Charles Raymond Bright
|
Charles Raymond Bright (1927-2013) was a local boy made good. His father owned a grocery store and after a stint in the US Army during World War II, Charles and his brother, N.G., established the Bright-Coop Company which filled a niche in the growing postwar poultry industry. A strong supporter of local history, Charles spearheaded the revitalization of downtown and the Convention and Visitors' Bureau building is named in his honor. A full biography is below the audio clips.
|
We have included on this page our full listing of audio recordings for Charles Bright. Mr. Bright was the subject of several oral history projects (some more formal than others) and we have gone through hours of recordings to select these clips. Unfortunately the sound quality was not always the best and so there were many more great stories that we could not include. We hope that you will enjoy this extended listening opportunity. For more information, please contact Friends of Historic Nacogdoches or the East Texas Research Center at Stephen F. Austin State University which is the permanent repository for many of these recordings.
Bright Audio Clips
Bright Full Biography
Charles Raymond Bright, 22 Mar 1927 - 24 Aug 2013, was born in downtown’s Ingraham Building on Plaza Principal where his parents, Dovie Bailey and George Novel Bright, owned a thriving grocery business where he worked from an early age with his brother, N. G., and sister, Joyce. Graduating from Nacogdoches High School in 1945, Charles was drafted into the army to serve as a military policeman during WWII, and as a driver and typist for editor and author, William F. Buckley, Jr. After the war, Bright flourished as an inventive entrepreneur who crafted an outboard motor and boat business and was instrumental in developing and patenting the famous Loco Lure for avid anglers. Later, Charles and N. G., formed Bright Coop Company that revolutionized the manufacturing of poultry transportation equipment. University of Colorado’s Dr. Temple Grandin, leading animal welfare advocate and U.S. Government-appointed auditor, approved the unique “Bright” cage unloading system as the predominant chicken coop system used in the United States.
Charles’s passion was the preservation of historic downtown Nacogdoches. In addition to the restoration the Ingraham Building, he was responsible for the acquisition and placement of antique street lights, planter boxes, statues, and historical markers. Mayor Richard Johnson presented to Charles the Key to the City of Nacogdoches for outstanding service, and the Charles Bright Visitors Center was named in his honor. For many years, Charles also enjoyed working with the Cub Scouts, serving as President of the Fern Lake Fishing Club, and an immersion into his beloved First Christian Church and his community. He held memberships in several state poultry associations and the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association and was presented with numerous awards and honors during his lifetime, including the Deep East Development Association’s Silver Bucket Award for Regional Service and the Nacogdoches Chapter of DAR’s “Medal of Honor” for his contributions of service to his country, community, church and fellow man. Charles was inducted into the Nacogdoches Heritage Festival’s Hall of Fame, awarded the “Chief’s Award as Citizen of the Year” by the Nacogdoches Police Department, and was presented the “Nacogdoches Life Hero Award” for his contributions to the historical improvements in the downtown district and his other services to the community by the Daily Sentinel newspaper and The United Way.
Charles's status as a BIN (Born In Nacogdoches) and his lifelong residency in the city that he loved provided him with a vast knowledge of the community and his fellow citizens that few others possessed. Charles could recite the history of every building, name the businesses that once occupied it, and the business owners’ names and those of their family members. Always interested in the people who made Nacogdoches such a special place to live, Charles would regale listeners with stories rich with local history and lore known to few others. Charles Bright bestowed a great gift to Nacogdoches by working so diligently to preserve her history by the buildings he saved, the statues he erected, and the stories he gathered to share with all.
Charles’s passion was the preservation of historic downtown Nacogdoches. In addition to the restoration the Ingraham Building, he was responsible for the acquisition and placement of antique street lights, planter boxes, statues, and historical markers. Mayor Richard Johnson presented to Charles the Key to the City of Nacogdoches for outstanding service, and the Charles Bright Visitors Center was named in his honor. For many years, Charles also enjoyed working with the Cub Scouts, serving as President of the Fern Lake Fishing Club, and an immersion into his beloved First Christian Church and his community. He held memberships in several state poultry associations and the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association and was presented with numerous awards and honors during his lifetime, including the Deep East Development Association’s Silver Bucket Award for Regional Service and the Nacogdoches Chapter of DAR’s “Medal of Honor” for his contributions of service to his country, community, church and fellow man. Charles was inducted into the Nacogdoches Heritage Festival’s Hall of Fame, awarded the “Chief’s Award as Citizen of the Year” by the Nacogdoches Police Department, and was presented the “Nacogdoches Life Hero Award” for his contributions to the historical improvements in the downtown district and his other services to the community by the Daily Sentinel newspaper and The United Way.
Charles's status as a BIN (Born In Nacogdoches) and his lifelong residency in the city that he loved provided him with a vast knowledge of the community and his fellow citizens that few others possessed. Charles could recite the history of every building, name the businesses that once occupied it, and the business owners’ names and those of their family members. Always interested in the people who made Nacogdoches such a special place to live, Charles would regale listeners with stories rich with local history and lore known to few others. Charles Bright bestowed a great gift to Nacogdoches by working so diligently to preserve her history by the buildings he saved, the statues he erected, and the stories he gathered to share with all.