Zapata County Museum of History

Patterned after many of the Smithsonian National Museums in Washington, D.C, the
Museum has a comprehensive storyline beginning with the geological development of the region to the native animals and plants to the human imprint. Our local history unfolds through the use of narratives and graphics and enhanced with artifacts donated or placed on loan by generous local residents many of whom are descendants of the original settlers from colonial times. Museum Board members decided early in the development of the storyline that an exhaustive study would be made of actual local archives rather than depend on traditional historical sources that are often dismissive of local contributions to
the American social fabric. There will be many opportunities for people interested in history to do in-depth studies and analyses of topics ranging from geology, ecology, early Native American life to a comparison of basic human rights granted under El Fuero Juzgo and the Magna Carta, as well as the fascinating study of early oil and gas exploration and the impact of that on local customs and the economy. The emotional and heartbreaking stories of the loss of ancestral homes and lands are relived through actual oral and written accounts of people that lived the experience. The presentation is concluded with a review
of present-day accomplishments that have transformed Zapata County into the dynamic entity it has become through the efforts of its people.