Sam Rayburn Library and Museum Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Significant dates

Sam Rayburn Library and Museum
U.S. National Register of Historic Places

Sam Rayburn Library in 2018
Sam Rayburn Library and Museum Location in Texas Show map of Texas Sam Rayburn Library and Museum Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	800 W. Sam Rayburn Dr., Bonham, Texas
Area	5.3 acres (2.1 ha)
Built	1957 (1957)
Built by	Carpenter Bros.
Architect	Roscoe DeWitt
Architectural style	Classical Revival
NRHP reference No.	05000386
Added to NRHP	May 6, 2005

The Sam Rayburn Library and Museum is a special place in Bonham, Texas. It's a library, a museum, and a research center all in one! It was built in 1957 for Sam Rayburn (1882-1961). He was a very important United States Congressman. He was known as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives for a very long time – longer than anyone else!

The building was designed by Roscoe DeWitt. It looks like many famous buildings in Washington, DC, with its Classical Revival style. Today, the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas at Austin helps run the library. In 2005, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

About the Sam Rayburn Library
Gallery
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About the Sam Rayburn Library

In 1957, Sam Rayburn opened this library. He wanted it to be like a presidential library. It would keep his memories, books, awards, and special items safe. Former President Harry Truman even came to the opening ceremony!

While other Speakers of the House have libraries named after them, this one is special. It focuses only on Sam Rayburn's life. It also has many old documents about the United States Congress. These documents go all the way back to the 1770s!

Building Design and Materials

The library building is very strong. It has a steel and concrete frame. The walls are made of solid brick. The outside is covered with shiny white Georgia marble. It looks a lot like famous Classical-style buildings in Washington, D.C. These include the White House and the Lincoln Memorial. The building sits on a base of Texas red granite.

Inside the Library

When you enter the library, you'll see the main lobby. It's made of black Italian marble. There used to be a white marble stand here. This stand was used in the House of Representatives from 1857 to 1950. A bronze statue of Sam Rayburn stood behind it. In 2012, the stand was moved to the main exhibit room.

Sam Rayburn's Office Replica

The library has an exact copy of Sam Rayburn's office. The furniture in this office is real! It was actually in the Speaker's Office in Washington, D.C., from 1907 to 1957. The fireplace behind the desk is also very old. It was in the House of Representatives from 1857 until 1949-50. This office was where Rayburn worked when he came home to Bonham.

There's also a special chandelier in Rayburn's office. It was first put in the White House during the Grant administration. Later, President Theodore Roosevelt had it moved to the U.S. Capitol. He said it made too much noise!

Exhibit Galleries

In the west wing of the library, there are two galleries. These are the H.G. Dulaney Gallery and the Rostrum Gallery. They show items from Sam Rayburn's life. You can see things from his childhood all the way to his time as Speaker.

H.G. Dulaney Gallery

The H.G. Dulaney Gallery has a beautiful white fireplace mantle. This mantle was originally in the Adams Room of the White House. It was removed when the White House was renovated in the late 1940s.

The Rostrum Gallery

The Rostrum Gallery holds the white marble Speaker's rostrum. This is the stand that was used in the House of Representatives from 1857 to 1950. When the House was updated in 1950, the rostrum was taken out. Sam Rayburn's friends in the House gave it to him. Now, it's on display here forever.

Research and Reading Room

The east wing of the library has a reading room. Here, students and local people can read Sam Rayburn's personal books. They can also look at all the published records of the United States Congress. These records go from the First Continental Congress in 1774 to today.

Rayburn's gifts and awards are also shown in this room. One special gift is a 2,500-year-old Greek vase. The Greek Palace Guard gave it to Rayburn. This was to thank him for helping the Kingdom of Greece during the Greek Civil War.