Frontier Times Museum, Bandera, Texas

We visit Bandera, Texas when we stay at a Thousand Trails campground in Lakehills, Texas. Bandera has museums, the cowboy store (where Jim bought his Stetson), jewelry stores, along with a small park along the river. This time we visited the Frontier Times Museum.  

It was built in 1933 to house the western collection of J. Marvin Hunter, Sr. (1880-1957), noted historian, journalist, editor and author. Having lived throughout the west, he settled in Bandera as owner of "New Era", 1921-1934.  In 1923 he founded "Frontier Times" - a magazine devoted to history, border tragedy, and pioneer achievement. By 1926 he was adding relics to the museum's western library.  He financed construction of the museum by sale of his books. 

This baby goat was born on the Henderson Ranch in 1930. It was born with two heads and four eyes; said it did not live very long.

Old Washington Press

It was used in 1876 by John Morrison in printing the "Benton City Era." Later he moved to Castroville and established the "Castroville Era." The press was retired from use in 1922, still in good working condition.

Old Phonographs

This shrunken head is from the wilds of Ecuador. It is the shrunken head of a Jivaro Indian who was believed to have been a victim of a blood feud between his family and another Jivaro family living in tropical forests in southeastern Ecuador and Northern Peru on the eastern slopes of the Andes Mountains. Living in extended families within fortified houses, feuding was a common practice among the Jivaro tribe who used blowguns and poisoned darts as weapons.  Once an enemy had been killed, it was necessary for the killer to go through an elaborate ceremony to protect himself from his victim's spirit. This ritual involved shrinking the head of the victim.

Crazy Looking Chair

Old Pipe Organ circa 1860

Hand Sewing Machines circa 1881

Miniature Shingle Wagon circa 1925

This miniature shingle wagon was made by Philip Masurek in 1925. It was used to haul shingles to San Antonio from Bandera.

Hand Carved Chuck Wagon

This chuck wagon was made by Samuel Dunn Houston in 1934 when he was 84 years old. He is a nephew of General Sam Houston. He was an old Trail Driver, and made this miniature wagon an exact replica. It is complete with chuck box, water keg, lock chains, "possum belly" (traditionally a cowhide under the wagon used to carry firewood), and accessories and is drawn by two yoke of oxen.

In his early years, Mr. Houston was a trail driver. He made many trips up the trail to Kansas and other northern cattle markets in the days when the chuck wagon was a very necessary affair. After a serious accident in which he was permanently disabled, he made his living carving wooden animals.

Hair Curler - would you dare?

Venetian Birthing Chair

Legend has it that this chair was used in a palace in Venice, Italy to assist mothers in giving birth. It is believed to be a birthing chair because of the cherubs carved in the back and the rounded bottom. The rounded brace on the bottom front is for a pan of warm water. The mid wife remains at the front while the servants help to tilt the chair back.

This plate is from the Golden Temple to Krisna, Benares, India, built in 1529 B.C. It was used in the temple by the priests to teach the theosophy of the Hindu religion, the reincarnation transmigration of souls. According to Hindu belief, when a man dies his soul goes into a plant, a fowl or an animal, according to the way he has lived. Here the plants, fowl and animals are shown in raised silver figures. In the center is the deity, Krisna, playing the flute, while sacred bulls are shown flocking to him. The Plate is made of copper, silver and gold, and it is the only one known to be in the United States.

One of many beautiful fans

Puppets

Rifle cemented into fireplace