Melody Muth-Smith Collection

Named Collections > M > Muth-Smith, Melody
Billy Muth Maarker
 
Summary: Donor gave materials on the Worth Hotel, the Fort Worth Baseball Club and the workings of a printing press as described below. Donor is the daughter of Billy and Lucile Muth. An official Texas Historical Grave Marker was dedicated at donor's father's grave in Greenwood Cemetery, Fort Worth, in 2002. The marker reads: William McKinley "Billy" Muth (1902-1949) made significant contributions to Texas' cultural history. Born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Muth was a church organist at the age of nine. Nationally known as "the master of the keyboard," Muth was organist at Casa Manana during the 1936 Texas Centennial, the Worth Theatre, multi-instrument Fort Worth symphony musician and church organist. A Paramount/Publix Theatres' pipe organist, Muth opened theatres across the United States. Settling in Texas in 1926, Muth performed concerts, benefits and taught statewide organ and music seminars.

Hotels
 
  • Worth Hotel, Room 1502 rate card, listing hotel liability for valuables and baggage, Penal Code for hotel guest who refuses to pay
  • Newspaper advertisement for Auction, Worth Hotel and Theater
  • Letter to the Editor, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Sunday November 12, 1972, from Mrs. Donald R. Schenck on implosion of hotel and theater, October 29, 1972
  • Letter, from donor, Melody Muth-Smith, describing a day before the auction
 
Sports
 
  • Season Pass Card No. A502, 1951, Fort Worth Baseball Club, Inc. La Grave Field, assigned to "Mrs. Billy Muth and one"  
     
Printing Press
 
  • The Pride of the Western Pressroom, the Washington Hand Press, an illustration from an unknown publication. Illustration sent to the archives to show an earlier type of press than the press given to archives from family of B. B. Paddock