Fort Bend Museum

 

The Fort Bend Museum is a living tribute to the area’s history, with historical tours, lectures, costume rentals, and more. The Fort Bend History Association opened the museum in 1972 and continues to cultivate educational experiences for the community.

The museum is a collection of three historic structures, including the 1883 Moore Home and the 1855 Long-Smith Cottage. John M. Moore built the 1883 Moore Home. Moore was a politician who was Texas’ secretary of state, and a member of both the Texas House of Representatives and the United States House of Representatives. The Victorian mansion features a center tower and cupola.

The 1855 Long-Smith Cottage was built by the grandson of Jane Long, who was known as the “Mother of Texas” due to her child’s birth on the Bolivar Peninsula on December 21, 1821. Legend has it that the house is haunted. Museum docents sometimes arrive in the morning to find the bed with signs that someone has been sitting on it. The ghost may be Jane Long, as her quilt once covered the bed. The community refers to this mysterious haunting as the “sleeping spirit.”

Visitors can rent Colonial costumes from the museum’s collection of dresses, skirts, caps, vests, and other period garments. Rental fees are calculated by the piece, and renters may keep the costumes for up to two weeks.

The Fort Bend Museum hosts a variety of special events throughout the year, including historical lecture series, a heritage festival, candlelight tours, Halloween festivities, a black and white masquerade, and tea parties. The museum also hosts private events, such as weddings and luncheons, in their courtyard and side veranda.

The Fort Bend Museum is closed on Sunday and Monday. It is open Tuesday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. House tours begin at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., but be sure to arrive early as tours fill quickly during busy times of the year.

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