Italy, Texas – 06/10/11: Whether you know it as the American Legion Hall, or the Cargill-Gallman Community Center and Museum, or the Italy Community Center, one of the central focal points of downtown Italy has overseen its last parade, hosted its last community event and will be casting its final shadows as demolition of the structure began early this morning.

Located at the corner of Harpold Street and Main Street, workers for A-1 Demolition of Waco began the first phase of gutting the interior of the worn building. After a safety/security fence was erected around the site, second-floor windows located in the back of the building were punched out and used as an exit for debris.

Throughout the day, the sounds of cracking boards being ripped from the ceiling and floors, shards of glass being shuffled under the boots of the workers and discarded memories crashing atop the heap pile below echoed down the side streets and along main on what was an, otherwise, calm day.

An occasional passerby would stop to pay homage and reflect on the historical icon that has effected so many of us at one time or another.

“I feel really sad,” commented Justin Rudd. “The building is a part of my childhood and I hate to see it go.” The community center resides across from Italy City Hall and the two buildings have been majestic bookends for street dances, the Italian festival and Tour de Italia, homecoming parades, Christmas parades and for proclamations by the mayor, among other noteworthy happenings.

The community center, itself, has been the site for city and school board elections, spaghetti cook-offs, birthdays (including Mayor Frank Jackson’s 40th Birthday celebration), PTA meetings, the Italy Opry, animal vaccination days and bingo where Kay “Aunt Kay” Krusen was often a winner, as Jane Byers (currently residing in Lubbock) recalls from her youth. The Community Center is also where Randy and Becky Boyd became husband and wife and then had the reception at their church.

As for myself, I recall sitting on my father’s shoulders as he stood at the corner of the community center. I would reach up to pull down the switch that turned off the Christmas ornament lights decorating the light poles on either side of Main Street. Back then, the last ones to leave town had to turn out the lights.

“I guess everything has to go eventually,” sighed long-time resident Richard Cook as he watched the splintered boards being hurled to the ground. Although, the look in his eyes was proof he wished the community center could have stood the test of time.

The exterior of the building will eventually be taking down with a wrecking ball. The EDC will meet Tuesday, June 21 to discuss possible new looks of the replacement structure that will also be used as the town’s community center.