The Witte Museum is located north of downtown on Broadway and has been in existence 1926. Over those 85 years it has grown and changed with the community of San Antonio. While the museum hosts a wide range of interesting exhibits which cater for all types who frequent the Witte Museum, on this day we spent time in the Robert J & Helen C Kleberg South Texas Heritage Center. This display provides the opportunity to take a walk back in time when the West was the home of the American Indian , the cowboy and where innovation and smartness on how to survive the hash environment was born. As one walks through the life like displays and secretly says to self "pleased I did not live during this time" however feeling very grateful for the huge sacrifices many made to make America what it is today. The USA today still opens its doors to many from other lands who want to live in this amazing country.
American Indians who were the first to settle this land have a rich and diverse culture and the Witte provides the uneducated the opportunity to develop an appreciation of this cultural group. Having had the opportunity to go to a Pow Wow we were very interested in this magnificent Eagle Feather War Bonnet of the Comanche Chief Tabanica. Unfortunately the glare from the class makes the full appreciation of its beauty a little difficult to see.
The display of Indian clothing is amazing.
As are the weapons used at this time.
History is littered with the sad stories of culture clashes.
Innovation was essential and the great distances that needed to be travelled saw the development of the wagon. It is very small inside and not built for comfort.
Outside within the museum grounds there are now a number of original and recreated homesteads (the Ruiz house dates prior to 1756).
All located with the Riverwalk as their backyard.
We had last visited this Museum in 1993 when it had a major display on the history of the Texas Rangers. San Antonio has so much history and it is maintained in at least 7 museums spread across the city.
We are still enjoying it here and find it a fun place to live.
Cheers Ross and Bev
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