recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Reef Madness

Reef Madness was a GeoAmerica presentation that told the story of the Permian Reef. Parts of west Texas and New Mexico are explored to tell the story of the reef. Pioneer Natural Resources led a field trip for teachers to show them the areas firsthand. The field trip was the narrative used to explain the Permian Reef.

### Locations Featured in Reef Madness

* West Texas Talc & Marble Mines
* Guadalupe Mountains National Park
* West Texas Salt Flats
* Sitting Bull Falls
* Carlsbad Caverns National Park
* Permian Basin Petroleum Museum

### Featuring

* Stan Allison
* Ed Caamano
* Michael Chavez

## Media Links

* Talc Mining Geology on YouTube
* West Texas Marble Mine on YouTube
* The Permian Reef in the Guadalupe Mountains on YouTube
* Sitting Bull Falls Geology on YouTube
* Carlsbad Caverns Geology on YouTube
* The Permian Basin Petroleum Museum on YouTube
Matt Fitzgerald

Matt Fitzgerald was a marketing professional who worked for companies like Coca Cola before being recruited by Mark Cuban to become senior vice president of marketing and communications for the Dallas Mavericks.

He appeared in the Phase 3 American Airlines Center episode of North Texas Explorer. Fitzgerald passed away in 2022.

1. ↑ https://greensboro.com/sports-marketing-execs-agree-its-mostly-about-marketing/article\_5bf11f38-fdc0-5efe-a73b-849073f36d11.html
2. ↑ https://obits.dallasnews.com/us/obituaries/dallasmorningnews/name/matthew-fitzgerald-obituary?id=36029394
OK County 66

OK County 66 is a roadside attraction along in Arcadia, OK. It consists of replicas and homages of famous Route 66 icons such as the Catoosa Blue Whale and the Cadillac Ranch built by retired mechanic John Hargrove. It was filmed by Esteem during production of Oklahoma Rocks! and was briefly featured in the documentary short Unique-lahoma.
Nip and Tuck

Nip and Tuck were a pair of mammoth jack donkeys who lived at Old City Park and worked pulling guests in the park's wagon. After years of service they were retired. Wagon pulling duties were taken over by younger donkeys Waylon and Willie from Illinois.

They were featured in the Old City Park episode of North Texas Explorer.

Getting footage of park characters riding
1. ↑ https://www.dallasnews.com/arts-entertainment/2016/10/04/meet-waylon-and-willie-the-adorable-new-donkeys-at-dallas-heritage-village/
Prison Bars & Grill

The Prison Bars & Grill Restaurant (sometimes called The Prison) was an eating establishment housed in the historic Collin County Prison building in McKinney, TX.

It closed down at some point and the building has had several occupants since then. It was featured in the Flying Through McKinney episode of North Texas Explorer.

The Blues Brothers outsidePrison-themed decor
## Media Links

* Prison Bars & Grill Restaurant on YouTube

1. ↑ https://www.dallasobserver.com/restaurants/slammer-chow-6425351
Dyno-Rock Indoor Climbing Center

The Dyno-Rock Indoor Climbing Center is a indoor climbing facility in Arlington, TX. It was featured in the Phase 3 Arlington, TX episode of North Texas Explorer.

The gym's portable climbing wall was featured in the Dallas Museum of Natural History episode.

#### Individuals Associated with Dyno-Rock

* Joshua Haynes
* Lavon Weighall
* Phillip Zapara

## Media Links

* Devin Goes Indoor Rock Climbing via YouTube
Joe White

Joe White was a teacher at Kilgore College and the director of the East Texas Oil Museum. He retired in 2014.. White was featured in the Black Giant episode of GeoAmerica.

1. ↑ https://www.news-journal.com/news/local/kilgore-oil-museum-director-to-retire/article\_64fcdf1a-5002-5612-b6de-e53e8032139d.html
Dr Pepper

Dr Pepper is a soft drink created in Waco, TX in the 19th century and frequently associated with the state of Texas. The soda has been a part of Esteem Education productions on a number of instances.

* The Dr Pepper Museum was featured in the Phase 3 Waco, TX episode of North Texas Explorer
* The Dublin Dr Pepper Bottling Plant in Dublin, TX was featured in Standing Tall: Lone Star Statues

## Media Links

* The Dr Pepper Museum on YouTube
* Dr Pepper Bottling Plant in Dublin, TX on YouTube
Meers Store and Restaurant

The Meers Store and Restaurant is a eatery and tourist destination near the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge known for its large "Meersburger."

It housed a seismograph that provided information to Oklahoma Geological Survey until it a lighting strike rendered it inactive. The restaurant and seismograph were featured, along with OGS scientist Ken Luza, in the documentary Oklahoma Rocks!

The restaurant and its owner Joe Maranto appeared in the documentary short Unique-lahoma.

1. ↑ https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/columns/2014/06/16/meers-store-and-restaurant-still-serves-a-mean-seismic-burger-even-with-a-broken-seismograph/60818231007/
Car Parts Dinosaur

The Car Parts Dinosaur is a roadside attraction in Bertram, TX. It was featured in the Texas Hill Country Geo-RoadTrip.

The 2002 Best of Texas Festival at Six Flags had roadside attractions from all over Texas on display at the park. Footage of the Car Parts Dinosaur was including in the documentary film ToadSpotting: The Legend of Old Rip.
Hollywood in Texas

### Locations

Southfork Ranch, Ripley's Believe it or Not/Palace of Wax, Contrabando Movie Set, Studios at Las Colinas

### Educational Topics

Science, history, culture

Hollywood in Texas was a Phase 3 episode of North Texas Explorer that featured various TV and movie related attractions. The episode begins at Southfork Ranch, home to the fictional Ewing family in the TV series Dallas.

