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HOME / HISTORY / Herzstein Memorial Museum |
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Distance: Downtown
Contact: D. Day Blaheley, Directory
Hours of Operation: 10am - 5pm Tues - Sat; 1 - 5pm Sun
Fees: Free, Donations Accepted
Corner of Second and Walnut Streets in Clayton, New Mexico
Operated by the Union County Historical Society
Union County Historical Society
Post Office Box 75
Clayton, New Mexico 88415-0075
505-374-2977
www.herzsteinmuseum.org
[email protected]
The Museum Yesterday…
There had been interest in a museum for Clayton for many years, and several attempts
to begin such an endeavor failed, but in the 1960’s the possibility arose
again. The Methodist congregation built a new church and vacated the building,
originally built as a Methodist-Episcopal Church in 1921. At this time, the Chilcote
family purchased the building and presented it to the Union County
Historical Society.
The building was used from time to time as a youth center and meeting place, but
there were not enough funds available to transform it into a museum. In the 1970’s,
Albert Herzstein of Houston, Texas, donated a sum of money, which was placed in
a savings account to draw interest until it was needed.
The Union County Historical Museum opened on a limited basis in the summer of
1987, and grew rapidly as the community became aware of its potential. However,
the building needed massive renovation and funds were rapidly depleted. When Albert
Herzstein learned of the financial dilemma in 1988, he underwrote the cost of
renovation through the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation. The name
was changed to the Herzstein Memorial Museum, to honor the Herzstein family who
were business and civic leaders during Clayton’s early days.
The Museum Today…
Today, gleaming hardwood floors and colorful stained glass windows serve as a
lovely setting for the display of antiques and artifacts which have been given
or loaned by the many people interested in preserving the history and heritage
of Union County. Furnishings from a doctor’s office of the 1930’s, an
eye doctor’s equipment, a model railroad with downtown Clayton as the background,
vintage clothing and hats, Native American artifacts, toys and furniture are among
the many items to be seen in the museum. Other displays feature the Santa Fe Trail,
dinosaurs, family memorabilia and many other interesting themes.
One room is furnished with items given by the Herzstein family, including Navajo
rugs, household items, art objects, and an old-fashioned tobacco cutter and cheese
cutter, from the Herzstein store in Nara Visa. Other items given by the late Albert
Herzstein have recently arrived and will be displayed throughout the museum.
Another special collection is the array of figurines, vases, paintings and memorabilia
given by the late Franz Dyche, who, when searching for a home for his treasures
from around the world, remembered his happy boyhood in Clayton.
Numerous early day photographs, family histories and documents are on display
for the visitors’ perusal. The museum staff continually works to compile
archives for those seeking information on their relatives and ancestors. Museum
docents volunteer their time to keep the museum open weekends and a summer curator
is hired through a yearly grant from the Clayton Lodger’s Tax.
The museum is on the State Register of Historic Places. There is no admission
charge to the museum or for the monthly Historical Society programs, but donations
are always welcome. |
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