Axe ’Em, Jacks!
Visit the old Nacogdoches home that’s seen it all
The “Old Stone Fort” isn’t just any fort. It has been a trading post, a private home, a church, a jail and a saloon – but never a true fort. A fort that was built three times. A fort that was torn down by men to be rebuilt by women.
The Stone Fort Museum is a replica of a grand Spanish Colonial house built by Antonio Gil Y’Barbo in the early days of Nacogdoches sometime between 1788 and 1791 on the Camino Real. Somewhere in the midst of four revolutionary actions throughout its history, it acquired the nickname “the Old Stone Fort” before being demolished at the end of its saloon days in 1902.
The current museum was the result of one of the first historical preservation efforts in Texas, rebuilt in 1936 by the Texas Centennial Commission thanks to the efforts of the Cum Concilio Club, a women’s literary group founded in 1894. Today the Stone Fort teaches SFA students about museum science and the role of museums in society through the collection, preservation and interpretation of artifacts from pre-1900 East Texas.
Tours and activities
Contact museum staff to schedule your visit and receive resource materials by calling 936.468.2408 or by emailing stonefort@sfasu.edu.
Docent-guided activities
Museum docents guide students through inquiry-based activities that use objects as a tangible link to the past. Guided activities are available by reservation only.
- Guided activities are offered Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Activities must be reserved two weeks in advance
- Maximum of 30 students per group; one adult chaperone is required for every 10 students
- There is a one-hour minimum for all activities
- Cost is $1.00 per student
Museum staff will work with teachers to accommodate larger groups by rotating students in one-hour shifts, but groups larger than 90 students total should plan to visit on separate days.
Teacher-guided groups
Teachers are welcome to bring their class during museum hours for a self-guided tour (however, groups larger than 10 must reserve space in advance). Scheduled groups are given priority, so even small groups are encouraged to call in advance. As with guided activities, one adult should be present for every 10 students.
Admission and hours
Admission for individuals is free of charge. Educational programs are by reservation only. Call 936.468.2408 for group rates and more information.
Hours:
- Tuesday through Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Sunday: 1 to 5 p.m.
- Closed for university holidays
Directions
From Starr Avenue, enter Stephen F. Austin State University at Clark Boulevard traveling north. The museum will be on your right at the circle intersection of Griffith and Clark Boulevards.
Visitors to the museum may park at no cost in any legal parking slot including faculty, staff, or student. If there are no vacancies in street parking, the Student Center Parking Garage across from the museum on Alumni Drive offers paid parking.