< Previous38 COASTMONTHLY.COM | ApriL 2025 CURRENTS | ART her family’s businesses. She also enthusias- tically embraced philanthropy and service to others. In 1964, she established the Mary Moody Northen Endowment as a charitable foundation to benefit people and institutions in Texas and Virginia. Northen lived in her family’s home at 2618 Broadway, now a museum known as Moody Mansion, until her death on Aug. 25, 1986. “Mrs. Northen knew that her circumstanc- es were unique and she wanted to share her experiences with others,” Sharon Gillins said. “One of her final wishes was that her house would be open to the public and that her collections would be on display for all to see. She knew that she was very fortunate.” Gillins has been working at Moody Man- sion part-time for 13 years. She served as the lead exhibit director for the Native American exhibit, and she credits a team effort from many Moody Mansion staff members who contributed hours of their time and talent behind the scenes for six months. Gillins outlined three driving forces that influenced Northen’s decision to collect Native American treasures: She wanted to capture and preserve for future generations examples of what might be a dying art and culture; she wanted to support Native Amer- icans by purchasing their crafts; and she wanted to display these items in her home for others to see. “Mrs. Northen purchased what she liked,” Gillins said. “She also collected what people gave her. Sometimes, Mrs. Northen would haggle over the price of an item, and some- times she would buy out the whole shop.” During a recent discussion with Moody Mansion supporters, Gillins pointed out that a $2 price tag still was affixed to a souvenir Navajo rug Northen had purchased. She was a meticulous archivist. Her detailed notes were especially helpful both for choosing items to display and for explaining the sig- nificance of each item in the Native Ameri- can Collection, Gillins said. “Mrs. Northen had amassed more than 1,000 items from many Native American tribes that she collected during her travels, and she meticulously documented what she purchased or received as gifts,” Gillins said. Northen had a special affinity for the Alabama-Coushatta Indians in Livingston, Texas. www.moodymansion.org (Above) Several Hopi kachina dolls from Mary Moody Northen’s collection of Native American artifacts and collectibles are displayed at Moody Mansion. (Right) A portrait of Northen hangs above a display case featuring jewelry from the collection.The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB Health) is in-network for most major insurance plans. utmbhealth.com At UTMB Health, we’re dedicated to making a difference right here on our island home. While our research and innovation may transform lives worldwide, our focus remains on delivering exceptional clinical care to Galveston—just as we’ve done for more than 130 years. Every day, our physicians, nurses, and their clinical teams provide compassionate, personalized care, ensuring you and your family receive the best treatment close to home. Trust UTMB Health to combine global expertise with a heartfelt commitment to improving lives in Galveston . Caring for Galveston40 COASTMONTHLY.COM | ApriL 2025We never get tired of this view from Diamond Beach Condos! At The Design Firm, we specialize in interior design, remodels, and new construction selections for residential and commercial spaces, creating interiors as stunning as the scenery with comfort, functionality, and a deep understanding of our clients’ needs. A perfect blend of luxury and comfort! www.thedesignfirm.com 281-494-4433 13013 Southwest Freeway, Stafford, Texas 77477 42 COASTMONTHLY.COM | ApriL 2025 TREASURE TROVE ROCKING RELIC Museum trots out a late 1800s children’s toy story by SHANNON CALDWELL | photo by JENNIFER REYNOLDS W e can’t all grow up to be cow- boys or equestrians, but genera- tions of children have imagined themselves expert riders thanks to their toy rocking horses. Galveston County Museum, 722 21st St. on the island, recently acquired an example of a circa late 1800s rocking horse. Thought to be made from a wood frame covered with papier-mâché, it also has real horsehair and glass eyes typical of the era. The rocking horse was donated by the Bissonnet family in memory of Barbara Ryder Bissonnet and Jerome “Jay” Bissonnet, Museum Director Jodi Wright-Gidley said. Playing at riding has been around since the 1600s when children galloped with hobby horses — horse heads on a stick — considered a precursor to rocking horses. Each month, Coast Monthly highlights an intriguing relic or antique on the upper Texas coast. COASTMONTHLY.COM | ApriL 2025 43 The Celebration is on sale now 4-7 PM AT THE GRAND 1894 OPERA HOUSE 2020 POSTOFFICE ST. GALVESTON, TX 77550 TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW EXCLUSIVELY AT THEGRAND.COM City of Galveston Arts and Historic Preservation Scan here with your smart phone to reserve your tickets today! The earliest known rocking horse that still exists, and which is said to have belonged to King Charles I of England, dates from about 1610, ac- cording to historians. Rocking horses became more pop- ular as toys during the 18th and 19th centuries, becoming a common sight in children’s playrooms, according to historians. The Industrial Revolution helped to increase accessibility. The 3-foot-tall, 6-foot-long rock- ing horse at the Galveston County Museum might have been made for an older child. An expert is appraising the rocking horse, which is a welcome addition to the museum’s collection that includes other Victorian-era toys such as doll houses and train sets. Wright-Gidley is planning a future exhibition of toys around Christmas giving people the opportunity to see the horse for themselves and perhaps remember their own childhood days riding through the landscape of their imagination, she said. (Opposite) Jodi Wright-Gidley, director of the Galveston County Museum, shows off a rocking horse from the 1800s that recently was donated to the museum by the Bissonnet family. (Above) The rocking horse, made with wood and papier-mâché, has a leather sad- dle and bridle, wooden stirrups, glass eyes and mane and tail made of horse hair.44 COASTMONTHLY.COM | ApriL 2025 DOWN THE HATCH BEARING FRUIT Watermelon Wheat and other beers pair well with