Rambo
Body building in vogue here early in century by Helen Hall
One rainy day last week a young man who grew up in McKinney but now lived in Bonham came by the house to bring a lot of fine old photographs as a gift to the Old Post office Museum.
Mike Jones said that his father had purchased these old pictures at the Rambo estate sale when the last of the family died. Now both of Mike's parents have died and he wanted to give them to the growing collection of historical photographs the museum accumulated through the generosity of early families and their descendants.
Among the photographs were several pictures of Guy Rambo, a son of ? Rambo, who in the early days owned the most elegant saloon on the square.
While most of the 23 saloons that flourished around the square and off were modest little places, Rambo's was equipped with velvet covered stools, large mirrors, and over the bar hung the two large lithographs that now hang in the Dulaney Museum, thanks to the generosity of "Cowboy McClellan," who rescued them when they were about to be destroyed.
Visitors to the museum are often puzzled that these large lithographs showing scenes with a religious theme once graced a saloon, but those who knew Rambo were well aware of his cultural interests and found nothing strange in his choice of pictures.Guy Rambo around the turn of the century was a fore-runner of the current fitness craze. He was into body building in a serious way and the old photographs show that his exercise paid off. In 1905 he looked much like the pictures we see now of the muscled physique of body builders.
In one of the old microfilmed newspapers at the McKinney Library there is a long account of a runner's club Guy Rambo organized and just about every young man in town took part in the Program. The large group of young men ran from the square to Wilson Creek (where Towne Lake is now) and back to the square before breakfast every morning of the year, regardless of the weather. Guy also an actor who appeared in stage plays all over the area. Two large photographs show him dressed for a role in a play.
My late father-in-law, Stuart (Steve) Hall, used to tell me about the great horse races once staged at Rambo Park. Just about every business man in town had a horse he owned and trained to race.
Jessie Shain had a fine horse called "Shain" that often won every race, and J. S. and S. D. Heard had "Tom Moore" that was hard to beat, as were the dozens of other fine horses entered in every race. The year 1906 was the heyday of horse racing in Collin County -- quarter horse races as well as the popular harness races and one mile races.
Mr father-in-law said one of the most exciting races ever at Rambo Park was when Guy Rambo, then at the height of his physical fitness, challenged the winner of the big horse race that day to race with him. Bets were made right and left. A man out-running a race horse? Absurd. But at the finish line, Rambo came in a length ahead of the winning horse.
The large Rambo home stood on North Chestnut Street where the McKinney Lumber Company is as of 1995.
Guy Rambo died in California at his brother's home. His family migrated from Tenn., Culleoka. His mother was one of 12 children. The home was at 707 North Tennessee Street.
The family came from Tennessee in 1893. Rambo had an old chair from the Tennessee home.
Rambo Park consisted of 12 acres. Mike Jones gave several Rambo pictures to the museum. Guy was the son of Rich Rambo who had an elegant saloon on the east side of the square - 1890 until voted dry in 1902.
One rainy day last week a young man who grew up in McKinney but now lived in Bonham came by the house to bring a lot of fine old photographs as a gift to the Old Post office Museum.
Mike Jones said that his father had purchased these old pictures at the Rambo estate sale when the last of the family died. Now both of Mike's parents have died and he wanted to give them to the growing collection of historical photographs the museum accumulated through the generosity of early families and their descendants.
Among the photographs were several pictures of Guy Rambo, a son of ? Rambo, who in the early days owned the most elegant saloon on the square.
While most of the 23 saloons that flourished around the square and off were modest little places, Rambo's was equipped with velvet covered stools, large mirrors, and over the bar hung the two large lithographs that now hang in the Dulaney Museum, thanks to the generosity of "Cowboy McClellan," who rescued them when they were about to be destroyed.
Visitors to the museum are often puzzled that these large lithographs showing scenes with a religious theme once graced a saloon, but those who knew Rambo were well aware of his cultural interests and found nothing strange in his choice of pictures.Guy Rambo around the turn of the century was a fore-runner of the current fitness craze. He was into body building in a serious way and the old photographs show that his exercise paid off. In 1905 he looked much like the pictures we see now of the muscled physique of body builders.
In one of the old microfilmed newspapers at the McKinney Library there is a long account of a runner's club Guy Rambo organized and just about every young man in town took part in the Program. The large group of young men ran from the square to Wilson Creek (where Towne Lake is now) and back to the square before breakfast every morning of the year, regardless of the weather. Guy also an actor who appeared in stage plays all over the area. Two large photographs show him dressed for a role in a play.
My late father-in-law, Stuart (Steve) Hall, used to tell me about the great horse races once staged at Rambo Park. Just about every business man in town had a horse he owned and trained to race.
Jessie Shain had a fine horse called "Shain" that often won every race, and J. S. and S. D. Heard had "Tom Moore" that was hard to beat, as were the dozens of other fine horses entered in every race. The year 1906 was the heyday of horse racing in Collin County -- quarter horse races as well as the popular harness races and one mile races.
Mr father-in-law said one of the most exciting races ever at Rambo Park was when Guy Rambo, then at the height of his physical fitness, challenged the winner of the big horse race that day to race with him. Bets were made right and left. A man out-running a race horse? Absurd. But at the finish line, Rambo came in a length ahead of the winning horse.
The large Rambo home stood on North Chestnut Street where the McKinney Lumber Company is as of 1995.
Guy Rambo died in California at his brother's home. His family migrated from Tenn., Culleoka. His mother was one of 12 children. The home was at 707 North Tennessee Street.
The family came from Tennessee in 1893. Rambo had an old chair from the Tennessee home.
Rambo Park consisted of 12 acres. Mike Jones gave several Rambo pictures to the museum. Guy was the son of Rich Rambo who had an elegant saloon on the east side of the square - 1890 until voted dry in 1902.
