Difference between revisions of "Whitehead Memorial Museum"
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Among the exhibits is the Hal Patton Office (1905), dedicated to Seminole [[United States Army]] scouts stationed in Del Rio. The War Room contains exhibits about the [[Confederate States of America]], [[World War I]], [[World War II]], and Del Rio's Laughlin Air Force Base.<ref name=wm/> | Among the exhibits is the Hal Patton Office (1905), dedicated to Seminole [[United States Army]] scouts stationed in Del Rio. The War Room contains exhibits about the [[Confederate States of America]], [[World War I]], [[World War II]], and Del Rio's Laughlin Air Force Base.<ref name=wm/> | ||
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| − | ''La Zappa'' Chapel is encouraged for [[prayer]] and meditation and is used for special occasions. | + | ''La Zappa'' Chapel is encouraged for [[prayer]] and meditation and is used for special occasions. It also contains the museum gift shop. "Cadena Nativity" is a permanent [[Christmas]] cultural and folk-art exhibit in a separate building.<ref name=wm/> |
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Other popular exhibits include: | Other popular exhibits include: | ||
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* A restored cabin shows furnished living and dining quarters of frontier settlers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.drchamber.com/play/attractions/whitehead.html|title=Whitehead Memorial Museum|publisher=drchamber.com|accessdate=July 7, 2009|archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080605072922/http%3A//www.drchamber.com/play/attractions/whitehead.html |archivedate = June 5, 2008|deadurl=yes}}</ref> | * A restored cabin shows furnished living and dining quarters of frontier settlers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.drchamber.com/play/attractions/whitehead.html|title=Whitehead Memorial Museum|publisher=drchamber.com|accessdate=July 7, 2009|archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080605072922/http%3A//www.drchamber.com/play/attractions/whitehead.html |archivedate = June 5, 2008|deadurl=yes}}</ref> | ||
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| − | A "Border Radio" exhibit relates to Del Rio's history of broadcasting and includethe [[Mexico|Mexican]] stations XERA and XERF broadcast from Ciudad Acuña. With 500,000-watt signals, the stations could be heard at night as far away as [[Canada]]. Robert Weston Smith, known as Wolfman Jack (1938-1995), legendary deejay, broadcast from XERF in the 1960s with a Del Rio address to sell goods.<ref>Wolfman Jack, ''Have Mercy'' | + | A "Border Radio" exhibit relates to Del Rio's history of broadcasting and includethe [[Mexico|Mexican]] stations XERA and XERF broadcast from Ciudad Acuña. With 500,000-watt signals, the stations could be heard at night as far away as [[Canada]]. Robert Weston Smith, known as Wolfman Jack (1938-1995), legendary deejay, broadcast from XERF in the 1960s with a Del Rio address to sell goods.<ref>Wolfman Jack, ''Have Mercy,'' Warner Books, 1995.</ref> |
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The museum has a Southern Pacific Railroad caboose through which visitors may stroll.<ref name=wm/> Another exhibit includes the figure of the notable [[Great Britain|English]] [[actress]] Lillie Langtry (1853-1929) standing on the deck of a train. While visiting the United States, she came to Langtry, Texas, after Judge Bean’s death.<ref name=wm/> | The museum has a Southern Pacific Railroad caboose through which visitors may stroll.<ref name=wm/> Another exhibit includes the figure of the notable [[Great Britain|English]] [[actress]] Lillie Langtry (1853-1929) standing on the deck of a train. While visiting the United States, she came to Langtry, Texas, after Judge Bean’s death.<ref name=wm/> | ||
Revision as of 01:34, April 10, 2020
The Whitehead Memorial Museum is a western museum complex in downtown Del Rio, Texas. Located on two and a half landscaped acres, the museum consists of nine buildings. Its thirteen exhibits with period artifacts, many from the 19th century, express the history of Val Verde County.
Overview
In 1962 the Whiteheads, a Del Rio ranching family, purchased the former Perry Mercantile building and donated it to the city and county for a museum. The San Felipe irrigation canal flows through the back of the property occupied by the museum.[1]
Located at 1308 South Main Street, the museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Sundays from 1-5 p.m.[2]
Judge Roy Bean
Encompassed within the museum grounds are a replica of "The Jersey Lilly" saloon, as well as the graves of the frontier Justice of the Peace Phantly Roy Bean, Jr. (c. 1825-1903) and his son Sam Bean (1874-1907).[3] The original Bean saloon is at the Texas Tourist Bureau site in rural Langtry west of Del Rio, but numerous replicas are found throughout the United States.[4] Bean is the subject of the Judge Roy Bean, a syndicated television series with Edgar Buchanan that aired from 1955 to 1956.[5] Pictures of the grave markers of Roy and Sam Bean can be accessed through FindAGrave.com.[6]
Exhibits
Among the exhibits is the Hal Patton Office (1905), dedicated to Seminole United States Army scouts stationed in Del Rio. The War Room contains exhibits about the Confederate States of America, World War I, World War II, and Del Rio's Laughlin Air Force Base.[1] La Zappa Chapel is encouraged for prayer and meditation and is used for special occasions. It also contains the museum gift shop. "Cadena Nativity" is a permanent Christmas cultural and folk-art exhibit in a separate building.[1] Other popular exhibits include:
- The office of Dr. Simon Rodriguez, who in 1925 became the first Hispanic physician in Del Rio. Among other achievements, he delivered some 3,000 babies during his medical career.
- The Perry House (1870) contained the largest mercantile store between San Antonio and El Paso, on the first floor. Family living quarters were above.
- The building called "The Barn" has a comprehensive exhibit of American Indians.[1]
- A restored cabin shows furnished living and dining quarters of frontier settlers.[7]
A "Border Radio" exhibit relates to Del Rio's history of broadcasting and includethe Mexican stations XERA and XERF broadcast from Ciudad Acuña. With 500,000-watt signals, the stations could be heard at night as far away as Canada. Robert Weston Smith, known as Wolfman Jack (1938-1995), legendary deejay, broadcast from XERF in the 1960s with a Del Rio address to sell goods.[8] The museum has a Southern Pacific Railroad caboose through which visitors may stroll.[1] Another exhibit includes the figure of the notable English actress Lillie Langtry (1853-1929) standing on the deck of a train. While visiting the United States, she came to Langtry, Texas, after Judge Bean’s death.[1] ==References==
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Whitehead Memorial Museum: A Small frontier town in the middle of Del Rio, Texas. whiteheadmuseum.org. Retrieved on July 15, 2009.
- ↑ Texas Department of Transportation, “2008 State Travel Guide, pp. 16-17.
- ↑ Whitehead Memorial Museum: A small frontier town in the middle of Del Rio, Texas. Whiteheadmuseum.org. Retrieved on July 7, 2009.
- ↑ Texas Department of Transportation, 2008 State Travel Guide, p.p. 22-23
- ↑ Judge Roy Bean (TV series). Internet Movie Data Base. Retrieved on April 9, 2020.
- ↑ Judge Roy Bean. Findagrave.com. Retrieved on April 9, 2020.
- ↑ Whitehead Memorial Museum. drchamber.com. Archived from the original on June 5, 2008. Retrieved on July 7, 2009.
- ↑ Wolfman Jack, Have Mercy, Warner Books, 1995.
==External links==
- Whitehead Memorial Museum - official site