A little bit of this…a little bit of that…a whole lot of history, and a place unlike anywhere else in the world. 

Snug on a corner in Madisonville, with a door facing either North Madison or West Cottonwood Streets (depending on your approach), sits the Madison County Museum. Opened 20 years ago, this beautiful building once housed the United States Post Office, the First National Bank of Madisonville, and (in my high school days) the Krazy Kat, a dance club for local kids.  Entering the doors took me back to my youth, as did the group I sat down to interview. Each of them was a vibrant part of life in Madisonville as I grew up:  Laura Cannon, Museum Curator; Bonne Hendrix, Board Chairperson; Dave Ward, Vice Chair; and Nancy Page, “Volunteer Extraordinaire” and the first official “staffer” of the Museum.

I asked the group, “How did someone decide this needed to happen?” and (almost in unison) they replied, “Sonny. Sonny Knight did it.”  According to Ward, “He had gotten this building from a legal case in lieu of payment and was trying to figure out what he could do with it.  We got together with Patsy Strawther (she and Charles had lots of antiques), and we talked to Dwight and Donnie Karm (who were experienced in restoring old buildings), and it went from there!  Patsy got together a meeting of some folks including Elayne Campbell, Jim Day “Budgie” Burke, and others. We originally all met at courthouse and gauged interest, then we started contacting folks and raising funds. We had raised all the money to restore it before we started.” Nearby plaques list many of the names who helped make the museum a reality.

As Ms. Cannon (she was my 4th grade teacher, so I can only call her that) gave me the tour, I was amazed by the amazing variety of items and the memories and conversations they spurred.  Here is a small sampling:

MUST SEE

• A special display honoring Madison County son Truman Kimbro, who was awarded the Medal of Honor (since 1871, fewer than 3,500 have received the award). In a letter to his sisters, he told them “I know you’re mad I’m not there this Christmas, but I will be next year.”  He died three days later with a group trying to mine a crossroads in Belgium to stop the German attack.

• Huge cache of arrowheads, spear heads and stone tools found by Milton Reynolds in 1938 when plowing in his cornfield in Elwood near Midway. These items are on loan to the Museum from the Reynolds family.

• “Kansas” Quilt. Donated by a woman in Kansas whose ancestors are buried at Park Cemetery. The quilt states it was made in the 1880s in Madisonville and probably went to Kansas in a wagon. It is almost unreal how beautiful it is for its age.

FIRSTS 

• From the old Woodbine hotel – one of very first phone booths in Madison County. According to Cannon, “Kids think it’s so weird anyone ever closed a door to talk on the phone.”

• Harold Gene Wells (always in the oil industry) donated a piece of very first pipeline ever laid in United States. The line was pulled up around 2012.

• The motor from the first A/C in Madisonville. It was in the old Corral Café building located on Hwy. 75.  According to the technician, “it is strong enough to air condition this building today if we could hook it to electricity.”

KIDS WILL LOVE

• THE old stoplight. There was only one for a very long time.
• The 1800s cash register from the Woodbine. Yes, they can push the button to open the drawer.
• Little ones love the Steer Head. Many want to go outside to see his tail!
• Super cool arrowheads!

THE STORIES

With so many items come great stories.  One favorite was related when we stopped at Dempsey Allphin’s uniform from World War II. I learned their pants didn’t have a zipper because they made noise that might allow the enemy to hear you. Allphin was the author of “Two of Us Ain’t Goin’” written about his wartime duties in the European Theater as Administrative Assistant to Major General Mark Clark; Major General Lloyd Fredendall; Lt. General George S. Patton; Lt. General Omar N. Bradley; Lt. General Courtney H. Hodges; and Major General William B. Kean. According to Cannon, when the war was nearly over, he got to Bryan and just wanted to sleep in his momma’s house. He bribed a police officer to take him to North Zulch, and a mile or two out of town slipped him a five and asked if he’d turn on the siren. He said they woke up the whole town, and his momma met him crying on the front steps.

Another story from WW2 took place in the Philippines. Cannon said, “Jarmon Shaffer (who grew up here) was on a ship where they dumped the guys on a beach and were told to find a foxhole and fight. Unfortunately, the enemy slit his throat, but his officer was nearby and held him together until they got him to a medical ship. Jarmon said later in an interview that he thought he was crazy or dead for three days, because Dr. Heath kept doctoring him. Amazingly enough, it turned out to be OUR Dr. J.B. Heath. Both Madisonville men were thrilled to run into someone from home while in the Philippines.”

SCHOOLS

• Class photos and school memorabilia from schools I never knew existed in Madison County. I also learned Madisonville’s colors were not always red and blue! They were green and gold in the late 1920s.
• A variety of old varsity letter jackets brought back memories, while an FFA Jacket belonging to my cousin Bubba Farris brought tears to my eyes.
• There was even an MHS Class of 1982 shirt (and yep, my name was on it)!

AND SO MUCH MORE….

From cabinets saved when the old courthouse burned to a Madison County Historical Commission flag designed by Reygan Farris Richardson, the Madison County Museum has enough variety to interest everyone, whether you have ties to the county or not.

When I asked the group to name their favorite thing in the museum the answers were as different as they are. Ms. Cannon said she thinks it would be the Junior High group photos. My Aunt Nancy said she loves all of it, but especially the Yearbooks.  Mr. Ward thinks the Kimbro display is the most noteworthy, and Mrs. Hendrix said she thinks the Historical Commission flag, because it’s “us.”

The Museum is currently doing a display on Madison County families and will soon be doing an exhibit on area churches. A photo of the old North Madison Church of Christ building began the telling of stories from the group including the one about how my parents met on the steps of that building.

When asked about needs and the future, the group answered: Volunteers and Donations. Ms. Cannon said, “Even one volunteer doing one hour a week would be so helpful! I got involved in 2015. I think I was bored! I started coming down here with Vivienne Chambless. Jane (Colwell) was here then and she wasn’t a computer person but I knew I could help do that.  That was in 2015 and I’m still enjoying it. When I get in a bind and need help I call Nancy.

Finances are always a concern.  “Even though we aren’t open many hours, we still have electric, water, and phone bills,” said Ward.  “One way people give is through memorials when someone dies. We also want to encourage annual memberships. They are only $50 for a family and help to preserve the history of our county.”

When asked if there are any specific things they are looking for to be loaned or donated, Ms. Cannon said, “If it’s unusual and historic, we would love to see it. We have a great need to be more selective in what we take because if it’s headed to dump we probably don’t need it!”

One of my childhood friends, Nancy Park Jolly, said, “People just have no idea how cool it is to grow up in Madisonville.”  I can now say, “Make a visit to the Madison County Museum, and they just might find out!”

HOURS: Wed-Sat 10 am – 2 pm
ADMISSION: Free / Donations
LOCATION: 201 N. Madison St., Madisonville
MAIL DONATIONS TO: PO Box 61, Madisonville, TX  77864
CONTACT:  madcomuseum@hotmail.com or (936) 348-5230
FACEBOOK: Madison County Museum