Living
Historic trunk available to teachers
Saturday, 24 September 2011 by Keith Bahlmann
The Bell County Museum announces the availability of its newest traveling trunk on the historic Robertson family of Salado.
The trunk is available for check-out to teachers and youth groups at no cost.
Funded by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, Altrusa International, the City Federation of Women's Clubs of Temple, and the museum's membership group, the trunk is chock full of information and activities.
Topics covered include land grants, Empresario Sterling Clack Robertson, E.S. C. Robertson, the plantation house that is still a working ranch belonging to the Robertson family, native Americans, toys and games, and much more.
Activities include making toys, a time capsule, census taking, family trees, and discovering architecture.
The trunk even includes a reproduction corset and suspenders.
One very interesting aspect of the trunk is the game that accompanies the trunk.
The Robertson Homeplace game. In the game, one of the following items is lost; the Secessionist papers, a quill pen, a doll, the skeleton key to the sugar cabinet, an 1865 revolver, or a teacup.
Players choose a token representing one of the Robertson clan, and roll dice to move around the Robertson home.
If time permits in the classroom, a student has to answer a True/False question related to the Robertsons before he can proceed.
The museum is located at 201 N. Main Street, in Belton. Hours are noon until 5 p.m. Admission is free and guided tours are available. For more information, please call (254) 933-5243, or log onto www.bellcountymuseum.
org.
