Texas Rangers Museum

In Waco, Texas, visitors can find the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum, where the intriguing history of the Texas Rangers is documented. The Texas Rangers are the oldest law enforcement agency in the United States and is still a renowned group today. The Texas Rangers enforce laws in Texas and are the highest level of law enforcement in the state.

When did it open?

The museum first opened in 1968, after the city of Waco set aside 32 acres to use for the museum and facilities. Building the museum began when the Texas Department of Public Safety chartered Waco with the construction of the complex. Waco also provides an annual subsidy for the museum and is the headquarters for the Texas Rangers Company “F”. On the museum grounds, there’s various buildings, such as the Homer Garrison, Jr. museum gallery, the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame, the Texas Ranger Research Center, and the Headquarters of Company “F”.

Why?

Taken from the museum website, the mission statement of the Texas Rangers museum is as follows: “To disseminate knowledge and inspire an appreciation of the Texas Rangers, a legendary symbol of Texas and the American West” and “to serve as the principal repository for artifacts and archives relating to the Texas Rangers.”

The Texas Rangers have been around since the first communities began appearing in Texas. The Texas Rangers worked to protect the people of Texas and ensure the safety and continued success of the land. Frequent raids by Native Americans occurred, notably the Comanches, which often resulted in bloodshed on both sides. The Texas Rangers protected civilians even before Texas became an American state. They were organized by Stephen F. Austin, who was actually responsible for settlement development in the province of Tejas, which was still owned by Mexico. The Texas Rangers were a tradition in the state that continued even as Texas joined the United States.

Major exhibits

There are numerous exhibits visitors can see at the museum, but there are some main highlights. One of the exhibits, Ranger History in Brief Form, gives a basic overview of the history of the Texas Rangers, such as how and why they got started and who were the first members. This exhibit also focuses on prevalent moments, such as the war with Mexico and bootlegging practices.

Another exhibit is Women and the Rangers, which discusses the important role of women and their relation to the Texas Rangers, highlighting that there have been female rangers at certain times throughout history. This exhibit aims to teach people that women were not weak and frightened, as they are often depicted on the western frontier in pop culture. They were actually strong and independent women who were important to the development of the Rangers and supported the men in their lives who were Texas Rangers. Other notable exhibits are: Indians and Rangers in 19th Century Texas, Texas Rangers in Worldwide Popular Culture, and Hispanic and American Indian Texas Rangers.

Originally published at texasstatetroopersassociation.com on February 2, 2017.