warm weather story by SHANNON CALDWELL | photo by STUART VILLANUEVA A popular fruit and field beer is returning to Galveston Bay Brewing in Clear Lake Shores just in time for warmer weather. As the name suggests, fruit and field beers feature fruit, herbs and other natural ingredients for added flavor. Many different beer types can have these additions, including stouts, lagers, sours and ales, but wheat beers are some of the world’s most well-known — think Blue Moon with its Valencia oranges. Because fruity flavors make for a refreshing beverage, Watermelon Wheat is one of the brewery’s most popular seasonal beers, especially during spring and summer, Head Brewer Skyler Forshage said. The wheat beer’s name is a clue to its makeup. All beers are made from water, yeast, hops, malt and grains such as wheat or barley with a wheat beer having a higher propor- tion of wheat to hops and malt. “Our watermelon wheat is brewed at a colder tempera- ture, so it doesn’t have the banana and clove flavor of a traditional German Weiss beer,” Forshage said. “Ours is an Galveston Bay Brewing head brewer Skyler Forshage pours a beer in the brewery’s Clear Lake Shores taproom. Watermelon Wheat, the brewery’s summer seasonal beer, is a warm-weather favorite. COASTMONTHLY.COM | ApriL 2025 45 6710StewartRoad,Suite200 Galveston,TX77551 409.744.0727Office SouthLandTitle.net ExperienceMatters! American-style wheat beer with a soft and delicate flavor. We use natural and artificial watermelon flavor to give it that strong, punchy aroma.” Forshage first brewed it in 2014 and it has become a seasonal favorite with customers who buy it on tap at the brewery in Clear Lake Shores or in cans from local liquor stores and supermarkets. The light, fruity flavors of the watermelon wheat work well with lighter more summery foods, Forshage said. “It pairs well with our vegetarian ceviche with the fruit flavors complimenting the tomato and onion,” he said. “It is also good with fish, seafood and Japanese flavors.” Flavor is hugely important to Forshage, who wants to introduce people to as many different styles and flavors of beer as possi- ble. He has created 200 recipes for different brews using heritage styles as a starting point and putting his own spin on it. “It’s all about beer education to me,” he said. “Many people think of beer as being fizzy and yellow with hay-like flavors, but if you can imagine a flavor, you can put it in beer. As well as our watermelon wheat we have other fruity flavors like our Blueberry Blonde that is flavored with real berries. We have a coffee stout that has the roasty notes of your favorite coffee, and around Mardi Gras we even make a beer with pecan and caramel notes.” A member of the Texas Craft Brewers Guild, Forshage describes himself as a chem- istry nerd who always has been fascinated with the fermentation process. “As well as brewing beer, I make my own bread, cheese and sauerkraut,” he said. The Clear Lake-area local started Galves- ton Bay Brewing a decade ago in Dickinson selling beer to liquor stores and supermar- kets. Craft breweries in Texas became more accessible to the public in 2014 when a law changed allowing them to sell directly to customers. Galveston Bay Brewing opened its Clear Lake Shores brewery and restaurant in 2023 and Forshage is driven by a goal of making sure he has something for everyone, he said. With 30 taps, the establishment, 902 Mari- na Bay Drive, always has plenty of brews to choose from but customers can also enjoy hard seltzers, wine, cocktails, sake or even a cup of tea. 46 COASTMONTHLY.COM | ApriL 2025 TASTE OF TEXAS FIERY DUST How a German immigrant introduced Texans and the nation to Mexican food story by PHIL NEWTON | photo by JENNIFER REYNOLDS W illiam Gebhardt was a German immigrant who settled in New Braunfels, Texas, with his parents in the 1880s. He quickly found his love for the spicy Mexican food of the region and went on to edu- cate the nation about the cuisine. In 1892, Gebhardt opened a café and developed what became his famous chili powder, which he initially called “Tampico Dust” and flavored his stew with the spice, according to the Texas State Historical Association. “Chili was a popular dish in the area, but it was seasonally limited due to the availability of fresh peppers,” according to the association. “He later discovered that by drying his chili peppers and grinding them into a flavored powder, he could keep the powder fresh for several months.” His chili powder was a savory mix of ground ancho chilies, cumin, oregano and black pepper. Though traditional Mexican cooks disdained the pre-mixed blend of flavors, the convenience of Gebhardt Eagle Chili Powder made it a hit, according to history.com, an organization that produces the History Channel. Gebhardt initially sold his powder in Texas, but his success with his product allowed him to take credit as the first entrepre- neur to market his chili powder on a large scale, according to the Texas State Historical Association. In 1908, his company published a cookbook title “Mexican Cooking” to introduce and educate the American public about Mexican food. It was one of the first cookbooks to focus on Mexican-American cooking and spurred several later editions. CHILI CON CARNE 2 pounds beef, cut into ½ inch chunks (Chuck roast works really well, but other cuts can be substituted.) 2 ounces beef tallow (Sometimes difficult to find in supermarkets. It’s available online and can be substituted with bacon grease.) Salt to taste 2 tablespoons lard 1 small onion, chopped 3 cups hot water 3 tablespoons chili powder 3 cloves garlic, minced place beef chunks in a large bowl, add the beef tallow and salt. Mix together. Heat lard over medium high heat in a large pot. Add chopped onion to the lard and soften for about 10 minutes. Add beef and stir well until meat is browned. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the juice has evaporated down to just covering the bottom of the pot and the meat begins to fry. Add the hot water, chili pow- der and chopped garlic. Stir well and turn heat to a simmer. Cook until tender, about 1 to 1½ hours. – Recipe courtesy of Gebhardt Chili Powder Company PHIL NEWTON is a Galveston baker/cook. He’s the owner/operator of Stiglich Corner with partner Cindy Roberts. COASTMONTHLY.COM | ApriL 2025 47Next >