Last updated: 12/27/2011
600 I-30 East, Paul Mthews Drive
Greenville, TX 75403
PO Box 347
Greenville, TX 75403
$2 Adult; $1.00 Children & Seniors. Call for group rates and reservations
|
Susan Lanning
phone:
|
|
Linda Owens
phone:
|
The American Cotton Museum is dedicated to preserving the history of the American cotton industry. Our exhibits explore the social history of cotton production in America through the days of sharecropping to modern production circa 1868 to current. We focus on sharecropping, ginners, and cotton compresses to the end product users- spinners, weavers and industrical workers.
Through the Frances Arnold Ellis Local History Galler, we are preserving thelocal history of Hund Conty inclusive of the local cotton industry. The Historic Ende-Gaillard House (c.1857) is part of our physical plant. We also maintain exhibits of lcoal citizens such as General Claire Chenault, Gussie Nell Davis, Monty Stratton, Jeanna Yeager, Fletcher Warren and Audie Murphy.
Out goal is to expand the scope of our exhibits to include all aspects of the cotton industry.
Founded in 1987 by the American Association of University Women, the American Cotton Museum (then the Hunt County Museum) rose from humble beginnings in rented downtown Greenville storefront to its modern ten acre phusical plant and buildings today valued at over half a million dollars.
In 1993 the museum's board of directores initiated a master plan that would transform the county museum into a national museum devoted to cotton, both to pay homage to the crop that made Hunt County excel above other areas in terms of agriculture, and also to attract wider audiences to the museum and its services. In 1994, the name was offically changed to the American Cotton Museum.
Land on Interstate Highway 30 (the second busies interstate in the nation) was purchased, and in 1995 construction began on the museums present 6800 square foot facility. Opened on October 1, 1996, the present site includes the museum building, a working cotton patch, a Victory Garden for children's programs, and the Ende-Gaillard House, the oldest house in Greenville.
The museum houses artifacts from 1870's - 1960's relating to the American Cotton industry, the Hunt County Photo archive from 1880 - present. The Audie Murphy collection, local Coca-Cola Bottling Company Collection, and the Fletcher Warren Collection. Mr Warren served in the Diplomatic Corps, was ambassodor to Turkey and other nations. We also house the Henson-Kickernick Lingerie Collection from the Henson-Kickernick Company. The collection contains a sample of every item of lingerie that they manufactured.
The resoureces are open by appointment only. Call for information
Lunch Break Special: A program free to the public at noon the first Tuesday of each month. Speakers from around the state come and speak on a variety of topics of historical interest. Check the museums's website for monthly updates.
Docent programs: Docents are trained and indoctrinated into our program semi-annually. Gallery tours are provided with large group tours and on request.
The American Cotton Museum cohosts with Texas A&M, Commerce and Collin County Community Collect, the Cotton History Symposium. The Symposium is a one day event held in April featuring experts from allo aspects of the cotton history and industry.
Cotton Jubilee is a two day event on the museum grounds on the third weekend of October involving the whole community in fun and adventure.
Reknown sculpture Gordon Thomas will be working on a larger than life size sculpture of Audie Murphy into the summer of 2001 on the exhibit floor of the Musuem.
Newsletter "The Compress"-- monthly; annual report;
This information, including business hours, addresses and contact information is
provided for general reference purposes only. No representation is made or warranty is given as
to its content or the reliability thereof. User assumes all risk of use. Stories USA, Inc.
and its content suppliers assume no responsibility for any loss or delay resulting from such
use. Please call ahead to verify the dates, the location and directions.