The Smithsonian is coming to the Cowboy Capital of the World.
Bandera has been selected as one of only seven communities in Texas to host Crossroads: Change in Rural America, a traveling exhibit developed by the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum onMainStreet(MoMS)program.
The exhibit opens June 21 at the Bandera Middle School Cafetorium and will remain on display through July 26, 2025.
Free and open to the public, the interactive exhibit explores how rural communities have changed over the past century as industries declined, populations shifted, and towns like Bandera adapted to survive.
Five themes — identity, land, community, persistence, and change — anchor the national exhibit, inviting visitors to reflect on rural life’s evolving story in both personal and communal ways.
The Bandera County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Frontier Times Museum, and Bandera County Historical Commission partnered to bring the exhibit to town, along with an expansive lineup of local programs from 1 and displays that “Bandera- ize” the Smithsonian’s core themes.
SMITHSONIAN, CONTINUED
“There’s a deep pride here in who we are and how we got here,” said Sara Sandifer, chair of the MoMS Planning Committee. “This exhibit is a celebration of that journey, and of the creative ways our rural community continues to grow and thrive.”
Local companion exhibits range from Living off the Land: From Ranches to Travelers to 100 Years of Rodeo in Bandera, highlighting everything from early education to rural electrification to the evolution of Bandera’s music and tourism scenes.
Visitors can explore Schoolhouse Memories, an exhibit tracing the transformation from one-room schoolhouses to modern classrooms; learn about the Tejano Son of Texas, which spotlights early settler Policarpio Rodriguez; and experience the digitized archives of The Dude Wrangler, a mid-20th century trade magazine that chronicled Bandera’s dude ranch boom.
One exhibit invites guests to step into a recreated saloon and hear stories of Stompede Days and the rowdy, shortlived “Free State of Bandera.” A digital jukebox will play more than 100 tracks from local musicians, both wellknown and unsung.
Satellite programs and exhibits will also be held throughout the county at locations including the Frontier TimesMuseum,BanderaNatural History & Art Museum, libraries in Bandera, Medina, and Lakehills, Pipe Creek Community Center, and several historic properties and Main Street businesses.
Participating businesses will feature “If These Walls Could Talk” signage detailing their unique histories.
Bandera’s version of the five exhibit themes aims to root the national narrative in local soil.
Identity is explored through the lens of modern rural living — rainwater collection systems, beekeeping, and the rise of homestead businesses, from artisan soaps to organic produce.
Land is framed not only as livelihood but legacy, with families balancing conservation and growth amid drought and development.
Community focuses on Bandera’s ability to retain its small-town charm even as it welcomes commuters and retirees from urban centers.
Persistencecelebratesranches andbusinessesthathavediversified —likethosethatnowraise exotic game or operate dude ranches for tourists.
Change, finally, is woven through all of it: an acknowledgment that adaptation is key to rural survival.
As of 2010, fewer than 18% of Americans lived in rural areas — down from about 40% in 1900 — despite rural land still comprising more than 90% of the nation’s area. Exhibits like Crossroads are designed to elevate the voices and challenges of thesecommunities,whilehonoring their contributions to America’s social and economic fabric.
Bandera’s hosting of the exhibit is not just an opportunity to reflect on the past but to consider the town’s future. Many local exhibits will remain on display in museums after the Smithsonian installation departs, helping preserve Bandera’s evolving story for the next generation.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Friday, June 21, at the Bandera Middle School, located at 1005 Cherry Street. Exhibit hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m.
A full schedule of events and maps of participating locations are available at www.frontiertimesmuseum. org or www. banderacowboycapital.com.
Volunteers are still needed to serve as docents. Anyone interested can contact Sandifer at [email protected] or 210-845-0821.
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