Devin gives a brief overview of the show and the amenities available to visitors to the ranch. Next is a segment about the Palace of Wax and Ripley's Believe it...or Not! in Grand Prairie, TX. The first part of the segment focuses on the wax museum section of the location and sculptor Sonya Vasquez is interviewed in her workshop. She talks about the process of creating the wax figures. Devin then discusses the science of wax while at the Make a Wax Hand booth. An interview with Stuart McCallum offers information on the visitor's favorite wax figures.

Moving on to the Ripley's section, Devin explores some of the strange pieces in the collection and checks out some of the interactive exhibits like Tornado Alley. McAllum discusses Robert Ripley's life and how many of the strange pieces in his collection were acquired.

The next segment is a brief look at the Funny Women exhibit at the Women's Museum in Fair Park. Bea Booker from the museum discusses famous female comedians. After a break Devin introduces a brief segment about the Contrabando movie set in the Big Bend region. The geology of the area is discussed.

The final segment is about the Studios at Las Colinas. Chris Christian discusses various productions that took place there and Devin tours the extensive collection of props and costumes.

## Media Links

* Devin Visits Southfork Ranch
* Wax Museum Science at the Palace of Wax
* Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum
* Big Bend Contrabando Movie Set
* Studios at Las Colinas
Death Valley National Park

Death Valley is known as the "hottest, driest and lowest National Park. It's in southern California near the Nevada border and was featured in Geo-RoadTrip.

Welcome to Death ValleyBadwater BasinThe view from the roadChecking the temperature at the Visitor's Center
1. ↑ https://www.nps.gov/deva/index.htm
Erastus Rausch

"Erastus Rausch" was a fictional inhabitant of Old City Park. He appeared in the Phase 3 episode of North Texas Explorer. He was portrayed by an unknown Old City Park historical reenactor.

Rausch had many roles at the park. He worked as a farmer at the Living Farmstead as well a blacksmith. He also assisted with the mule team as well as playing the dulcimer harp.
Ed Campbell

Ed Campbell was the founder of the Ed Campbell Company, a concessionaire at places like the State Fair of Texas, City of Dallas, and the Majestic Theatre. He was also the proprietor of the Old Mill Inn at Fair Park. He was interviewed about the restaurant for North Texas Explorer.

Interviewing Campbell outside the Old Mill Inn
Houston Animal Road Trip

Houston Animal Road Trip was a Phase 2 episode of North Texas Explorer. It was a documentation of a performance of an educational program done by Doug Terranova and Animal Encounters Inc. at a Retriever Payment Systems corporate event at Houston's Aerial Theater. The program had a talk show format with the corporations' CEO Bill Higgins as the host and Terrannova and his crew as guests showing off exotic animals.

The animals that were featured included

* a Galapagos Giant Tortoise
* a Timberwolf (who had appeared on Walker, Texas Ranger)
* an Asian Water Monitor
* two Spider Monkeys
* two Cobras

## Background Information

* During production of this episode, short segments on the Battleship Texas and San Jacinto Monument were also produced. These were filmed during the very early stages of Tropical Storm Allison.
RockHounds: The Movie

RockHounds: The Movie is a feature length documentary film that explores the hobby of rock collecting and rockhounding. The film is comprised of four main segments: the World Championship Quartz Crystal Dig, the Rose Rocks of Oklahoma, Fossil Hunting with Dinosaur George and the Rock Food Table at the Houston Gem & Mineral Show. Each segment included a Lab Segment hosted by Devin Dennie that included additional educational information.

### Main Segments

* At the World Championship Quartz Crystal Dig in Mount Ida, Arkansas diggers from across the country compete to see who can dig up the most impressive quartz crystal specimens.
* At the Heritage Museum of the Texas Hill Country, Dinosaur George Blasing leads a group of kids on a field trip to dig up invertebrate fossils.
* University of Oklahoma professors Neil Suneson and David London take a group of college students to Noble, OK to dig up some barite rose rocks. Plus, a visit to the Timberlake Rose Rock Museum.
* At the Houston Gem & Mineral Show, the Rock Food Table delights visitors with a meal's worth of rocks and minerals.

## Film Festival Screenings

* SCINEMA - Festival of Science Film - 2005
* Roshd International Film Festival - 2005

## Other Significant Screenings

* University of Oklahoma
* University of Johannesburg - South Africa
* Tucson Gem & Mineral Show
* World Championship Quartz Crystal Dig

### Museum Collaboration

* Selected Clips from RockHounds: The Movie played as a part of the "OK Rocks!" Exhibit at the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History

### Awards & Honors

* Excellence in Education Award from the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies

## In the Media

* Geology student to show science film in Australia via The Oklahoman August 2005

## Media Links

* The Making of "RockHounds: The Movie" on YouTube
* "RockHounds: The Movie" Trailer on YouTube

## Media Release

* RockHounds: The Movie was released on DVD on April 6, 2010
Flying Through McKinney

### Locations

McKinney, TX, Heard Museum, Bolin Wildlife Exhibit, Prison Bars & Grill, Third MOnday

Flying Through McKinney is a Phase 3 episode of North Texas Explorer that focuses on events and attractions in the city of McKinney, TX. The episode's framing sequence took place at the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary and featured the museum heavily. It began with a look at their Birds of Prey Festival. Matthew Schweitzer from the rescue group Last Chance Forever was interviewed with a bay-winged hawk and and the group's educational program on birds was featured.

After the first break, the Prison Bars and Grill restaurant in downtown McKinney was featured. Allen Walker, the proprietorPrison Bars & Grill Restaurant of the establishment was interviewed and relayed information about the historic building's past as well as its transformation into a restaurant. Next, there was a segment on Third Monday Trade Days. Information about the historic flea market was delivered by owner Darrell Lewis and Devin browsed the various vendors.

