Dedication Event Update and Classic Car Rides!
Dr. Parkinstine and his 1928 Durant.
Join us at the Dirden Farm for our historical marker dedication celebration and maybe you’ll get to ride in this classic car!
Parker Edmondson, who also goes by Dr. Parkinstine, is an inventor and engineer who loves sharing his projects, experiments, and inventions with the world. He’s from Jacksonville, Texas, site of the Dirden Farm, and will be celebrating along with us during our historical marker dedication event. As our exhibit curator, he’ll be displaying period artifacts from the 1880s to the 1940s, including his 1928 Durant and Model T.
To find out more about Parker and his projects, read the interview with Slate from January 2024, “The 23-Year-Old TikTokker Keeping the Past Alive” or watch this TikTok post of the good doctor trying to figure out how to fix the radiator on this classic auto.
Please join us on Saturday, April 19, 2025, for a day of education, inspiration, and fun! Contact us to reserve a place on the invitation list and stay turned to this site for more updates.
Dedication Celebration
Contact us to request an invitation to The Dirden Farm Historical Marker Dedication Celebration on Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Jacksonville, Texas.
Farm History
Read more about the Dirden story in our visual record of farm milestones, from 1848 to today.
Experience the Past; Embrace the Future
Old Well Discovery
An old brick well found on the property gives a glimpse into life on The Dirden Farm in the early days. Find out more about the Dirden family and the farm's history in the timeline.
Clearing the Property
After decades of inactivity, work to clear the farm began in late 2023. The farm has been declared a Texas historical property as one of the oldest former slave-owned properties in the state.
Steph and Corrine Dirden
Steph and Corrine were featured in the October 2023 issue of Neighbors of Lakeway & Bee Cave magazine. Steph traced his family tree, discovering ancestors he never knew existed.
Lift Every Voice
Enjoy this highlight reel taken during the Dirden Farm Historical Marker Dedication Celebration, held on April 19, 2025. We are blessed and uplifted by all who supported this monumental effort!
The events of the day are memorialized in the beautifully-designed program.