Local museums in several jurisdictions are working together to attract more visitors to historical sites.

Mason, which has three museums, initiated the process by inviting representatives from Brady, Eden, Junction, Lampasas, Llano and San Saba to participate. Representatives from each museum have been visiting each other’s facilities, exchanging ideas about how to make the museums more exciting and identifying fundrais-ing possibilities.

The group visited San Saba’s museum on Thursday, May 20. Lynn Blankenship chaired the host committee which included Aileen Roberts, Paula Barrier, Nelda Weatherby, Ann McElroy, Vickie and C. K. Stevenson, David Williams, Ron Pollard and Jerry Blankenship. San Saba’s museum volunteers were pleased with the positive comments they received and also excited about the initiatives the group intends to implement.

After the meeting at the museum, several members of the visiting group toured San Saba’s downtown historic area, shopped at Harry’s Boot Shop and stopped by the Burden Hotel restoration site.

The visitors included Ana Frances Loveless and Carolyn and Wendell Moody from Eden; Kathy and Roger Pinckney from Llano; Andy Delcuze, Rosemary and John Davis, Charles Eckert, Charles Pluenneke and Faye and Wilburn Shearer from Mason.

Tony Guidroz, the City’s Economic Development Director, brought pecan samples for the visitors. The host committee also provided refreshments including several varieties of cookies made by Paula Barrier.

The group believes area museums will benefit by working together to achieve shared goals. After the museum visitations are finished, a multi-jurisdictional committee will develop and implement an action plan promoting heritage tourism throughout our area.