Permanent Exhibit

This permanent exhibit tells the history of Salado from before Anglo-settlers arrived up to the founding of the museum in 1959. The first display, “Before We Were Salado”, portrays the Native Americans, wildlife, and natural state of Salado. The attraction of Salado Creek drew people to this area for centuries. The Gault Site is nearby, where over six million artifacts been identified. Contact the museum to arrange a tour.

The Empresario Period follows and details the story of Sterling C. Robertson who brought 600 families into the Brazos Valley area of Central Texas. Robertson was a contemporary of Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston.

Colonel ESC Robertson, the Empresario’s son, settled in the area after the formation of Bell County. He donated land to start the Village of Salado and fund the formation of Salado College. Both entities were chartered in the same legislative period by the new state of Texas. The Robertson plantation house is an example of neo-Georgian architecture. There is a replica included in this exhibit. The home and ranch are still operational and privately owned by the Robertson descendants.

Salado College, founded in 1859, is one of the first secular co-educational colleges in Texas. It was in operation from 1859 t o 1924. It has a rich history that we encourage you to explore during your visit here.

Early Pioneer Lifestyle is featured in the next portion of the permanent exhibit at the Salado Museum. Examples of treasured items, household items, and tools are included.

The Chisholm Trail section of the museum commemorates the trail crossing Salado Creek. There are examples of bullets, weapons, and barbed wire. It features a faithful example of a log cabin built near Salado during this period.

Stagecoach travel and the Stagecoach Inn are an important part of Salado’s history. The property was a stagecoach stop since the founding of Salado. The stagecoach model, by Salado folk artist Wilbur Foster, is an accurate interpretation of the Concord style stagecoach used in Texas prior to the railroads.

The Salado Scottish Gathering and Highland Games was founded by Lucille Robertson in 1959. It is the oldest gathering in Texas and largest Clan Gathering in the state. The museum’s exhibit includes information about the costumes, culture, and legacy of Scots in Texas. The Highland Games, sanctioned bagpipe and dance competitions are looked forward to all year and attended by competitors from all over the world.

Rotating Exhibits

Rotating exhibits at the Salado Museum feature different artists, student-led shows, local history, and traveling exhibits. Salado Museum partners with Humanities Texas to bring different exhibits to this space throughout the year.

The current temporary exhibit features works by the Salado Village Artists. The Salado Village Artists meet every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. in their building behind the Civic Center. Artists meet and work together in brush art, collage, card making and jewelry making. New artists are welcome to come and join the group.