The first performance of the Palocade depicting the history of Palo Pinto County was presented Tuesday at 8:15 p.m. at Miller Stadium, in the southwest part of Mineral Wells, as a part of the Centennial Celebration now in progress.  The performance had been postponed from Saturday night on account of rain.

In a setting of rare beauty, Queen Frances, of the House of Murphy, was crowned queen of the Centennial, to reign during the week and "until her successor is selected" at the next centennial.

Trumpeters, Mary Bandy, Jeanine Young, Beth Ramsey, Suzanne Harris, Pricilla Riordan, Bobbie Heath, Barbara Ramsey, and Darlene Baker, were colorfully dressed and served throughout the ceremony.

Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts and Brownies, who formed a triangle on each side of the line marked for the queen and her party, were in uniform.

Girls taking part were Geraldine Kelley, Mary Kidwell, Patricia Knight, Wanda Tuggle, Sybil Garrett, Martha Smith, Diane Starnes, Frances Ingram, Alicia Gandee, Verna Lee Riggs, Barbara  Hardwick, Pamela Ray Wilkinson, Margaret Riggs, and Linda Sue Carroll.

Boys were Jimmy Tolbert, Buddy Attaway, Raymond Barlow, Stephen Allain, Harrell Beaird, Ronnie Kite, Terry Lane Murphy, David O'Dell, Mike Conover, Kenneth Buschow, Alton Sears, Tom Scharnburg, Kent Haggard, Clifton Pyburn, Jerry Staggs, Benny Campbell, Johnny Campbell, Jimmy Tibbs, Gary Barlow, Steve Kelley, Randy Walker, Tony Brandenburg, Larry Kelm, Charles Caldwell, Garry Allen Porter, John Westbury, Larry Lee, Jerry Lewis, Ishmel Queen, Gary Gresham, Steve Pontremale.

States were represented by a group of girls wearing red, white and blue dresses and they took their places on a raised stage at the back of the setting.  The girls were Dorothy Lemons, Melba Ross, Sherry Snoddy, Martha Massie, Margaret Martin, Kay Smith, Carolina Hall, Sue Manley, Jan Hill, Rosella Jones, Beckie Arrott and Patsy Crafton.

Cadets, wearing white trousers, gray coats and red hats entered and stood at the base of the raised platform.  They were Mary McClure, Jewel Nicklas, Linda Lemley, Peggy Royal, Anita Reedy, Nancy Brock, Beatrice Driskill, Rose Mary Pennington, Molly Harvey, Glenda Evans, Joy Gavin and Bueton Harris.

Several members of the Palo Pinto County Sheriff's Posse rode onto the stage and flanked the assemblage on either side.

Sailorettes in full uniform of white entered carrying United States Flags which they used to form an arch for the queen and her attendants and the duchess and her attendants to pass through on their way to the coronation ceremony.  Sailorettes were Shirley Jones, Sharon Ballenger, Judy Chenault, Jerry McCann,, Nancy Mann, Shirley Edgin, Linda Martin, Jean Nevil, Cynthia Birdwell, Nancy Smith, Jane Blessing, Linda Nevius, Patsy Cowley, Annette Logan, Annette Hall, Pat Gilley and Joann Jones.

Mary Sue Mayo was the first of the attendants to arrive and she took her place on the right of the stage; Joyce Yell followed and took her place on the left, and they were followed by Barbara Taylor, Frances Hall and Dell Turner; Duchess, who took her place beside the one set aside for the queen.  Linda Lou Gill, Betty Jean Meyers, Sandra McCloud and Anita Pratt; princesses arrived and took their places.

Frances Murphy, arrived to be crowned queen.  She was met for the coronation ceremony by Dr. Smith, president of the Palo Pinto County Centennial Association and Dr. Zappe, who in a short ceremony crowned Queen Frances, of the House of Murphy.

The queen was gowned in a gold embroidered white dress, with a long gold court train emblazoned with jewels.  It was held with a band of white fur at the neckline.  Duchess Dell Turner wore a gold satin coronation gown with a court train and attendants to the queen and duchess were dressed in formal pastels of ballerina length.

The assemblage retired and the next scene was the village of the Ioni Indians on the banks of the Brazos.  Here a runner announces the appearance of 2 white men, one of whom was Colonel Cooper of the United States Army on a tour of inspection.  The fear of the Indians was gone when they found that Col. Cooper had come in peace and they smoked the pipe of peace.

