Dalton Days rides into Longview this weekend

Published 5:45 am Wednesday, March 30, 2022

A celebration of Longview’s western heritage and the bravery and heroism of its residents will take place Saturday when Dalton Days rides back into town.

The free event, presented by the Gregg County Historical Museum, will take place in front of the museum on Fredonia Street and will include reenactments of the May 23, 1894, robbery of First National Bank by members of the Dalton Gang.

“We have reenactors from Dallas and Hallsville coming in and reenacting the 1894 Dalton Gang bank robbery,” museum Executive Director Lindsay Loy said. “Four member of the Dalton Gang came down from Oklahoma and robbed a bank on Bank Alley.”

Loy said after the bank was robbed, some of the residents left their downtown shops and that’s when a shootout occurred.

“The shootout actually took place in front of where our building is,” she said. “It was supposedly 250 bullets fired in 15 minutes and it is considered one of the top five shootouts in the Wild West.”

In addition to the reenactments, Loy said attendees also will have the opportunity to hear a short history lesson on the Dalton Gang and on the city’s heroes.

“One of the Dalton bank robbers was married to a young lady here in Longview and nobody knew it,” Loy said. “And the sheriff got shot but it hit his coin purse and dented two silver dollars but didn’t kill him. We talk about all the different heroes of Longview that came out.”

Saturday’s event also will include other activities, including live music by Harvest Moon Countrygrass, complimentary tours of the museum, a petting zoo, children’s games, face painting, food trucks, the fire department’s antique fire truck, a blacksmith, a soap maker, wood craftsman and chuck wagon demonstrations.

“We’ll have a bigger petting zoo this year than we’ve had before,” Loy said. “And we’re going to have (food trucks) Street Licious and Kona Ice and a cigar trailer by Smoking Aces.”

Welch Funeral Home also will bring out its Cowboy Cadillac for display.

“It’s a really big limo painted in Texas colors with big, huge longhorns on the hood,” Loy said. “It’s an extra little something fun to add.”

And children will receive a badge when entering through the gates.

“The sheriff in the reenactment will deputize all of them,” Loy said.

When the weather is nice, Loy said Dalton Days usually brings in about 3,500 attendees.

“This event is sponsored through a grant from the city of Longview and we have a lot of sponsors who give their support to this,” she said.

What: Dalton Days & Wild West Show

When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, with reenactments at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m.

Where: Fredonia Street in downtown Longview

Admission: Free

Information: http://gregghistorical.org/dalton-days-2