THE BUCKHORN MUSEUM
By Harold Merton
When in the San Antonio, Texas area one has to check out one of the oldest stores in the United States - The Buckhorn Saloon & Museum. Actually their brochure bills it as "The World's Oldest Store" but it really doesn't matter one way or the other - this place is old and more important - extremely interesting! There's 33,000 square feet of education and entertainment gathered over the last 120 years waiting for you when you enter the front doors of this establishment located next to the Hyatt Hotel, a short two blocks from the Alamo and only 50 yards from The Riverwalk in downtown San Antonio. The Buckhorn is a museum, saloon and cafe and a store that sells related items.
The museum itself (separate from the cafe and store) has a small entry fee but you get your money's worth when you see literally hundreds of exhibits portraying wildlife and the Wild West.
There's a 78 point buck, a gorilla, an African lion, alligators, a polar bear and a sea otter and dozens of others just to mention a few. Besides the whole animal displays there are also many conventional mountings adorning the walls. Boone and Crockett record holding animals are at every turn as you make your way through the two floors of exhibits.
From the staircase on the second floor you can look down on the saloon and cafe taking in the awe of the fantastic antique bar that is well over 100 years old. There are vintage Frontier West firearms and handcrafted Texas cowboy items along with a fabulous collection of old photographs and documents featuring many of the biggest names in the West. While not appealing to everyone, there are historical photos of many legendary figures who met their fate at the end of a gun. Exhibits also include letters, personal documents and ledgers relating to famous people of the West including others like Bonnie and Clyde. A tour here can be a wonderful education for children as they see animals like the Texas longhorn up close. See the pictures reproduced with this story to see what we mean.
Downstairs is the original bar that graced The Buckhorn over a hundred
years ago. The Buckhorn moved and so did this huge bar. It is still in
use today and is a tourist attraction in itself. You don't have to pay
anything to see it! If you like, you can do as we did and have lunch in
the cafe. They offer a wide variety of Texas favorites including steaks,
hamburgers, salads and the prices were very reasonable. You can find a
beverage of your desire here as well - you just have to belly up to the
great bar!
I was personally amazed at the number of animals on display at The Buckhorn.
Legend has it that in the early days the cowboys knew they could swap
a good meal for an nimal specimen they had just shot. I can just see them
now tossing a dead mountain lion on the bar and asking for their supper.
The taxidermy people did a great job here!
The management also has done an excellent job of displaying and preserving
a fantastic number of valuable museum items in a way that the entire family
can enjoy and learn. Many items are displayed under glass and some of
the photographs are in cases that you must look down into. In the Buckhorn
Curio Store you'll find some of the best Texana items imaginable along
with curiosities from all over the world. You'll find cowboy hats, belts,
buckles, T-shirts, and cowhides. There are wonderful jars of local flavors
including jalepeno jelly and amaretto preach pecan preserves. An assortment
of Buckhorn logo items are also available. In peak season they are open
Memorial Day through Labor Day from 10 to 6. Off season they close at
5. The cafe opens daily at 11 am. Check with them by phone because hours
are extended at some times. Special group rates are offered and of course
check out the local tourist books because coupons can save you a dollar
off admission. We thoroughly enjoyed out visit to The Buckhorn and thank
them for their hospitality. It was one of our favorite attractions on
our trip to Texas. |
Photos By Harold Merton
The Buckhorn Saloon & Museum
318 E. Houston Street
San Antonio Texas 78205