Heritage & Horizons
The Black Legacy of Williamson County T H E B L AC K FA M I LY, A N D B L AC K I N D I V I D UA L S , H AV E S H A P E D A N D L E D W I L L I A M S O N CO U N T Y I N I N N U M E R A B L E WAYS . E N S L AV E D P E O P L E S AND THEIR DESCENDANTS SET TLED THIS CO U N T Y, R E P R E S E N T E D W I LCO I N WA R S , T R E AT E D T H E I L L , A N D L E D U S TO A B R I G H T E R F U T U R E . T H E B L AC K FA M I LY CO N TA I N S A M U LT I T U D E O F ACCO M P L I S H M E N T S A N D G E N E R AT I O N A L L E G AC I E S O F E XC E L L E N C E . ~WILLIAMSONMUSEUM.ORG
HISTORICAL ICONS
Dr. James Dickey image credit: Taylor Library Archives Cowboy Bill "Bulldogger" Pickett, image courtesy of Gerald Anderson
by Cassidie Cox
T
he Williamson Museum is a regal building and home to many relics and remembrances of Williamson County's history. Inside, visitors can peruse artifacts from across the years; and pictures, paintings, and signs fill every space on the walls. Now, in the living history area of the museum, rests the Heritage and Horizons: The Black Legacy of Williamson County exhibit. Originally instituted in February 2021, the Heritage and Horizons exhibit showcases the legacy of Black history in and around Williamson County. Civil rights leaders, physicians, philanthropists, and many more called Williamson County home. This free exhibit will be open to the public February 10 through August 31.
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F E B R UA R Y 2022 LIBER T Y HILL D IGES T
DISCOVER THE STORIES From internationally-known historical figures to exciting local pioneers, this exhibit takes visitors through time as they get to know the rich history of Williamson County through a new lens. Plus, museum curators and volunteers are eager to narrate the history and legacy among the rest of the exhibits. THE BULLDOGGER: International celebrity and rodeo cowboy Bill Pickett grew up in Liberty Hill. His living descendants reside in Taylor and have kept his legacy alive through the years to enable new generations to celebrate is life. Through photographs and biographies, the exhibit highlights his career as a trick rider and performer, global celebrity status, and his cultural contributions to the area. His family has also assured the museum that Bill's exhibit may remain open to the public indefinitely.
