By Scott Harvey
Bonham – The lifestyles of Sam Rayburn, considered the most distinguished graduate of Texas A&M University-Commerce, will once again be on display this weekend in Bonham.
The Sam Rayburn Museum's newest exhibit - Preservation at Work: A History of the Sam Rayburn House Museum - is free and open to the public. The event is in celebration of National Preservation Month.
The celebration is set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and features live music, refreshments and special activities. The exhibit documents the history of the Sam Rayburn House Museum, beginning in 1914 when Rayburn first bought the plot of land.
The Sam Rayburn House Museum tells the real story of Sam Rayburn, one of the most powerful and influential politicians of the 20th Century, in his authentic 1916 home. Preserved as a period time capsule, the two-story home contains original Rayburn family furnishings. The Sam Rayburn House Museum is one of 20 historic attractions operated by the Texas Historical Commission.
Rayburn graduated from East Texas Normal College, now Texas A&M University-Commerce. For 48 years, Rayburn represented Texas' 4th congressional district serving a 16-county area in North Texas. Rayburn was the longest-serving speakers of the U.S. House of Representatives, serving 17 years in that capacity, between 1940 and 1961.
The Sam Rayburn House Museum is located two miles west of Bonham on Texas 56. More information is available at 903-583-5558.