More than 30 items from Bryan’s past will be on display beginning Sept. 3, as part of the City of Bryan’s 150th Anniversary of incorporation celebration.
The 150 Collection features items, photos and documents spanning more than 150 years to offer a peek into the community’s history. Some of the items include:
- An original sombrero from the late 1800s, worn by the patriarch of the Rodriguez family.
- A replica of the program of the 1876 inauguration of Texas A&M University, held in Bryan.
- Original tickets from the Interurban Railway trolley line that connected Texas A&M and downtown Bryan.
- An original souvenir bookmark from the 1891 performance of “A Breezy Time” at the Grand Opera House in Downtown Bryan.
- A 1928 telephone directory featuring original one- and two-digit phone numbers in Bryan.
- Copies of early diplomas from Bryan High School and E. A. Kemp Junior-Senior High School.
- Letter sweaters from Stephen F. Austin High School and E. A. Kemp Junior-Senior High School from the 1930s and 1940s.
- A copy of Harvey Mitchell’s last will and testament from 1899.
The exhibit features interactive QR codes for each item, which allow viewers to scan them and see additional related content on the city’s 150th Anniversary website, 150.bryantx.gov. A printed program is available for those who do not have access to a smartphone.
Items on display are courtesy of the Carnegie History Center, the City of Bryan, the Brazos Valley African American Museum, Bryan ISD and nearly a dozen community members who allowed the city to borrow them for the exhibit.
The displays are located on the first and second floor of Clara B. Mounce Library and the first floor of the Carnegie History Center. Hours at Mounce Library are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Hours are the Carnegie History Center are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Find out more about the City of Bryan’s 150th Anniversary and all the activities planned this fall at 150.bryantx.gov.