Events

We're going virtual every Thursday at 11 a.m. on Facebook to explore the plantation's buildings and grounds (with a few behind-the-scenes detours!) plus activities that your family can do at home, stories for kiddos big and small, and maybe, a special guest or two. THIS IS AN ONLINE-ONLY EVENT. Please join us on our Facebook page to ask questions and to let us know what you'd like to see. 

Looking for something to do over your lunch?  Join us at the Maxey House for fun and educational discussions during our Brown Bag Lunch Speaker Series.  On the first Friday of every month, speakers from and around Paris will be on site to discuss different topics related to the site's and Paris's history.  Bring your lunch and join us in discovering a side of Paris you've never seen before!...

May 2nd & 3rd, 10a – 4p:
Enslaved men and women, such as Jerry, Mary, Willis, and Jake, were an integral part of the full story of Barrington. Cooking a hot meal after a hard day of work was a daily routine and typically included their ration of cured pork and cornmeal supplemented with seasonal vegetables from their garden. Come join us as we demonstrate cooking a traditional meal...

May 9th & 10th - Plows & Petticoats: True Texas Women, 10a-4p:
From an early age, most Victorian women were trained for the worthy profession of caring for a family. Sewing, cleaning, cooking, and childcare comprised the main elements of “The Arts and Mysteries of Housewifery.” Did a woman’s role change when she moved to the rough and tumble frontier of Texas? Hear some stories...

Join us as we continue the Maxey House Book Club! Every month, we will get together and discuss a different book. We will meet in person at the Blind Pig, located at 129 South Main Street in downtown Paris, at 7 pm.  On May 15th, we will be reading and discussing Educated by Tara Westover.

If you can’t make a meeting in person or you just can't wait until the meeting to start the...

May 16th & 17th, 10a – 4p:
Dr. Jones noted in his journal on May 14, 1850 - “Finished ploughing and hoeing corn first time.” The crops are short and the weeds are tall, it’s time to cultivate! Come help us clear between the rows of our field crops using our single ox and walk-behind cultivator! Contact Ben Baumgartner for more information at 936-878-2214.

Song and dance have been part of the Texan experience since people have lived in Texas up through today. 

Join us for a fun-filled evening of music and dancing on Saturday, May 16, 2020 in the afternoon. Featured performances will be announced closer to May, but currently include the Alsatian Dancers of Texas and an ensemble from Medina Valley Independent School District. Save the Date...

This Saturday, the Confederate Reunion Grounds will leave the gates open until 10:00 pm to allow the community to come out and see the luminary display. 

This display has been done the past few years as a way to honor the idea of Memorial Day. Entrace after 5:00 pm is free. 

"Memorial Day commemorates the men and women who died while in the military service of their country,...

May 30th & 31st, 10a-4p:

Garden kept by those enslaved at Barrington provided diversity to an otherwise bland diet, and more importantly filled the gaps in nutrition. Join us as explore the heirloom varieties growing in the garden by the Quarters and take home a few seeds to start your own garden! Contact Ben Baumgartner for more information at 936-878-2214.

June 6th & 7th, 10a-4p:
Spring cleaning is a yearly ritualfor which modern conveniences have obliterated the need. Preparing the house for warmer weather, chasing out cobwebs and dirt, scrubbing walls and floors, is much more laborious than cleaning today. Help wash windows, beat rugs, and wash and wax furniture as needed. Contact Barb King for details at 936-878-2214.

Explore the world above and below your feet! Science and history can be found along the Medina River at the Landmark Inn State Historic Site. Master Teacher Madaline Sherrill returns with her engaging summer camp for children ages 4 to 6, 8:30-10:30 each day.

June 13th & 14th, 10a – 4p:
Dr. Jones noted in his journal on July 19, 1846 – “Ripe peaches from my Orchard at Barrington.” Caring for an orchard takes skill and patience, but it can be highly rewarding! Come help us haul water and cultivate the orchard as you learn about heirloom trees and fruit growing in the 19th century! Contact Ben Baumgartner for more information at 936-878-...

