Recipient Biography

Bronze Medal- Frank D. Quinn


 

Frank David Quinn (1894-1971) received the Pugsley Bronze Medal in 1951 fro service to City, State and National Parks generally and for preservation of historic sites in Texas, especially San Jose Mission, Goliad, Gonzales, Indianola and Old Port Isabel Light House. Quinn was an avid baseball player in bis youth and believed he had a chance to play the game professionally. While only 16, he bacame second baseman for an amateur team in neighboring Eupora that travelled all over the state playing games. Quin  had an opportunity to attend the University of Mississippi on a baseball scholarship but his father opposed him spending so much time palying baseball and insisted that he prepare himself for a business career. In 1911, three months were spent learning shorthand and typing at Mcaon and Andrews Business College in Memphis. Tennesse. In 1913, Quinn was employed briefly by the May Brothers Limber Company.

In 1939, at the age of 44, Quinn was appointed executive secretary of the Texas State Parks Board. However he retained business interests in ownership share of Salmar Oil Company and continuing to manage the Salsbury estate in Mississippi and a lumber firm he had establsihed with his brothers in Memphis. After 1934, he moved to Seguin, he developed friendships with power brokers in the San Antonio region. A major challenge during Quinn's tenure was to acquire the land that would subsequently become Big Bend National Park. The existing state park at Big Bend totaled 112,209 acres and had been assembled incrementally from 1933. He was vice president of the National Conference on State Parks from 1946-1950 and became chairman of that organization's board from 1960 to 1962. He made a contribution of which all Texans may be proud.