The Smithville Area Chamber of Commerce hosts the museum in its Visitor Center, celebrating a rich railroad history in the area. In 1887, a railroad line reached connecting mid-west business to Texas and to Houston and Galveston. In 1894, the Missouri, Kansas and Texas (MKT) established its central shops and terminal in Smithville, making it a major employer, swelling Smithville’s population, and solidifying it as the largest town in the county until the 1940’s. In 1911, a boiler explosion killed 9 men and injured 12 others, with pieces of the train found several blocks away. A piece of wreckage is displayed outside. The white gazebo nearby (formerly the decorative top of the town’s City Hall) beckons you to the Railroad Park and its special events area which includes a historic depot moved from nearby West Point, train cars, and playground.
Plan A Visit
Tours upon request. Admission to the museum is free.
Bring the whole family!
106 NE 1st, Smithville, Texas
512-237-2313
www.smithvilletx.org/art-museums