Temple train museum hosts royal visit

Special to Leader-Press 

With a heat index of 109 degrees outside, the Temple Railroad and Heritage Museum provided a cool place to go in more ways than one. The Miss Five Hills Scholarship Program partner hosted the Copperas Cove titleholders for a special VIP visit full of trains, tracks, and fun. 
Copperas Cove Five Hills Ambassador Dawn Hale donned her train conductor hat on her first visit to the museum. 
“It was extremely interesting to learn all the different things about the railroad and how it shaped Central Texas such as being responsible for what is now Scott and White Hospital,” Hale said.   “I really got a tickle out of watching the younger royalty trying to operate things they did not grow up with, like the manual typewriter and the rotary phone along with other tools.”
Preteen Miss Five Hills Dorianna Gilbert pretended to carry on a conversation on the rotary dial phone but struggled to figure out how to hang up the receiver. It was a much different experience than her handheld smart phone. 
“That was definitely a challenge, but I figured it out. I also learned the correct way to use a manual typewriter,” Gilbert said. “The best thing that I saw in the museum was the women’s history display. If it wasn’t for those ladies paving a way for us, we wouldn’t be who we are today.”
Teen Miss Five Hills Angelica Torres said the museum teaches visitors not only about trains as a mode of travel, but how passengers were treated medically and fed while on the train. 
“The museum teaches culture diversity and how far we have come today in this area,” Torres said. “My favorite part was participating in the hobo scavenger hunt which is a must to do with your family when attending.”
Junior Miss Five Hills De’Ziyah Gilbert enjoyed seeing a piece of her family history housed in the museum.
“I’ve always heard stories from my grandmother about potbelly stoves. It was exciting to get to see one and how it worked with coal,” De’Ziyah Gilbert said. “I was also able to lip sync on the microphone that was used by Little Joe Y La Familia, a famous Mexican American singer.”
Little Miss Five Hills Braelyn Liles learned that tracks steer the train and how trains stop. But, she most enjoyed learning how food for passengers was prepared. 
“I made pretend soup for everyone using old pots and pans,” the 5-year-old said. “I learned to type on a typewriter and use this old phone like my grandparents probably had when they were kids.”
Young Miss Five Hills Emily Kimball most enjoyed the women’s rights special exhibit currently at the museum. 
“It is my goal to become an attorney, so I really enjoyed learning about women who literally risked their lives to make my dream possible,” Kimball said. “They were true pioneers.”