This week our group met to finalize the contract and discuss what our next step would be. We decided to split up Dowling’s life and dates associated with Dowling into three categories chronologically. My category is from 1911 to the present. Essentially, our goal was to find as many dates as possible that were relevant to Dowling. From here, we would decide as a group which dates were vital to meeting our objective for the timeline and thus, should go on the timeline. The following dates are the dates that I found for my time period:
10/1-2/1925: This article lists the members of the Davis Guards. Perhaps this article can shed light on the disagreements over the members of the Davis Guards?
8/25/1929: This article details how it’s unjust that Dowling has an unmarked grave in St. Vincent’s Cemetery.
11/3/1935: This article describes the dedication of a monument placed in St. Vincent’s Cemetery honoring Dowling’s final resting place. The event was held on November 2, which is All Soul’s Day, a Roman Catholic Holy Day. This particular event demonstrates Dowling’s Catholic faith.
9/14/1939: This article describes the statue’s move from in front of City Hall to Sam Houston Park. The article mentions that the statue was moved to make way for the construction of bus sheds in front of the old City Hall.
3/17/1940: A group of about 50 members of the United Confederate Veterans and the United Daughters of the Confederacy gathered to dedicate Sam Houston Park as the new site of the Dowling memorial. March 16 was declared to be Dick Dowling Day.
1955-1968: Civil Rights Movement. We should look for events in Houston during the Civil Rights Movement that we can relate to Dowling’s memory.
1957: Dowling statue put in storage because of the renovation of the Noble-Kellum House in Sam Houston Park.
4/27/1958: This article gives the history of the Dowling statue and plans for its future location. The article also reports that the Ancient Order of Hibernians presented Dowling statue to the city. This is not true as the Dick Dowling Monument Association did. The association is comprised of members of Dick Dowling Camp, U.C.V., Hibernians, and the Emmet Council.
4/27/1958: The city of Houston is asked to reserve space in Hermann Park for a statue of George Hermann. The location favored by the trustees of the Hermann estate is the one City Parks and Recreation Director Gus Haycock had picked out for the statue of Dowling.
5/19/1958: This article says the statue is to be erected in Hermann Park in about two weeks. The article notes the statue cannot be rededicated until the paving of the Outer Belt is complete. Haycock believes the location by the Hermann Loop and Outer Belt is ideal for the Dowling statue.
8/23/1958: Dowling statue’s sword stolen for a fifth time. More importantly, the article points out the importance of Hibernians in financing and maintaining the statue.
9/8/1958: Memorial services commemorating the Battle of Sabine Pass were concluded at the Dick Dowling Statue in Hermann Park.
4/26/1960: Neta Taylor claims that the United Confederate Veterans of Dick Dowling Camp started the project and not the Hibernians.
1989: Larry Miggins and others organized the Dick Dowling Heritage Society.
3/10/1997: Letter from Tuam Town Commissioners to Dick Dowling Irish Heritage Society congratulating the society on the occasion of the rededication of the Dowling Memorial planned for March 16, 1997.
3/16/1997: Rededication ceremony occurs. We may need to go more in depth in regard to this date and look for specific meetings and ceremonies that occurred.
3/17/2005: Dick Dowling Statue in Hermann Park celebrated 100th anniversary of its unveiling on St. Patrick’s Day in 1905.
After we discuss which dates make the cut, our next step is to divide the remaining dates evenly. From here, each member of our group will further research the dates assigned to them. This research entails writing a short summary which could possibly be used in the timeline as well as locating primary sources which will be used to verify our claims.
One small question worth posing is whether these dates refer to the dates of the articles, or the dates of events. Will your timeline include dates of articles, or dates of events, or some of both? Which would be most likely to prevent confusion for your viewer?
I think we are going to try to use dates that refer to events but for certain events, it is really difficult to pinpoint the exact date. I’m pretty sure the timeline will include both but probably more dates that refer to events. I think how we use the categories will help prevent any confusion for our viewer.
I see your point about it being difficult to pinpoint certain dates, but one way around this is to come up with a formatting convention for showing that a date is uncertain (like a question mark after the month or day). After looking at your initial draft of your spreadsheet, I’m still concerned that introducing both events and “dates of articles” will confuse the viewer.