Taking parts in the Indian Village scene were W. T. Wilson, A. S. Wharton, Rodney Butler, Don Moore, Jack Clark, Jerry Weldon, C. N. Merrell, Louis Crozier, Carlton Blackwell, Joe Hopkins, Jimmy Reasoner, Ed Brown, Bobby Blackwell, Jack Amason, Dale Sellers, Ray Bean, Kidwell.

Mrs. C. N. Merrill, Jessie Wright, Mrs. J. N. Hayes, Mrs. A. K. Evans, Dora Peach, Mrs. Erwin Burger, Mrs. Adell Frazier, Mrs. J. M. Kayser, Mrs. N. A. Howry, Mrs. Stella Perry, Mrs. Baldwin.

Mervin Robert, Jr., James Schulte, Jack Westbrook, Tommy Hamilton, Tommy Brock, Murphy Roberts, John Hayes.

Alice Beth Moore, Saundra Perry, Lou Hays, Janice Weeks, Sandra Reynolds, Nancy Blackwell and Janie Vila.

A scene depicting the removal of the Indians to Throckmorton and Young counties was called the "trial of tears."

Spanish Explorers, played by Curtis Mitchell, Henry McClure, John Pennington, Cleve Ledbetter and Oscar Taylor, came to this region and gave the place a name, which was used when the County was organized.  It was Palo Pinto.

Covered wagons, horsemen and ox wagons some with men and children walking came across the 300 foot stage to portray wagons westward, when settlers traveling, they knew not where, found a place to suit them and stopped on the banks of the Brazos.  Considerable merriment was caused by grandma bathing the "small fry" in a tub, after the long and dusty journey.  The women of the group cooked the meal on an open fire while the men made camp and cared for the stock.  The cow was milked and after a search for a boy who wondered away, all ate in peace.  After supper the group danced on the green grass on the river bank.

In this scene, Ed Lee, Ray Bean, A. C. Yarborough, Howard Stoker, Hubert Carnes, Pvt. Gerald Stahl, Michael Mayo, Ronald Smith, Edward Allen, Orlando Krezenbeck, Sgt. T. P. Lucero, Bob Watson, Bill Watson, John Arrott, Cal Arrott, Henry Moulder, Donald Bond.

Mrs. Ed Lee, Mrs. Ann Holley, Sadie Skidmore, Mrs. Paul Schneider, Mrs. H. A. Perryman, Willa Grace Perryman, Virginia Brookshire, Mrs. Ray Bean, Nan Burris, Mrs. Howard Stoker, Mrs. A. O. Yarborough, Mrs. Ronnie Bigham,  Mrs. Donald Bond, Mrs. Margaret Ritchie, Mrs. Frank Meyers.

Kenny Kessler, Richie Brown, Tony Carnes, Stanley Hinton, Larry Cathey, Ronnie Bigham, John  Westbury, Roland Smith, Cindy Turner, Linda Douglas, Patricia Schneider, Jo Ann Irvine, Neda Jo Lee, Benedda McCloud, Rickie Moursund, Paula Schneider, Rhonda Bigham, Janice Calvin, Elizabeth Cliett, Judith Adkins and Wendie Perkins took part.

Carrying rifles, and Bibles a group met on the Brazos for church services.  After visiting --- and some gossip -- the crowd settled down to listen to the preacher for a time, then they spread dinner-on-the-ground and ate before returning to their homes.  Taking part in this scene were Robert Wilson, Ron Calhoun, Joe Shaw, Willie Austin, Bob Lundy, Bill Barnett, Hugh Walker (Minister) H. A. Brookshire, Ed Lee, J. C. Bartlett, Bill Poston, Daisy Glover, Mary Frances Austin, Maisie Lee Austin, Vera Walker, Ruth Brookshire, Mace Lee, Mary Alice Barnett, Mary Lou Barnett, Nedda Joe Lee and Sue Barnett.

Members of the Palo Pinto Sheriff's Posse took part in the Indian raid.  Taking part in the frontier school scene were teacher, H. H. McGregor; pupils, Kenny Smith, Robert Lynn Smith, Gerald Cozart, Larry Cozart, John Wayne Rupley, George Walker, Johnie V. Springer, Virginia Brown, Daisy Martin, Dixie brown, Billy Martin, Nancy Martin, Katina Smith, Martha New, Judy Rupley, Rita Knight and Melonie Cowan.

Several humorous scenes kept the audience laughing for it was easy to see that some remembered.

