Huntsville's Sam Houston Museum - April 11, 2009

Now with 12% wider images! The Sam Houston Memorial Museum tour starts at the Katy & E. Don Walker Sr. Education Center	Cotton bale within the Walker Education Center
Take the trail to the other buildings on site	Wow, there are big bamboo stalks along the way
First come across an Exhibit Hall	Taking a look inside the Exhibit Hall
The Steamboat House is where Sam Houston lived the . . .	. . . last year of his life after being removed as governor
Steamboat House Historic Site Plaque	Sam Houston laid in repose in the upstairs room
Upstairs dining room view	Upstairs bedroom through plexiglass glare
Downstairs room under the great stairwell	Same downstairs room viewed from the side
Walk over to Sam Houston's 'Woodland' home	Houston's 1847-1859 home when Sam was a US Senator
Texas Historical plaque in front of the Woodlands home	Texas Historical plaque in front of the Woodlands home
Downstairs bedroom in the Woodlands home	Downstairs living room in the Woodlands home
Sam Jr.'s (& later William's) upstairs bedroom	Nannie's (& later Maggie, Mary & Nettie's) upstairs bedroom
The boy's room and the stairs that lead down	Plaque by the entrance of the boy's room
Eliza's Kitchen sits outside the Woodlands home	View inside the kitchen
Sam Houston's law office opposite the kitchen	Plaque on the wall at the entrance of the law office
View inside Sam Houston's law office	Pond beyond the law office and kitchen
Demonstration cabins for large tour groups	View back toward the kitchen and Woodland home
Woodland home, kitchen, and law office beyond	Head to the pond from the right and over a bridge
View over the pond toward the kitchen, home, & office	View back past the pond and along the trail
View from Sam Houston Avenue of the main museum	Sam Houston State University is just across the street
Monticello-like main Sam Houston exhibit hall	Approach the grand entrance of the exhibit hall
Sam Houston, the 1st President of Texas, was born in 1793	Sam Houston died on July 26, 1863
Left to right viewing of the entrance rotunda within . . .	. . . the Sam Houston Memorial Museum exhibit hall
Houston won a seat in Congress w/Andrew Jackson's help and was elected Gov. of Tennessee in 1827 but resigned in 1829 when his new wife, Eliza Allen, left him after 3 months	In despair, Houston became a citizen of the OK Cherokee Nation and was called "Big Drunk" at times. He married Chief Oolooteka's niece, Tiana Rogers
Ohio Congressman William Stanbery charged Houston with corruption with Indian trading contracts. Houston confronted him and beat him with a walking cane after Stanbery's pistol misfired. Francis Scott Key defended Houston but he was found guilty of assault and reprimanded. Houston's address during the month long trial brought cheers and approval and Houston redeemed himself before the public	Gen. Houston ordered Col. Bowie to recover ammunition from San Antonio and retreat but he defied orders and held the Alamo, which fell along with 182+ men, to Santa Anna on March 6th, 1836. Col. Fannin & 342 men were surrounded at Goliad and executed in mass on March 27th, 1836. Houston's army and settlers fled eastward (Runaway Scrape) from Santa Anna's pursuing army to San Jacinto
Replica of the General Sherman's San Jacinto battle flag	Captured Santa Anna brought to wounded a Sam Houston
Sam Houston was Texas' 1st (1836-1838) and 3rd (1841-1844) President. Houston favored US annexation but anti-slavery sentiments blocked that into the 1840's. Houston courted England & France & hinted of perpetual independence to goad US President Tyler to annex Texas	Anson Jones became Texas President in 1844 as James Polk became US President. Texas was annexed December 29, 1845 & Pres. Jones declared the Republic of Texas no more on February 19, 1846. Sam Houston gathered the Lone Star flag as it was lowered at the capitol
Margaret persuaded Sam to join the baptist church in 1854. The minister told Sam his sins had been washed away during a baptism ceremony in a creek to which Sam replied, "God help the fish down below"	Houston was elected to US Senator in 1846 and played a significant role in the Compromise of 1850 (one of 2 southern senators that supported it). Houston opposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 which allowed states to vote for slavery on "Popular Sovereignty" and was denounced across the south as Kansas slipped into guerrilla warfare
Houston, disillusioned with the extreme pro-slavery Democratic Party, switched to the new American Party (Know-Nothings). He was elected Governor of Texas in 1860 and fought to delay Texas seceding from the Union, even suggested restoring the Republic of Texas. Secession happened anyway & Houston was removed from office in March 1861 when he refused to swear allegiance to the Confederacy	Angry pro-Confederacy Texans forced Houston to move to Galveston, then back to Huntsville when the Union invasion was imminent. Sam Jr. was wounded at Shilo fighting for the south & recuperated in a POW camp. Houston developed pneumonia and died on July 26, 1863. His last words were, "Texas, Texas, Margaret." He was buried in a simple wooden coffin made by the Union prisoners he had befriended
Mosaic portrait of Sam Houston	The portrait I think of when I think of Sam Houston
Sam Houston's original headstone, replaced in 1911	Depart the exhibit hall and return to the car
Nearing the pond before the Woodland home	Try to capture the rock lined creek near the pond
Take the path back to the Education Center	Drive 10 blocks downtown to the Oakwood Cemetery which opened in 1846
Sam Houston's State of Texas Historical Plaque	Sam's new (1911) fancy headstone befitting the man Shown as the General in command of the Texas Army with Lady Victory on the left and Lady History on the right And a quote from Andrew Jackson, "The world will take care of Houston's fame"
The gray Texas granite monument was created by Pompeo Coppini who also created the Alamo Cenotaph	The gravesite was chosen because of the proximity to that of Houston's friend, Henderson Yoakum
William Jennings Bryan spoke at the 1911 unveiling on the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto Soldier Under Jackson, Tennessee Congressman & Governor, Chief of the Cherokees, Commander of Texan Army, Hero of San Jacinto, Twice President of Republic of Texas, US Senator of Texas, Governor of Texas	A brave soldier, a fearless statesman, a great orator, a pure patriot, a faithful friend, a loyal citizen, a devoted husband and father, a consistent christian, an honest man.
It's a short walk from parking your car to Sam's tomb	Henderson Yoakum died in 1856, age of 46. He authored Texas' first comprehensive history, published in 1855
Besser gravestones, some from before the civil war	The brick wall could be older than 150 years as well
More gravestones including eight Union soldiers who died of Yellow Fever & were buried in the distant corner	Eastham, Alston, and Oliphant gravestones Easthams married Alstons (while riding Oliphants?)
Dr. Pleasant Williams Kittrell was Texas Congressman & a main force in the establishment of the University of Texas	The freemason Thornton family plot could use a little repair work from their likewise current relatives
Joshua Houston was Sam Houston's servant. He established & financed the first black church which served as the city school and was elected Walker County commissioner in 1882	Sam Walker Houston was born a year after Sam Houston's death. He was a contemporary of Booker T. Washington and served as the publisher of The Huntsville Times. He established the Houston Institute, ranked as the best rural high school in the south
Crosses among unmarked slaves' graves	Dr. John & Emily Thomason rest peacefully under a proper husband & wife gravestone combination
CSA Private Prewitt has a snappy new grave marker	Rawley Rather Powell Memorial Park with a bronze statue of Christ by Scuptor Bertel Thorwaldsen www.samhoustonmovie.com