Back at the Heard, the Raptor Rehabilitation Center was the focus of the next segment. Erich Neupert from the Heard was interviewed and talked about the different ways they help sick and injured birds with the goal of returning them back to the wild. Neupert showed off owl pellets that could be used to understand a bird's diet.

The next segment focused on the Bolin Wildlife and Antique Museum. Perry Bolin spoke about the museum which was made up of many trophies from his father's big game hunts. Mounted and stuffed animals from all over the world were on display in wildlife section of the museum. In the history section, an old gas station and storefront was recreated and a collection of restored antique cars were could be seen.

Returning to the Heard, Devin toured the Geology Room and and explained several specimens that were on display. Then a trip was taken to the downtown McKinney square for the annual Ice Cream Crank-Off celebration. Clyde Geer explained the event and its historic origins while Devin sampled many of the homemade flavors.

## Media Links

* Last Chance Forever at The Heard Wildlife Sanctuary
* Prison Bars & Grill Restaurant
* Third Monday Trade Days in McKinney, TX
* Birds of Prey at the Heard Wildlife Sanctuary
* The Bolin Wildlife Exhibit
* The Geology Room at the Heard in McKinney, TX
* Ice Cream Crank-Off
Peanuts

Peanuts was a popular comic strip widely syndicated in newspapers in multiple countries. Created by cartoonist Charles M. Schulz, the strip has grown into a franchise including television, movies, and other media.

A traveling Peanuts exhibit was on display at the Sternberg Museum during the Bighorn Mountains Geo-RoadTrip.

Various Peanuts statues in Saint Paul, Minnesota were featured in the Minnesota Iron Range Geo-RoadTrip.
Gayle Hall

Gayle Hall was the director of festivals and events for the Grapevine, TX Convention & Visitors Bureau. She appeared in the Phase 3 Grapevine, TX episode of North Texas Explorer. She passed away in 2021.

1. ↑ https://communityimpact.com/dallas-fort-worth/grapevine-colleyville-southlake/people/2021/09/07/community-remembers-gayle-hall-grapevine-native-and-longtime-director-of-festivals-events/
GeoAmerica

GeoAmerica was a proposed television project similar to North Texas Explorer but on a national scale. A few GeoAmerica projects were produced in an effort to market the concept. They include:

* The Black Giant (East Texas Oil Field)
* Reef Madness (The Permian Reef)
* Mississippi Delta Blues (The Mississippi Delta)

### Proposed GeoAmerica Projects

* The Natchez Trace Parkway
* Amarillo
* St. Louis
Dublin, TX

Dublin, TX is a city in north central Texas best known for being the former home the Dublin Dr Pepper Bottling Plant, now known as the Dublin Bottling Works.

During the time when Dr Pepper was bottled there, the town would temporarily change its name to "Dr Pepper, TX" as a part of their annual festival. The town was briefly featured in the documentary short Standing Tall: Lone Star Statues.
Gelatin

Gelatin is a food product frequently used in dessert dishes. It has been featured multiple times in Esteem Education productions.

* Multiple colored, polished rock specimens where included on the Rock Food Table that were meant to simulate gelatin desserts. They were featured in the documentary RockHounds: The Movie.
* In Geology Kitchen #18 Fossils Molds & Casts, a white chocolate dinosaur was submerged in gelatin to simulate a buried fossil.
* In Geology Kitchen #21 Jell-O Earthquake, a pan of green gelatin is used to simulate an earthquake.

## Media Links

* Geology Kitchen #18 Fossils Molds & Casts on YouTube
* Geology Kitchen #21 Jell-O Earthquake on YouTube
Pam Minick

Pam Minick is a world champion rodeo athlete, announcer, television personality, Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame inductee, National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame inductee, and co-owner of Billy Bob's Texas in the Fort Worth Stockyards. She appeared in the Phase 3 Fort Worth Stockyards episode of North Texas Explorer.
Linda Dunn

Linda Dunn is an environmental educator who has worked with several establishments like Cedar Hill State Park and the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center.

She appeared in the Phase 3 Cedar Hill State Park episode of North Texas Explorer where she spoke about park history and led a tour of the Penn Farm Agricultural History Center. In 2019 she was awarded the Environmental Educator of the Year from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

1. ↑ https://www.tceq.texas.gov/p2/events/teea/winners/teea-winners-2019/linda-dunn
Arkansas

Arkansas is the 25th state of the United States. Multiple Esteem Education productions have been filmed there including RockHounds: the Movie.

## Notable Places in Arkansas

* Crater of Diamonds State Park
* Hot Springs National Park
* Popeye Statue

## Media Links

* Northwest Arkansas Chert Outcrop on YouTube
* Geo-RoadTrips Short Trips: Hot Springs, AR on YouTube
Food Field Review

Food Field Review is an online video series in which Devin reviews camping-related food. It is a companion piece to Geology Kitchen.

## Media Links

* Backpacker's Pantry Potatoes & Gravy with Beef on YouTube
* Mountain House Scrambled Eggs With Bacon on YouTube
* Candwich v. Sammich on YouTube
* Tac Bac - Tactical Canned Bacon on YouTube
* Marshmallow Battle on YouTube
North Texas Explorer

North Texas Explorer was a 30 minute educational/travel television show hosted by geologist Devin Dennie that aired in various parts of the DFW Metroplex in the early 2000s. The series covered scientific and historic topics by showcasing local area museums, parks, zoos and other attractions. The show existed in multiple incarnations.

