"Don't Touch!" How many times have you heard a parent say that to an energetic, curious child as the family strolled through a museum?

At San Saba’s hometown museum, we’re committed to creating an experience that invites visitors to touch, taste, feel, smell and re-live their pioneer history.

Touching (and several other interesting actions) was the main fun-raiser for "The Way It Was" Open House which was held Saturday, October 8 at the Museum. More than 60 visitors came to see various experts spin wool into yarn, tat lace, card wool, wash clothes with a rub board, divine water, shell and grind corn, knap flint, and discover how pioneer firearms worked.

A group of creative and talented experts served as guides. Several were dressed in pioneer costumes including Rosemary Cox, Maude Ann and Kenneth Kuykendall and Aileen Roberts. Other volunteers who helped little kids and their grown-up parents understand "the way it was" included Lynn Blankenship, Roger Whatley, Valerie Cortinovis, Buddy Roberts, Mindy Baker, Martha Roe Terry, Buddy Whitley and Jerry Blankenship. Several other museum volunteers including Clione Rochat, Trish Warren, Debbie Taff, Paula Barrier and Becky Whitley helped with other activities including a scavenger hunt which kept everyone looking everywhere for some of the more obscure items on the scavenger search list.

The Museum is committed to offering additional "hands-on" experiences and is particularly interested in inspiring people to write their personal stories. We also hope to use technology to provide a customizable tour experience appealing to the visual, audio, tactile and olfactory senses. All of this is designed to bring life to the precious artifacts housed at the museum.

The Museum wishes to thank the many donors who contributed artifacts, tools and expertise to make this program possible including Macy Ledbetter and Cherokee Hardware. The program was offered free of charge.

The Museum is a 501c3 charitable organization and needs donations of money, time talent and artifacts. Please contact Museum President Lynn Blankenship at 372.8807 for information about our plans and current needs.