Museum dedicates new building
On June 29 a dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting for the Milam County Museum’s newest attraction was held.
The Barbara Harry Hajovsky Memorial Transportation Exhibit Building was officially dedicated.
A brief ceremony was held beside the Old Jail Museum at Main and Fannin Streets.
This new garage exhibit was donated as a gift to the MCHM by Mr. Bud Hajovsky, and is dedicated to the memory of Mrs. Barbara Harry Hajovsky.
Mrs. Hajovsky, who passed away on June 29, 2021, was a former president of the MCHM board and committee chairman from 2009-2012.
In donating this new building, Mr. Hajovsky has generously given the museum a place to proudly display two classic vehicles.
The garage houses a restored 1959 Chevy flat-bed delivery truck once belonging to the McLane Corporation and donated by Cameron native Drayton McLane, Jr. The building also houses a 1925 La France Fire Engine once used and donated by the Cameron Volunteer Fire Department.
Mr. Hajovsky, a longtime Cameron businessman and once owner of the local Western Auto Store is currently a member of the MCHM committee. The late Mrs. Hajovsky once owned and operated the Houston Street Emporium and Tea Room in downtown Cameron.
The former home of the Milam County Sheriff’s Department, the Old 1895 Jail Museum houses exhibits and displays of both law enforcement and everyday life in 19th and 20th century Texas. Back then, living quarters inside the jail were provided by the county for the sheriff and his family from 1895 to the 1970’s.
The bottom floor of the old jailhouse gives visitors a glimpse of what life was like for the sheriff’s family as they actually lived in the jail. Furniture and antiques give it a homey feel, while life-like mannequins greet visitors in period costume. The upper floors are what you’d expect to see… jail cells and of course, a hanging tower.
Another point of interest on the old jail’s property is the 1830’s Sneed log cabin. This small home was moved from the countryside and reconstructed in downtown Cameron back in the early 1980’s. It is a prime example of how early families of Milam County lived as far back as the Republic of Texas days.
Visitors are invited to view both the interior and exterior of this 1830’s structure. The Sneed cabin pre-dates both the Milam County Courthouse and the Old Jail building.