Stephenville Historic House Museum

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“The stephenville historical house museum collects, preserves, and exhibits artifacts, archival materials, and photographs that illustrate the early history and continuing development of the cross timbers area. The museum provides a unique environment for the education of the community at large, a special place for engaging visitors in an ongoing dialogue about the past. The museum limits its acquisitions to items that it can adequately preserve and exhibit and such items deemed worthy by the museum.”

“Approximately 7,500 visitors came to the museum grounds for tours, weddings,receptions, and numerous private and commercial shoots. Visitors were from the local area, cities from around the lone star state as well as more than 1 dozen states and several foreign countries. A number of local school groups spent the day going on tours that brings their local history to life. Several local non-profit agencies have also added the museum tours to their summer camp programs. We had numerous groups of thirty or more home schooled kids and their families learn of our special ways of bringing history to life and making it fun. Community groups such as the stephenville study club, twentieth century club, daughters of the republic of texas and the sons and daughters of the americal revolution, just to name a few, still make the museum their place to hold their meetings, luncheons, and award ceremonies. The museum conducts several educational and historical projects with the boy and girl scouts. The "native heirloom and plant fair- and the "by gone days on the bosque", annual events hosted by the museium, brought in over half of the total number of visitors to the museum grounds. Over 50 vendors conducted demonstrations and sold their wares during the by gone days celebration. Two big trams were provided to shuttle visitors from remote parking areas to the museum grounds for a fun day of shopping, watching demonstrations, and participating in "old time" activities, as well as touring the historic downtown district. Camp pioneer had 45 campers this year and the last day finale ended with all the campers, volunteers, and families of the campers totaling an additonal 170 visitors. An annual valentine day musical is held in the chapel each year and it keeps growing in size. Our annual motorcycle ride brought another 65 plus bikers and riders to the grounds. Local church groups booked tours and also held picnics on the grounds. At easter, there were four egg hunts scheduled for the little ones by church groups and daycare facilities, plus a few family gatherings who decided on having an egg hunt for their family time. There were at least 40 children in each group along with their parents and grandparents coming to help hide the eggs or help the children find their eggs. Besides weddings, receptions, and reunions, our grounds have become a must see place by several local nursing homes for their outings by the activity directors. During this time they are entertained out under the shade trees. Another annual event is the soup to go supper that brought more than 500 people in and out of our gates. One of the keys to a successfu year has been the 3,855 hours of volunteer time donated by our 19 board members, plus numerous hours by members of the community. Volunteers are so welcomed at the museum.”

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