The Museum of South Texas History

The 1910 Jail has been a landmark in Edinburg, TX since the city’s founding. The walls were made of solid brick, the floors were concrete, and the roof was made of clay tiles on wooden structures. During the winter the Jail was heated by wood-burning stoves to keep everyone warm.

The ground level of the Jail included the jailer’s office and living quarters. The second floor consisted of the prisoner’s cell rooms and hanging room in the tower.  

Over the years the Jail has been repurposed for many things. It was outgrown after ten years and was replaced by a larger correction facility nearby. In the 1930’s the building was turned into the fire station and city hall. By the mid-1960’s the Jail was vacant and deteriorating. Later on, it was chosen for the newly organized Hidalgo County Historical Museum.

After years of refurbishing, the museum opened to the public April 1970. The 1910 Jail museum grew popular over time as more guests came to visit, and it prompted an expansion adding more exhibits, collections, and workshops. 

The Museum of South Texas History – 1910 Jail shut its doors in 2017 and 2018 to undergo extensive repairs and renovations, but recently re-opened. The upgrades included new flooring, repaired brick walls and windows, LED lighting, digital climate control and new interpretive displays for visitors. The museum teamed up with designers from Pony Allen Studios and Museum Fabrication Group to bring the interactive exhibit to life.

The signs share the story of the Jail and allow the visitors to be hands on with the exhibits through flip books, drawers and buttons. iZone’s High Pressure Laminate was used for the signs as it is a durable material that can be used in high traffic areas for years to come. 

“iZone Imaging delivered durable, high quality and crisp graphics that provided informational and interactive exhibits to the guests at the museum.”
– Trenton Noack, Museum Fabrication Group