Refugio County Museum

Model T Ford Sedan (1925)     The car belonged to Mr. John Morgan O'Brien. It was later given to the Historical Society by his son Mr. John J O'Brien. The Historical Society used the car in the Refugio County Fair Parade for many years.

This is one of the four bells that once graced the bell towers of the Mission Nuestra Senora del Refugio. The mission was damaged during both Wars for Independance, the War between Mexico and Spain  and later the War between Texas and Mexico.

Years after the wars the bells were hauled to Victoria as scrap, two of the bells were broken. While on the trail to Victoria the cart the bells were on became stuck in the sand at the San Antonio River, the bells and the cart were abandonded. Later Nicholas Fagan found this bell and put it in his family chapel. After serving as the bell in several chapels the bell was Donated to The Refugio County Historical Society by Ms. Kathryn Stoner O'Connor.

This hat was used in the Broadway Stage Production of "Hello Dolly" It was first worn by Carol Channing. She gave it to Pearl Bailey as a good luck present who starred in the first Black-Cast production of the play. Ms Bailey donated the hat as a door prize at a charity fundraiser in Houston in the 1960's. It was won by Nell Meier formally of Bayside who has donated it to the Museum.

Refugio Main Street -  These Folk Art Buildings were all made by Mr. Seward Richardson. He built thes buildings as he remembered them looking in the 1920's. As a hobby Seward also made a number of other buildings.