## North Texas Explorer: Phase 1

The initial phase of North Texas Explorer was created as a college television program for NTTV Channel 22 at the University of North Texas. Episodes included:

* Dinosaur Valley State Park
* Mineral Wells
* Something From Nothing Episode
* The Elephant Man of Kaufman County
* The Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge
* Urban Fort Worth

## North Texas Explorer: Phase 2

The second phase of NTE aired in a variety of ways in many different locations. It was typically seen in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex but also had viewing areas out of state and out of country. Episodes included:

* The Science Place
* Trains Tigers and Rocks
* The Heard
* Houston Animal Road Trip
* Lake Texoma
* Bayou Bob's Rattlesnake Ranch
* Dallas World Aquarium
* The State Fair
* Reptile Day

## North Texas Explorer: Phase 3

A full season of NTE was produced to be sold as a package to local DFW television stations. Episodes included:

* Old City Park
* The Fort Worth Stockyards
* The Dallas Museum of Natural History
* Fossil Rim Wildlife Center
* The State Fair of Texas
* Arlington, TX
* Grapevine, TX
* The American Airlines Center
* Waco, TX
* The Dallas Zoo
* Cedar Hill State Park
* Flying Through McKinney
* The Bug Episode
* Hollywood in Texas

## In the Media

* Local TV makes learning geology fun by Geotimes Magazine October 2004

## Media Release

North Texas Explorer - The Complete Series was released on DVD in 2010. It contains every episode of Phase 3 plus the Bayou Bob episode and audio commentary on three of the episodes.
Million Dollar Museum

The Million Dollar Museum was an attraction at White's City near Carlsbad, NM. It contained an eclectic collection of odd artifacts with historic significance as well ass other oddities such as a two-headed snakes, remains of what was claimed to be an alien, and a large collection of whittled western figures. There was also and arcade, fudge shop and visitor's center.

It closed in 2008 and its collection was auctioned off.

Two-headed snakeWhittling Cowboy's RanchAlien remains?
## Media Links

* The Million Dollar Museum at White's City, NM on YouTube

1. ↑ https://www.roadsideamerica.com/blog/sale-million-dollar-museum/
Arbuckle Wilderness

Arbuckle Wilderness is a drive-thru zoological park in the Arbuckle Mountains of Oklahoma. Rock outcrops in the park (as well as the animal inhabitants) were featured in the documentary Oklahoma Rocks! The park itself was featured in the documentary short Unique-lahoma.

Filming rock outcrops inside the parkGetting some shots of the camels
## Media Links

* Geology at Arbuckle Wilderness on YouTube
* Oklahoma Rocks! Video Journal #3 - Dances With Emus on YouTube
Contrabando Movie Set

The Contrabando Movie set was a filming location used for several TV and movie productions in the Big Bend region. It was featured in the Phase 3 Hollywood in Texas episode of North Texas Explorer. Multiple reports claim that most of it has been torn down over the years.

Exploring the "town"Getting footage around the set
## Media Links

* Big Bend Contrabando Movie Set on YouTube
Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 film based on the novels of L. Frank Baum wherein a young girl from Kansas has adventures in the fantasy land of Oz. A few Esteem Education productions have connections to the film.

* Main cast characters, immortalized as wax figures were on display at the Place of Wax and were featured in the Phase 3 Hollywood Comes to Texas episode of North Texas Explorer.
* The hourglass prop from the film was a part of the Blockbuster Movie Motion Memorabilia tour exhibit at the 2002 State Fair of Texas and featured in the Phase 3 State Fair episode of North Texas Explorer.
* Costumes and props from the film were on display at the Studios at Las Colinas and were featured in the Phase 3 Hollywood Comes to Texas episode of North Texas Explorer.
* The film's protagonist Dorothy was featured as a part of the weather monitoring props in the movie Twister. Those props were later filmed at the Strataca Underground Museum and the Twister Movie Museum by the Esteem crew.
* A Tin Man Statue was a part of the Route 66-themed OK County 66 roadside attraction which made a brief appearance in the documentary short Unique-lahoma.

"Dorothy" prop from the film Twister named after the Wizard of Oz protagonistHourglass prop on display at the State Fair of Texas
Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City the the capital of Oklahoma. It has been featured in multiple Esteem Education productions.

#### Notable Places in Oklahoma City

* Museum of Osteology
* National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
* Oklahoma City Museum of Art
* Oklahoma City Zoo & Botanical Garden
* Oklahoma History Center
* Oklahoma Land Run Monument
* RT-19
* Science Museum Oklahoma
Crater of Diamonds State Park

Crater of Diamonds State Park is a natural area in Arkansas that is one of the few places in the country where visitors can dig their own diamonds. It was featured in a short video produced by Esteem Education.

Inside the Visitor's CentrFilming a demonstration
## Media Links

* Crater of Diamonds State Park on YouTube
Collin Street Bakery

Collin Street Bakery is an historic bakery in Corsicana, TX specializing in fruitcakes.

## Other Notable Elements

#### World's Largest Fruitcake

The Collin Street Bakery created what they billed as the World's Largest Fruitcake. In 2002, it was included in the Best of Texas Festival and displayed at Six Flags Over Texas. The World's Largest Fruitcake also had a brief cameo in the documentary shorts Standing Tall: Lone Star Statues and ToadSpotting: The Legend of Old Rip.

World's Largest Fruitcake at Six Flags
World’s Largest Chimney Sweep

The World’s Largest Chimney Sweep is a roadside attraction along I-35 near McPherson, KS. It was originally a Happy Chef statue but was converted to his present occupation and placed along the highway in the Kansas plains. It was deemed the world's largest by the World Record Academy

1. ↑ https://www.worldrecordacademy.org/2023/6/worlds-largest-chimney-sweep-sculpture-world-record-in-mcpherson-kansas-423276
Todd Kent

Todd Kent is an American writer, producer, and director and founding member of Esteem Education.

## Physical description

### Gender

Male

Kent works behind the scenes on the majority of Esteem production in the roles of producer and director.

