Little towns off the beaten path oftentimes offer a lot of hidden treasures, and a short drive to Lockhart, our neighbor to the east, proves that to be true. Visit the Caldwell County Jail Museum or the Southwest Museum of Clocks and Watches and you’ll get the official scoop on how the area came to be, or walk into any of the downtown shops and get a feel for how things used to be.
After pounding the hot pavement downtown, you may want to paddle, fish or swim at Lockhart State Park or picnic in one of Lockhart’s 10 city parks, connected by sidewalks and trails. And if none of that tickles your fancy, there’s always barbecue.
Southwest Museum of Clocks and Watches
Horologist Gene Galbraith and his docents give tours at the museum located at 101 E. San Antonio Street from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturdays and by appointment, (512) 658-3853.
Galbreath was commissioned to restore and maintain the Caldwell County Courthouse clock and after the first guided tour of the now-functional clocktower, he decided that Lockhart would be the perfect place for a clock museum and shop.
The collection of timepieces represent over 300 years of horological achievements made in America, England, Scotland, France, Holland, Italy and Germany and include pieces like an English fusee skeleton clock, circa 1675; a longcase clock by Peter Stretch of Philadelphia, circa 1710; and a clock organ, formerly owned by P.T. Barnum, circa 1850.
Caldwell County Jail Museum
If you think a “time out” is bad, take a tour of the old Caldwell County Jail and witness the conditions criminals endured up until it was closed as a jail in 1983. There was no air-conditioning of any kind in the jail, so there were no window panes, just bars. The small, dreary cells have very low ceilings and shared toilets and sinks. The top floor is the master suite of all the jail cells. It’s a little more spacious than the others, with better lighting and a better view.
The Caldwell County Historical Commission was given the building for use as a museum in 1986.It is located at 315 E. Market Street and is open Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. or by appointment, and there’s a $2 admission.
Westy’s Pharmacy
Most businesses you walk into downtown are like little museums with staff on hand to share the local history – and Westy’s Pharmacy is no different.
The pharmacy’s history begins when Edwin Reese “Westy” Westmoreland, Sr. bought into a partnership with C.E. McDannald and Company for a Lockhart drugstore in Lockhart over 110 years ago.
When Westy’s partner died in 1942, the store’s name was changed to Westy’s Pharmacy. Soon after, both of his sons became involved in the store’s operation.
Westy, Jr. handled the books and Peck became a pharmacist.
Many things have changed through the years, but Westy’s Pharmacy still stands with Westmorelands (Brad & Jackie) behind the counters ready to serve their community.
