Railroad & Heritage Museum exhibit explores Space Shuttle years
DAVID STONE | DOWNTOWN ADVENTURE
An exhibit at the Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum will take visitors to the great beyond.
The exhibit — First Fleet: NASA's Shuttle Program — features the powerful and rarely seen photographs by John A. Chakeres, who spent five years documenting the early years of NASA’s space shuttle program.
The exhibit runs through Sept. 13.
From 1981 to 1986, Chakeres was granted special access to Kennedy Space Center, capturing the awe-inspiring and quiet moments behind the missions of Columbia, Challenger, Discovery and Atlantis.
His images offer a symbolic and majestic look at a time when human spaceflight was full of promise and possibility. The project was cut short by the Challenger tragedy, and many of these images remained unseen for decades.
Now, they serve as a time capsule of one of NASA’s most ambitious eras — a visual tribute to innovation, exploration and the human spirit.
The First Fleet project began more than 30 years ago with the launch of the first Space Shuttle Columbia in 1981. Chakeres saw an opportunity for a long-term photographic project to document the Space Shuttle and contacted NASA with his proposal. NASA granted Chakeres permission to photograph the shuttle operations, and he began his project.
"You could say this project began over 50 years ago in 1961 when I was nine years old and watched the first American go into space,” Chakeres said. “As a young boy I became fascinated with men going into space and it also inspired my interest in photography. I would set my father’s Rolleiflex camera in front of the television set and photograph the launches.”
“In the early days of manned spaceflight every mission did something that had never been done before,” he continued. “Every spaceflight seemed to be the first at something, the first American in space, the first American to orbit the earth, the first American to walk in space, the first man on the moon. And with the Space Shuttle, the firsts continued.”
“The Space Shuttle was the first reusable manned spacecraft, the first to launch and retrieve satellites while in space, the first to launch an American woman into space. And, between 1981 and 1986 NASA had four operational Space Shuttles, Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, and Atlantis. Those four vehicles comprised the first fleet of manned spacecraft.”
Here’s a look at upcoming events at the Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum:
Rails to Rockets: Saturday, July 5, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Blast off from steam engines to space shuttles along with trains and rocket-themed crafts that celebrate travel through time.
Be Wild — Saturday, Aug. 2, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Get creative with Texas and nature-inspired crafts that roar, flutter, and grow — perfect for your wild side.
Muggle Mayhem (ticketed event, call museum for details) — Saturday, Sept. 6, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wands, potions and magical mayhem await!
Dig It — Saturday, Oct. 4, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Unearth hands-on fun with dino digs, archaeology crafts, and fossil-inspired art that’s a real blast from the past.
Autumn Adventures — Saturday, Nov. 1, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Celebrate the season with cozy, colorful crafts inspired by leaves, pumpkins, and all things fall.
Santa at the Depot (registration required, call museum for details) — Saturday, Dec. 6, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Kick off the holiday season with festive crafts and a magical visit from Santa himself at the historic Santa Fe Depot!
STEM Station (registration required, call museum for details) — Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon, June 11-Aug. 6. Hands-on fun with science, tech, engineering, and math! Explore, build, and experiment with kid-friendly activities that spark curiosity.
Skyward Bound — Friday, June 20, 6-to 7:30 p.m. An evening of discovery as guests explore the legacy of NASA’s early Shuttle missions during the First Fleet era. This program will feature a guest speaker and a chance to sample space-themed treats like astronaut ice cream and cosmic punch.
The Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum is located at 315 W Ave. B inside the Santa Fe Depot. For more information,, call (254) 298-5172.
Downtown Events
Add your Downtown event to this listing by emailing downtowntempleadventure@gmail.com.
July 3
- Music Bingo, Neighbors on 7th, 7:30 p.m.
July 5
- All Request Piano Show with Ray Palousek, O’Briens Irish Pub, 8 p.m.
July 7
- Mom & Me Yoga, First Street Roasters, 10:30 a.m.
July 10
- Music Bingo, Neighbors on 7th, 7:30 p.m.
July 12
- Ruthie Foster & Jazz Band, Cultural Activities Center, 7:30 p.m.
July 14
- Mom & Me Yoga, First Street Roasters, 10:30 a.m.
July 17
- Music Bingo, Neighbors on 7th, 7:30 p.m.
July 18
- Megan Drew live at O’Brien’s Irish Pub, 8 p.m.
July 21
- Mom & Me Yoga, First Street Roasters, 10:30 a.m.
July 24
- Music Bingo, Neighbors on 7th, 7:30 p.m.
July 26
- The Gruz: A Dave Matthews Tribute Band, Bird Creek Brewing, 8 p.m.
July 28
- Mom & Me Yoga, First Street Roasters, 10:30 a.m.
July 30
- Open Mic Night with Smokinmaxx, Neighbors on 7th, 6 p.m.
July 31
- Music Bingo, Neighbors on 7th, 7:30 p.m.
Make a Splash in your job search at the Summer Surge Hiring Event
DAVID STONE | DOWNTOWN ADVENTURE
Downtown Temple-based Workforce Solutions of Central Texas will host the Summer Surge Hiring Event on Tuesday, July 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Cadence Bank Center in Belton.
The annual hiring event brings together employers from across Bell County and job seekers eager to explore new career opportunities.
The event is being held in collaboration with the Texas Veterans Commission.
According to Linda Angel, president and CEO of Workforce Solutions of Central Texas, attendees will have the chance to connect with dozens of employers from a broad range of industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, information technology, finance, hospitality, customer service, and more.
The event provides direct access to hiring managers, making it an invaluable opportunity for anyone looking to enter the workforce, advance their career, or transition into a new field.
“Summer Surge is more than just a hiring event — it’s a powerful step toward building stronger families and communities through employment,” Angel said..
“Our goal is to empower job seekers by connecting them with employers who are actively investing in the local workforce,” she added. “We’re proud to be part of their journey toward meaningful, long-term success.”
Job seekers are encouraged to bring multiple copies of their résumé, dress professionally, and be prepared to network and possibly interview on-site.
The event is free and open to the public.