The story of “Vaqueros: Genesis of the Texas Cowboy”, is now on exhibit at the Brown County Museum of History.

Told in a series of rare photos from the 1970s, the exhibit captures life on a ranch in Northern Mexico where the vaqueros still worked cattle in the traditional ways.  The muscle, sweat and drama of roping cattle and breaking wild horses is vividly shown in the photos and storyline.  These vaqueros were the beginning of the Texas cowboy.

‘Vaqueros’ is a traveling exhibit on loan from Humanities Texas, an organization that helps bring new and exciting offerings to museums across the state.  The exhibit was developed from photographs taken by noted photographer     Bill Wittliff in his once-in-a lifetime opportunity to visit this remote ranch.  His beautiful photos of these first Mexican cowherders captured a way of life that exists only in memory, and in the photographs included in this exhibit.

“We are very proud to bring this exhibition to the community” states Museum Coordinator Kyndall Howard. “And it is the first bilingual exhibit we have presented, a trend we want to continue.” On view through Saturday, June 11, 2022 at the Brown County Museum of History, 209 N. Broadway in Brownwood.  Thurs & Friday 10-2, Saturdays 10-4.
Free with regular admission ($3-$5, free for under age 5 and Active Military). For more information or to request a special tour: 325-641-1926.

Made possible by Humanities Texas, the state affiliate for the National Endowment For the Humanities, and in part by a We the People grant.