### Filmography

* Fast Food (2003)
* ToadSpotting: The Legend of Old Rip (2004)
* RockHounds: The Movie (2005)
* Road Does Not End (2006)
* Standing Tall: Lone Star Statues (2007)
* Oklahoma Rocks! (2008)
* Unique-lahoma (2008)
* Comic Book Literacy (2009)
* How to Move a Comic Book Store (2011)
* From Cows to Quinoa (2012)
* Dallas Marvels (2023)
Third Monday McKinney Trade Days

Third Monday McKinney Trade Days is a monthly flea market in McKinney, TX. It's one of the area's oldest markets and briefly closed in 2021, only to re-open in a new location the next year. It was featured in the Phase 3 Flying Through McKinney episode of North Texas Explorer.

## Media Links

* Third Monday Trade Days in McKinney, TX on YouTube

1. ↑ https://www.checkoutdfw.com/cities/its-back-third-monday-mckinney-trade-days-to-open-market-feb-18-20/article\_394e5bee-891b-11ec-bbba-3fe74ba36085.html
Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame

The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame is an establishment that honors people in the rodeo and western-themed culture. It is located in the Fort Worth Stockyards and was featured in the Phase 3 Stockyards episode of North Texas Explorer.

## Notable Inductees

* Hub Baker (2011)
* Robert Earl Keen (2019)
* Billy & Pam Minick (2004)
* Willie Nelson (2005)
* Nolan Ryan (2010)
* Bob Wills (2021)

The John Justin Trail of Fame in 2002Some of the wagons in the collection
Dallas Zoo

The Dallas Zoo is a zoological facility in Dallas, TX. It was the focus of of the Phase 3 Dallas Zoo episode of North Texas Explorer.

## Notable Features at the Dallas Zoo

#### Giraffe Statue

Visitors to the zoo are greeted by a large statue of a giraffe that has been called the "tallest Statue in Texas.". The statue is featured in the documentary short Standing Tall: Lone Star Statues.

#### Endangered Species Carousel

This unique merry-go-round contains custom-made exotic, endangered animals visitors can ride.

#### Adventure Safari Monorail

The monorail was a ride that allowed visitors to view the Wild of Africa enclosures. It was permanently discontinued in 2020 but was featured in the Phase 3 Dallas Zoo episode of North Texas Explorer.

## Notable Individuals Associated With the Dallas Zoo

* Ken Kaemmerer
* Charles Siegel
* Ellen Villeneuve

## Background Information

* Two of the elephants that appeared in the Phase 1 Animal Man of Kaufman County episode of North Texas Explorer took up residence in the Dallas Zoo in 2010.

## Media Links

* Dallas Zoo: The Wilds of Africa on YouTube
* Dallas Zoo: Lacerte Family Children's Zoo on YouTube

1. ↑ https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/1997/october/while-were-at-it-the-award/
Turner Falls

Turner Falls is a waterfall in the Arbuckle Mountains near Davis, Oklahoma. It was discovered in 1878 by Mazeppa Thomas Turner, a farmer who lived in the area. It was featured in Oklahoma Rocks! and was the focus of a Geology Kitchen episode.

## Media Links

* Honey Creek at Turner Falls Park on YouTube
* Geology of Turner Falls in Davis, Oklahoma on YouTube
* Geology Kitchen #16 - Turner Falls on YouTube

1. ↑ https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=TU019
Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge

The Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge is a vast natural area located in southwestern Oklahoma. It is home to abundant wildlife and is a popular outdoor recreational attraction. It was featured in the documentary Oklahoma Rocks!

## Media Links

* The Rocks of the Wichita Mountains on YouTube
* Wichita Mountains Geology on YouTube
Science Place (episode)

The Science Place is a Phase 2 episode of North Texas Explorer that focuses on the Fair Park children's museum. Most of the episode is carried by an interview between Devin and museum director Liz Bleiberg as they discuss the different aspects of the Science Place. Devin then explores the museum on his own including stops at the robot dinosaurs.

Devin also interviews Sally Nobleman about the Dental Gallery and then speaks with projectionists James Tucker and Andy Epps who shows how to reload the IMAX projector.

After a break Devin explores more exhibits and participates in some of the interactive ones while finishing up his interview with Bleiberg.

## Media Links

* Loading an IMAX Projector on YouTube
* Bugs at the Science Place on YouTube
Urban Fort Forth

Urban Fort Worth was a Phase 1 episode of North Texas Explorer. The episode primarily consisted of an exploration of many of the sights in downtown Fort Worth, TX and information relating to other Fort Worth attractions and history.

## Locations Featured in the Episode

* Bass Performance Hall
* Fire Station No. 1
* Fort Worth Water Gardens
* Sundance Square
* Tarrant County Courthouse

## Background Inforamtion

* This episode was filmed shortly after the 2000 Fort Worth tornado outbreak. Evidence of tornado damage can be seen in the background of several shots.
University of Oklahoma

The University of Oklahoma is an institution of higher learning in Norman, Oklahoma. Multiple OU faculty, staff, and students have participated in Esteem Education productions.

The OU campus includes the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History which was featured in Oklahoma Rocks!

### Individuals Associated With OU Who Have Participated in Esteem Projects:

* Lee Bement
* Devin Dennie
* Shannon Dulin
* Jeniffer Eoff
* Stacey Evans
* R. Doug Elmore
* M. Charles Gilbert
* Adam Graves
* David London
* Neil Suneson
* Steve Westrop
Terry Stembridge

Terry Stembridge is a sports announcer, writer, and historian from east Texas. He has done announcing work for the San Antonio Spurs and Texas Rangers.

