Events will be throughout the Historic District of Village

Texas History Days in Salado promises a weekend full of activities for history buffs, genealogists, book lovers, craft lovers and more June 8-10 with events throughout Salado.

For a complete calendar of events, click here

Salado Historical Society will have old fashioned entertainment June 8 beginning at 6 p.m. with a tea party at the historic Log Cabins on Van Bibber followed by a sing-along with Barry and Barb Starcher.

Barry Starcher handcrafts wooden instruments and they have donated a beautiful music box to be raffled off over the weekend. Also, there will be some historic books and other objects included in the raffle. Tickets will be for sale at the cabins.

“Tales of Old Salado” by E.M. Hutchens will be available for sale.

The new Hutchens writers cabin will be open. A dedication of the writer’s cabin will be held at 11 a.m. Sat., June 9 following a morning singalong with the Starchers at 10 a.m.

Games, stories, and home crafting will fill Saturday afternoon. 

On Sun., June 10, the Cabins will be open to visitors from 1 to 4 p.m.

Salado mayor Skip Blancett will capture the spirit of Sam Houston as he gives Houston’s anti-secession speech that the Governor was said to have given from the balcony of the old Shady Villa Hotel on South Main St. The speech will be given at 10 a.m. June 9 and again at 3 p.m. at the Salado Civic Center. Gary Askins will welcome visitors to Salado as he portrays Col. E.S.C. Robertson, who founded Salado College by giving the land that was surveyed and sold to raise funds for the opening of a co-educational college in 1859. Askins will be at the Salado Civic Center at 9 a.m. Sat. June 9.

Both Gov. Houston and Col. Robertson were Freemasons. Salado Masonic Lodge #296 invites the public to see the building in which it has met for more than 140 years. Salado Lodge was founded in 1867 and many of the trustees and male teachers of Salado College including Professor Smith were early day members of the Lodge. 

In the 1870s, after meeting upstairs at Salado College, the Lodge joined together with the Salado Baptist Church to build a two-story frame structure on the banks of Salado Creek. The church met downstairs and the Masons met upstairs. The structure stood in that location for almost 100 years, when the Baptist Church expanded with the construction of the first all-brick sanctuary for its congregation. The Masonic Lodge took off the top story of the building and moved it on trucks about 200 yards north to its home at 95 S. Church St. on land donated by Charlton Johnston, a past Master of Salado Lodge. 

Early day Masons included Salado’s first Mayor Orville T. Tyler, Maj. Archibald J. Rose, who founded the Grange and went on to be a Grand Master of Texas Masons, George W. Tyler, who was also a Grand Master of Texas Masons, Capt. Robert B. Halley, Dr. Welborn Barton, Dr. B. D. McKie. 

Learn more about these historical characters, the history of the Lodge and Masonry in general during the open house 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sat., June 9.

Self-paced tours on e-bikes from Lone Star eBikes will be available throughout the weekend. Walking tours of Salado by the Rotary Club will also be given during the weekend.

Visit the Baines House and the Texana Museum on its grounds during the weekend for a first hand look at Salado and Texas history. 

Enjoy old-fashioned ice cream as the Salado Lions Club host an ice cream making contest Sat., June 9.

Beginning and experienced genealogists will enjoy any of the four seminars on genealogy to be held during the weekend. Information on individual seminars can be found at the Salado Village Voice online calendar.

Learn more about Salado and local history when you meet the author of local histories at book signings at Lone Star eBikes, Antique Rose of Bell and Fletcher’s Books and Antiques. Information on the individual book signings can be found online at saladovillagevoice.com/calendar.

You’ll enjoy learning more about the beer you drink when the Beer Museum from Austin will have a display at Barrow Brewing Co. from 12 noon to 5 p.m. Sat., June 9. Later, learn the art of square dancing that evening at Barrow Brewing, taught by Dan Clairmont. 

Local shops will hold events throughout the weekend: 21 Main will have piano music while Strawberry Patch has music on June 9 as well. Enjoy an old-fashiones campfire and songs on the grounds of The Howling Wolff 5-9 p.m. June 8 and 9.

Chris “Tall Hat” Coffey,  Texas Buckskinner and Free Trapper will be at Sage Hill On Main June 9 and 10 making period crafts in leather such as pouches and medicine bags. He will be exhibiting a canvas lodge and demonstrating fire starting. 

In addition there will be carriage rides, music, a bank robbery, antique tractor exhibit, a tour of the Salado Antique stores that will offer exhibits of Salado & Texas History, Costumed artists by the creek, chuck wagon food, cabin tours, pioneer life style demonstration including quilters, gardeners, horseshoe competitions, storytellers, and so much more.

For more information, visit Salado Village Voice website saladovillagevoice.com with an extensive community calendar and individual features on the events and the event website at texashistorysalado.com.