Menard County Historical Society
The Menard Historical Society is the oldest historical organization in Menard County Texas. Our organization is a group of likeminded members that are passionate about the history of Menard. We host speakers that share their knowledge of our area and history. Come join us!
Menard Museum – Frisco Depot
Frisco Depot – Menard TX
The old “Frisco” Depot at Menard, now the County historical Museum
When this lovely Mission Revival depot was built in 1909 at Menard, the Fort Worth & Rio Grande RR, a subsidiary of the St. Louis and San Francisco “Frisco” Railroad, was an economic lifeline for this community, still considered to be on the wild frontier of Texas as late as the turn of the twentieth century.
Rail service to Menard ended in 1972, and the tracks have long since been picked up in the right-of-way abandoned. But the depot remains, and the last 40 years has been the home of the Menard County Historical Museum.
A state historic marker nearby reads as follows:
FRISCO DEPOT
Seeking a rail line to speed marketing of their livestock, residents of this area in 1909 asked the Ft. Worth & Rio Grande Railroad, a branch of the Frisco System, to extend track from Brady (40 miles northeast) to Menardville. Ranchers donated right of way, while townspeople erected this depot and shortened the town’s name to “Menard”.
Celebrations marked the arrival of the first train, Feb. 10, 1911, and completion of this mission revival station, July 4, 1911. The Santa Fe system later acquired the line. After rail service ended in 1972, this building became a historical museum.
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Menard County Historical Society 