Rain was threatening on Saturday, at high noon, as visitors of the Frontier Texas! museum sat down, ready for a glimpse into Abilene’s history.
More than 140 years after shots were fired on Pine Street, a cast of volunteer actors and historical re-enactors work alongside museum staff to bring to life the people involved in one of Abilene's most infamous frontier-era gunfights.
The actors position themselves around the rustic set that Frontier Texas constructs for the re-enactment.
Before the performance began, actor Michael Stephens, who depicts Deputy Collins, reassured younger audience members that they had nothing to worry about…
While the gunfight on the grounds is make-believe, the event it portrays took place in 1884, less than two blocks from the museum courtyard at North First and Pine streets, where a historical marker now commemorates the shootout.
Executive director of the museum, Jeff Salmon, who has been with the museum since it’s opening in 2004, was on the committee with the historical commission that installed the historical marker. Jeff describes how the idea for the reenactment came to be -
Salmon developed the script after that, adding more detail and interaction among the characters.
The version of the reenactment that visitors enjoy today, gives audience members a fuller experience and understanding of that event.
For further context—Margaret Hoogstra, director of education at the museum, welcomes the audience and sets the scene, before each performance, with a brief prologue...
According to museum historians, tensions between saloon owner, played by Michael McCormack, Zeno Hemphill and local officials, like Deputy Collins, had been building for months over ordinances passed in 1883 that prohibited gambling.
Those tensions erupted into a gunfight on Pine Street that killed all three men involved and became one of the most talked-about incidents in early Abilene history.
As the men lay on the ground, the Preacher came and mourned the tragedy- he told of what the future of Abilene would be once the new laws were upheld.
Margaret Hoogstra concluded the performance with an epilogue-and invited the audience to ask questions about the history of the Pine Street shootout—or take pictures with the actors.
Frontier Texas and the shootout performance are free to the public and draw families, couples, and as well as college age students.
Reenactments take place each Saturday in June, but not on June 13th, when Frontier Texas has activities scheduled for the CALF Festival.