He is the author of Echoes from Forgotten Streets which chronicles much of the history of the East Texas Oil Field and Kilgore, TX. He relayed historic information on those topics in the Black Giant episode of GeoAmerica.
Texas

Texas is the 28th state in the United States and second largest in land mass. Many locations across the state have been featured in Esteem Education productions.

## Notable Places in Texas

### Central Texas

* Cameron Park Zoo
* Dr Pepper Museum
* Enchanted Rock
* Hamilton Pool
* Heritage Museum of the Texas Hill Country
* Inks Lake State Park
* Inner Space Cavern
* Llano County Historical Museum
* Menger Hotel
* Mount Bonnell
* Texas State Capitol
* Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum
* World's Largest Pecan

### Gulf Coast

* Houston Museum of Natural Science
* Johnson Space Center
* The Orange Show
* San Jacinto Monument

### East Texas

* Brookshire's World of Wildlife Museum
* East Texas Oil Museum
* Gaston Museum
* Lake Fork
* Naranjo Museum of Natural History
* Mission Dolores State Historic Site
* Southwest Dairy Museum
* World's Richest Acre

### North Texas

* African American Museum
* Cedar Hill State Park
* Dallas Children's Aquarium
* Dallas World Aquarium
* Dallas Zoo
* Dyno-Rock Indoor Climbing Gym
* Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site
* Fair Park
* Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
* Fort Worth Stockyards
* Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary
* Lake Texoma
* Old City Park
* Old Fort Worth Fire Station No. 1
* Petrified Wood Station
* Red River Railroad Museum
* Sharkarosa Zoo
* Six Flags Over Texas
* Texas Discovery Gardens
* The Wild Animal Sanctuary-TEXAS

### Panhandle

* Big Texan Steak Ranch
* Cadillac Ranch
* Don Harrington Discovery Center
* Palo Duro Canyon
* Tex Randle

### West Texas

* Big Bend National Park
* Contrabando Movie Set
* Museum of the Big Bend
* Paisano Pete
* World's Largest Jackrabbit

## Texas Cities

* Amarillo
* Arlington
* Austin
* Dallas
* Denison
* Dublin
* Fort Worth
* Glen Rose
* Grapevine
* Houston
* Kilgore
* McKinney
* San Antonio
* Waco

## Media Links

* Intro to Texas Geography on YouTube
* The Six Flags of Texas on YouTube
Strataca Kansas Underground Salt Museum

Strataca is a salt mine, turned museum, in Hutchinson, KS. They offer tours and a variety of educational programs. The temperature, low moisture, and security of the facility also make it a desirable place to securely store items like film negatives, props and costumes. Several such items were on display from movies like Batman, The Matrix, and Twister.

Welcome to StratacaFilming inside the mineBatman movie costume on displayLocal area fossils on display
## Media

* Geo-RoadTrip Short Trips: Strataca Salt Mine on YouTube
* Props & Costumes at Strataca on YouTube Shorts
Six Flags Over Texas

Six Flags Over Texas is an amusement park in Arlington, TX originally themed with Texas history rides and attractions. A few Esteem Education productions were filmed on location there. It was one of the sites of a John Kelso interview after a signing of his book Texas Curiosities. Part of that interview ended up in the Phase 3 Bug Episode of North Texas Explorer.

Six Flags was also the location of the shoot of the Meow Mix Mobile for the documentary Fast Food.

In 2002, the Best of Texas Festival occurred at Six Flags with roadside attractions from all over the state temporarily relocated to the park including Old Rip the Horny Toad, the Car Parts Dinosaur, the World's Largest Fruitcake from Collin Street Bakery, the World's Largest Killer Bee, World's Largest Jackrabbit, and others. Much of this was filmed by Esteem with some of the footage ending up in the documentary ToadSpotting: The Legend of Old Rip.
The Heard

The Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary is a natural area and educational venue in McKinney, TX. It was featured in Phase 2 and Phase 3 episodes of North Texas Explorer. The sanctuary comprises almost 300 acres of land and is home to multiple native plants and animals in their natural habitat.

## Notable Individuals Associated With the Heard

* Bessie Heard
* Erich Neupert
* Sally Nobleman
* Ken Steigman

Texas rock specimens on displayDinosaurs Live Trail
## Media Links

* The Geology Room at the Heard in McKinney, TX on YouTube
* Birds of Prey at the Heard Wildlife Sanctuary on YouTube
* Last Chance Forever at The Heard Wildlife Sanctuary on YouTube
Science Place

The Science Place was a children's museum in Fair Park that was the focus of a Phase 2 episode of North Texas Explorer and was featured in the Phase 3 Bug Episode. It would eventually merge with the Dallas Museum of Natural History and later enveloped by the Perot Museum of Science and Nature.

The Science Place was also seen in the documentary Fast Food. It was the location of the Hershey's Kissmobile segment.

## Notable Individuals Associated With the Science Place

* Liz Bleiberg
* Andy Epps
* Andrea Granger
* Jack McKinney
* Sally Nobleman
* Summer Smith
* James Tucker

## Media Links

* Loading an IMAX Projector on YouTube
* Bugs at the Science Place on YouTube
Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Texas Chainsaw Massacre is an American horror film franchise that takes place, and was partially filmed, in Texas. A few Esteem Education productions have connections with the movies.

* A wax likeness of Leatherface, the film's main antagonist, was in the horror section of the Palace of Wax and had a brief cameo in the Phase 3 Hollywood in Texas episode of North Texas Explorer.
* Bagdad Cemetery in Leander, TX was a filming location for the first film. It was visited during production of the Hill Country Geo-RoadTrip.
* The Tattoo Ranch at the Fort Worth Stockyards has what they claim to be the "original saw" from the movie.
Texas Rangers (law enforcement)

The Texas Rangers are a law enforcement division of the state of Texas. They have been featured in multiple Esteem Education productions.

