Cattle Boom! Ranching in Victoria and the Texas Coastal Bend, 1845 – 1929 Cattle Boom! tells the story of ranching families, cattle drives and ranching culture through artifacts, historical photographs, documents and maps from regional collections. This exhibition is organized exclusively for the Museum of the Coastal Bend and will not be seen elsewhere. Cattle Boom! will be open to the public through Dec. 15, 2012.

The La Salle Odyssey exhibit tells the story of the first European settlement in Texas- the French Fort St. Louis, and the archeological excavation of the French ship La Belle in Matagorda Bay.

Fort St. Louis and Rene Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle This exhibition explores several subjects relating to the first French settlement in Victoria County and the first European settlement in Texas. From French explorer LaSalle’s early expeditions to life at Fort St. Louis and the archeological research on these subjects, each segment of this amazing story is told through informative scholarly written text panels, photographic images, and original artifacts found the site.

The Cannons The centerpiece exhibit in the Museum’s gallery is the exhibit of seven of the eight cannons brought to Texas by French explorer La Salle. The eighth cannon is on exhibit at the State History Museum in Austin. The Fort St. Louis cannons are the focal point of MCB’s exhibits.

La Belle artifacts Artifacts recovered from La Salle’s ship La Belle which sank in nearby Matagorda Bay, including munitions and personal items from the explorers such as this small glass fica, possibly worn as a charm to ward off evil spirits.

The Museum of the Coastal Bend is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Closed major holidays.

Museum Dollar Days: $1 admission per person 3rd Saturday of each month.

Museum of the Coastal Bend
2200 East Red River Victoria
361-582-2511