Depot Museum & History Center
The Depot Museum and History Center complex is located on the home site of John R. Arnold. The three and one-half acres were once called "The Myrtles" because of the crape myrtles that line the lot. Ruth Arnold inherited the home from her father and, in 1966, donated the land to be used as a library or museum. The Arnold Building which holds our museum. was constructed in 1967 and opened as the Rusk County Memorial Library.
The Depot Renovation and Restoration Committee established the museum in 1978. The 1901 depot building was a gift from the Missouri Pacific Railroad. The building was moved one block and placed behind the library. The original museum consisted of a Rusk County History Museum in the offices and waiting areas of the railroad station, with the Children's Discovery Center in the cotton warehouse.
With the help of the Rusk County Historical Commission, the museum began an expansion project in 1982. The T. J. Walling Cabin was the first project. The addition of the Barn, Outhouse, Caboose, Doctor's Office, Syrup Mill, and the Beall-Ross House followed. Over the years, additional buildings and displays were added, such as the Country Store, Oil Derrick, Saw Mill, Cotton Gin, and the Lake Forest Park Carousel and Train Engine.
In July 1994, the museum's Visitors Center moved into the Arnold Building, previously occupied by the library, and opened to the public. The Visitor’s Center is the main museum area with displays ranging from Caddo Indian artifacts to other historical items that help tell the story of Rusk County.