"Museum" Artifacts

Welcome to the Taste of Texas! We hope you will enjoy your visit. In addition to our great menu, we have an incredible collection of museum quality artifacts from our great Texas heritage. Please use this guide as a tool to learn more about Texas and her rich history. (Begin by facing the front doors. Look for the corresponding numbers to guide you on your tour. You’ll start by looking to the right of the front doors, then travel to the left.)

1. Sam Houston Calling Card - Very rare “I Am Houston” signature of Sam Houston.
2. Harper’s Weekly Newspaper Photo of Sam Houston and signature on envelope - One of the most colorful and controversial men in Texas history, Sam Houston was born in Virginia on March 2, 1793. His many offices spanned two nations and a quarter century (U.S. Congress, Governor of Tennessee, First President of the Republic of Texas, Texas Congress, U.S. Senator from Texas and Governor of the state of Texas). Houston is best known for leading the retreat of the Texas army to the Battle of San Jacinto where he defeated Santa Anna’s vastly superior army thus securing Texas’ independence from Mexico. Sam Houston died in Huntsville, Texas, July 1863.
3. Newspaper Photo of General Antonio Lopez De Santa Anna, in military attire.
4. Signature of Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna - Santa Anna was elected President of Mexico in 1833 then declared the Mexican people “too ignorant” to govern themselves and thereby pronounced himself dictator. Of Spanish decent, he fell from power 11 times and massacred more than 30,000 people in Mexico. He also invented chewing gum and was a known opium addict.
5. Signature of Moses Austin - When Moses Austin came to Texas he was a broke Lead Miner from Missouri. He obtained a petition from the Viceroy of Mexico to settle 300 families in Texas, but never realized his dream. Moses Austin set to return home to Missouri, ran out of food, was robbed, caught pneumonia and died shortly after his petition was granted. He begged his son Stephen F. Austin to carry on. Very little of Moses Austin’s effects remain, making this signature extremely rare.
6. Portrait of Stephen F. Austin - Stephen F. Austin, known as the” Father of Texas”, was born in Virginia in 1793. After countless delays, he continued with his father’s intention to colonize Texas and introduced 300 families. Revered by all, he achieved unparalleled influence over the often unruly settlers of Anglo Texas. Austin died on December 27, 1836, at age 43 and is remembered best for speaking profound words of hope and encouragement during the darkest days of the Texas revolution.
7. Texian loan - Signed by Stephen F. Austin, Branch T. Archer and William Wharton, who were chosen as commissioners to the U. S. to secure money, supplies and recruits to support the Texas Revolution.
8. Original oil painting: “Last letter of the Alamo” by Texas artist Lee Jamison.
9. Early Spinning Wheel - This unique early spinning wheel was valued for its compact size.
10. Republic of Texas Currency - These are Texas Redbacks, Republic of Texas currency. In the early days of Texas, a variety of currencies served as cash: Spanish Mexican money, bank notes from various U.S. states, and currency issued by private companies (called shinplasters). The Republic of Texas first issued paper money in one currency – called “star money” for the small star on the face of the bill. The money worth about 37 cents to the U.S. Dollar was not face value currency, but rather interest-bearing notes (similar to savings bonds) that circulated by being endorsed over to the next payee. In 1838, Texas issued change notes with elaborate designs on the front and blank backs. The so-called Texas Redbacks were issued in 1839. The government printed over one million dollars in Redbacks initially.
11. Texas Ranger Bronze, “Watching over Texas”. A magnificent piece done by the official Texas state sculptor, Houstonian Edd Hayes.
12. “Rangers of Texas” book signed by current Texas Rangers. By 1823 there were almost 700 colonists in Texas from various areas of the country who settled near the Gulf of Mexico. Without any military protection, Austin organized a group to provide the needed protection. These brave colonists became known as the “Rangers” as their duties required them to range over the entire territory thus giving rise to the Texas Rangers we know.
13. Walker Colt (replica) - This weapon was made just for the Texas Rangers. Based on the Patterson colt but greatly improved, this gun was named the “Hand Cannon” and gave rise to the phrase “One riot, One Ranger” as each Ranger carried 6 Walker Colts; two in the holsters, two in the boots, and two on the saddle.
14. Rare “Sharps” cartridges - in mint condition with original box.
15. Chaps, Lariat and Braided Whip - Chaps were leggings worn for protection against brush and weather. These Early Fringe Chaps –circa 1860- also called chinkaderos were regional to Texan and Southwestern cowboys. The Lariat, a long rope of braided rawhide, was also known as a latch rope. The Braided Whip was used to encourage a stubborn horse.
16. Texas Ranger Report (copy) - The Texas Ranger Report recorded the disposition of the prisoner. This one by Nat B. “Kiowa” Jones boded ill for the cattle thief: “Damn bad. Had to kill him in a gunfight.”
17. Diamond Back Rattlesnake “Rattlers” have got to be good for something. Here are 275 in the shape of the “Lone Star of Texas” by Nina Hendee.
18. Buffalo Hide Saddle Bags, From Texas cattle drive days these bona fide buffalo hide saddle bags hail from the famous YO Ranch near Kerrville, Texas.
19. Texas Ranger Photo, Here is Texas Ranger, Erwin T. Zwernemann, busting an illegal still in Lee County in the late 1920’s during Prohibition.
20. Hand Tooled Texas Saddle, Don Zwernemann’s (Ranger Zwernemann’s grandson) beautiful saddle was made at the Billy Cook Saddlery in Greenville, Texas.
21. Texas Rangers, Company A, Signatures.