The Chisholm Trail Heritage Museum

Our Mission

Preserving Our Heritage

Organized in the early months of 2000 by a group of dedicated community and civic leaders from a multi-county area, the Chisholm Trail Heritage Museum’s mission is to preserve the ranching and western heritage of South Central Texas through interpretative exhibits, research, and educational programs. In 2002, the Museum’s board of directors purchased the historic Knights of Pythias Hall, c. 1903, located on Cuero’s main street. Subsequently, the board obtained a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark designation for the building, previously listed on the National Register in 1988 and a contributing structure to Cuero’s National Register, “Downtown Commercial Historic District.”

Grass Roots and Growth

With momentum gained in cooperation with other museum organizations in the region, the grassroots organization gained profile as a young museum in the making. In 2004, the young organization served a leading role in Cuero’s designation as a Preserve America Community, one of the first 60 communities in the nation to receive this prestigious designation.

Throughout the founding of the Museum, we have let historic authenticity be our guide, involving leading experts including preservation architect David Hoffman, Texas historian Bruce Shackelford, and Smithsonian scholar Lonn Taylor, who each lent their prestige and experience to the project. We drew on their knowledge to create a solid master plan and narrative direction, providing the blueprint for our future museum.

From the start, the Chisholm Trail Heritage Museum has been dedicated to interpreting one of the most enduring stories of American history – the great cattle drive era and our nation’s westward expansion, while preserving an architectural asset of the community. The Board of Directors set out ambitious goals for the future founded in the ideals of heritage preservation and community building:

Restore and preserve the 1903 Knights of Pythias Hall;

Provide an educational enrichment for future generations of the five-county region;

Preserve the region’s rich ranching legacy in storytelling interpretive exhibits;

Provide a multi-purpose community facility for cultural, recreational and educational purposes;

Become a point of destination for cultural tourism.

Our Historic Home

Following the master restoration plan set out by David Hoffman, architect Lewis Fisher began the hands-on architectural design – the rehabilitation of the historic building and design of a two-story annex, new construction that would add accessibility and amenities such as a gift shop and administrative office space. Fisher brought decades of experience in historic presentation to the project, hleping the project to easily meet rigorous preservation guidelines of the Texas Historical Commission and National Park Service, Washington, D.C. As a result of Louis’ careful restoration and skillful incorporation of new construction, visitors experience the character and warmth of a noble historic building, with all the amenities and accessibility provided by the modern addition.

Three community rooms on the second floor are handsomely restored, evoking an era of graciousness with coffered ceilings, original mill work framing windows and doors, and abundant natural light from tall windows. The meeting spaces are supported with full audio visual capabilities and a catering kitchen, making the Community Center a preferred venue for business and social gatherings. Since the official ribbon-cutting in April 2010, the multi-purpose community facilities of the CTHM have served approximately 10,038 guests.

Interpretive Exhibits The centerpiece of the Chisholm Trail Heritage Museum is our exhibit space. Visitors will experience a walk through time and legend – the story of cattle ranching in the Guadalupe Valley, its roots in cattle ranching before and after the Great Cattle drives of the late 1800s, and the enduring folklore of the Texas cowboy. Rich local history is brought to life, including the infamous Sutton Taylor War, which pitted cattle rustling outlaws against frontier justice – introducing lawmen such as the legendary Texas Rangers. Highly selective curation of objects for the closest authenticity makes the experience that much more vivid. And, there is something for everyone – interactive features engage younger visitors with delight and humor, oral history videos showcase classic Western craftsmanship, and your visit concludes with an original short film, Pointing them North, in the John and Mary Doe Trail Drive Theatre.

Horsemen of the Americas – Tinker Collection From the Harry Ransom Center (HRC) at The University of Texas at Austin, a world-class collection of rare cowboy artifacts from North and South America. The Tinker Collection showcases the pride of craft shared by horsemen north and south of our borders in the golden age of working cattle on horseback. The exquisite workmanship of horse-related and ceremonial artifacts demonstrates a high level of artisanship. We are very proud to partner with the HRC to bring this very special collection to the public.