The Gladewater Museum

06/02/2026

It’s rodeo time in Gladewater, Texas! To kick off the festivities, visit the Gladewater Museum Rodeo Annex to learn about our local rodeo’s history and meet Cowboy Artist Monty Graham, who will showcase and sell his exceptional artwork. The Rodeo Annex, located at 112 W. Pacific, has free admission and will be open for visitors Tuesday, June 9 through Saturday, June 13 from 10AM-5PM.

Rodeo times and ticket information available at https://gladewaterrodeo.com/

05/17/2026

Signup for the GCHM summer camps ! Scan the QR codes to Register.

05/15/2026

If those walls could talk! Presently, the location of Skipper’s Cajun Coastal Pier, it originated as J.A. Ponder’s on the corner, a general store at the turn of the 20th century. With the advent of automobiles in the emerging city, Ponder added a vital commodity, gasoline, to his corner store. Around 1931, the Ponder family sold the station to newcomers Hugh White and business partner Bud Weiser. Strategically located on a main corner in downtown Gladewater, White’s corner station became a central hub during the 1930s-1950s, serving as a fill-up point for both vehicles and local politics, with Hugh White at the helm. Mr. White was one of our city’s leading citizens during his 18 years in Gladewater. When he announced his move to Alpine (due to health) in 1950, he was given a going away dinner hosted by the Rotary Club with glowing tributes coming from local businessmen such as “I don’t know of a man who has done more for Gladewater than Hugh White” and “Gladewater’s loss will be Alpine’s gain”.

Gladewater History? We’ve got it! Stop by the Gladewater Museum! Open Friday and Saturday, 10-4.

05/07/2026

From the Gladewater Museum’s Rodeo history collection!

05/02/2026

THEN & NOW: Elvis at The Mimosa Tea Room, Lake Gladewater, 1955. Opened by Mrs Rex Younger and Mrs J.W. Spears on beautiful (and then new) Lake Gladewater in Nov 1954, the Mimosa Tea Room was intended as a dining place of distinction catering to small parties, women’s clubs, men’s service clubs, school and church parties and casual visitors. The restaurant closed just a few years later and the small building served as a Scout Hut for many years.

About the group picture: Soon-to-be country music legends assembled at the Mimosa Tea Room on Lake Gladewater on August 31, 1955 to celebrate the 25* wedding anniversary of Floyd and Birdie Brown-Jim Ed Brown's parents. Elvis, Jim Ed and his sisters were often packaged together in Gladewater DJ Tom Perryman's bookings into local venues. Pictured from left, the Browns, Jim Ed's sister Norma, Jim Ed, Elvis' band members, Scotty Moore, Bill Black and D.J. Fontana, Floyd Cramer, Red West (an Elvis companion from childhood), Tom Tall, Jimmy Day, Elvis Presley, Billie Perryman and daughters Vicki and Marilyn, Tom Perryman, Maxine Brown and Bonnie Brown.

04/17/2026

The Historic Jeter Farmhouse will be open for visitors this weekend during Gusher Days. Friday, Ap. 17, 1-5 and Saturday, April 18, 10-5, 303 W. Commerce Street, Gladewater.

Come check out downtown Gladewater’s only historic short-term vacation rental/Airbnb!

Our charming Carriage House (a guest favorite) has been open and hosting guests for the past year, offering a unique and cozy stay. And there’s more to come—the main house will be opening by June, featuring two additional suites or the option to rent the entire home.

We will be having an open house during Gusher Days and are looking forward to showing yall what we have been up to during our renovation and restoration process. We are excited to share the history of Gladewater and the Jeter family with all that visit.

Open House 303 w. Commerce Ave Gladewater
Friday April 17th 1-5 pm
Saturday April 18th 10 am-5 pm

04/07/2026

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the museum’s April date that had been tentatively set for this year’s Annual Night At the Gladewater Museum has been cancelled. The museum board and staff are re-evaluating the logistics of such an event to determine the best date in the future to schedule this annual evening event.

In the meantime, mark your calendar for the following upcoming events in Gladewater:

April 17 & 18, Gusher Days Celebration. Spend a day enjoying arts, crafts, food & entertainment as you walk our historic downtown brick streets.

April 17 & 18, Jeter Farmhouse Open House. Stop by 303 W. Commerce during Gusher Days and take a tour to view the restoration of this historic 1903 Victorian home. (Opening soon for short-term rentals).

June 10-14, Annual Gladewater Round-Up Rodeo, Rodeo Grounds, 2502 W Upshur. Grab tickets and plan to attend a rodeo with some of the best cowboy champions performing in action-packed events each night!

June 10-14, Rodeo Museum Annex, 112 W. Pacific. The museum annex is full of rodeo memorabilia that any fan would enjoy viewing. Check back for exact days and times the Rodeo Museum Annex will be open during rodeo week.

And remember that visitors are always welcome to tour our historic museum during our normal business hours 10am-4pm every Friday and Saturday, 116 W. Pacific, downtown Gladewater, Texas.

04/03/2026

Feeling nostalgic this Easter weekend? Return to past times and places with a stop by the Gladewater Museum! Our museum volunteers delight in discussing days gone by with our visitors! Open 10-4 Friday and Saturday

03/28/2026

Happy Easter Greetings from the Gladewater Museum. Good news! The museum will be open for visitors during Easter weekend on Friday, April 3rd and Saturday, April 4th, normal business hours, 10am-4pm. Stop by and see us! In the meantime, enjoy viewing the Easter Society page from the April 05,1953 edition of the Gladewater Mirror.

03/27/2026

THEN: Enjoy a view of early 1950’s Gladewater, corner of S.Main & Commerce. Ballard’s Drug was still in operation. Taylor Jobe would later purchase and change name to Jobe’s. Red Hightower’s Jewelry was located next door before moving further down S. MAIN and Renfro’s Bootery was in business for a short time.

NOW: Roxy’s Candy Lounge and soon-to-be Jack Foltyn’s General Store.

VISIT Downtown Gladewater AND BE SURE to STOP BY THE GLADEWATER MUSEUM where we have MUCH MORE to the stories of our historic town!