Perhaps one of the more interesting museums in the Rio Grande Valley – and mind you, many of the museums in the Valley have a lot of history and are interesting as well – is the Museum of South Texas History in Edinburg. Part of the museum is the 1910 jail.

The old jail was designed in a Spanish Mission Revival style in 1909-1910. It was built along with the Hidalgo County Courthouse, which stood in the County Square nearby. The jail’s walls were made of solid brick, its floors were concrete, and the roof was made of clay tiles on wooden structures.

Inside, the jailer’s office and living quarters were located on the ground floor. The prisoner’s cell rooms were located on the second floor, along with the hanging room in the tower. The second floor probably had one or more steel block units.

During the cold winters, wood-burning stoves were used to heat the jail and keep the prisoners warm. Their water source was usually a windmill and wooden water tank that stood behind the jail.

According to records, the hanging apparatus was used only once. The condemned Abram Ortiz was convicted of rape and murder and executed in 1913. No other hangings are on record. Local folklore rumors Ortiz’ ghost haunts the jail by clanking his shackles. Years later, other reports by volunteer firemen bunking on the second-floor claim “hearing things” throughout the night.

The jail was replaced in 1922 and the 1910 jail served as a community center. In the 30’s it was turned into the fire station (with a brick garage added) and city hall. A new city hall and fire station were built in the mid-1960’s, leaving the old jail vacant and deteriorating.

This is when it was chosen as the home for the Hidalgo County Historical Museum, later becoming the Museum of South Texas History (MOSTH).

The jail was refurbished, the window bars were reconstructed, the roofs repaired, and air conditioning installed. The Jail was added to the state list of registered historical landmarks, with a medallion and marker from the Texas State Historical Survey Committee.

The museum opened in 1970 with a new wing opening by 1977. Over the years, the jail has remained a significant part of the museum. It still houses exhibits and the hanging room which is one of the most popular attractions.

The jail, and the museum, have gone through several repairs and renovations over the years, but has retained much of its look from the former years. The Jail’s best-known feature, the gallows trapdoor, remains securely in place, as if awaiting its next grim use. The 1910 Jail: An Arresting Artifact and Its Story is a permanent exhibit.

Now, for almost 40 years, MOSTH has chronicled the heritage of South Texas and Northeastern Mexico, preserving its rich history. The museum has been an integral part of the community since 1967.

Today, you will find a beautiful grand lobby and their premier exhibition, Rio Grande Legacy that shows unique artifacts and state-of-the-art multimedia. Visitors will encounter prehistoric fossils, ancient tools, Spanish colonial treasure, battlefield relics, and artifacts from the region’s heydays as a steamboat route and, later, a cattle kingdom. Sounds and music from the region create an immersive experience as you walk through the replica bow of a steamboat and enjoy a film in the theater located inside.

These are just a couple of the exhibits you can find in the museum. They have rotating exhibits, seasonal events, and speaker series. There is also the Will Looney Legacy Park outside that features a windmill and tank, a water pump, a bronze sculpture, and a winding path studded with native animal tracks, along with numerous native plants.

This is a museum that you can enjoy the outdoors, just as much as you can the exhibits inside.

To learn more about the museum, their operating hours, and calendar of events, visit their website at mosthistory.org.