The Civil War scene when men drew lots for service at home and at the front.  This scene was played by Joe Carnlety-Lincoln, Butch Guertin, William Ivie, Norman Porter, Curtis Lasley, Cyril Renfro, Jimmy Wenninger, Bennie Glover, Kenneth Burns, Stanley James Schneider, Teddy Burks, Adair Ballenger, Ernest Beddo, Tom Bleeker, Cecil Talley, Engle Bradford, Buster Wilson, Irene Talley, Sharon Ballenger, Helen Jones, Dixie Dodson, Melba Spivey, Grace McDonald, Myrtle Ballenger.

The scene depicting the discovery of mineral water in the original well at Mineral Wells was played by some of the descendants of the discoverer.  Players were J. R. Whatley, Erick Lynch, Mabel Whatley, Anita Phariss, Julia Hargett, Robert Moore, Johnny Moore, Erick Robbie Lynch, Charles Shaw, Mary Carol Lynch and Betty Lou Lynch.

A stagecoach loaded with passengers arrived just at the time Saturday night crowds were making merry.  The episode often talked of, the pulling of the badger was shown; the well known drummer arrived and all was well.  Players were A. L. Wilson, J. C. Talley, A. B. Ballenger, A. T. Gilbert, Bobby Edwards, Frank Thornton, Howard Brannon, Stonewall Jackson, D. W. Key, E. M. Beddo, Ingle Bradford, A. H. Huell, Frank Lambert, H. T. McDonald, A. C. McClure, Drummer--O. B. McClure; Blacksmith -- Tom Bleeker; Grace McDonald, Helen Jones, Modean Vines, Hanna Butler, Patsy Murphy, Pennie Adkins, Helen Gilbert, Melba Spivey, Eunice Garrett, Dixie Dodson, Myrtle Ballenger.

The gay 90's portrayal featured Bert Selmmons, Boyd Robinson, Aubrey Wallace Olen Butler, James Green, Jackson Massie, Frank Blain, Robert Wilkinson, Robert Walker, Weldon Lemmons, Bill McQueary, Will Jim Bleding, George Mitchell, Ken Kimbrough, J. E. Slemmons, Burton Stuart, Beal Locke, Norman Porter.

Willie Mae Slemmons, Mrs. Boyd Robinson, Mary Wallace, Adele Edmondson, Mary Sturdivant, Lucy Sanders, Faye Massie, Margaret McQueary, Iris Stuart, Norma Lemley, Nell Rose Belding, Ruth Lemmons, Mrs. Bob Walker, Mrs. Robert Wilkinson, Della Mitchell, Berah Blain, Daphne Moore, Violet Green, Mrs. Lester Lindsey, and Hanna Butler.

Jimmy Walling, Billy Bateman, Billy Funk, Johnny Murphy, Tommy Murphy, James Wright, Elred Glidewell, David Shuford, Ted Wooldridge, Bryon Prather.

Dean Schmidt, Mary Holland, Bobbie Steele, Joyce Anastas, Sammye Beard, Jeannete Murphy, Dorothy Prathor, Rusty Cowan, Jane Blessing, Margaret Crumby, Linda Nevius, Joy Durant, Linda Martin, Darlene Baker, Sandra Gartman and Cindy Guertin.

The arrival of the medicine show with can can dancers almost caused a riot, when women, outraged by the performance, brought the policeman into action and almost got him mobbed.

The roaring twenties featured the Charleston dancers who brought a roar of approval from the crowd.  In that episode were Tommie Jean Bridges, Sarah Fuquay, Joanne Klick, Suzanne Harris, Carol Lee, Mary Ann Massengale, Jo McCloud, Suzanne Sinclair.

The Atomic age was presented climaxing the program after World Wars I and II were reviewed by readers and gigantic spectacular fire works followed.  A simulated atomic blast brought the program to a close.  Taking part in this were C. J. Renfro, C. L. Lasley, Leo Barnett, Charles Nicks, Roy Glover, Benny Glover, Gary Green, Alfred Sutton, Charley Wyatt, Dean Holder, Jimmy Wenninger, Kenneth Burns, William Ivie, Norman Porter, Benjie Stricklin, Dale Wright , Brooks Fowler, Harold Tincher, Richie Carrol, Carol Moore, Billy Locke, Teddy Burks, Marion Pendergrass, and Stanley Schneider.

The Palocade was staged on the west side of the football field on a stage and on the field.  Curtains of green added beauty and reality to the scenes and it was a show worthy of the Centennial Celebration.  A near capacity crowd attended.