The Dewberry Plantation was founded under the name Mytle- Vale, when the Dewberry family emigrated from Georgia just prior to the Texas Revolution. The land on which the 1854 mansion sits once encompassed three counties in Texas and the Army of the Republic is said to have once camped on plantation land. In 2001 the plantation home underwent a historical refurb using only period materials, and has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the Texas landmark is a favorite location for weddings and various ceremonial events.
So why am I discussing this particular piece of local history now? Because on the Fourth of July, there will be a dramatic reading of the Declaration of Independence, to be preceded and followed by patriotic music. For those wanting a contemplative reminder of the significance of the American birthday, in a historical setting, this may fit the bill. A tour of the grounds will follow the event. Admission to the reading ceremony is free, but the cost of the tour is eight dollars. The event begins at five. For more info visit the following website: www.dewberrryplantation.com . Dewberry Plantation is located at 14007 FM 346, in West Bullard, Texas.
Finally, summer is upon us, and after a very cool spring, a mild season may not be too much to ask for. As a single dad it can be something of a part time job just to find summer activities for my very vivacious five year old boy. About every summer or so we here at Tyler TX Directory post an article about local attractions for kids and families, and I don’t want to rehash an old article. There are however, several seasonal passes to area activities that are worth looking into. I’ll start with the one that appeals to me the least.
The Caldwell Zoo is really one of Tyler’s biggest sources of pride, and draws visitors from all over East Texas. Zoo memberships are of course most practical for residents. They can be pricey depending on the size of the family but as they last the entire year they quickly pay for themselves. Memberships for individuals cost around $40.00. To add a guest is another $30.00. They also offer a family package for around $90.00. (The names of the children / grandchildren are attached to the account). Other benefits include discounts for paying guests, and on food and concessions. I really love this pass, especially in the spring and early summer. The only real drawback for me is that as summer progresses the heat makes the visits shorter. Thankfully they are still good during the later months of the year.
Tyler State Park offers the last season pass I wanted to mention. For $70.00 visitors are entitled to enter the park for the day for free. The daily rate without a pass is only $5.00 and children under twelve are free already, but if readers spend many summer days at the lake; this is really a great deal. Now, the pass doesn’t apply to overnight stays, but it does include a discount on camping fees. This is also a yearly pass, and holders can purchase an additional or “secondary” pass for only $25.00. One of the things I love about this membership is that it can be used throughout the state park system in Texas so it should be fairly easy for this pass to pay for itself.
Let’s Cook
You could send a Conan O’Brien Facebook Platonic friend only Valentines Day card but he sneakily slips in that maybe you should be more than that as the video card continues. 
There are quite a number of Independence Day festivities in the Tyler, East Texas area this year. Of course there will be the traditional fireworks display at Lindsey Field. In fact from what I read, quite a big crowd is anticipated this year. Throughout the day, there will be an assortment of activities and local charities and organizations will be sponsoring events. The cost is ten dollars per car load.
For those looking for activities throughout the holiday weekend there are a couple of very cool educational things I thought I’d plug. The Historic Aviation Memorial Museum (HAMM) will be holding a static air show display on Saturday, the second of July, the day before the Thunder over Cedar Creek Air Show. The museum holds this event every year as the pilots fly in to perform the following day. HAMM has made arraignments for their historic aircraft to be on display to the public. There is a moderate fee to get up close and personal with the aircraft, (I believe it was five dollars last year), but viewing from the fence line is obviously free. To see my review of last year’s static air show, click on the following link: 
For Tylerites interested in going to an actual air show this year the “Wings Over Tyler Air Show,” will be on Sunday the third. Also at the HAMM terminal (the old Pounds field location for native East Texans), this event seems like kind of a long time coming for our area. It will feature a variety of performances and aircraft, and promises to bring out a lot of visitors. The entrance fee is twenty five dollars a car load, or five dollars per person. For more info on this event visit the following web sites: