Donation
Gene Williams presented key to hometown for helping preserve Dyess Colony history.
Gene Williams is working to help preserve the history of his
hometown Dyess Colony, Ark., and his hometown has recognized his contribution by
presenting him the key to the city.
Williams was surprised with the key to the city recently during a Mickey Gilley
and the Urban Cowboy Band concert that he had organized as a fund raiser for his
hometown and its to save a historical building that will be used for a museum
recognizing the city’s historical significance and its former residents, Johnny
Cash, Tommy Cash and Williams.
"In appreciation for your support and donation to the City of Dyess" is written on the plaque containing the key presented by the Dyess Mayor Larry Sims.
In February Williams presented the city with $50,000 seed money to purchase the Dyes Colony Administration Building and start its renovation. He then helped organize the concert for the annual Dyess Days celebration, also called the Johnny Cash Memorial Celebration. The community began the memorial two years ago after it saw new interest in the small community where Johnny Cash grew up. Since the release of the movie about Johnny Cash, "Walk the Line," people from across the nation and around the world have found their way to town to drive around the town circle and stop at city hall, Sims said.
Williams’ donation allowed the Johnny Cash Memorial Committee to meet their
first goal. A special city committee plans to not only restoring the
Administration Building, but also rebuild the adjacent theater. The funds also
allowed the city to pursue grant funding. The building will be used for city
hall, a library, the Dyess Colony Memorial, a place to archive the history and
memorabilia from the Depression-era experimental community. Rooms will be
dedicated to some of Dyess’ former famous residents. One room will house the
Gene Williams Museum. The Cash family has donated items for the Johnny Cash
memorial. Tommy Cash will also have a museum.
The
two-story Greek Revival-style building located in the heart of his small
hometown is designated a National Register District. The project’s potential for
heritage tourism is enormous, according to the Historic Preservation Alliance of
Arkansas, the only statewide nonprofit organization focused on preserving
Arkansas' architectural and cultural resources. According to historians, Eleanor
Roosevelt stood on its steps to explain her husband’s "experiment in permanent
reestablishment of the independent farmer" and the distribution of between 20
and 40 acres, a five-room clapboard house, a mule, a cow and a year’s worth of
groceries and supplies. Dyess Colony founded in 1934 was named after W.R. Dyess,
the first administrator of the Federal Emergency Relief Administration. As part
of the Depression-era New Deal project.
"It’s the ‘experiment’ that established Dyess and brought our families here," said Williams, who grew up down the road from Johnny Cash and went on to his own outstanding career in country music and television.
Williams began his career in the country music field as a DJ in Memphis on KWAM in 1957 and was named Grand Ole Opry DJ of the Year in 1961. He is credited with having the largest syndicated country music television show not affiliated with Nashville and with breaking ground for country television. His television career led to the making of his motion pictures, Sound of Country Music and Country Music Jamboree. He has also worked with such greats as Johnny Cash, the Carter Family, the Statler Brothers, Carl Perkins, Charlie Walker, Charlie Louvin, Del Reeves, Merle Haggard, Ray Price, Minnie Pearl and Jack Greene.
Williams’ weekly "Gene Williams Country Television Show" is taped in Branson, Mo. and telecast coast-to-coast, border-to-border and in Puerto Rico and reaches more than 23 million homes.
Among his achievements are receiving an honorary doctorate from St. Martins College in Milwaukee in television and broadcast communications in recognition of his community commitment to the industry, being inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame and being honored for his contributions to the tourism industry by the Missouri Senate and the State of Arkansas. He holds a record in Arkansas of having nine days proclaimed Gene Williams Day (1964 Orval Faubus, 1968 Win Rockefeller, 1973 and 1974 Dale Bumpers - former President Bill Clinton proclaimed Gene Williams Day three times and Jim Guy Tucker once, Mike Huckabee once).
"This project that will boost tourism to my hometown. Dyess has an important place in the nation’s history and the legend of Johnny Cash is also a history lesson. We can draw from the two and combine our stories inside this building," said Williams.
Donations of any amount are appreciated and can be made to the Johnny Cash Memorial Fund, Little River Bank, Attn: Cathy Turner, P.O. Box 340, Lepanto, AR 72354; or Johnny Cash Memorial Fund, c/o Lisa Wroten, P.O. Box 49, Dyess, AR 72330; or online at dyessday.com.