* The Texas Rangers Hall of Fame and Museum was featured in the Phase 3 Waco, TX episode of North Texas Explorer.
* Texas Rangers memorabilia was on display at the Buckhorn Saloon in San Antonio, TX.
State Fair of Texas (episode)

The State Fair of Texas was a Phase 3 North Texas Explorer episode that focused mainly on events and attractions at the 2001 and 2002 State Fair of Texas. The episode begins with a brief overview of the fair and a quick look at the construction of Big Tex. After the first break, the Birds of the World show is featured. The segment mainly consists of an interview with Steve Martin from Natural Encounters Inc., along with footage of the show from the Fair Park Band Shell.

Next up is an overview of the Science Place's giant sand sculpture being built by Sandscapes. During an interview with sculptor Karen Fralich, scientific concepts about sand are interspersed with information about the hobby of sand sculpting. The sculpture being created contained recreations of the Dallas skyline, JFK, the Science Place's robot dinosaur, Big Tex and other local imagery.

After a break the episode has back to back segments about famous livestock. It starts with the Budweiser Clydesdales who were regulars at the fair and participated nightly in the parade. Afterward Elsie the Cow was spotlighted. She had been making live appearances at the State Fair for decades and Borden representative Sheri McCrary gave some information about the beloved mascot's history.

The I Love Lucy 50th Anniversary Tour gave Devin the opportunity to recreate some famous television moments. Visitors could in grape stomping and candy factory simulations just like Lucy & Ethel did all those years ago. The tour also contained props, costumes and sets from the iconic series. Additional props and costumes were presented by Kevin Gardner in the final segment about the Blockbuster Movie Motion Memorabilia tour.

Attaching Big Tex's armFilming the Blockbuster exhibitDevin prepares for the next shot
## Media Links

* Building Big Tex at the State Fair of Texas
* The Birds of the World Show at the State Fair of Texas
* Sand Sculpting Science
* The Budweiser Clydesdales
* Elsie the Cow
* The I Love Lucy 50th Anniversary Tour
* Blockbuster's Movie Motion Memorabilia Tour Exhibit
The Wild Animal Sanctuary-TEXAS

The Wild Animal Sanctuary-TEXAS, formerly known as the International Exotic Feline Sanctuary, is a refuge in Boyd, TX is a zoological facility that cares for rescued exotic animals. It was featured in the Phase 2 Trains, Tigers, and Rocks episode of North Texas Explorer.

#### Notable Individuals Associated with the Sanctuary

* Richard Gilbreath
* Angie Haury

## Media Links

International Exotic Feline Sanctuary on YouTube
Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge

The Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge is a natural area near Jet, OK. It is known for its proliferation of selenite crystals in a unique hourglass shape. It hosts an annual Birding & Crystal Festival where rockhounds from across the country compete to dig the best specimen.

The refuge and festival were featured in the documentary film Oklahoma Rocks!

## Media Links

* Digging Selenite Crystals in The Oklahoma Salt Plains on YouTube
David Myers

David Myers was an Oklahoma politician who served in the Oklahoma Senate from 2002 to 2011. He appeared in the documentary film Oklahoma Rocks! while at the Great Salt Plains Birding and Crystal Digging Festival at the Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge in Jet, OK. He passed away in 2011.

1. ↑ https://www.enidnews.com/news/local\_news/breaking-news-sen-david-myers-ponca-city-dies/article\_caf3c9f8-5a89-5663-a157-7f9e233103ec.html
W. Perry Bolin

W. Perry Bolin was a Collin County entrepreneur who had owned and operated services stations, grocery stores and other businesses. He was a world traveler and avid hunter who, after accumulating a large amount of trophies, founded the Bolin Wildlife and Antique Museum in McKinney, TX to showcase his collection. The museum was featured in the Flying Through McKinney episode of North Texas Explorer.
Prairie Dog Town

The Prairie Dog Town was a roadside attraction in Oakley, KS that featured free roaming prairie dogs, rattlesnakes, a live 6-legged steer and what they claimed to be the world's largest prairie dog statue. It was featured in the Bighorn Mountains Geo-Roadtrip. It closed in 2014.

Welcome to the Prairie Dog TownOne of the many prairie dogs on the premisesOne of the five-legged cowsTurkeys walk the grounds
Southfork Ranch

Southfork Ranch is an event center in Parker, TX and filming location for the television series Dallas. It was featured in the Phase 3 North Texas Explorer episode Hollywood in Texas.

The gun that shot J.R.The back porch/pool areaOutside the event venueJ.R.'s personal toilet
## Media Links

* Devin Visits Southfork Ranch on YouTube
The Studios at Las Colinas

The The Studios at Las Colinas were a production facility that had a collection of costumes and props from productions like Star Trek, The Sound of Music and Robocop and was open to tours.

It was featured in the Phase 3 episode of North Texas Explorer, Hollywood in Texas.

## Other Notable Features

#### Raiders of the Lost Colinas

Part of the tour included a demonstration of green screen technology. Incorporating themes from the film Raiders of the Lost Ark, visitors could play the role of Indiana Jones and be seen running through ancient ruins and evading a giant boulder.

Raiders of the Lost ColinasFilming with a green screenRobocop was filmed in the North Texas area
Twister

Twister was a 1996 action movie filmed primarily in Oklahoma. A few Esteem Education productions have ties to the film.

* The city of Wakita, along with the Twister Movie Museum were filmed during production of the documentary Oklahoma Rocks!
* A "Dorothy" prop was on display and filmed by Esteem during production at the Strataca Kansas Underground Salt Mine.
The Heard (episode)

The Heard is a Phase 2 episode of North Texas Explorer that features the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary in McKinney, TX. The episode primarily involves Devin touring the grounds with Natural Areas Coordinator Ken Steigman. Steigman covers topics like local flora and fauna, trail management, and conservation projects.

