The Chisholm Trail Outdoor Museum in Cleburne

Welcome to the Chisholm Trail Outdoor Museum. Tepees and life-size cattle drive silhouettes greet you as you enter the museum.  This historical site in Johnson County, Texas is the home of Wardville, the first county seat of Johnson County established in 1854, nine years after Texas gained statehood. William O’Neal donated eighty acres to the new Johnson County, and he and his brother built the first courthouse. That very courthouse is here, on-site, and is now accepted as the oldest log courthouse in Texas. From 1854 to 1856 with Wardville as the county seat, there were twenty-nine families living between Town Branch Creek and where the courthouse is today.  The Wardville Cemetery has been relocated and restored.  The Sheriff's Office and Jail were added in 2010. We are proud to have acquired the jail doors from the original 1855 jail at Wardville. These historic doors were used in three different jails over the years and have made their way back to their original location. The Nolan River School operated in the area from 1855 to 1872. In the mid-1800s every community or large ranch had to have a blacksmith shop. Keeping in line with history, we added our blacksmith shop to the museum in 2009. In those days, many Native Americans stole horses, but wouldn't touch mules. Because of this, mule stations were set up along the stagecoach route for the stages to swap for fresh teams. The Chisholm Trail Outdoor Museum is fortunate to have an original mule barn from the Freeland Ranch that serviced the Johnson Stage Line in the mid to late 1800s. At present, we have a Stage Station representing the stage line that ran out of Cleburne. This coach was built for movies and used in several Westerns, including two early John Wayne movies. Back when stagecoach was the premiere mode of transportation, the travel time from Cleburne to Ft. Forth by stage was seven hours. 

The Big Bear Native American Museum provides an invaluable educational experience for children and adults alike to learn more about Native Americans. The museum houses a vast collection of Native American artifacts donated by Leonard "Big Bear" Beal, a Native Texan and the museum's namesake. In the museum you will find a wide variety of artifacts and historical pieces that are sure to provide a better understanding of Native American culture as a whole. The Big Bear Native American Museum aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the history of Native Americans in North America, from when they arrived here more than 13,000 years ago, to present day. The Douglas Harman Chisholm Trail Artifacts and Western Memorabilia Museum is our second museum. It houses Mr. Harman’s life long collection of historic artifacts- including saddles, spurs, chaps, and more- embodies his passion for cowboy culture, as well as, The Chisholm Trail. His deep appreciation for the Old West allows the story of western heritage to live on forever. This unique museum showcases authentic artifacts used along the historic Chisholm Trail, offering visitors a rare glimpse into the lives of the cowboys and pioneers who traveled it. From saddles and branding irons to other essential tools of the trail, this collection preserves the legacy of the American West like never before.  The Terry’s Texas Rangers museum houses two very interesting museums.  On one side is Texas Law Enforcement history of the Texas Rangers.  On the other side is the Civil War Museum.

Many events and classes are held throughout the year to give visitors a taste of our Texas culture.  We have homesteading classes, blacksmith classes and chuckwagon cooking camps.  Some of the events include the Texas Independence Day Celebration, the IIAC Pow Wow, Pioneer Days and Christmas on the Trail.