E.A. Arnim Archives and Museum
Independence Trail Region
Pioneer merchant F.W. Flato was the first to settle the town that would take his name – a town that would move in 1874 to be on the newly expanded railroad. From its bustling trading post to its shoot-em-up cowboy reputation, Flatonia’s history was anything but boring. E.A. “Sam” Arnim Jr. was there to preserve it all. Throughout his life, Sam – whose father owned the successful Arnim & Lane Mercantile Store on Main Street – collected items of local historical significance. This collection served as the foundation for the E.A. Arnim Archives and Museum, which opened in 1988. The museum has expanded over the years and now contains an extensive collection of frontier household items, furniture, photographs, and farm equipment.