Robert E. Howard Museum facts for kids
Front gate of Howard Museum
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| Established | 1919 |
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| Location | Jct Fourth St (SH 36) and Ave. J Cross Plains, Texas |
| Type | House museum |
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Robert E. Howard House
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National Register plaque
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| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Area | less than one acre |
| NRHP reference No. | 94000984 |
| Added to NRHP | August 19, 1994 |
The Robert E. Howard Museum is a special place in Cross Plains, Texas. It is located where Texas State Highway 36 meets Avenue J. This museum was once the family home of a famous writer named Robert E. Howard.
Robert E. Howard created many well-known characters. These include Conan the Barbarian, Solomon Kane, and Kull of Atlantis. He also wrote for magazines like Weird Tales. Howard was friends with another famous writer, H. P. Lovecraft. His stories are important for understanding American folk tales. They also show a lot about Texan literature and its unique storytelling. The house became a museum and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.
Contents
The Howard Home: A Look Back
This white house was built around 1919 by Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Coffman. Soon after, Dr. Isaac M. Howard and his wife, Hester Ervin Howard, bought it. They moved in with their son, Robert.
Robert's father, Dr. Howard, made some changes to the house. He turned the sun porch into a bedroom for Robert. He also added a new porch and a bathroom. Sadly, Robert E. Howard passed away at his home in 1936. His father later sold the house in 1944.
Exploring the Robert E. Howard Museum
The Robert E. Howard Museum is a great place to learn about the author. The Robert E. Howard Foundation helps run the museum. They also host a special event every June called Robert E. Howard Days.
Many local businesses join in this annual event. The local library stays open longer to show off its collection. They have original typescripts and first editions of Howard's works. The Cross Plains Review, where Howard once worked, also has a gift shop. They display some of his personal items. Even the local post office gets involved. They offer special stamps to honor the author.
What You Can See Inside
The museum is filled with many interesting things. You can see Howard's father's bible and a statue of Cleopatra that Howard bought. There are also books he owned and his original handwritten stories. You can learn about how much money he earned from his writing.
The museum also has letters he wrote to H.P. Lovecraft. There are maps of the fictional land of Cimmeria from his stories. You can see movie posters, pictures of his family and friends, and photos of Cross Plains. The museum also displays different printings of his stories and poetry books. You can even see some of his personal papers, like old checks.
Visiting the Museum
You can visit the Robert E. Howard Museum for free. However, you need to arrange your visit ahead of time. You can also visit during the annual Robert E. Howard Days event in June.
See also
