Click to enlarge COURTESY PHOTO All ready for the Old-Fashioned Fourth of July celebration this Saturday at the C.S. Roberts house are, left to right: Avery and Grace Macha, daughters of Philip and Sara Macha; Shepherd Martin, daughter of josh and Krisha martin; Weston Boothe, son of Ashley and Kyle Boothe; Emma Dell, daughter of Gretchen and Joe Dell; and Landon Cain, son of Shannon and Shannon Cain.

Step back to yesterday during the 11th annual Old-Fashioned All-Town 3th of July celebration at the C.S. Roberts House in Sherman. The family-oriented event will be from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. Saturday and is free and open to the public. The historic home is located at 915 S. Crockett in Sherman and the celebration is sponsored by the Sherman Preservation League.

Attendees are welcome to bring their own picnic or there will be free food available -- hot dogs, chips, pickles, watermelon, cookies and lemonade. Family games such as croquet, Bingo with prizes for children, Scrabble and other activities will be held.

Youngsters are encouraged to decorate their wagons and bicycles for July 4. Entries will be judged at 2 p.m.

Special performances will be given b y the Dallas Puppet Theater, and designer Carolyn Martin will give summer decorating tips. Free tours will be given of the historic home, servants' quarters and garage.

The Preservation League's newest book, The Family of Sukey Lewis in the Plantation South, written by the league's historian, Heather Palmer, will be available. The book contains never-before-published letters from five generations, 1793-1866. Palmer has been named a Distinguished Alum of the Colorado College History Department in honor of her many published history books and articles.

Visitors can also visit the Roberts' house gift store and will receive 10 percent off any purchase.

"The 4th of July was a very important day in 1896 when the C. S. Roberts home was built," says Palmer, "Second only to Christmas, the fourth in a small Texas town was the highlight of the year. By that time, many of the early crops were harvested and it was time of plenty and rest."

For more information, call 903-893-4067 or visit the league's Facebook page. Look up "C S Roberts Historic House Museum" and become a "fan."