A Weyerhaeuser grant awarded to the Friends of the Toledo Bend/Zwolle Museum group, will help with necessary repairs and bring the historic KCS depot closer to its completion goals. The award of $6880.00 will be used to replace damaged wood on the exterior porches and handicapped entrance ramp, and to paint the area. The work is already underway.
A portion of the museum will tell the story of the history of logging in the area from the period when trams were used to transport logs from the woods to the Sabine River to float to southern sawmills. It will continue through the period of early family local mills to the history of the Weyerhaeuser plant and its enormous economic value to the regional economy.
The portion of the museum detailing the history of the construction of Toledo Bend Lake includes the early history of the Sabine River through the conception and construction of the project highlighting the resiliency and perseverance of the local citizens of the area who were successful in getting the project built. It will also honor the families and large timber companies who sacrificed their land so the parish would have a future. Many of the 1400 farmers in the parish in the 1940’s and 1950’s were struggling.
The Town of Zwolle, the Sabine Parish Tourist & Recreation Commission, and the Friends of the Toledo Bend/Zwolle Museum are not only working to preserve the history of the area but to also utilize the project as part of a heritage tourism incentive to bring tourists into town to dine & shop.
Weyerhaeuser’s generosity in benefitting this project is greatly appreciated by all involved.