WHO IS BOB HEINONEN?

"If you live in Texas, you are a Texan. Once you are a Texan, you can't wash it off"
Bob Heinonen

"When I portray a historic character, I want to look the people in the audience in the eyes. I want them to feel like I am talking to their soul."
Bob Heinonen

Listen to radio interview of Bob Heinonen at AustinKidsGuide.com

Bob Heinonen, like so many Texans, got here as soon as he could. A native Minnesotan, he moved to Dallas in 1970 for a better opportunity in his field of computer software. But it wasn’t until 16 years later that Bob really found Texas. In 1986, during the Texas Sesquicentennial, Bob volunteered for the Dallas Historical Society’s new Lone Star Adventure program; it was a new concept in what was later called autobiographical acting and referred to as edutainment. His assignment was to portray William Barret Travis, Commander of The Alamo, for Sesquicentennial events. He has been portraying Travis ever since.

In 1990, Bob was a founder of Texana Living History Association, a non-profit corporation. He guided and promoted Texana to become “one of the leading forces in the state in the teaching of Texas history.” Over the years, as a volunteer, he served as Vice President, President, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director responsible for day-to-day operations and overall management. Bob managed and worked in all areas from marketing to volunteer coordination and stage performance. He resigned from Texana as the Executive Director in February, 2001.

In 1991, in addition to William Barret Travis, Bob took on the persona of Old Rip Ford. He wrote a 27-article series on The Life and Times of Rip Ford which was published over a period of three years in the Texana Living History Association Newsletter.

Then, in 1993, Stephen F. Austin came to life at a Texas State Historical Association History Awareness Workshop in honor of Austin’s 200^th birthday.

Bob still performs as William Barret Travis, Stephen F. Austin and Old Rip Ford. In addition, he has added Charles Goodnight, George Durham and Isaac Cline to his repertoire. Also, in 2004, he created a one-man Christmas program called A Cowboy's Christmas. Bob continually explores new historic figures and events.

In addition to performing, Bob writes the monthly newsletter FYI on Texas History which is distributed free via e-mail to those that request it.

It is estimated that Bob has performed for over 360,000 students and tens of thousands of adults all over Texas. He has performed for:

· Texas State Historical Association History Awareness Workshops

· Texas State Historical Association Junior Historian Annual Conferences

· Texas State Historical Association Heritage Tour

· George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum

· The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum

· The Star of the Republic Museum annually on Texas Independence Day for 15 years

· Texas Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference

· Texas Association of Museums annual conference

· National Association of Interpreters Regional conference

· Dallas Historical Commission

· Daughters of the Republic of Texas Annual Awards Dinner

· Sons of the Republic of Texas local chapters

· Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington and AstroWorld in Houston

· Texas Instruments Total Quality Forum

· IEEE Autotest 2004 Conference in San Antonio

· Bryan/Perry Family Reunion at Peach Point

· The Stephen F. Austin Birthday Party at the Stephen F. Austin Statue in Angleton

· Too many schools, libraries, historical organizations, family reunions and civic groups to list

Bob has created and organized specialty shows such as:

· Washington Irving meets Sam Houston for the Irving Historical Society (Bob portrayed Washington Irving)

· A six flag color guard for Dallas Cowboy games (Bob developed the protocol for presenting the flags correctly)

· The original Road To Texas Independence event for Texana Living History Association

· The Alamo Memorial Service at The Hall of State

· The Memorial Service for the Immortal 32 at Pioneer Village in Gonzales.

· A Cowboy's Christmas - a Christmas program for retirement communities that immediately became an annual tradition

He has also taught other volunteers and teachers how to do first person interpretation. He has taught classes for:

• The National Association of Interpreters Regional Conference in Nacogdoches
• The Teaching of History Conference and World History Association of Texas at the University of North Texas
• Texas Association of Museums (twice)
• Arkansas Parks and Wildlife Department (twice)

Bob also established and taught the first internal training classes for Texana Living History Association.

In March, 2001, after being laid off “one-too-many times from a real job”, Bob fulfilled a dream by forming Texas Heroes, a professional troupe of historians/actors who portray heroes and heroines in the first-person. Bob is devoted to Texas Heroes on a fulltime basis. .

For an interesting article on Bob, check out the article in the Hill Country Sun.

Life is too short not to live it as a Texan!

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