Honky Tonk Foodie
Way up at the top of Texas, in the Northeast portion, is the town of Sulphur Springs. A delightful place to visit, two places are a must-see, especially if you like music and milk! The first stop is the St. Clair Music Box Collection, which is home to more than 150 unique music boxes. Located in the public library at 611 N. Davis St., this collection is distinctive and interesting. After joining the Navy in 1919, then accidentally breaking a Royal music box, Leo St. Clair began collecting music boxes from all over the world. The collection is approximately 300 boxes, with about half on display. Most of them are over a hundred years old; the oldest contains a cross dating to 1588. Some of the boxes still play music; in 2009, Texas A&M at Commerce digitized the remaining sounds.
Photo: @littlepp1910 via Twenty20
Opening in 1991, after nine years of planning, the Southwest Dairy Museum is 10,000-square-foot facility with a five-story silo and exhibits such as the life of a dairy farm before electricity came to rural areas, and demonstrations on separating cream. Lunch and ice cream are offered here daily from an old-fashioned soda bar. The shining star of the Southwest Dairy Museum is the Mobile Dairy Classroom Program. Under this educational program, a whole fleet of Mobile Dairy Classrooms travel within seven states to places like schools, livestock shows, fairs, and other events. This traveling milking parlor features a live cow, an oral presentation, and a demonstration.
Photo: @Globetrotter via Twenty20
Check out the website to request a visit from the Mobile Dairy, or stock up on recipes chock full of cheese and milk goodness. The Southwest Dairy Museum is a true representation of the past, present, and future of the industry, and is made possible by dairy farmers. What other fun things are there to do in the area of Sulphur Springs?
