The Texas Historical Commission, in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution, is bringing a national traveling exhibit to Buffalo Gap as part of the Museum on Main Street program. This exhibition will be available from March 15 to April 27 at the Buffalo Gap Historic Village located at 133 William St.
Buffalo Gap, situated about 15 miles southwest of Abilene, is one of seven stops for this exhibit's tour across Texas. The exhibition will conclude its journey in Rockport on March 9 before heading to the Texas Plains Trail Region.
The exhibit titled "Crossroads: Change in Rural America" will operate from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays, except for April 20 when it will be closed for Easter. Admission is free.
The opening day event includes a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m., followed by the screening of “Ballads of Buffalo Gap” footage at 10:30 a.m., and a lecture series led by Henry Crawford on buffalo hunters starting at 11 a.m.
Weekly programming themes are set as follows:
- March 15-20: “The Buffalo,” focusing on the legacy of Buffalo Gap.
- March 21-27: “Native Americans,” highlighting Comanche Indians' history.
- March 28-April 3: “Traversing the Trails,” exploring cattle drives and settlers.
- April 4-10: “Ranching and Agriculture,” celebrating West Texas industries.
- April 11-17: “Oil and Gas,” examining West Texas’s energy industry.
- April 18-24: “Salute to the Military,” honoring military service.
Further details can be found at https://buffalogaptx.com/smithsonian/.
In partnership with the Smithsonian Institution, seven communities were chosen by the Texas Historical Commission in 2023 for participation in this program aimed at enhancing heritage tourism training in rural areas of Texas.
“Crossroads” examines how rural American communities have evolved since the early twentieth century, noting that while much of America's landscape remains rural, urban land accounts for only about three percent. Since around 1900, rural residency has decreased significantly from sixty percent to seventeen percent. The exhibition delves into these societal shifts and their impact on rural populations.
