JOINERVILLE, Texas — An East Texas museum that honors the legacy from the oil boom announced its physical building will be closing.
The Gaston Museum, located in the rural community Joinerville in Rusk County, was once the largest rural school during the 1930s oil boom. The Gaston School was built in 1925 to house 80 students, but the school expanded significantly once oil was discovered. Elvis Presley even performed at the Gaston School Auditorium in 1955. The school ultimately merged with New London in 1965 to form West Rusk County Consolidated ISD.
On Sunday, the Gaston Museum said on its Facebook page that after "very long and stressful deliberation and prayer" the board voted to close the museum.
"We do not take this responsibility lightly," the post read. "The current and previous board members have devoted precious time and sacrifice to remain as long as we have."
The director shared that the Gaston School exhibit and artifacts will be moving to the Kilgore Oil Museum to its own permanent exhibit. The move won't happen until the end of the year. The Gaston's veterans room artifacts will go to the local VFW if they accept the items. If they're not taken there, the items will go to the Depot Museum in Henderson along with all of the other exhibits in the building.
Veteran photos will go into albums at the Kilgore Oil Museum for visitors of the school exhibit to see the veterans. There are some things that will need to worked out once the exhibits are moved over the next eight to 12 months, the director said.
The museum will stay present on Facebook and its website, gastonmuseum.org, with a virtual tour and YouTube videos about the community.
"Many hours of hard work and wonderful financial donations from all of you has kept us going this long. I personally have spent 15 years now assisting or serving and feel as a piece of my life is going away. I know you feel the same," the Facebook post read. "My family just like yours were centered in this community and the Gaston Museum has carried a legacy of our families through 30 years of honor and memories of an era like no other."
Those wanting to have one last tour can call the museum at (903) 722-9016 to set one up by no later than 4 p.m. on April 30.