OS Museum

The OS Museum is located behind the J. Cruse Christmas Gallery (shown here) in downtown Post.
Easter egg exhibit at OS Museum

The OS Museum, also known as the OS Ranch Museum, is a hybrid collection of mainly sculpture and paintings of Texas, the American West, and Asia located in the small city of Post, the seat of Garza County in West Texas. It is owned by Giles Connell McCrary,[1] the founder of the OS Ranch Foundation, whose grandfather was an early proprietor of the nearby ranch for which the museum is named. However, the museum exhibits are largely unrelated to the OS Ranch itself. The Spanish conquistador Francisco Coronado passed through this part of Garza County in the 16th century.[2]

Known for the quality of its exhibits, the museum is located at 201 East Main Street in Post on the second floor in the rear of one of the original buildings constructed there in 1911 by cereal magnate Charles William "C.W." Post, the founder of the community. The building formerly served as the community meeting room. Originally, it had housed the office of the Post Land and Cattle Company. The OS rotates exhibits three times a year.[2]

Though the museum itself is small, the number of exhibits in storage is so large that at least six years usually passes before an artifact is returned to public display. During Easter, for instance, eggs by Faberge, Waterford Crystal, and Lalique are displayed. Christmas exhibits include nativity scenes, creches, ornaments, brass statues, and sculpture.[3] The museum includes the works of many artists of the Southwest who depict Texas in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.[1] The artifacts exhibited have been collected from throughout the world, including Antarctica, by Giles McCrary and his wife, Helen Louise.[4]

McCrary was a rancher, businessman, former mayor of Post, and a benefactor of Texas Tech University in nearby Lubbock.[1][3] McCrary was reared in Fort Worth, where C. W. Post had also resided prior to coming to Post. He attributes his interest in art to his service abroad in World War II,[1] when he was part of the U.S. Army's 63rd Infantry Division. He was in the first unit to cross the Rhine River and penetrate Germany just prior to the surrender in 1945. While abroad, McCrary came upon the European art culture by going to opera houses and listening to concert music.[1]

The OS Museum is open without charge to the public Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. except for holidays. Exhibits are changed in February, June, and October, and run for three months. Another interesting stop in Post is the Garza County Historical Museum.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "D. Lance Lunsford, "The real deal: A global traveler, collector, Post's Giles McCrary driven by the genuine things in life", March 7, 2007". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Retrieved April 20, 2011.
  2. 1 2 "O.S. Ranch & Museum". pjhscyberfair.tripod.com. Retrieved April 20, 2011.
  3. 1 2 Texas State Travel Guide 2011, p. 131
  4. ↑ "Live from Levelland by Dana angello". texas.golevelland.com. Retrieved April 20, 2011.

Coordinates: 33°11′27″N 101°22′37″W / 33.190865°N 101.376935°W / 33.190865; -101.376935

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