Everett Taylor: Taylor's Yarns

Cotton was king in much of Texas in the first half of the 20th century, but, in Tyler, roses were the crop more identified with royalty.

While people in other parts of the state were involved with cotton planting, chopping and picking, rose growing was the major crop in this particular area.

Jay Langford was born in Tyler in 1929 and went to Swan School. He recently offered via e-mail a bit of information of "the way it was" for him, and likely a lot of others, growing up in "rose country" in the 1930s.

"In the days of the 'Thirties' before television and personal computers, we lived on money earned by growing and selling roses, both the buds and the bushes," Mr. Langford wrote. He is retired from the United States Air Force.

"My parents also were the best 'budders' in East Texas. They were highly sought out by the large growers during budding season.

"My job was chief doodler and board mover. We lived in a house just off Highway 69 North, about a half mile south of what is now the Harris nursery."

Roses were a vital part of the Tyler area economy during those years, and it was in 1933 that the Texas Rose Festival had its beginning.

The Rose Festival is still going strong after all these years and there still are some rose fields around Tyler, although not as many now. But it is not a stretch to say that the festival itself is as big or bigger than ever.

This is a timely topic because the 74th Texas Rose Festival will unfold in Tyler Thursday through Sunday this week.

Technically, the first official event comes at 6 p.m. Wednesday with the Festival Vesper Service to be held at the Bergfeld Park Amphitheater.

Traditionally, however, a ribbon-cutting by the Rose Queen on Thursday is the official opening event of the annual festival with activities extending through Sunday. That ceremony will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Rose Garden Center, and it marks the opening of the Rose Show at that facility.

A whirlwind of activities will be set off by that event, which will keep Queen Grace Hartley Ramey and her court on a hurry-up schedule for the next three days. Coronation ceremonies, a Queen's Tea and Queen's Ball are some of the events on a schedule highlighted by the annual Texas Rose Festival Parade starting at 9:30 a.m. Saturday.

An explanation of what the Rose Festival signifies and means to the community is given in the official brochure listing all of the events on this year's schedule:

"Since its beginning in 1933, the Texas Rose Festival has represented the spirit that brings Tyler together as a community.

"Rich in heritage and tradition, the Festival offers enchanting ceremonial events - the Queen's Coronation, the Rose Show, the Queen's Tea, the Rose Parade - all amid a backdrop of brilliant roses as vibrant and colorful as the community they represent.

"We invite you to join us this year as the City of Roses celebrates its 74th annual Texas Rose Festival Oct. 18-21, 2007."

Everett Taylor is the editor in chief of the opinion pages for the Tyler Paper.
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