Comfortable living in the Rio Grande Valley was not always easy to find. In a time before modern conveniences, like air conditioning, first peoples and pioneers of the area faced daily struggles. Neil Cassady, a volunteer with the South Texas Border Chapter of the Texas Naturalist Program, will discuss these challenges during his presentation “It’s a Hard Luck Life: Making a Living in Deep South Texas – Coahuiltecans to Cowboys” on Sunday, March 25, at 2 p.m. at the Museum of South Texas History.
This presentation is a short examination of the special challenges faced by Coahuiltecan Indians, Spanish Colonists, Mexican Rancheros, and American Cowboys as they tried to wrest a livelihood from the harsh land of the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
Cassady’s lifelong avocation is the study of history, with special focus on the technology use and lifeways of “ordinary” people. He has retired from a 40-year career in fresh produce marketing and now volunteers at the Museum of South Texas History and the South Texas Border Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist Program.
Sunday Speaker Series is included in the fee for regular museum admission. FRIENDS of the Museum are admitted free as a benefit of FRIENDship.
This program is made possible with generous support from the Carmen C. Guerra Endowment. Mrs. Guerra was deeply committed to supporting educational opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley. This named endowment was created at the museum by her family to honor her memory and to continue her commitment to providing opportunities for education to the community.
About Museum of South Texas History
The Museum of South Texas History is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. It is located in downtown Edinburg at 200 North Closner Boulevard on the Hidalgo County Courthouse square. Hours of operation are from 1 p.m.–5 p.m. Sunday and 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday. 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, follow on Twitter, find on Google+ or call +1-956-383-6911.