Winnsboro TX Historical Museum

06/03/2026

Make plans to either participate or watch the July 4th parade in downtown Winnsboro!

🇺🇸 Small Town Big Spirit is coming to Winnsboro! 🇺🇸
Join us for the 4th of July Parade on Saturday, July 4, 2026 as we celebrate Independence Day with a fun 1950s theme and plenty of red, white, and blue!
〰️ Line up begins at 8:00 a.m. in the Barrel House Parking lot.
✨Parade kicks off at 9:00 a.m. the route is 0.9 miles and and easy walk or bike ride.
🚲 🇺🇸 Side-by-sides, bicycles, and community members carrying flags, pulling wagons, enjoying their families are welcome.
🇺🇸This is a Winnsboro community event. 🇺🇸
Decorate everything, dress the theme-poodle skirts, rolled jeans, white shirts, and bobbie socks.
Bring that big Winnsboro spirit!

05/29/2026

✨ Do you love Winnsboro and enjoy meeting new people? We need YOU! ✨

The Winnsboro Museum is looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join our docent team. If you’ve been wanting to give back to our wonderful community, this is the perfect opportunity!

Think you can't do it because you aren't a local history expert? Think again! You do not need to know Winnsboro’s history by heart to join us. We provide full on-the-job training, and we have excellent training materials right on hand.

Here is what we are actually looking for:

A Friendly Face: You love talking to people and can warmly greet patrons as they walk through the front door.

Good at Following Directions: You can comfortably follow a task list and handle opening and closing procedures for the museum.

Resourceful: You don't need to know all the answers—just how to look them up in our handy guides!

Team Player: You're willing to help out with some light cleaning duties to keep our museum looking its best.

If you are a people-person who can follow a checklist, you are already fully qualified!

📚 Want a head start?
If you want to brush up on some fun facts before you start, our page and website are fantastic places to dive in.

🗺️ Ready to join us?
Help us keep Winnsboro's stories alive! Fill out our online form at www.winnsborotxmuseum.com/volunteer or drop by the museum to grab an application. We can’t wait to welcome you to the team!

05/29/2026

🏺 Do you have a piece of Winnsboro History? 📜

We love uncovering the stories that make our town special! If you’re looking to find a permanent home for a local treasure, we want to help you do it right.

📞 START HERE: Please call (903) 347-2668 or email us at [email protected] before bringing items down. We want to make sure your item fits our collection and that we have a specialist ready to assist you!

🗓 OFFICIAL INTAKE HOURS:
Wednesdays & Thursdays | 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
(By appointment only at all other times!)

Protecting the Museum:
To keep our current displays safe, we cannot accept items with mold, smoke damage, or signs of pests. We also generally cannot accept items without a direct Winnsboro connection or large furniture without prior approval.

A Friendly Reminder: Please do not leave items unattended at the door. Our tour volunteers are not authorized to accept donations—they are here to share history, not process it!

Thank you for being such wonderful supporters of the Winnsboro Historical Museum!

05/28/2026

Happy National Hamburger Day!

The man sitting on the curb is Edgar Bascom Brewer, Sr., though everyone in Winnsboro, Texas, just called him "Dad" Brewer. He ran a popular little hamburger joint right on Main Street. Back then, you could get one of his hamburgers or hot dogs for a nickel. If you wanted "everything on it"—which meant heavy on the onions—it cost a dime. He also served up a great bowl of chili, and you can actually see the chili sign right behind them in the window.

According to stories collected from the Winnsboro News, Dad Brewer was a real character with a couple of famous quirks. Whenever you ordered, he’d whistle through his teeth and say, "Psss Sho," which was his way of saying, "I understand and I'll get to it shortly." He was also great with the local kids. He kept a clear glass jug of sliced dill pickles on the counter, and the kids loved to snitch them. He’d jokingly run his butcher knife over the rim of the jug to try and stop the "pickle snatchin'," but he always let them get away with it because he loved the fun.

As for the two young ladies standing behind him with their hands on their hips, they caused a bit of mystery when this photo resurfaced years later, but locals eventually identified them.

The girl on the left is Eddie Moore Troxlar. She didn't actually work there, but she was posing with them that day.

The girl on the right is her friend, Virginia Rayburn (later Virginia Rayburn Morris), who did work at the shop.

There's a slight debate on when the photo was taken. Eddie remembered it being around the summer of 1944. However, records show Dad Brewer actually sold the business to a Mr. and Mrs. Dee Giddens a bit earlier, in September of 1943.

Where's your favorite place to get a hamburger? What ingredients are must-haves and deal-breakers for a great hamburger?

Managed by the Winnsboro TX Historical Museum Archives.
To support our preservation efforts please visit WinnsboroTxMuseum.com.

05/27/2026

You can now follow us on Instagram at www.instagram.com/winnsborotxmuseum . Click the link or scan the QR code below!

