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Introduction --

The Live Oak Art Club was formed in 1954 to create a community for artists from Columbus and the surrounding area and to promote the visual arts by presenting exhibitions, developing educational programs, and providing an environment for creative expression. Incorporated in 1986, the Live Oak Art Center (LOAC) is an independent 501(c)(3)nonprofit organization that showcases innovative contemporary art. It is located in the 1891 Brunson Building, which is within the National Register Historic District in Columbus, Texas. The Live Oak Art Center is the only visual arts organization in Colorado County with a permanent location, a rotating exhibition schedule with free admission at all times, and a professional full-time staff. The Executive Director locates contemporary and traditional art from all over Texas for about10 exhibitions a year. The exhibits feature the work of both emerging and established artists. In addition, The Live Oak Art Center offers workshops, publications, outreach programs, lectures, and classes for both adults and youths. It is home to an on-site library housing books on art and photography as well as an extensive permanent collection of works by local artists. The LOAC facility, with galleries on two floors, also has an entertainment area featuring the restored original bar from the Brunson Saloon. The exterior grounds include an extensive brick patio and the original 1891 Whiskey Warehouse that is currently being rehabilitated as a ceramics studio. With its unique ambience, the facility is a popular location for weddings, fund raisers, anniversaries, and other community gatherings. The Nesbitt Memorial Library was built in 1979 as a gift to the City of Columbus from Miss Lee Quinn Nesbitt. In 1987, a new wing was added which houses the Texas Collection and what has been described as the best local archives for a small city in Texas. The photographs in this book are primarily from these archives. Genealogical and historical material relating to Colorado County and its residents are actively sought for inclusion in the archives.