The Red Men Museum and Library is an American history museum in

Waco, Texas Waco ( ) is the county seat of McLennan County, Texas, United States. It is situated along the Brazos River and I-35, halfway between Dallas and Austin. The city had a 2020 population of 138,486, making it the 22nd-most populous city in the st ...

. It also houses the archives and presents the official history of the

Improved Order of Red Men The Improved Order of Red Men is a fraternal organization established in North America in 1834. Their rituals and regalia are modeled after those assumed by men of the era to be used by Native Americans. Despite the name, the order was formed ...

, a patriotic fraternal organization with traditions attributed to Native Americans.

Organization

Robert E. Davis, the former national secretary for the Red Men, was an avid collector of both Red Men memorabilia as well as an eclectic collection of artifacts he had purchased at auction. He willed his collection to the organization which founded the museum in 1991. The organization is incorporated as the Texas Red Men Foundation. The complex is home to both the headquarters of the national Red Men fraternal organization and the Great Council of Texas office. The Red Men Museum takes part in

Texas Brazos Trail The Texas Brazos Trail is a non-profit organization which promotes heritage tourism, economic development, and historic preservation. It is one of ten regions which make up the Texas Heritage Trails Program of the Texas Historical Commission. Hi ...

, a historical tourism effort by the State of Texas and is also a member of the Museum Association of Waco Red men museum 2012

Collection

The collection consists of a very eclectic group of artifacts, mostly pertaining to American history. Included within the collection is a peace blanket from the Apache leader Geronimo, a bugle from the

Gettysburg Battlefield The Gettysburg Battlefield is the area of the July 1–3, 1863, military engagements of the Battle of Gettysburg within and around the borough of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Locations of military engagements extend from the site of the first shot ...

, a writing desk belonging to Aaron Burr and moccasins from Chiricahua leader

Cochise Cochise (; Apache: ''Shi-ka-She'' or ''A-da-tli-chi'', lit.: ''having the quality or strength of an oak''; later ''K'uu-ch'ish'' or ''Cheis'', lit. ''oak''; June 8, 1874) was leader of the Chihuicahui local group of the Chokonen and principa ...

Library

The museum houses a non-circulating archive of works available to the general public for study. In addition to Red Men organization documents, the collection contains historical documents relating to

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, including the Nuremberg War Criminal Trial reports, and the complete

Warren Commission The President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy, known unofficially as the Warren Commission, was established by President Lyndon B. Johnson through on November 29, 1963, to investigate the assassination of United States P ...

report.

Building

The museum is located near the

Waco Independent School District Waco Independent School District is a public school district based in Waco, Texas ( USA). The district serves Beverly Hills and most of Waco. In 2009, the school district was rated " academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency. ...

football stadium and sports complex. The brick building is designed to look reminiscent of Thomas Jefferson's

Monticello Monticello ( ) was the primary plantation of Founding Father Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, who began designing Monticello after inheriting land from his father at age 26. Located just outside Charlottesville, V ...

and also includes a hall and commercial kitchen for events.

References

External links