05/27/2026

Though it's kind of wet right now, eventually the weather will give way to scorching days and the need to immerse ourselves in a swimming hole to keep from combusting.

Way back in June of 1995, these photos were published in the Winnsboro News showing that the need to do just that has been around for awhile.

The wet photo caption: Beating the Summer Heat at Winnsboro's Natatorium -- About 1939

Winnsboro's Natatorium offered a place for folks to take a cool swim and for families and friends to gather for entertainment in the summertime. Many "old timers" will remember it as being the main attraction for many years at the City Park. It was located approximately where the RV pads are today on the east side of City Auditorium. Those enjoying a cool dip in this long ago photograph are (front, I-r) Kathryn Mack, Gerald Brewer, Peggy Brewer; (back) Sara Ann Brewer being held by her uncle, Ed Brewer, Bama Jane Cade, Bertha Brewer and Lucy Brewer.

The dry photo: Summer Fun At Winnsboro's Natatorium -- About 1939

This group of young people were making the most of a hot summer day by enjoying a cool swim at Winnsboro's Natatorium, which lots of "old timers" remember as being the featured attraction for many years at City Park. (It was located on the east side of the auditorium, about where the RV pads are today.) Notice the inner tubes - they were essential "floats" of the day and every kid had to have one. Those identified here are (I-r) Gerald Brewer, a girl thought to be Bama Jane, Ed Brewer, Peggy Brewer, Bertha Lindsey Brewer holding daughter Sara Ann, Kathryn Mack and Lucy Brewer.

Both photos were courtesy of Sara Brewer Pollard.

Where is your favorite swimming hole? Or is it a secret? Let us know in the comments.

Have you got old photos or other remnants of Winnsboro's history? We love to see it and maybe even add a copy to the archives so that we can continue to share the past with the present and future.

Managed by the Winnsboro TX Historical Museum Archives.
To support our preservation efforts please visit WinnsboroTxMuseum.com.

05/25/2026

A community remembers the fallen.

05/21/2026

This Memorial Day, Winnsboro residents gather to honor the local heroes who gave their lives in service to our country. Among those remembered is Private Carl E. Azbell, a young man from Winnsboro born in 1889. He grew up attending local schools before answering the call to serve in the United States Army in 1917, leaving his peaceful community behind to join the fight during World War I.

While serving on the front lines in France with the 345th Machine Gun Battalion, Private Azbell faced the harsh realities of the battlefield. In September 1918, he was tragically killed in combat during the intense St. Mihiel offensive. Years after the conflict ended, in 1921, his body was carefully exhumed from French soil and brought back to his hometown, where he received a solemn military burial at the City Cemetery following a service at the First Methodist Church.

Today, his ultimate sacrifice is preserved through the Carl E. Azbell American Legion Post 340, which was named in his honor. This landmark organization reminds the youth of Winnsboro that our freedom is built on the resilience of local citizens who put country before self. Memorial Day serves as a quiet moment to look back at history, teaching us the true value of civic duty and community strength.

05/18/2026

Discover Winnsboro’s Roots!

Though we aren't open today, it doesn't mean that we can't celebrate by inviting you to the Winnsboro TX Historical Museum.

Ever wondered what life was like in Winnsboro a century ago? Or wanted to get an up-close look at the stories, faces, and artifacts that shaped our wonderful East Texas town?

Come visit Thursday thru Saturday from 10am to 4pm. We are located inside of the historic 1908 Winnsboro Train Depot at 100 East Broadway.

Admission is FREE (Donations gratefully accepted to help preserve our local history!)

We can’t wait to see you there!

05/13/2026

Another one of Winnsboro's fine eateries is on display in this photo; the Whitehouse Cafe.

This little diner would have been located on the northeast corner of North Main and Broadway as part of the R. G. Andrews Building where the little building and empty lot are now. According to the Winnsboro News (February 8, 1996), Mr. and Mrs. Jesse White (pictured) are thought to have been the owners when the R. G. Andrews Building, built in 1896, was destroyed in a fire in August 1949.

The Whitehouse Cafe was originally known as Richey's Cafe which was known for their 5¢ hamburgers. That business was eventually sold to Ruel Cain in the early 40s, who then sold to Royce Allen, who sold to a Mr. Mahaffey.

Two things on that 5¢ hamburger; oh, where are the days when you could get a burger that cheap and have you noticed that their is no cent sign on a keyboard?

What are some great places to eat that you remember from your younger years and this is an all-ages question. Get the kids involved and ask them there's!

Have you got old photos or other remnants of Winnsboro's history? We love to see it and maybe even add a copy to the archives so that we can continue to share the past with the present and future.

Managed by the Winnsboro TX Historical Museum Archives.
To support our preservation efforts please visit WinnsboroTxMuseum.com.