The museum began in the early 1960’s, when Governor John Conally issued a proclamation to each county in Texas to begin to record and preserve Texas history. An appointed committee of forty local citizens unanimously agreed that a museum would be the best way to collect and preserve Polk County’s history. A small space was set aside in the courthouse basement. As loans and gifts began to pour in, more space was required.
In August, 1963, the First National Bank of Livingston offered the use of its community room. In 1969, with a generous bequest of $100,000 from Gertrude Blodgett Murphy, the Murphy Memorial Library and Museum building at 601 W. Church Street was completed and became home to the museum for the next thirty years.
To benefit all citizens, Sechrest Bergman Webster donated her beautiful home at 514 W Mill Street in 1998 to be used by the museum, and is the current location of the Polk County Memorial Museum.
MUSEUM GROUNDS
The museum’s lovely gardens were designed by C.C. “Pat” Fleming, who practiced landscape architecture in Houston from the 1920’s through the 1990’s. From 1930 to 1933, Fleming executed the landscape design for the University of Texas. His next commission was for the grounds of the San Jacinto Monument and Battleground. Exposure from this high profile project garnered him an appointment to the City of Houston Planning Commission. He designed gardens at many of the plush homes of River Oaks, the most notable being the Ima Hogg residence, Bayou Bend. Fleming received the International Award for Landscape Design. His work also appeared in various issues of House Beautiful, Better Homes and Gardens, Houston Home and Garden, and Landscape Architecture. He endeavored to preserve Houston’s history. In 1954, he, along with a dozen other citizens, formed the Harris County Heritage Society.