Texas Memorial Museum, Austin Texas. (original) (raw)

2400 Trinity Street
Austin, TX 78705
on The University of Texas campus
by Sarah Reveley

Austin � Texas Memorial Museum

Ever seen a Centennial Half-dollar, sculpted by Pompeo Coppini? Today they are worth anywhere from 200to200 to 200to400! They were originally sold by the American Legion to raise funds for part of the construction of the Texas Memorial Museum.

A state museum at first, it was transferred to The University of Texas, and remains committed to being a museum for all of Texas. Built in the popular Art Deco style, the Texas limestone structure is 75 feet high, 116 feet long, and 80 feet wide. Inside the 35 foot tall Great Hall are the seals of the six nations that have ruled Texas.

In 1948 the "Mustangs" statue was placed in front of the museum. Sculpted by Alexander Proctor, he did part of the work at King Ranch, where he used wild mustangs as models.

The Museum is located at 2400 Trinity Street in Austin, on The University of Texas campus. http://www.utexas.edu/tmm/exhibits/

Interior
Photo courtesy Carol Noriega, 2008

The ten ton statue was finished in 1941 but couldn't be cast until after WWII due to metal shortages. The inscription (written by J. Frank Dobie) reads: "Mustangs. They carried the men who made Texas." - Photo courtesy Alex Chen, 2008

Texas Memorial Museum Cornerstone
Photo courtesy Todd J. Tubutis, 2008

Museum doors
From "Monuments Commemorating the Centenary of Texas Independence", State of Texas, 1938

Texas Memorial Museum
From "Monuments Commemorating the Centenary of Texas Independence", State of Texas, 1938

Texas Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories, landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact us.