There’s a place where you can travel to the past to explore Dripping Spring’s rich history. You’ll step back in time when you go to Dr. Pound Historical Farmstead Museum. It’s an 1854 farmstead that sits on five acres filled with beautifully shaded oak trees.
Originally, the farmstead contained two cabins known as log pens with a center “dog trot” breezeway. Since then, the Pound farmstead has undergone a meticulous restoration process. As a result, the museum has the composition and appearance of the time when Dr. Pound lived there.
The History of the Pound Farmstead
Joseph M. Pound left Kentucky for Texas in 1847 to fight in the war against Mexico. Afterward, he went back to Kentucky to complete his medical education. By the early 1850s, he returned to Central Texas with his wife, Sarah. They built the two-room log cabin around 1854 in a town that’s now known as Dripping Springs.
At the time, one of the challenges for settlers was keeping the peace with the Native Americans. Supposedly, unlike other settlers, Dr. Pound never had his horse stolen by raiding tribes. That’s because he had a friendship with the local Tonkawa who respected him as a medicine man.
Dripping Springs refers to the Pounds as the founding family of the town. They worked to build a firm foundation of community, education, and prosperity for residents. They opened their property to serve as a hospital and medical office, schoolhouse, church sanctuary, and social gathering place.
Dr. Pound was ahead of his time with his sustainable living mindset. He had an attached rainwater collection cistern, a self-watering trough for farm animals, and the in-ground hothouse that kept his medicinal herbs and vegetable seeds growing all winter.
The Pound House appears on the National Register of Historic Places and earned a Texas State Historic Landmark status in 1965.
What You’ll Discover at Pound Farmstead
The Pound Farmstead offers incredible learning resources filled with activities, a 26-paged activity book, lessons, and more. Its 12-part learning module brings history to life for students in grades 4 through 7. You can take a virtual tour of the museum from the comfort of your home.
Want to see it in person? The museum is open on Saturdays from 11 am to 3 pm. No reservations needed. The address is 419-B Founders Park Rd., Dripping Springs, TX 78620. They rotate their exhibits every six months. Visit the website for a list of the current exhibits.
More things to do in Dripping Springs:
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