Old Stone Fort Museum

The Old Stone Fort Museum (1936 North St., 936/468-2408, www.sfasu.edu/stonefort [1], 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Tues.–Sat., 1–5 p.m. Sun., free), located on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus, is a 1936 replica of the home of Don Antonio Gil Y’Barbo, considered the founder of present-day Nacogdoches [2].

The original facility, dating to the 1700s, was considered the oldest standing stone structure in Texas before it was torn down amid much protest in 1902. Now officially historic itself, this replica remains an important Nacogdoches landmark featuring a permanent exhibit on the fascinating history of the building that served as a trading post, church, jail, private home, and saloon but never an official fort.

The Old Stone Fort Museum also contains artifacts related to the early history of East Texas [3] with a special focus on the Spanish and Mexican periods (1690–1836).