Stephenville Historical House Museum, Stephenville, Texas. (original) (raw)

Many small communities in Texas have their own local museum and the town of Stephenville is no exception. The Stephenville Historical House Museum has on display a sizable collection of old relics they've gathered up from the community. Milk cans, dental tools, dishes, and the list goes on and on. All the commodity items it took to run a ranch or a dental office or a homestead many years ago, in Texas, are on display. As the name suggests, The Stephenville Historical House Museum also has a collection of houses on display. This is what makes the Historical House Museum very different.

Stephenville Historical House Museum Church

Stephenville Historical House Museum Church interior

Stephenville Historical House Museum Church Interior
Photo courtesy Sam Fenstermacher, 2003

The museum's collection of structures includes several log cabin style frontier homes, a church, an old schoolhouse, and a carriage house. These buildings are all on display in the grassy field behind the Berry Cottage. The Berry Cottage is the oldest house in Stephenville, and it's quite unique with its steeply pitched roof and narrow shuttered windows.

The old buildings give the rest of the collection of relics a context. For instance, as you look at the log cabins and their sparse accommodations, the harshness of frontier life in Texas become apparent. The carriage house and blacksmith shop display the horse-drawn carriage in an environment fairly authentic to its time and place in transportation history.

Log cabin, Stephenville, Texas

Stephenville Historical House Museum Log Cabin
Photo courtesy Sam Fenstermacher, 2003

Log cabin interior, Stephenville, Texas

Stephenville Historical House Museum Log Cabin Fireplace
Photo courtesy Sam Fenstermacher, 2003

Old stone house, Stephenville Historical House Museum

The Stephenville Historical House Museum has lots of outdoor space to roam. Take the kids and the camera. This place offers many unique photographic opportunities. Although the museum staff has limited hours during which they are available to show you around, the front gate seems to be open most of the time. The museum is located a couple blocks from the county courthouse on East Washington Street, and it's definitely a worth while side trip if your in Stephenville to see the courthouse and town square.

Stephenville Historical House Museum Kitchen