Clement Railroad Hotel Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Halbrook Hotel
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Clement Railroad Hotel Museum
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 Location in Tennessee
Location in the United States
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| Location | 100 Clement Pl., Dickson, Tennessee |
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| Built | 1913 |
| Architect | Ridings, R. F. |
| Architectural style | Early Commercial |
| NRHP reference No. | 90000915 |
| Added to NRHP | June 14, 1990 |
The Clement Railroad Hotel Museum is a special place in Dickson, Tennessee. It's located in the historic Hotel Halbrook, which was once a hotel for people traveling by train. This museum is one of the few old railroad hotels still standing in a small Tennessee town.
Since it opened on June 2, 2009, many thousands of people have visited. People in Dickson often call the museum "our biggest artifact." The hotel itself was built in 1913. Today, the museum teaches visitors about the Civil War, railroads, and the history of the local area.
The museum also has many items that belonged to Tennessee Governor Frank G. Clement and his family. You can even see the rooms where the Clement family lived when they managed the Hotel Halbrook. You'll also learn about Governor Clement's early life, his political campaigns, and his achievements.
The State of Tennessee owns the Hotel Halbrook. It's one of the Tennessee Historical Commission's State Historic Sites. The hotel is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum gets some money each year from the Tennessee Historical Commission to help it operate. You can find the museum at 100 Clement Place in Dickson.
Contents
What You Can Explore at the Museum
The Clement Railroad Hotel Museum has many exciting exhibits. They show you what life was like in the past.
The World of Railroading
This exhibit shows the exciting history of trains. You can see old tools like an oilcan, a brake wheel, and a train lantern. There are also maps, postcards, and books about railroads.
A cool folk art model shows a miniature train engine and tender. It looks just like an NC&St.L train from a 1920s photo of Dickson. You can also use a touch-screen to explore the Dickson rail-yard. There's even a hands-on display of a steam engine cabin. You can also see a real NC&St.L engine headlight!
The Clement Family's Home
The Clement family rooms are set up to look like they did in the early 1920s. This is when Belle Goad, Maybelle, and Robert Clement lived there. They managed the hotel from these rooms on the first floor.
Room #5 is very special because Governor Frank Clement was born there. This room has furniture that belonged to the Clement family. You can see their bed, a trunk, and even a cradle.
Dickson County's Early Businesses
The Dickson County Commerce exhibit tells you about old businesses and industries. You can see a Dixie Swatter baseball bat. Major league teams used these bats in the 1920s. There's also a Commodore youth bat.
Look for a 1930s Coca-Cola bottle with "Dickson Tenn." printed on the bottom. You can also see the 50-millionth shirt made by Red Kap, a local company.
The Dickson County History exhibit shares the story of the iron ore industry. This was very important in the county's past. It also highlights different towns in the area. These include Burns, Charlotte, Slayden, Vanleer, White Bluff, and Dickson. You'll learn about the unique communities of Ruskin and Promise Land. Promise Land was founded by people who were once enslaved.
The Civil War Story
This exhibit shares the story of the Civil War in the area. It focuses on the 13th and 14th U.S. Colored Infantry. These were African-American soldiers who fought for the Union. You'll also learn how the railroad was built during the war.
A touch-screen lets you explore stories from Dickson County families during the Civil War. There's also information about the Irish Shanty incident in Dickson County.
Awesome Model Trains Display
The Dickson Model Railroad Club has a permanent display at the museum. It features amazing model trains, tiny landscapes, and buildings. Volunteer "engineers" run the trains and teach visitors about model railroading.
This exhibit shows what the Dickson Rail-yard looked like in the 1920s and 1930s. If you're interested in helping build this cool display, the Model Railroad Club is looking for new members! You can talk to one of the "engineers" when you visit.
Hampton High School's Legacy
This exhibit explores the history of Civil Rights in Dickson County. It shows how education for African-Americans changed over time. You'll learn about the small, one-room schoolhouses. These eventually led to the founding of Hampton High School. Hampton High had a strong history of excellence.
The exhibit highlights the top students, called valedictorians and salutatorians. These were students who graduated from 1936 until the schools became integrated in 1965. You can see four yearbooks, which are the only ones from that time. There are also uniforms and other items that bring the school's history to life.
Governor Frank Clement's Journey
On the second floor, you can follow Governor Clement's life. Learn about his high school and college days. See how he started his career. You can also trace his campaigns for governor in 1952, 1954, and 1962.
Discover his many important accomplishments as governor. He helped schools in Tennessee become peacefully desegregated. He also made textbooks free for all Tennessee schoolchildren. Governor Clement also created the first department of mental health. He worked to expand roads and the Interstate system across Tennessee.
The Hotel Halbrook was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.
