independence from Mexico and became a sovereign nation known as the Republic of Texas.

To local members of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, March 2, 2008, is much more than just Texas Independence Day. Members of the Oran Milo Roberts Chapter, along with Lampasas County Historical Commission Chairman Jeff Jackson were successful in obtaining a historical marker for the Hostess House, to be dedicated at 3 p.m.

In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved inside. The public is invited to attend.

The Hostess House has been the center of a variety of activities connected with Hancock Park through the years and has been an important landmark to many Lampasans.

Prior to the purchase of the area by the city of Lampasas in 1936, it was used as a Texas Baptist encampment, Camp Marlamont, an ROTC camp and an early form of a tourist camp.

The open-air free-flow swimming pool, dug in 1911, was fed by natural sulphur springs. The area was known as Anderson Park and later as Baker-Little Boating and Swimming Club.

The city leased the property to the U.S. government in 1943. Known as Panther Park, it was used by soldiers from Camp Hood for rest and recreation until 1946.

The public again made use of the park after that, and the golf course was built in 1947.

The Hostess House itself has undergone several stages of remodeling through the years. The lower floor was used mainly for access to the pool, dressing rooms, restroom and concessions.

A porch ran the length of the building overlooking the pool, and a small apartment in the east end of the lower floor was occupied by various "overseers" through the years.

The upper floor was a large open-air deck used for dancing. A porch was added on the south side.

In the 1948 building remodel, it was veneered with Austin cut stone, and the second-floor deck was closed in with metal frame windows.

The remodeled Hostess House became a social center for all kinds of parties and gatherings. Many looked on it with fond memories. Over the years it began to decline, and the city did "band-aid" repairs.

The swimming pool and its amenities in the lower floor was still in use.

From 1984-1990, a limited portion of the first floor was used, but the upper floor was closed to the public.

Many Lampasans feared for the Hostess House's future until the DRT organized a campaign and fund-raisers to save the historic structure.

In 1995, the City Council approved a 25-year contract lease to the DRT to renovate and restore the Hostess House.

After numerous fund-raising events, such as bake sales, raffles, auctions, musical programs, sausage wrap sales, and others, the chapter began to see the small amount of money they accumulated would not be enough to do the job.

The chapter learned that anonymous donors sought to give a substantial sum for the building's renovations.

It turned out that the donors were three sisters, Ora Ulrich, Mary Ulrich and Louise Stapp, who gave $300,000 in memory of their parents, L.M. and Mary Ulrich, early settlers of the area.

With the help of Rex Keele, a local builder and husband of a DRT member, the renovations were carried out in 1997. An elevator was installed, the railings on the porches were heightened, a wheelchair ramp installed, rest rooms updated, original floors sanded and waxed, a kitchen installed and numerous other updates were made.

Kathy Baxter operates the Green Frog Tea Room on the lower floor four days a week, and manages rental of both floors for meetings, weddings, receptions, reunions and other events.

Most weekends, the building is occupied by some function.