Morton Museum of Cooke County

Morton Museum of Cooke County The Morton Museum of Cooke County is located in Gainesville, TX. We are always looking for volunteers!
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It is the place to find historical information
about the people, area and places of Cooke County.

Long before the first drive-thru or national chain restaurant, Fred Harvey changed American dining forever - and the Gai...
05/29/2026

Long before the first drive-thru or national chain restaurant, Fred Harvey changed American dining forever - and the Gainesville Harvey House like ours were part of that history.

In the late 1800s, English immigrant Fred Harvey pioneered a revolutionary idea: quality food, gracious service, and a welcoming dining experience for rail travelers across the American West. His “Harvey Houses” became the first successful restaurant chain in the United States. His waitresses, known as the legendary Harvey Girls, became icons of hospitality and helped elevate service standards across the country. 2026 is the 150th birthday of the historic Fred Harvey company and the Cooke County Heritage Society Inc is celebrating Fred's Harvey Girls on June 13th!

Purchase your tickets - or table - today and join us for a delightful luncheon inspired by the legendary Harvey Girls, h...
05/28/2026

Purchase your tickets - or table - today and join us for a delightful luncheon inspired by the legendary Harvey Girls, hosted inside Gainesville’s beautiful Santa Fe Depot - once a bustling Harvey House along the Santa Fe Railway.

Luncheon Ticket $40
Luncheon Table for eight $320
Reserve a full table for eight guests and enjoy the Harvey Girls Luncheon together! Perfect for friends, families, organizations, or businesses wanting to attend as a group. Table reservations ensure your party is seated together for an afternoon of history, community, and celebration benefiting the Morton Museum and organized by Cooke County Heritage Society Inc.

In 1902, the city park land was purchased and at the time, was named City Park until October 5, 1926, when the Gainesvil...
05/27/2026

In 1902, the city park land was purchased and at the time, was named City Park until October 5, 1926, when the Gainesville City Council was renamed Leonard Park, in honor of the mayor and owner of the Gainesville Daily Register, Mr. John T. Leonard. He and his wife were one of the founding members of Gainesville and Cooke County. They moved here in 1886. Mr. Leonard was first a teacher, then a principal and then he bought the Gainesville Daily Register. In 1890, he made it a daily newspaper and in 1900, he was elected mayor and served for 8 years.

John T. Leonard visited the park often and died there on a hot August day in 1935 when he was 86 years old. He is buried in
Fairview Cemetery.

Hershel Woody Williams was the last surviving Marine from World War II to wear the Medal of Honor. It's his legacy to ho...
05/26/2026

Hershel Woody Williams was the last surviving Marine from World War II to wear the Medal of Honor. It's his legacy to honor Gold Star Families with a special tribute and The Gold Star Families Memorial Monument in Gainesville was his 60th completed monument to honor those families who sacrificed a family member that gave the ultimate sacrifice.

The Gold Star Families Memorial Monument Gainesville Texas was dedicated on January 25, 2020 by Woody Williams and drew one of the largest turnouts of Gold Star families at a dedication. The black granite monument located at the entrance to Leonard Park on W California Steet, honors the families of servicemen and women killed while serving in the military.

One side bears the words: “Gold Star Families Memorial Monument, a tribute to Gold Star Families and Relatives who have sacrificed a Loved One for our Freedom.” The other side tells a story through four panels: homeland, family, patriot and sacrifice. The scenes on each panel are a reflection of the community’s Gold Star Families and their fallen heroes.

Yesterday a remembrance ceremony was held at the monument for Memorial Day.

"For love of country they accepted death, and thus resolved all doubts, and made immortal their patriotism and their vir...
05/25/2026

"For love of country they accepted death, and thus resolved all doubts, and made immortal their patriotism and their virtue." James A. Garfield

The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (ATSF) deeded the Gainesville Depot to the City on October 19, 1981; however, ...
05/22/2026

The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (ATSF) deeded the Gainesville Depot to the City on October 19, 1981; however, its restoration was not completed until October 6, 2001. Restoration, led by Margaret Parx Hays, was accomplished by local fundraising efforts, a grant from the Community Preservation Foundation, funding from the City of Gainesville and state and federal transportation grants. Take some time today and go see which names you recognize on the bricks leading up to the Museum At Santa Fe Depot!

“When young people become interested with the history of their family and community they become another ‘spark’ which keeps history alive.” Margaret Parx Hay

The Morton Museum is open 9am to 3pm - stop by and discover something new about Cooke County when you purchase your tick...
05/21/2026

The Morton Museum is open 9am to 3pm - stop by and discover something new about Cooke County when you purchase your tickets for the Harvey Girls Luncheon!

When the railroad forged its way through the West, it brought Fred Harvey restaurants and hotels with it. Certainly Mr. Harvey had a unique vision and was an astute businessman, as were his sons and grandsons who continued the business after his death in 1901. However, it was the employees, led by waitresses known as Harvey Girls, who made the Fred Harvey company a success. Through the years, over 100,000 women followed the Santa Fe Tracks westward to work as Harvey Girls.

Cattle, corn, oats, wheat, and cotton all were produced on the farms of Cooke County. Almost 15 years after the end of t...
05/20/2026

Cattle, corn, oats, wheat, and cotton all were produced on the farms of Cooke County. Almost 15 years after the end of the Civil War, farmers were able to export their goods on the train. The Denison and Pacific Railway reached Gainesville in 1879 and the Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe connected Gainesville to Denton on January 2, 1887, on its way to meet the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe at Purcell, Indian Territory.

05/19/2026

A huge THANK YOU to all of the sponsors who helped make our Community Clean Up Days such a success!

Fastenal
Kessler's Cleaning
Physical Therapy Center
Mom's Donut Shop
Lowe's Market
Home Depot
Villa Grande-Gainesville
Salon Retro
Food of Dreams LLC

Your support, generosity, and partnership helped make the days run smoothly and created a better experience for everyone involved. Because of you, we were able to make meaningful improvements while bringing our community together for a great day of service and teamwork.

We truly appreciate everyone who contributed to making these events easier, more impactful, and more enjoyable for the museum and our volunteers. Thank you for supporting the museum and helping us continue to create meaningful community experiences!

On New Year's Day 1890 in Muenster, Texas, plans were made for a school and church - with the school being built first a...
05/19/2026

On New Year's Day 1890 in Muenster, Texas, plans were made for a school and church - with the school being built first and serving both purposes. The Sacred Heart Church was begun the following year but a winter storm destroyed the building before it could be used. The replacement was a Gothic frame church completed by the Spring of 1892, but this too was destroyed in the summer of 1893 by a tornado. The third Sacred Heart Church structure began in 1897 and lasted until the early 1950s when it was replaced by the current church building. In April 1954 the first services were celebrated in the current home of Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

Click the link below to watch the B-roll video footage from the WBAP-TV television station in Fort Worth, Texas, to accompany a news story about Sacred Heart Catholic Church. This video has no sound. https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2049974/m1/

Address

210 S Dixon Street
Gainesville, TX
76240

Opening Hours

Tuesday 9am - 3pm
Wednesday 9am - 3pm
Thursday 9am - 3pm
Friday 9am - 3pm
Saturday 10am - 2pm

Telephone

+19406688900

Website

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