Carson County Square House Museum facts for kids
Square House Museum
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| Established | 1967 |
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| Location | Elsie St. (SH 207) and Fifth St. Panhandle, Texas |
The Carson County Square House Museum is a cool place to visit in Panhandle, Texas. It's located where Texas State Highway 207 and Fifth Street meet. This museum is inside the oldest house in the city, and it's even recognized as a special historic landmark!
About the Museum
The main building of the museum is a white house built in the late 1880s. It was first built for someone who worked for the Southern Kansas Railway. The wood for the house actually came all the way from Kansas! It's known as the oldest home in Panhandle.
Over the years, different people owned the house. In 1920, it became the home of Oscar L. Thorp, who later became a sheriff. It stayed a private home until 1965. Then, it was carefully moved to its current spot and fixed up to become a museum.
The museum first opened its doors in 1967, starting with just the square house. But it grew over time! Now, it has many buildings and outdoor areas to explore. In 1966, the house was named a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, which means it's a very important historical place in Texas. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places listings in Carson County, Texas in 1973.
What You Can See
The museum has more than 10,000 items, both inside and outside! You can see sculptures and art made by local Native American tribes. There are also other cool things like a train caboose, a big windmill, a barn, and even a pioneer dugout shelter. All these exhibits teach you about the history of the area and what's happening now.
Since 1999, the Square House Museum has a special program called "Line Camp." It's a two-week program full of fun learning and art activities for kids aged 7 to 12.
The museum gets its money from Carson County and from people who donate. It's also part of the Texas Association of Museums, which connects museums across Texas.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Carson County, Texas
- Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Carson County
- List of museums in the Texas Panhandle
Images for kids
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Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, now Burlington Northern Santa Fe
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Pioneer dugout
