Civic Involvement in Texas City

Helen, too, became quickly involved in the very young community of Texas City and the quality of life there. While committed to helping Hugh in his business and civic affairs, she also volunteered her time, effort and money to a wide variety of organizations.

In 1906 when Hugh suggested the idea of creating a reading room where sailors could go instead of the saloons, Helen began working to make this idea a reality.

Newspaper article (source not identified) August 16, 1915 (after hurricane)

In April 1914, twenty-eight Texas City women met in the Moore home to form the Texas City Civic Club. As one of their first projects, they opened a reading room in the Southern Hotel and maintained it for about two years. Civic Club projects also included clean-up, beautification, and landscaping of the town, construction of a playground and bathing facilities on the Texas City dike, and stricter control of local dairies and livestock.

During World War I, Hugh Moore was called into service with the U.S. Army to serve as General John J. Pershing's Head of Army Transport Service. The reading room/library project was closed, as the Civic Club became a Red Cross Unit and provided surgical dressings in support of American troops fighting in Europe.

Helen and Hugh remained strong library supporters all their lives. In 1928, the City of Texas City agreed to provide space in a new municipal building and hire a librarian for a public library and reading room, with the Civic Club providing furniture, library materials, and other operating funds. Due to Helen's long-standing interest in establishing a public library in Texas City, she was appointed to the Library Board for life.

In 1948 after the library building was damaged in the 1947 Texas City disaster, the Evans home was purchased to be used as a public library. It was named the Moore Memorial Public Library in recognition of both Hugh and Helen's continued support throughout its history.