Coming to the Sam Houston Memorial Museum this May, visitors will have the rare opportunity to step into the personal lives of one of Texas’ most legendary families. “The Fate of the Eight”—a compelling new exhibit opening May 13, 2025—shines a spotlight on the eight children of Sam and Margaret Houston, offering a deeply human look at a historic lineage.
Hosted in the Katy & E. Don Walker, Sr. Education Center, “The Fate of the Eight” exhibit runs through June 29 and features a wide array of personal items, artifacts, and heirlooms from the museum’s collection—many of which have never been publicly displayed before. Each of the Houston children’s lives is explored in detail, revealing the joys, struggles, and unique paths taken by this historic brood.
Among the featured artifacts are:
- Random Rustlings, the only published book by Sam Houston, Jr., dating back to around 1892.
- A delicate wedding fan once carried by Antoinette Power Houston during her 1877 wedding at the Governor’s Mansion.
- Emotional entries from Mary William Houston’s diaries, written in the years following the death of her mother, Margaret Houston, offering rich insight into the siblings’ lives and their bond.
Visitors will also learn that four of the Houston children—Margaret Lea (Maggie), Mary William, Antoinette, and William Rogers—were born at the family’s Woodland Home in Huntsville, connecting the exhibit to its very roots. To mark the opening of this special exhibition, the museum invites the public to an opening reception on Tuesday, May 13, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the gallery. Light refreshments will be served as guests preview the exhibit and enjoy a first look at these treasured family artifacts.
Whether you’re a seasoned historian, a student of Texas history, or simply curious about the personal side of Sam Houston’s legacy, “The Fate of the Eight” offers a captivating and personal journey through the lives of the children who carried on the Houston name.
- The exhibit will be at the Katy & E. Don Walker, Sr. Education Center located at 1402 19th Street, Huntsville, TX.
- Exhibit dates: Tuesday, May 13-Sunday, June 29, 2025 with the opening reception scheduled for Tuesday, May 13th from 5:30-6:30pm.
If you haven’t seen Hello Austin County’s interview with Meagan Buro, Marketing Manager for the Sam Houston Memorial Museum and the Republic of Texas Presidential Library, you can see it HERE!
