Hopkins County Museum and Heritage Park

Hopkins County Museum and Heritage Park The museum and park display county history through its restored structures and heirlooms.

Rental Information:

Winniford Building - $400 with $150 deposit
Wedding Chapel - $250 with $150 deposit

Park Rental (group of 50) - $100 with $150 deposit
Park Rental (group of 51-299) - $200 with $150 deposit
Park Rental (group of 300+) - $400 with $150 deposit


Annual Events:

Brunch
Dutch Oven Class
Garage Sale
Dutch Oven Cookoff
Christmas in the Park

Looking forward to our GARAGE SALE!
05/30/2026

Looking forward to our GARAGE SALE!

Mark your calendars!
05/30/2026

Mark your calendars!

Jackie Merwin represented her Japanese heritage and the survival during and after World War II, of her grandmother, at o...
05/28/2026

Jackie Merwin represented her Japanese heritage and the survival during and after World War II, of her grandmother, at our brunch. More information, from her presentation, coming later.

Paula Altenbaumer portrayed the Viking roots of many families in Hopkins County at our recent brunch. I, hopefully, will...
05/27/2026

Paula Altenbaumer portrayed the Viking roots of many families in Hopkins County at our recent brunch. I, hopefully, will add more information from her presentation later.

05/27/2026

Membership meeting tomorrow night, Thursday, May 28, 6:30. We will be discussing our 50th Anniversary Celebration, September 5, 2026. Come be a part and bring your talents in the form of craft demonstrations , musical talents, costumes, or hosting.

Enola Gay Mathew’s was the emcee for our “Brunch and Style Show.” She also portrayed her mother, Willie Grace (Billie) N...
05/21/2026

Enola Gay Mathew’s was the emcee for our “Brunch and Style Show.” She also portrayed her mother, Willie Grace (Billie) Nelson Brown Moorman Bright.

Billie was born in 1923, and thus in August 1953, when I was born she was 30. She named me after the famous WWII bomber, the Enola Gay, which became globally known for dropping the first atomic bomb upon Hiroshima, Japan in August 1945 to end the war.

My mother was a housewife until I was age 10 or so, when she began to work as an Avon lady. Of course, she had to dress in the style of the day and I remember thinking she was very pretty. I really didn’t realize how attractive she was until I began to mature. I noticed that she looked truly fabulous in the figure enhancing fashions of the 50s and early 60s. Small waistlines and fitted bodices silhouetted the figure and hemlines were kept respectably slightly below the knee cap. Her style remained classic even after the sack-dressed shift and thigh-high mini-skirts came into vogue later in the 60s. Mom never stooped to that fashion trend and continued to dress timelessly as long as I can remember. She always made most of her own clothing and mine from patterns. We rarely bought anything to wear except shoes. I am glad I lived during that era when women dressed as women and femininity was revered in styles of dress.

The portrait I am showing of my mother is a 40s style suit and hat was taken in her late teens after she had married and left home. It may have stood as a fashion statement made by her, the middle child of a large West Texas family, that spent the years of the Great Depression and beyond as migrant workers.

Karey Coleman Hayes portrayed her grandmother, Ethel Coleman in our brunch. Ethel’s life drastically changed in the 1940...
05/15/2026

Karey Coleman Hayes portrayed her grandmother, Ethel Coleman in our brunch.

Ethel’s life drastically changed in the 1940’s when her husband, John Coleman, was called to serve in World War 2. John was a ranking officer and survivor of the Bataan Death March in the Philippines. But, that is a story of its own that was published in 1978, entitled “Bataan and Beyond, memories of an American POW.” In this book, he recalled that in 1947 he weighed 88 pounds and the doctors thought he might live 5 more years. Well, my grandmother saw to it that John lived to be 98 years old! He outlived her.

My Grandmother also wrote a story of her experiences during wartime. It became a booklet printed by my brother Kyle, in 1993. Her book is found in many museums in the Texas panhandle. She was a force of nature herself. In her favorite portrait of herself, she wore “bejeweled” Cat-Eye glasses, a business suit and high heeled pumps. I never saw her wearing pants of any kind. She always wore lipstick and stressed the importance of a smile.

