 Exterior of the Hopkins County Museum | |
  Location within Texas | |
| Location | Sulphur Springs, Texas |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 33°08′33″N 95°35′43″W / 33.14237°N 95.595324°W |
| Type | Local history museum |
| Website | www.hopkinscountymuseum.org |
The Hopkins County Museum and Heritage Park is a local history museum documenting Hopkins County, Texas, located in Sulphur Springs, the county seat.[1][2][3] It is operated by the Hopkins County Historical Society.[4][5]
The Hopkins County Museum is located in the George H. Wilson house, which was built in 1910.[6] The house itself is noted for its unique architectural features, including carved columns, a roof made of pressed tin, double-bricked walls, and a Regency-style domed ceiling.[7][8] All of the building's ceilings are original except one that is from a former local opera house.[5] Its collections include Caddo artifacts, Civil War memorabilia, a doll collection, folk art, Paleolithic fossils, and period women's clothing.[6][8][9] The museum also displays a crystal chandelier from Maximilian I's palace in Mexico City. Items that it exhibits have been donated by families living in Hopkins County.[5]
The Heritage Park consists of 11 acres (4.5 ha) of historic houses and other buildings that have been moved to the site.[1][3][6] In 2013, there were a total of 11 historic buildings in the Heritage Park,[7] most of which date to the 19th century and have been restored.[10] They include a working blacksmith shop, a chapel, a country store, farmhouses, a gristmill, log houses, and a print shop.[9] The Atkins House, the oldest brick building in the county, is also included.[1] According to the Hopkins County Museum and Heritage Park, the Heritage Park endeavors to replicate "small town Texas around the turn of the century".[8] Sandra Ramani describes it, together with the Museum, as a "capsule of county history".[7]
The Hopkins County Museum and Heritage Park have also held numerous special events, including a Folk Festival in May and Indian Summer in October.[9] Indian Summer days includes a Dutch oven cooking contest as well as archaeological digs, candle dipping, Native American dance and storytelling, and exhibitions of blacksmithing, butter churning, and gristmilling.[11] The Museum and Heritage Park also host a 19th-century-style Christmas celebration,[9] as well as arts and crafts festivals and bluegrass concerts.[7]
According to the Texas Historical Commission, the Museum and Heritage Park are considered historic sites along the former Bankhead Highway.[12]
Gallery
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Interior of the Museum -
Dress room in the Museum -
Heritage Park -
Atkins House
References
- ^ a b c "Hopkins County Museum and Heritage Park". TravelTexas. Office of the Governor, Economic Development and Tourism. Archived from the original on April 27, 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
- ^ "Museums and Collections". City of Sulphur Springs. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
- ^ a b Jennings, J. E. (June 15, 2010). "Sulphur Springs, TX (Hopkins County)". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
- ^ "Hopkins County History a Life Long Work for Bill and June Tuck". KSST. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
- ^ a b c "The Hopkins County Museum". Hopkins County Museum and Heritage Park. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
- ^ a b c "Attractions". Sulphur Springs Department of Tourism. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
- ^ a b c d Ramani, Sandra (2013). Day Trips from Dallas & Fort Worth: Getaway Ideas for the Local Traveler. Guilford, Connecticut: Globe Pequot Press. p. 39. ISBN 9780762795727.
- ^ a b c "The Hopkins County Museum and Heritage Park". Hopkins County Museum and Heritage Park. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
- ^ a b c d "Hopkins County Museum and Heritage Park". County Line Magazine. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
- ^ Buckner, Sharry (2010). Fun with the Family Texas: Hundreds of Ideas for Day Trips with the Kids. Guilford, Connecticut: Globe Pequot Press. p. 220. ISBN 9780762763207.
- ^ ""Updated" Indian Summer Days At Heritage Park; Dutch Oven Cooking Contest Winners". KSST. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
- ^ "Bankhead Highway". Texas Time Travel. Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
External links
Media related to Hopkins County Museum and Heritage Park at Wikimedia Commons- Official website
This page was last edited on 4 October 2023, at 20:09