CANYON, TEXAS -- Panhandle Plains Historical Museum's Pioneer Town is up and running, giving spectators a glimpse into the lives of those from way back when.
Among Pioneer Town is the adobe casita, a home built by the Hispanics with mud and wood.
"The casita is set up just like it would have been when people were here in the 1890s to 1910," PPHM Communications Coordinator Andrea Porter stated. "Really, everything in that adobe casita from the rugs to the bed is exactly as they would have furnished it back then. So, you're just seeing the culture and the lifestyle of the Hispanics during that time period."
According to Porter, Hispanics played a big role in the history of the Texas Panhandle. And although there are no remnants of adobe casitas left in the area, archaeologists do have records and some photos proving their existence.
"In the 70s- 1870s- and even earlier, the settlement out here would have been very sparse and there's, you know, some controversy as to whether you might call it settlement or not," WTAMU History Professor Daniel Kerr added.
Kerr pointed out the Hispanics built the adobe casitas when they drifted into the Panhandle after the Comanche were confined to other lands. The homes were big enough for one family, furnishing a bed, a table and some shelves for storage.
"There was a lot of interaction between these various groups who tried to take up this area after the Comanche were here."
PPHM offers other exhibits relevant to that time period, giving more insight into that time in history.
"I just think it's good for them to see what we've come from and what advantages they have because of what people through before us," Museum Spectator Steve Pearson said.
Many of the exhibits appeal to both adults and children, so the learning experience is for everyone.
"There's lots of stuff that they can learn from this and it's really fun to see some stuff," 7-year-old Brooklyn Pearson added.
The museum is located in Canyon, Texas, at 2503 4th Ave.
