Support Local Museums Archer County Museum and Art Center
The Archer County Museum and Arts Center (ACMAC) is located in the old Archer County Jail. The jail was built in 1910 and later decommissioned in 1974. The community wasted no time in turning the old jail into a county hub of heritage and the arts in 1975. The museum was run by local volunteers up until around 2017 when the museum shut down for various reasons.
According to Callie Lawson, who is currently overseeing the restoration of the ACMAC, the jail was sold by the county and turned into a nonprofit to the current board of the museum. The board members are Dan Hale, Jerry Phillips and John Phillips. The board came up with the majority of the funds to make purchase on the jail from the county, which was purchased in 2020.
Lawson says that where they are at in the process of the renovation is cataloging the more than 7000 estimated artifacts and moving them out of the building to a secure location. Once the building is clear, the renovations of the building will begin. The board has hired an architecture firm, who is currently drawing up plans for the renovation of the jail. Lawson says the projection date for this process will be around September.
Lawson said another building will be built alongside the jail to display the artifacts and art while the jail will be renovated to be used for tours. The first floor was the sheriff ’s housing and will be restored as such, while the top two floors will be restored as jail cells.
The ACMAC is one of 15 museums that are part of the Regional Museum Alliance, based out of Wichita Falls. When asked why Lawson is so passionate about the project, she stated, “I love history, this building and its history are just amazing. And there is so much good county history on the inside that the community just hasn’t been able to see in the last few years. We want to be able to make sure that it’s available for generations to come. This building’s not going anywhere. We’re going to shore it back up, and it’ll be a good spot from the community.” To learn more about the ACMAC and future events, please visit them on Facebook at: @ ArcherCountyMuseumAndArtsCenter or on the web at: archercountymuseumandartscenter.com. For more information on the Regional Museum Alliance, please visit them on the web at: wichitafallsarts.org/regional-museum-network.