She held many public offices in her time in Collingsworth County and Wellington, Texas.

In researching grandmother, Ethel Coleman, I found we had more in common than I remembered. We both graduated from Texas State colleges earning teaching certificates. We both were both Girl Scout leaders and church volunteers.

05/14/2026

Mahoney Cemetery Association Meeting, Saturday, 5/16/26,
11 am
Preparing for 125th Anniversary and Homecoming Celebration

Shirley Patchen, telling the story of her mother Lelia Helen Horton Lunceford, at our recent brunch. Helen was the baby ...
05/14/2026

Shirley Patchen, telling the story of her mother Lelia Helen Horton Lunceford, at our recent brunch.

Helen was the baby of her family. She was spoiled by a sister, two brothers, and a cousin who became a brother to the family. Mother loved to sing. A cousin, Orzo McClain, took Helen to many churches in the Greenville community, where she enjoyed singing and playing the guitar for the members. Mother met William Douglas Lunceford at a stew on Emblem Bridge welcoming soldiers home from World War 2.

Bill and Helen married soon after and started a family in Dallas, Texas. Dad worked as a milkman. Later, Dad worked with his brother-in-law working on cars. He also became a carpenter earning praise for his work.

Mother lost twins and thought she would never have children. Never giving up, Helen prayed for children. Her prayers were answered when three years later they welcomed a daughter. Soon they were also blessed by another daughter and a son. Mother took care of her home and family and also served as a Room Mother and was active in the PTA at the children’s schools.

When Dad and Mother retired they moved back to Hopkins County and Dad started “Hub Cap City” between Sulphur Springs and Commerce. Mother worked at Sherwood and she started a Women’s Society at her church. They worked very hard serving their church and community.

The community believed Mother had a “hot line “ to heaven. She was sent requests or received phone calls asking for prayers. Mother didn’t pray out loud. Her prayers were not for show but just between her and God.

Mother took art classes later in life and became a very good artist. She loved to play “Hand and Foot” and other games with the neighbors and family. She lived to be 83 years old.

Model, Linda Panter, told her story of her Choctaw Roots.Many people and cultures make up everyone’s family lineage. But...
05/13/2026

Model, Linda Panter, told her story of her Choctaw Roots.

Many people and cultures make up everyone’s family lineage. But, I have chosen this specific lineage and time period starting with Sarah Nowahoke Nowatima who was born in 1815. She was a Choctaw Indian living in Mississippi until the United States Government decided to move the tribe to Oklahoma. Sometime between 1832-1839, by way of the “Trail of Tears,” she was relocated to South-east Oklahoma. Notice this will be the last of the Native American names. She married Horace Woods and they had a daughter named Margaret Susan Woods.

Margaret married Rev. Samuel Henry Bohannon. He was a circuit Presbyterian preacher who also served in the Choctaw Unit during the Civil War. They had a daughter named Phoebe Anna Bohannon.

Phoebe married Tandy Walker Wall. Their daughter was Elma Mae Wall.

Elma married, an Irishman, Willie Austin “Boss” Panter. They had my father Melvin Panter who married Merle Tolbert of Cherokee and Irish decent.

I did not hear any stories of our Choctaw ancestors from my grandmother. She was sent away to Wheelock Boarding School, near Hugo, when she was 9 or 10. She was not allowed to speak the Choctaw language or speak of their traditions.

The traditions and language are being revived in the schools in Oklahoma and pow wows are held several times a year. I am wearing a ribbon skirt which is traditional. The ribbons have a meaning to the wearer. I chose the colors green for earth, blue for the sky, and red to represent the bloodline of the Choctaws.

—-Linda Panter

Address

416 North Jackson/PO Box 1066 (zip Code For POB Interstate 75483)
Sulphur Springs, TX
75482

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 2pm
Wednesday 10am - 2pm
Thursday 10am - 2pm
Friday 10am - 2pm

Telephone

+19038852387

Website

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