Archives for March 2011

The Texas Panhandle’s oldest thriving town has a new logo and word mark that city leaders hope will bring a professional, unified look to marketing and promotion efforts.

In a called meeting last Tuesday, the Clarendon Board of Aldermen voted 3-0 to approve the new design after considering four options. The logo features a halo over the capital C and utilizes a Black Chancery font that reflects on Clarendon’s 19th century origins. The word mark incorporates the logo to spell out “Clarendon” in red with “Texas” written in black smaller and to one side.

“The script looks like something from an old church hymnal and ties back to old Saints’ Roost,” said City Administrator Lambert Little.

Clarendon was established in the spring of 1878 as a Christian colony by Rev. L.H. Carhart five miles north of the present town site at the junction of Carroll Creek and the Salt Fork of the Red River. The community’s early dedication to temperance, religion, and education prompted are cowboys at the time to derisively say that Clarendon was where the saints roosted.

“I’m excited about having something standardized that everyone can use and is easily recognized.”

Clarendon College Marketing Coordinator Ashlee Estlack designed the logo and the associated word mark.

“I visited with Mr. Little several times and based on his input tried to design something that would be classy and attractive,” Estlack said. “I think they made a good decision.”
Estlack has previously designed logos for the college, the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation, and the Bring Back the Mulkey campaign and has also created numerous other marketing and promotional materials.

Little said the city will begin using the logo right away on business cards and stationery and will also use it when the city sponsors activities.

In other city business last week, aldermen also discussed with fire department representatives a pending insurance claim on a fire truck that was totaled while responding to a traffic accident several weeks ago.

The board also heard from Clarendon College’s Interim Dean of Instruction Scarlet Estlack as she requested the city to partner with CC for this year’s Kids’ College. Aldermen agreed to provide $1,000 to help defray tuition costs associated with Red Cross babysitting and first aid certifications for young people this summer.

The Mulkey Theatre was in the news again this week, this time on the front page of Tuesday’s Amarillo Globe-News, and fundraising has now passed the halfway point for restoring the marquee.

Globe-News reporter Cheryl Berzanskis and photographer Stephen Spillman spent Friday morning exploring the theatre and visiting with Clarendon Economic Development Corp. board members Roger Estlack and Bill Stavenhagen.

The well-written piece highlighted the history of the Mulkey and its namesake, Homer Mulkey, and also focused on the continuing effort to raise money to “Bring Back the Mulkey.”

As of this week, more than $11,000 has been raised or pledged, which is more than halfway to the $20,000 goal set by the CEDC and the Mulkey Advisory Committee. If that much money can be raised, the CEDC will pursue restoring and lighting the theatre’s marquee, a project that is estimated to cost about $35,000.

One of the principal fundraising efforts is for donors to sponsor one of the 12 letters spelling MULKEY on the north and south faces of the theatre’s marquee for $1,000 each. Eight of those letters have already been sponsored.

Donors who give $50 or more will be recognized inside the theatre, and donations can be made to Donley County Historical Commission, PO Box 905, Clarendon, TX 79226 and note “Mulkey” in the memo of your check.

Clarendon’s downtown merchants are also supporting the effort by selling paper light bulbs which can be purchased for $1 and are displayed in stores downtown.

The Mulkey project was also bolstered earlier this month when the CEDC and the City of Clarendon approved measures to create a visitor’s center in the theatre’s old barber shop. The CEDC is committed to using its own funds to renovate that space, and city aldermen have agreed to cover the cost of utilities out of Motel Bed Tax funds. The Clarendon Chamber of Commerce has also expressed its support of the visitor’s center, which would also be used as office space for the Chamber.

The Clarendon Enterprise plans to print a series of Mulkey Memories submitted by readers and project supporters. You can share your memories of good times at the Mulkey by writing or e-mailing the paper, visiting www.ClarendonLive.com, or posting comments on the Enterprise pages on Facebook.

For more information about how you can help “Bring Back the Mulkey,” visit www.ClarendonEDC.org or check out www.facebook.com/mulkeytheatre.