|
Connie Neblett Hagar: Her Life and
Contributions... Continued
All photos used with express permission from the
Friends of Connie Hagar
Inc.
Click Here:
Connie Hagar Photo Gallery
Reproduction of this photo is strictly
prohibited and protected by copyright.
|
Connie Hagar Wildlife
Sanctuary on Little Bay
Reproduction of this photo is strictly
prohibited
and protected by copyright law.
Roger Tory Peterson: Acclaimed
Ornithologist
Photo used with express permission from the
RTP Institute/Friends of Connie Hagar.
Reproduction of this photo is strictly
prohibited and protected by copyright.
Alfred Eisenstaedt Photo:
Cover of Life Magazine, 1954.
Used with strict permission by
the "Friends of Connie Hagar" Group.
Reproduction of the photo is strictly prohibited.
|
It wasn't until 1943 that the Texas Legislature designated, Little
Bay (located in the heart of Rockport) as the Connie Hagar Wildlife
Sanctuary. However, when the Navigation District put the small
Frandolig Island up for sale in 1961, developers were quick to jump
on the opportunity; to build a resort neighborhood called "Key
Allegro." Conservations along with widely known and respected
nature organizations worried that the nesting grounds might be
endangered and fought the sale of the property. When the sale
did go through, of course Connie took it personally. The
birding island that she had watched, learned from, and helped
nurture, was being reduced to concrete and pavement.
She continued on in her endeavors and became
involved with two sixth graders who were doing nature studies for a
Girl Scout project. One of the girls - Annie Ruth Jackson
would later become Connie's protégé. Connie became a strong
supporter of the Girl Scouts of American and helped their
organization in everyway possible. She became involved with
civic organizations like the Rockport Women's Club as well as the
Texas Ornithological Society, and the American Ornithologists'
Union.
Bird watching was still primarily a male undertaking and Connie met some
opposition from those who proclaimed there disbelief of her sightings in
Aransas County. One by one, she spoke with them in a fascinating and
knowledgeable way. They were quickly convinced that her bird sightings
and research were on the up-and-up. And Connie became an internationally
recognized birder and naturalist, almost overnight.
Finally, in 1948 she was visited by Roger Tory Peterson - who was
acclaimed as America's pre-eminent artist-naturalist-ornithologist in the
northern hemisphere and arguably the inventor of the field guide.
She was very excited to meet him and when he took booth of his long
slender hands and wrapped them her hands, Connie said that it was "one of
the greatest thrills of my life." She would meet and bird with Roger
many more times before her death.
In 1954, Life Magazine photographer Alfred
Eisenstaedt was sent to Rockport to produce a photo essay on her
conservation work and her numerous contributions to the sport of birding.
So, there was Connie on the cover of Life Magazine! He became a good
friend to her and would comment regularly about her starched and neatly
pressed clothing she wore when birding. No, she didn't look like your
average birdwatcher.
One Saturday afternoon on August 18, 1962 Jack
had a stroke that paralyzed his right site. he was unconscious up until
the end. By Monday morning, 2am, Jack left this world and his beloved
Conger.
Connie Hagar and her never-ending love of the
birds passed away November 24, 1973 at the age of 87 in Corpus Christi.
She was buried at Rockport Cemetery next to Jack, overlooking the wildlife
sanctuary she helped to create.
Her legendary love of birding will live
on in our
hearts for a long time to come.
Connie's life
was more than just birds; it was a
profound
dedication to nature, ecology,
conservation,
Texas and its people. |
In
the years to come, the Rockport Cottages that she and Jack purchased were
soon a thing of the past; the cottages were sold or moved after their
death. With the help of a special group called the "Friends of Connie
Hagar Inc." (FCH) and in conjunction with Texas Parks and Wildlife, the cottage
site was designated as the 1st stop along
The Great Texas Coast
Birding Trail
in 1995.
Roger Tory Peterson came to Rockport to
dedicate the site in honor of his favorite birding companion, Connie
Hagar.
The GTCBT is the longest
trail of its kind in the world! Many, many supporters donated hundreds of
dollars and grants: the Sid W. Richardson Foundation; the National Fish
and Wildlife Foundation; a loan from the National Audubon Society. The
owners of the property donated two of the acres for the FCH to use at
their discretion.
A birding lookout deck was erected, trees were planted,
and as of today, local FCH members
take pride in keeping the habitat sanctuary as healthy as possible.
In closing, the Aransas County Public Library (located behind the Aransas
County Tax Office on Mimosa @ Live Oak) exhibits a permanent display case
with some of Connie's personal belongings. Feel free to stop by and
take a look at the first field guide and notebook she used, photos, and
other personal items of interest.
Connie Hagar Memorabilia remains on
Exhibit at the Aransas County Public Library. |
Texas A&M University
in College Station and the Corpus Christi campus both have archives &
displayed artifacts of Connie Hagar. Please contact the University Press
Room for more info. |
The first stop on the Great Texas
Coastal Birding Trail:
Connie Hagar Cottage Site
|
Visit the Connie Hagar Photo Gallery
|
Visit Connie Hagar's Photo
Gallery
Resource:
The Endangered Species Act
ironically
took effect on the same day as
Connie's death in1973.
References:
CONNIE HAGAR - The Life
History of a Texas Birdwatcher, by Karen Harden McCracken,
published 1986 by Texas A&M University Press (College Station), John H.
Lindsey Building 4354 TAMU College Station, Texas 77843-4354. ISBN
89096-248-0
ARANSAS - A Naturalist's
Guide, by Wayne H. and Martha K. McAlister, published 1995 by
University of Texas Press, P.O. Box 7819, Austin, TX 78713-7819, ISBN
09292-75171-0
ARANSAS - The Life of a
Texas Coastal County, by William Allen and Sue Hastings Taylor,
published 1997 by Eakin Press, P.O. Drawer 90159, Austin, TX 78709, ISBN
1-57168-205-8
|
For more information on how you can
help the
"Friends of Connie Hagar", please
contact:
Kay Jenkins, President
kay-jenkins@sbcglobal.net
The Friends of Connie Hagar, a non-profit
organization, has a twofold
mission: The first is to preserve the history of the late Connie
Hagar and her contributions to ornithology, and the second is to
further public awareness, appreciation, and conservation of the birds
of the Texas Coastal Bend and their habitat.
All projects of the
FCH are made possible only by contributions.
Your help is needed and
appreciated.
Please send your contributions to:
Friends of Connie Hagar
P.O. Box 2465
Rockport, TX 78381
(Contributions are tax
deductible.) |
|