Abilene in the Fifties: Going on Now at the Jeffcoat Photography Studio Museum

The Jeffcoat Photography Studio Museum is pleased to announce a new exhibit, Abilene in the Fifties. This exhibit, which focuses on a formative time for the city of Abilene, will be featured now through August 11 at the museum.

The 1950s were a decade of change for our nation and Abilene. When Dwight D. Eisenhower announced that he would run for President of the United States in his hometown of Abilene, the city drew national attention. Journalists from all over the United States, including famed CBS anchor Edward R. Murrow, traveled to Abilene to cover Eisenhower’s big announcement. Throughout the decade, Abilene was featured in newspapers, magazines, and on television. Simply put, Abilene was on everyone’s minds. City leaders strove to make improvements to the town. Notable changes included a new county courthouse, Abilene High School, Old Abilene Town, and the Eisenhower Museum. Abilene was a city of growth.

Throughout the 1950s, the Jeffcoat Studio documented many events including the 1951 flood, Eisenhower’s hometown visits, and the Abilene Cowboy Band’s trip to the Presidential Inauguration. The Jeffcoat Photography Studio Museum’s photography exhibit, Abilene in the Fifties, will feature several images and stories of this tremendous decade.

The Jeffcoat Photography Studio Museum is located at 321 N. Broadway St. in Abilene, and is open Monday and Tuesday 9:00am-4:00pm, and by appointment any day of the week. The museum will also feature an open house reception on Sunday, February 26, 2:00pm-4:00pm. This will be a great opportunity to visit the museum in a casual setting, reminisce about the past, or learn about this period in Abilene’s history for the first time. For more information about the museum, or to schedule a private viewing, please call (785) 263-9882, email jeffcoatstudio@att.net, or find the museum on Facebook.