Articles < ARTICLE LISTINGS
[click to view articles from edition 1 | edition 2 | edition 3 | edition 4 | edition 5 | edition 6]

The Heritage Museum of the Texas Hill Country
By Rachel M. Truelove

With advances in technology and the fast paced world we live in today, it is hard to imagine a time when there were no cars, only horse-drawn buggies. Harder still is it to think that at one time huge dinosaurs roamed the very ground we walk on.

But it is true! And the Heritage Museum of the Texas Hill Country in Sattler, Texas has over 350 preserved dinosaur tracks, estimated to be over 108 million years, for the public to enjoy. The tracks are located under a shaded pavilion; visitors are encouraged to view the tracks from the top of the amphitheatre.

The dinosaurs that made the tracks are believed to be Acrocanthosaurus and Iguanodon, both bipedal. Every visitor to the Heritage Museum is given information by a knowledgeable instructor about the dinosaurs and the environment during the Cretaceous Period.

In addition to the dinosaur tracks, children have the opportunity to dig up and brush off their own “fossils” out of the above-ground sand pit. And, perhaps, they may take home a unique souvenir from the Museum’s gift shop.

The Heritage Museum also has an eclectic historic collection of early 19th century artifacts. These include early Hill Country pioneer farm equipment, some of the earliest telephones, and even a whiskey still on display. All of the early pioneer memorabilia was donated to the museum by people who wanted to share their unique pieces of history with the public.

As a visitor to the Heritage Museum, you will be guided through each exhibit. Hopefully, your imagination will take you back in time as you see the tools early Texas used.

The Heritage Museum of the Texas Hill Country has quite a history itself. In the early 1980’s, the hill where the Museum is located was being excavated to accommodate an RV park. Two young boys were playing Frisbee on the dugout side of the hill when their disc landed in an odd shaped indention in the earth. Come to find out it was a dinosaur track!

The RV park plan was but on hold because the owners of the land realized how important the discovery was. Eventually, the land was donated to the Heritage Museum by John and Richelle Parker in December 2002.

Because the dinosaur tracks are embedded in limestone, they are slowly eroding away. The Heritage Museum has made it its mission to preserve and protect these tracks for future generations to enjoy.

The museum is a non-profit organization, and all admission fees, donations, and gift shop revenue go towards preservation of the tracks, educating the public about earth science and keeping the Heritage Museum’s doors open.

Since 2001, the Heritage Museum has given over 400 presentations to a total of nearly 14,000 people in the areas of history, archeology, and earth science. The Museum hopes to expand its educational programs and build a lecture hall.

The Heritage Museum of the Texas Hill Country is located between Sattler and Startzville on FM 2673 in Canyon Lake. Hours are 1pm – 5pm every day except holidays.