History of the American Museum of Agriculture

In 1969, as agricultural museum was deemed important to the people of West Texas. Too many people thought of the old machinery left in the back yard as junk. To Alton Brazell, a Lubbock County Commissioner for 36 years, this junk was a hidden treasure. Alton took it upon himself to begin a collection of agricultural equipment and machinery that told the story of American agriculture. This collection became the property of the Lubbock County Commissioner’s Court, known as the Lubbock County Historical Collection. Part of the collection was housed on five acres in Shallowater, known as the Shallowater Park. Another part of the collection was stored in a warehouse in downtown Lubbock.

In August 2001, a group of agriculture industry leaders from the South Plains gathered at the first meeting of the non-profit organization the American Museum of Agriculture in Lubbock. In 2002, the Lubbock County Historical Collection permanently loaned the exhibits to the American Museum of Agriculture. The museum, which is located at 1501 Canyon Lake Drive, opened its doors to the public in May 2002. The museum strives to preserve the history and tell the story of American agriculture.

Today, the collection ranges from household items to Moldboard plows and tractors. The American Museum of Agriculture currently houses restored tractors, a threshing machine, broadcast binder, combine, 71 pedal tractors, 300 die-cast toy tractors, and approximately 300 other artifacts and pieces of smaller equipment. In storage, the museum has horse-drawn equipment, field condition tractors, threshing machines, combines, grain binders, mowing machines, grain drills, hay rakes, hay balers, cotton strippers and cotton trailers.

The American Museum of Agriculture is open from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Volunteers staff the museum and keep it open to the public. Staff manages the daily operations and fundraising efforts for the museum.

Board of Directors

Dan Taylor – President of the Board of Directors
Farmer, Former Owner and CEO of Buster’s Gin
Lubbock Chamber of Commerce – Member, Former Chairman of Agriculture Committee
Wolfforth Chamber of Commerce – Member, Former Director
Ropes Lions Club – Member, Former President
Texas FFA Foundation – Co-Vice Chairman
Hockley County Stock Show – Board Member
TTU College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Dean’s Advisory Council
TTU Research/Grad Studies Development Council

Patti Jones – Vice President of the Board of Directors
Lubbock County Commissioner
Lubbock County 4-H – Volunteer
Texas Cooperative Extension – Executive Board, various committees
Lubbock County Soil & Water Conservation – Director, various offices
South Plains Association of Government – Director, Secretary
Lubbock Area Republican Women
Success by Six – Leadership Council
Jr. League – Advisory Community Council
Panhandle - South Plains Fair – Youth Superintendent for 9 years
Lubbock County Farm Bureau
West Texas Association of County Judges and Commissioners
County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas

Curtis Griffith – Secretary of the Board of Directors
Chairman of City Bank
Owner of Southwest Gin
Lubbock Economic Development Alliance- Incoming Board Chairman
Texas Tech Foundation – Former Chairman
Lubbock Symphony Orchestra – Board Member and Former President
Lubbock United Way – Former Endowment Committee Member
Texas Cotton Ginners Association – Board Member and Past Cotton Ginner of the Year
Texas Independent Ginners Association – Board Member
Independent Bankers’ Association of Texas- Past Board Member

Waylon Carroll – Treasurer of the Board of Directors
Principal of Texas Tech University High School - Retired
Distinguished Alumni of TTU College of Agriculture Sciences and Natural Resources

Board Members

Alton Brazell
Lubbock County Commissioner - Retired
Former National FFA Vice President

Ron Chandler
Manager/Partner at Becknell Wholesale
Lubbock Rotary Club - Member
South Plains Food Bank
St. John's United Methodist Church
Texas Wholesale Handler's Association
Farm Equipment Wholesalers Association

Vic Coker
Agricultural Real Estate Broker, Farmer
Muleshoe Rotary Club - Officer and Director
Littlefield Land Bank - Former Officer and Director

Coy Harris
Executive Director of the American Wind Power Center

Don Harris
Appraiser
Lubbock Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee – Past Chairman
Lubbock Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year

Mitchell Harris
Chief Executive Officer – Ag Texas Farm Credit Services

Lynn Harrist
Farmer

Lee Ruth Krieg
Lutheran Social Services of the South – Board of Directors
Lubbock Area Advisory Board of Lutheran Social Services - President & Spring Fling Committee Chair
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans - President of Lubbock Area Branch
Caprock Girl Scout Council - President, V.P. and Member-at-Large of Board of Directors
Texas Girl Scout Legislative Cabinet - Steering Committee Member
PTA - President, Secretary & Projects Chairman, Parent Volunteer for 14 years
Foundation for Excellence (Lubbbock ISD) - Grant Committee Member
Lubbock Area Texas A&M Mothers Club - President and Projects Chairman
Lubbock Area United WayWomen's Council of the West Texas Museum Association
Texas Tech University Women, Altrusa International of Lubbock, Assist Human Needs - Board Member
Lubbock ISD - Substitute Teacher, Texas A&M University Library
Caprock Girl Scout Council - Woman of Distinction
Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. - Thanks Badge
Texas PTA Honorary Life Membership, Lubbock Committee for Women - Extra Mile Award
Association for Women in Communications - Get Involved Award

Jerry Meers
Owner of Meers Pest Control and Great Plains Chemical
South Plains Food Bank – Past President
Breedlove Dehydration – Executive Board Member
Lubbock Co. Agriculture Committee

Steve Moffett
General Manager - Lubbock Electric Company, Inc.
Greater SW Rotary Club - Past President
Lubbock Executive Association - Member
Lubbock Co. Agriculture Committee

Clint Robinson
President - Capital Farm Credit, Lubbock
Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership (TALL)
Past Chairman of Lubbock Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee
Leadership Lubbock Alumni
Boys and Girls Clubs of Lubbock– Board Member
Lubbock Co. Extension Agriculture Committee
State FFA Convention - Host Committee
Downtown Chapter of AMBUCs

Brett Underwood
The Trinity Company-Executive Vice President
Cotton Warehouse Association of America – Board of Director; Legislative & Government
Policy Committee
Plains Cotton Improvement Program – Warehouse Advisor
National Cotton Council – Western Delegate; International Trade Policy Committee
Phi Delta Theta – Alumni Advisory Council
American Cotton Shippers Association – Ginning Practices & Warehouse Committee
Lubbock Area United Way – Loan Executive
Lubbock Chamber of Commerce – Leadership Lubbock

Tommy Woolam
Owner of Woolam Gin
Board Member – O’Donnell National Bank
Texas Cotton Ginners – Past President
Texas Independent Ginners Association – Past President
O’Donnell City Council
Lynn Co. Appraisal Board

Stanley Young
Retired, Former Lubbock County Extension Agent
Texas Pork Producers Association- Board Member and Past
Golden Pig Award, Pork Producer of the Year, Industry Service Award
Texas County Agents Association – President, Board Member
Distinguished Service Award, Superior Service Award
Texas Hampshire Breeders Association – Past President
Texas Agricultural Extension Service
Superior Service Award, Vice Chancellor Award