Adolphe Gouhenant

AdolpheGouhenant tells the story of artist, revolutionary, and early North Texas resident Francois Ignace (Adolphe)Gouhenant (1804-1871). Born at the dawn of the Romantic era, Gouhenanttraveledfrom a small village near the foothills of the Alps to France's second largest city, where he built a monument to the arts and sciences atopLyon's famousFourvièreHill. His wildly ambitious schemes landed him in court and ultimately devastated him financially. Participating in clandestine revolutionary organizations, Gouhenantorganized a secret meeting under the guise of a Masonic banquet and was later imprisoned for conspiracy against the monarchy. Aligning himself with the early communist movement,Gouhenantadvocated for workers' rights and was selected by well-known Icarian communist EtienneCabetto lead an advance guard on a treacherous journey across the Atlantic to settle autopiancolony in North Texas. Despite broken wagons, severe weather, and lack of food, he navigated overland from New Orleans in 1848 to establish a small settlementin Denton County. The community, beset by hardships, ultimately scapegoated Gouhenant and accused him of being a French agent deliberately sent to lead the group to destruction into the wilds, and for this "treason" they shaved his head and beard and expelled him from the colony (which collapsed shortly thereafter). Gouhenantthen journeyed to FortWorth to teach the federal soldiers French and art, and next toDallas where he founded the town's first arts establishmentin the 1850s. He set up shop as a daguerreotypist and photographedthe town's earlyresidents. HisArts Saloonwas the scene of manyexhibitions and dancesbut ultimately becamethehigh stake ina nasty battle among Dallas's leading citizens,setting legalprecedentfor Texas homestead law. Gouhenant'sdeath in a freak railroad accident left behind mysterious claims that contribute one last chapter to this amazing man's story.