Wild West fun returns

One of the early Shoot-out teams performs in front of the old Mercantile.

Seasoned YesterYear folks may think the calendar has been rolled back. In the festival's earlier days, the YesterYear Shoot-out gang was a favorite of many. While those guys and gals have long since retired from their gun-slingin' days, the streets of Whitehouse will again smell of gunpowder as a new team will perform Saturday during activities in the city park.

The TEXICANS are an Old-West reenactment group made up of individuals who have a love and interest in preserving the history and heritage of America's early years on the Western frontier. Entire families are involved, from grandparents to children, and members hail from Dallas, Corsicana, Whitehouse and Frankston. One is even a member currently serving in the U.S. Navy.

All participation is on a volunteer basis, with families providing their own props, clothing and weaponry. The firearms are authentic replicas of 1870-1880-era black powder weaponry and include six-shooter pistols and double-barrel 12-gauge shotguns.

A team of Old-West re-enactors, the Texicans perform monthly at Canton, and have entertained audiences in Emory, Mesquite, the Henderson Syrup Festival and around East Texas.

The clothing worn by all participants is also authentic, featuring cotton and wool fabrics with ties, horn, bone or wooden buttons, and hook-and-eye fastenings.

During a show, the gunfire heard by audiences is provided by "blanks" -- the guns are loaded with black powder only, and no projectiles of any kind are fired. The group abides by very strict national safety standards during performances and is proud to provide a gun safety lesson to audiences