Museum
Development and Curator - Jennifer Wycoff
Mission Statement
:
The Butler Longhorn Museum
and Heritage Park will highlight the Butler Longhorn cattle
bloodline that originated in League City. The Museum will
document the rich and diverse multicultural heritage of
League City through the histories of the original ranching
and farming families.
This museum is a Texas Longhorn museum documenting the
seven bloodlines of Longhorn with Art, History and Science exhibits. This is a project of the City
of League City and our many partners who have supported
this project since its conception; Destination League City, Environmental Institute of Houston, League City Historical
Society, League City Lions Club, The Butler Texas Longhorn Breeders,
Texas Longhorn Breeders, League City Heritage Foundation, League
City Proud, Friends of the Butler Longhorn Museum and many more.
League City is a community that developed around the Butler
Ranch and Cattle Station and is the birthplace of the
Butler Longhorn Bloodline.
The Butler Longhorn Museum is a unique cultural heritage destination in League City, Texas just 20 miles southeast of Houston and minutes from NASA. Purchased by the City of League City in 2002 with a $400,000 grant from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the former home of local banker Walter Hall has been transformed into a state of the art museum dedicated to telling the story of local resident Milby Butler and his role in saving Texas Longhorns from extinction.
Located on ten acres on the northern edge of the city’s historic district in Heritage Park, the museum is an 8,000 square foot, three-story, ADA-compliant structure that houses unique artifacts, art and science exhibits, a meeting room, gift shop and office space for the director.
After your tour of the Museum, take a leisurely stroll through the park, enjoy the gazebo and flower gardens, or walk out to the deck on the fishing pond for a little bird watching. Visit the Sebastian Ghirardi Italian immigrant homestead or just relax under a shade tree.
Think of Texas, and you think of Longhorns. From the western art of Charles M. Russell to the University of Texas mascot, the Longhorn is synonymous with Texas and its ranching history. Yet few Texans or visitors to this state realize that by the beginning of the 20th century, Longhorns were on the verge of extinction. In fact, by the mid-1920s, buffalo outnumbered Longhorns; an especially remarkable fact given that just 40 years earlier, the North American Longhorn population was estimated at 40,000 head. Today, the Longhorn is alive and well due to the efforts of six pioneer breeders and a few far-sighted federal employees who refused to allow these animals to become extinct. The Butler Longhorn Museum tells the story of this amazing comeback, and in doing so, tells a compelling chapter in the story of the American West.
Opening May 2009, the Museum is currently available by appointment for tours. For more information, please contact curator Jennifer Wycoff by phone (281) 332-1393 or email jenniferwycoff@gmail.com.
The Museum is located at :
1220 Coryell Street in League City, Texas
We would like to thank our many supporters and sponsors:
City of League City • Destination League City • Environmental Institute of Houston
Friends of the Butler Longhorn Museum • League City Heritage Foundation
League City Historical Society • League City Lions Club • League City Proud
Texas Longhorn Breeders • The Butler Longhorn Breeders and many more!