Devin also explores some of the museum exhibits and covers some of the origins and history of the Heard. Additionally this episode includes a pre-Phase 1 segment on the raptor rescue group Last Chance Forever and a brief NTE: On the Spot interstitial about the dinosaur statues of Dinosaur Valley State Park.

## Background Information

* The Last Chance Forever segment was produced by Todd Kent while at the University of North Texas and repurposed for this episode.
Standing Tall

Standing Tall: Lone Star Statues was a 2007 documentary short directed by Todd Kent and narrated by Devin Dennie. It was produced by utilizing footage compiled from various Esteem Education productions with additional interviews shot specifically for the film. It features the stories behind several statues across Texas. The statues it features includes:

* Bass Performance Hall Angels, Fort Worth, TX
* Bill Kloster, Dublin, TX
* Dallas Zoo Giraffe, Dallas, TX
* Dinosaur Valley State Park Dinosaurs, Glen Rose, TX
* Pioneer Plaza, Dallas, TX
* Sam Houston Statue, Huntsville, TX
* Stevie Ray Vaughn Statue, Austin, TX
* The Woofus, Fair Park, Dallas, TX

## Media

It was released as a part of the Tall Tales of Texas compilation DVD in 2010.

The DVD set was included in the Texas Collection in the Baylor University Library System in 2009.
Sam Houston Statue

The Sam Houston Statue is billed as "World's Tallest Statue of an American Hero." It is a 67 foot tall depiction of Texas military leader and politician Sam Houston in Huntsville, TX and was featured on the documentary Standing Tall: Lone Star Statues.

## Media Links

* The Sam Houston Statue in Huntsville, TX on YouTube
Tony Fiorillo

### Affiliation

New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science, Dallas Museum of Natural History

## Appearances

### Appears in

North Texas Explorer

Anthony Fiorillo is the Executive Director of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science, formerly the Curator of Paleontology of the Dallas Museum of Natural History, and later, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science.

He appeared on the Phase 3 Dallas Museum of Natural History episode of North Texas Explorer and was interviewed by Devin about many of the fossil specimens the museum had on display.

Showing Devin a mammoth skeleton
## Media

* Dallas Museum of Natural History Dinosaurs
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History

The Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, on the University of Oklahoma campus, is a natural history museum that has been featured in several Esteem Education productions including Oklahoma Rocks!

Selected clips from RockHounds: The Movie were played as a part of the 2006 "OK Rocks!" exhibit at the museum.
White Elephant Saloon

The White Elephant Saloon is an historic bar located at the Fort Worth Stockyards. It was briefly seen in the Phase 3 Stockyards episode of North Texas Explorer. Inside is a collection of various white elephants statues, figurines, and other artwork.

Along the walls and ceiling are the hats of local cowboys. The bar has been featured in television productions like Dallas and Walker, Texas Ranger.

Hats seen along he walls
Texas Ranger Hall of Fame

The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum is an historic repository of information and artifacts relating to the Texas Rangers law enforcement agency in Waco, TX. It was featured in in the Phase 3 Waco, TX episode of North Texas Explorer.

#### Notable Individuals Associated With the Texas Rangers Museum

* Byron Johnson

Filming inside the MuseumHistorical Marker
## Media Links

* The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum on YouTube
Petrified Wood Station

The Petrified Wood Station is a part of an old tourist camp in Decatur, TX. Much of the exterior is made up of petrified wood and it has become a popular roadside attraction for the area.

One of the motor lodge cabins was rumored to have been rented by Bonnie & Clyde. It was featured in a short video by Esteem Education.

Historical Marker
## Media Links

* The Petrified Wood Gas Station on YouTube
Stockyards Museum

The Stockyards Museum is a repository of historic items and memorabilia in the Fort Worth Stockyards. It was featured in the Phase 3 Fort Worth Stockyards episode of North Texas Explorer.

## Notable Stockyards Museum Elements

#### Palace Light Bulb

The museum contains the Palace Light Bulb, the world's second-longest continually burning light bulb

The bulb is still burning
The Woofus

The Woofus is a mysterious, historic statue located in Fair Park in Dallas. The current statue is a recreation of the original 1936 version which disappeared under unknown circumstances.

It is a fictional creature that is made up of different parts of various Texas animals. It was featured on the documentary Standing Tall: Lone Star Statues.

## Media Links

* The Woofus at Fair Park on YouTube

1. ↑ https://cw33.com/news/fair-parks-sculpture-born-of-a-promiscuous-sheep-that-mysteriously-vanished/#:~:text=And%20it%20was%20big%3B%20the,but%20this%20one%20was%20real.
2. ↑ https://authentictexan.com/mythical-woofus-chimera/
San Jacinto Monument

The San Jacinto Monument is an historical museum and park that commemorates the famous battle of the Texas Revolution.

It was filmed by the Esteem Education crew during production of the Phase 2 Houston Animal Road Trip episode of North Texas Explorer and during the beginnings of Tropical Storm Allison.
Spam

Spam is a popular brand of canned meat. Spam was featured in the documentary From Cows to Quinoa. It was used as a main ingredient in a Spam cooking competition at the State Fair of Texas.

In the early 2000s, one of the marketing strategies used to promote Spam was to to tour the SpamMobile, a large vehicle in the shape of a Spam can. It was featured in the documentary Fast Food.

Spam was used as an ingredient in a banana split to represent sodium in Geology Kitchen #13. Additionally, a Spam can, modified to read *Geo-Ham*, was used as a prop in Geology Kitchen.

## Media Links

* From Cows to Quinoa on YouTube
* The SpamMobile on YouTube
* Geology Kitchen #13 - Feldpsarty on YouTube