Polk County Museum, Alligators & Snow!

A visit to the Polk County Museum was recommended to us, so we decided that as today, was chilly, very chilly – we thought we’d left all this cold behind us at home – that is what we’d do. First we stopped the Jonas Davis cabin on W Church Street.
Jonas Davis was a member of the Pakana Muscogie tribe which was originally from this area and was a descendent of President Andrew Jackson’s noted spy. The silver award he is wearing in the picture below bears the inscription ‘Andrew Jackson, President, U. S. of America to John Blount, His Faithful Guide in the Seminole War’.

The award remained in his possession until his death.

Right behind the cabin was Locomotive number 5, it was built in Philadelphia in 1911, used to transport lumber in Florida in the 1920’s it was then purchased for use in the Texas logging industry between Angelina and Polk County Mill towns on the Houston, East and West Texas railway tracks. The locomotive contributed to the development of the areas timber industry.

We didn’t realise that Polk County was named after the 11th President James K Polk who served from 1844 – 1849 and died of cholera 3 months after leaving office.

Museum exhibits show the history of Polk County and Livingston.

A 19th century Wedding dress, obviously this bride didn’t eat donuts!

A nice line in sun bonnets, although today rain bonnets would’ve been much more appropriate!

While we were visiting the museum, the very nice lady told us that alligators abound in the creeks, river and Lake Livingston and that wild hogs, bobcats and a few black bear live in the forests.

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the Museum and won’t hesitate to return when we’re next in the area.

Mind you when we got back to the Cougar, big fat silver dollar sized flakes of snow fell from the sky for a while so maybe its polar bears we should be watching out for not black bears!

It is still raining and a whole lot chillier than we expected Texas to be at this time of the year and from what I’m hearing it is a whole lot chillier than Texans expect Texas to be as well!

Still tomorrow is another day and the forecast is sunshine, hurray!

Have fun, we are!