Coastal Cowboys Exhibit

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Coastal Cowboys Exhibit Gallops into Houston with Untold Stories of the Gulf Coast Ranchers
From Surf to Saddle: The Heritage Society Showcases a New Cowboys Exhibit

The Heritage Society is bringing history to life with the debut of Coastal Cowboys, a traveling exhibition from The Bryan Museum in Galveston. Opening on Tuesday, July 22, at 1100 Bagby Street, the exhibit sheds new light on a forgotten chapter of Texas history: the cowboys of the Gulf Coast.

From the brackish marshes of Chambers County to the windswept beaches of Galveston Island, the exhibition captures a world where horses, cattle, and ranchers adapted to salt, sand, and sea. Co-curated by Jim Hodges—a cowboy, Vietnam combat veteran, and acclaimed historian—the show combines historic artifacts with interactive stations to reveal how coastal ranching shaped early Texas.

“The origin of the first cowboy story starts in Egypt, migrates to Spain, and travels to Texas” said Alison Bell, executive director of The Heritage Society. “This exhibition amplifies the survival of Coastal cowboys, highlights the ranching business, and commemorates the most notable cowboys.”

Artifacts include hand-tooled leather chaps designed for marsh terrain and a long-reach cattle prod dating back to the 1800s.

Cattle ranching emerged as a backbone of Texas’s economy in the early 18th century, yet the Gulf Coast’s parallel ranching universe is largely uncelebrated. Coastal ranchers pioneered fencing techniques, herd care methods, and gear tailored to their hurricane-prone habitat—developments that would later influence practices statewide.

The exhibition also explores the deep Tejano and Anglo roots of the region, the founding of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, and the unique ecology that sustained coastal herds. An interactive timeline tracks environmental challenges such as freezes, “Texas fever,” and tidal surges, alongside the ranchers’ resilient responses.

“Every student and every Houstonian will learn something new about the life of a cowboy,” Bell said. “We’re especially excited about the panel discussions and programs planned throughout the exhibit’s run.”

Among the highlights are pioneering figures such as Gerald Sullivan of Galveston Island, whose family has run cattle for more than a century, and the White Ranch of Chambers County—a legacy that helped define Gulf Coast lore. Artifacts were sourced from the White and Boyt Ranches, the Chambers County Museum at Wallisville, and private collections tied to the region’s cowboy heritage.

The Coastal Cowboys exhibit runs through December 31 at The Heritage Society in downtown Houston. The exhibit is only $5 and is open Tuesdays – Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Parking is free at 212 Dallas Street. Please see www.heritagesociety.org/coastal-cowboys-exhibit for more information.