High Cotton

Come by to see our newest exhibit: High Cotton: Farming in Williamson County.

Drawn to the rich blackland soils in the eastern portion of Williamson County, early inhabitants farmed the land. The soils in Williamson County are some of the finest farmland in Texas. The landscape is rich with trees and rivers and creeks. Settlers, foreign and American, arrived in Texas in the 1820s seeking that fertile land and a better life.

The Williamson Museum is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10am to 6pm.

Who was Arthur Olander?

Here's a photograph from the 1950s or 1960s of Arthur Olander of Hutto checking out his corn crops.

Come to the Museum on Friday, August 6, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm for the opening of our newest exhibit, High Cotton: Farming in Williamson County.

You'll find out why Arthur Olander is included in the exhibit and much, much more!

Volunteer Spotlight: Janelle Litos

Janelle (on the left in this photograph) volunteering during Hand-On History.

How long have you been volunteering with the WM?
I have been volunteering with the WM for a little over a year.

What do you do for WM?
I volunteer as a greeter, I help with special events, and I help with Hands-On History.

How do you feel your work helps others?
I feel that my volunteering helps others in an educational way. By expressing my love for history and sharing it, especially with kids, I feel that I contribute to a positive educational experience.

What do you enjoy most about WM?
Along with the history, I enjoy the people the most. The workers, including the volunteers, are all friendly, and the visitors are often interesting and pleasant. I love when people come in with much enthusiasm, and I also love when they have their own stories to share about their ties to the county!

What's unique about WM?
I think one of the unique factors of the WM is that it offers so much to the public. There’s always something exciting going on. Also, of course, its promotion of Williamson Country culture is quite unique.

Personal information about yourself:
I am 16 years old and will be entering my senior year at Georgetown High School in the fall. I moved to Georgetown from Massachusetts when I was five with my family of six. I play the piano and guitar, and my interests include history, philosophy, current events, and people. In my free time I enjoy listening to music, reading, watching movies, and hanging out with friends and family.

New Exhibit Work Begins

Last Saturday, Abby (the intern), Amy (the volunteer) and I worked to uninstall the exhibit Return to Splendor, which was about the history of Williamson County's courthouses.

It took us almost 5 hours to take everything down. That includes HOURS of working to get label adhesive off the walls (a HUGE shout-out to Amy on that one!) and put all the artifacts back in their proper homes.

Now, the space is empty. Tomorrow, our construction guys (Harlan and Mike) will start working on creating a new home for our next exhibit, which will open the first week of August. Keep your eyes open for updates as we continue to install this exciting new exhibit!

Mickie Ross Named Executive Director

After conducting a nationwide search to fill the vacancy in The Williamson Museum Director's position, Mike Martin, President of the Museum's Board of Directors, announced the appointment of Ms. Mickie Ross to replace former Director, Chris Dyer. Mr. Dyer served as Museum Director beginning in 2005 before relocating to another community this spring. Ms. Ross previously served the Museum as both a volunteer and board member before taking over the position of Educational Program Coordinator in 2007, in which capacity she has continued to serve until today. Ms. Ross' appointment as Executive Director becomes effective July 1, 2010.

Mr. Martin said that the board received applications from and considered 48 candidates from across the country, all with significant experience in and credentials for museum management. In the final analysis, he said the board was unanimous in its support for Mickie, citing her thorough knowledge of the Museum and the Williamson County community it serves. He also noted her vision for the future growth, development and expansion of the Museum and its programs as well as her deep commitment to the Museum and her obvious, demonstrable passion for it.

"Mickie Ross has distinguished herself during her tenure with The Williamson Museum", said Martin, “and the board of directors is excited about the direction in which she will lead us. The board, staff and members of the Museum have a large vision for the future in Williamson County, and we believe that Mickie Ross is just the leader we have been seeking for our organization.”

Mickie spent 21 years as a professional educator before joining the Fort Bend Museum in Richmond, Texas and then serving as the Adult Education Program Coordinator for the Texas State Historical Association. She has written and published Texas history teaching guides, served as a consultant for Texas history publications, and has presented workshops at state and national social studies conferences. "Mickie Ross brings a wealth of experience to the helm of the Museum", Martin noted.

Ms. Ross earned her BA in education from San Houston State University and resides in Georgetown with her husband, Dale, a CPA and a Georgetown City Councilman.

Books!

We've chosen books for the next six months of Books for Texans Book Club.

July 20, 2010- The Men Who Wore the Star: The Story of the Texas Rangers by Charles M. Robinson III

August 17, 2010- Minding the Store by Stanley Marcus

September 21, 2010- Failure is Not an Option: Mission Control from Mercury to Apollo 13 and Beyond by Gene Kranz

October 19, 2010- The Big Rich: The Rise and Fall of the Greatest Texas Oil Fortunes by Bryan Burroughs

November 16, 2010- Stand-Off in Texas: "Just Call Me a Spokesman for the DPS..." by Mike Cox

December 21, 2010- The Big Bend: A History of the Last Frontier by Ronnie C. Tyler

Books for Texans meets on the third Tuesday of every month at 7:00 pm in the Hewlett Room at the Georgetown Public Library. We hope you can join us!

Mark Your Calendars!

We've got a lot going on in the next couple of weeks. We hope that you can stop by for one or all of them!

June 4: First Friday (6 to 8pm)-- Stop by the Museum for refreshments and see our newest exhibit, which opened last month, Recuerdos: Images from Williamson County's Hispanic-American Community. After, stroll around the Downtown Square and listen to the live music from Lonestar Swing Band Syndicate during the street dance (8 to 10pm).

June 9: The Salon at Wildfire (6:30 to 8pm at Wildfire Restaurant)-- Come listen to Glenn Dishong, Water Services Director from the City of Georgetown, talk about water conservation.

June 12: Hands-on History (10am to 2pm)-- Join us in the gallery for this free, hands-on activity for the whole family. This month's theme is Working Cotton.

June 15: Books for Texans Book Club (7 to 8pm at Georgetown Public Library)-- Drop in to discuss our latest selection, Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream by Doris Kearns Goodwin, and find out the next six months' selections, too.