RipFest 2023 is fast approaching (Saturday, October 7) and the Eastland County Museum is gearing up for its third annual Beans & Cornbread Fundraiser. The serving will begin at 11 a.m. and continue until 2 p.m. as long as supplies last. As in the past, there is no charge but donations are gladly accepted and much appreciated!
This year the Museum has two exciting exhibits on display at the same time. The Chisholm Trail: 150 Years of History, Folklore and Legacy on display through October 27. This 37-panel photo and text exhibit highlights some of the fascinating facts on the Trail.
Closer to home, the Robert V Wynne exhibit features personal items of Robert Wynne, a 19-year-old Eastland man killed at the end of World War 2 by a German sniper in Oberdorla, Germany. A world-renowned photo of Wynne’s lifeless body was published in newspapers around the globe. And until 2021 his family never knew he was the fallen soldier in the photo. Christa Pfafferott, a German journalist and film producer, created a documentary, Die Ecke (The Corner) on the photo and Robert Wynne. Christa brought Die Ecke to the Majestic Theatre September 23 where some 200 people viewed it and then the exhibit by the Wynne/Hanna/Culverhouse families at the Museum. The Wynne exhibit will be on display until Veterans Day.
A special event in conjunction with the Beans & Cornbread fundraiser will be a talk by author, and former Eastland First Baptist Church pastor, Thomas Goodman who has written a new novel on the 1927 Santa Claus bank robbery in Cisco. Goodman’s book is based on the life of the only surviving gang member. One bandit dies in the getaway. One is executed in the electric chair. One swings from a rope in a mob lynching. The last man finds a life he always hoped for … if only he can keep it. Closely based on a true story, The Last Man is a gritty Prohibition-era crime novel filled with flawed characters and second chances. Goodman will be on hand at 2 p.m. on Oct. 7 to talk about his writings. He will also have copies of his book for sale at the Museum and at his Rip Fest booth. Be sure to get your copy!
Eastland County Museum is a non-profit, charitable organization, designated by IRS Code 501 (c)(3). Donations may be tax deductible. And, entry to the Museum is always FREE!
Eastland County Museum – 114 South Seaman Street, Eastland Texas.
Hours: Thursdays – Saturdays, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. (When volunteers are available)
