The Stone Fort Museum, located on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, is housed in a replica structure built in 1936 by the Texas Centennial Commission. But its foundation stretches back another two hundred years.

The original building, nicknamed “Old Stone Fort” for weathering four revolutionary actions was a Spanish Colonial home constructed by colonist Antonio Gil Y’Barbo in the late 1700’s and served as residence, Mexican soldiers’ quarters, and saloon before meeting the wrecking ball in 1902. A protest against its destruction marked one of the first times Texans launched an organized preservation effort, although in this particular instance the preservationists lost the battle. Nonetheless, a replica was created and a museum formed and together they serve as repository for the region’s cultural and natural heritage.

Inside the Stone Fort Museum, artifacts, exhibits, and educational programs interpret the legacy of the Texas revolution, beginning with the Spanish Mission Tejas in 1690 and culminating with Texas Independence in 1836. The museum also hosts exhibitions exploring early east Texas leaders like George Crocket, a mid-nineteenth century Texan instrumental in the development of Nacogdoches and San Augustine, and includes Crocket’s personal drawings, writing and research.