The materials in this collection are culturally, historically, and scientifically significant representation of late 19th century life in North Texas. J.J. Click was a skilled carpenter and builder, meticulous shopkeeper and entrepreneur, and prolific inventor. The materials in this collection offer provenance to three patents associated with Click in the Portal to Texas History. Culturally, Click’s effects tell a tale of quotidian interaction on the Frontier. From his Bellevue homestead records, we learn how to run a general store, build a farm house, and mend a wagon wheel. We see community members’ consumption of durable and nondurable goods, and recognize his contributions to the broader community, including building a school house, a grist mill, and a wind-powered well. Historically, Click’s stamp on Texas history extends far beyond Bellevue, as he designed and built private and public works in Anna, McKinney, Amarillo and Waco. Meanwhile, he invested in oil, purchased stock in Hollywood, and tirelessly rendered, patented, crafted and marketed his own inventions. It is this last category of items to be digitized that tie together the cultural, historical and technological elements, making this collection truly unique.
