To recognize the accomplishments of South Texas women, MOSTHistory hosts the spotlight exhibit “A Mile in Her Shoes,” a century of shoes worn by South Texas women, closing Saturday, March 30.
The spotlight exhibit features a pair of shoes from each decade in the 20 century, such as lace-up boots, pumps and platforms, and short video on some of the Rio Grande Valley women who made strides in their communities.
MOSTHistory holds the archival collections of numerous South Texas women, including the following five distinguished women:
Founding museum trustee and previous director of the Hidalgo County Historical Museum, Mrs. Margaret H. McAllen was appointed by two governors to serve on the Texas Historical Commission. She left a legacy as a preservationist of South Texas and northeastern Mexico history. The museum honors her work through the vibrant work of the Margaret H. McAllen Memorial Archives.
Stella Garza graduated from Edinburg High School in 1942, immediately enrolling in nursing school at the McAllen Municipal Hospital and graduating in 1945. According to family members, she was one of only five women in her graduating class from the hospital.
Fern Catherine Welch became the first female sheriff’s deputy in Hidalgo County in January 1935 when she was named matron of the Hidalgo County jail. She kept a scrapbook of her time as matron. The scrapbook provides an eye-opening window into the past.
Emilia Schunior Ramirez was a distinguished educator and author of the history of South Texas. She served as teacher and principal in Hidalgo and Starr counties schools and taught Spanish at Pan American College in Edinburg, Texas.
Angelica Gonzalez Garcia graduated from La Joya High School in 1940. She passed a civil service examination and worked as an airplane machinist in Marfa, Texas, during War World II, where she became a member of the iconic Rosie the Riveter’s brigade.
Cleo Dawson Smith earned fame as author of “She Came to the Valley,” a novel fictionalizing Dawson’s mother’s experiences, a pioneer in Mission. She was also recognized as a psychologist who often appeared on the lecture circuit and television talk shows.
Although the shoes on display were not worn by those recognized, the visitor can imagine stepping into their shoes and think how the shoes would have seen and/or heard or walked through the progress of making this region better.
“A Mile in Her Shoes” spotlight exhibit is on display until Saturday, March 30. It is included in the museum’s regular admission fees. FRIENDS of MOSTHistory receive free admission as part of their FRIENDship benefits. For more information about the spotlight exhibit, please contact Melissa Peña at mjpena@mosthistory.org.
About Museum of South Texas History
The Museum of South Texas History is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. It is located downtown Edinburg at 200 North Closner Boulevard on the Hidalgo County Courthouse square. Founded in 1967 as the Hidalgo County Historical Museum in the 1910 Hidalgo County Jail, the museum has grown over the decades through a series of expansions to occupy a full city block. In 2003, following the completion of a 22,500 square foot expansion, the museum was renamed the Museum of South Texas History to better reflect its regional scope. Today, the museum preserves and presents the borderland heritage of South Texas and northeastern Mexico through its permanent collection and the Margaret H. McAllen Memorial Archives and exhibits spanning prehistory through the 20th century. For more information about MOSTHistory, including becoming a FRIEND, visit MOSTHistory.org, like us on Facebook and Instagram, follow on Twitter, find on YouTube or call +1-956-383-6911.