Award-Winning doc film explores auctions & Americana Tuesday

The monthly First Tuesday SMTX Film Series returns with the award-winning documentary The Grove, Texas on January 9th at The Price Center & Garden. The film focuses on the life of Moody Anderson and the town he owned by the same name, situated 85 miles north of Austin and 16 miles southeast of Gatesville in Coryell County.

The Grove is a microcosm of Texas history — a scene of pioneers and cotton gins, gristmills and gunfights, and even a bank robbery. Anderson purchased the dying town in 1972 and over the next 37 years, this dedicated historian created a living museum using The Grove as a backdrop. Moody filled the original intact buildings dating from the end of the 19th century with a unique collection of Americana and Texacana memorabilia, some of which were used in over 80 feature films — starting with the 1985 classic television mini-series Lonesome Dove, Second Hand Lions, Texas Chain Saw Massacre — and most recently, a Coen Brothers' remake of True Grit.

Awarded Best Documentary at both the Hill Country Film Festival in Fredericksburg and the Rockport Film Festival, the film traces Anderson’s emotional storm of doubt, excitement and sense of closure as Anderson puts his life’s passion in the hands of a young auctioneer with all of these artifacts, and even the town itself, auctioned off to the highest bidder.

Presented in partnership with The Wiffliff Collections at Texas State University, The Grove, Texas makes its San Marcos premiere tonight, having appeared on a number of Texas PBS stations previously. Director Lori Najvar of the nonprofit Polkaworks will attend for a post-film Q&A and will be joined by The Wittliff Collections Lead Archivist Katie Salzmann.

Tickets are $5 with complimentary pizza and beverages served. More info at www.firsttuesdaysmtx. com.