"Away from Home" Exhibit to open!
Irving Archives and Museum opens Away from Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories January 2021

Beginning in the 1870s, the US government attempted to educate and assimilate American Indians into "civilized" society by placing children-of all ages, from thousands of homes and hundreds of diverse tribes-in distant, residential boarding schools. Many were forcibly taken from their families and communities and stripped of all signs of "lndianness," even forbidden to speak their own language amongst themselves. Up until the 1930s, students were trained for domestic work and trade in a highly regimented environment. Many children went years without familial contact, and these events had a lasting, generational impact.
Away from Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories explores off-reservation boarding schools in a kaleidoscope of voices.
Away from Home opens January 28, 2021 at Irving Archives and Museum.

Discover local history and community at the Jackie Townsell Bear Creek Heritage Center on Saturday, October 10, at 1 p.m. Bear Creek: Fall Into History invites you to explore three historic buildings: the Bear Creek Masonic Lodge, the Green House, and the J.O. Davis House. Each site has been thoughtfully restored with interactive elements and offers a unique glimpse into the African American community that helped shape Irving’s history. While you explore, snap a selfie in our native Texas plant garden and pick up a free Legacy Kit to start uncovering your own family history. Come at your own pace, wander the historic grounds, and even bring a picnic to enjoy under the on-site pavilion. Free and family-friendly, with no RSVP required!