Explore the world above and below your feet! Science and history can be found along the Medina River at the Landmark Inn State Historic Site. Master Teacher Madaline Sherrill returns with her engaging summer camp for children ages 4 to 6, 8:30-10:30 each day.

Join us as we continue the Maxey House Book Club! Every month, we will get together and discuss a different book. We will meet in person at the Blind Pig, located at 129 South Main Street in downtown Paris, at 7 pm.  On June 19th, we will be reading and discussing American Princess: A Novel of First Daughter Alice Roosevelt by Stephanie Marie Thornton.

If you can’t make a meeting...

July 4th. 10a – 4p:
Join us for a 1850s style Independence Day celebration! Musket firing, toasts and a reading of the Declaration of Independence will commemorate the day. Bring your own picnic basket, and enjoy al-fresco dining, just like Dr. Jones writes about in his journal. Contact Barb King for details at 936-878-2214.

July 11th & 12th, 10a – 4p:
Dr. Jones penned in his journal on July 13, 1854 – “Commenced taking corn blade fodder.” Although very few ears of corn were used to feed livestock, the dried leaves of the corn plants made excellent hay (fodder) that could be fed out to them as needed to supplement foraging. Come pull and make “hands” (bunches) of fodder from our corn crop! Contact Ben...

July 18th & 19th, 10a – 4p:
What games do you like to play? Young Texans wouldn’t get much free time in the nineteenth century, but it wasn’t all work and no play for farming families. Come play with us and learn some games kids would have enjoyed at Barrington in 1850. Contact Barb King for details at 936-878-2214.

At this year's Bonham Quilt Hop, July 24th-25th, 2020, the Sam Rayburn House State Historic Site will be one of ten area locations hosting vintage quilts, sharing the history of these unique hand-stitched textiles and those who created them. Our Visitor Center will have on display a selection of quilts, quilt blocks, and quilt tops from the Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site’s Eva...

At this year's Bonham Quilt Hop, July 24th-25th, 2020, the Sam Rayburn House State Historic Site will be one of ten area locations hosting vintage quilts, sharing the history of these unique hand-stitched textiles and those who created them. Our Visitor Center will have on display a selection of quilts, quilt blocks, and quilt tops from the Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site’s Eva...

July 25th & 26th, 10a – 4p:
Though free time for those enslaved at Barrington was typically limited to Sundays and occasional holidays, time off provided an opportunity to rest and enjoy a variety of games, music, and entertainment. Come learn how Jerry, Mary, or Willis might have spent their time off. Make and take a clay marble home with you! Contact Ben Baumgartner for more...

August 1st & 2nd, 10a, 1p, 3p
Fancy learning 1850’s style? You can mind your manners and your ABC’s down on the Farm for a period school lesson, while getting ready to head back for your upcoming school year! For more information please call Barb King at 936-878-2214.

August 8th & 9th, 11a – 2p:
Taking a break, or “nooning,” in the heat of the day helped 19th century farmers renew their energy on a long day in the blazing Texas sun! A little rest, food, water, and shade goes a long way. Pack a lunch and join us under the cottonwood trees by the crop fields as we take a break from our labors and recover so that we can finish out the day strong!...

August 15th & 16th, 10a – 4p:
Come stay cool with us in the heat of summer and discover what early Texans did to stay cool. Without modern A.C. you might be surprised at how comfortable you can be in a Texas summer. Contact Barb King for details at 936-878-2214.

Join us as we continue the Maxey House Book Club! Every month, we will get together and discuss a different book. We will meet in person at the Blind Pig, located at 129 South Main Street in downtown Paris, at 7 pm.  On August 21st, we will be reading and discussing All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy.

If you can’t make a meeting in person or you just can't wait until the...

August 22nd & 23rd, 10a – 4p:
Dr. Jones noted in his journal on Aug. 4, 1847 - “Thrashed out rye”. Now that our grain crop has been harvested, it’s time to thresh and winnow it to separate seed from stalk. Come help us make our harvest ready to be ground into flour! Contact Ben Baumgartner for more information at 936-878-2214.