Attractions

This museum is centered on the historic 1914 Burton Farmers Gin. The gin closed in 1974, but it was fully restored by volunteers to its 1930s configuration and is now the oldest operating cotton gin in the United States. Powered by the "Lady B," a 16-ton 1925 Bessemer Type IV oil-burning engine, the gin demonstrates the processing of cotton from wagon to finished bale. The 9-acre complex includes a cotton warehouse and equipment used in cotton farming and production. The Wehring Shoe Shop and Residence represents a typical business in a rural cotton community. The Texas Legislature has designated this site as the Official Cotton Gin Museum of Texas, and the gin has a Texas historical marker, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a designated National Historic Engineering Landmark. Visitor Center and museum are open 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Tue.–Sat. but closed on major holidays. No fee except for guided tours, which are offered at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Group tours of 10-plus by appointment. 979/289-3378. www.cottonginmuseum.org.