CONNECTED TO OUR PAST

Chances are, if a resident or visitor in Celina has never experienced the Celina Area Heritage Association & Museum, they have undoubtedly walked past it, as they made their way to the historic Downtown Square. One of the finest and most visited gems in downtown, the museum opens the floodgates of this community’s storied past and gives locals a chance to immerse themselves in the Celina story. Historic photographs, special exhibits, volumes of books, war memorabilia from the town’s service men and women, and artifacts unique to the region fill the building that once housed The Celina Record, the paper that served the area since its earliest days of incorporation. For those who have yet to stop by, a visit will further solidify one’s love for this place and the pioneers who paved the way for the Celina that many know and love today.

Step inside the door and say hello to Ms. Joyce who joyfully greets everyone who comes inside and who never forgets to tell a few stories and ask her visitors to sign the guestbook. In the welcome area are wonderful photos from Celina’s yesteryear, some books available for purchase, and the grand entryway into the greatest living history book for which any community could wish.

Entering into the great room, visitors will see the actual massive oak teller desk that adorned the lobby of one of Celina’s earliest banks. Banking and accounting machines, an old safe, and financial record books logging the bank’s transactions from decades ago can be viewed. The brick walls that stand tall above the room are nestled against an old, exterior wall of a car service facility. Much of the plaster that was used to cover the bricks has been removed, and history buffs love the old painted advertisement that was discovered during the removal.

Standing before each visitor are bookshelves that hold collections of some of the most carefully written and published historical documents about Celina’s past. There are reminiscences written by residents from the earliest days of the last century. Biographical sketches and memoirs of brave heroes who served in our nation’s wars can be read. Occasionally, one or two of those heroes will stop by and say hello, bringing the stories to life. Volumes of cemetery records that were painstakingly kept for the internments that took place in cemeteries around the community for generations are in the books resting on those shelves. Guests can read the life stories and learn about the families of every pioneer family as presented in those records. Furthermore, yearbooks from Celina ISD trace back nearly a century, allowing students and educators here today to connect with the predecessors they will never know.

Seasonally, artifacts from the Celina Bobcats’ state championship seasons can be viewed. Game programs, letter jackets, megaphones, and state championship rings from many of the eight title seasons are enshrined to remember the teams of the past and inspire the teams of the future. Groups of children who come annually to the museum with their school classes especially love the tributes and artifacts representing the legacy of the Bobcats.

Along the walls and into the hallway are authentic World War II posters and artifacts carefully preserved by folks in Celina who served or had loved ones who did. Community quilts, stitched by generations of ladies who lived in and loved Celina are encased near one of the highlights of the museum—the original printing press of The Celina Record with the typesetting tools, picture plates, and other necessary printing materials still chillingly sitting as if a new paper could be printed the next day. There is a farming exhibit just beyond the press room. Locals who made their living farming the fertile nearby lands that once were uninhabited donated tools and equipment and clothing from eras gone by. Look around carefully enough, and artifacts from the blacksmith shop can be seen, as well. The shop still stands today and was most recently the home of the Carmela Winery.

Stepping into the other great room in the museum’s wellappointed space, visitors will find even more priceless pieces from the past. Furniture from pioneer homes, pews and a pulpit from churches long-gone, a restored original barber chair, military uniforms from hometown heroes, stained glass windows that once stood in honor or memory of family members, antique telephones, and so many other fascinating artifacts help every visitor connect to the rich heritage that every Celina resident shares today. A “then and now” wall really helps make the connection, as old photos hang next to more recent ones—pictures taken from similar angles at the same places, from that era and this one.

While not open to the general public, the museum contains a resource room with filing cabinets full of thousands of photographs and paper items from the earliest days of the community. In this room, museum board members voluntarily work tirelessly to scan old copies of the Celina Record, while assisting special guests conducting research on the area and offering them access to items not normally displayed in the museum.

Perhaps one of the richest treasures this museum offers is the voluminous collection of The Celina Record newspapers that are available online, free to the public. Few residents might realize that every paper printed between 1911 and 1994, that is still in the possession of the museum, is available at celinamuseum.com. Few communities can boast of such a digital collection as this. Also available online at no charge to the reader is every digital biographical sketch and reminiscence of Celina’s war heroes from the hard copies housed in the museum’s collection.

The museum is open on Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. On Saturdays, guests can visit from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Admission is free; however, donations are always gratefully accepted to cover the expenses associated with its operation and upkeep. The museum’s mission statement, adopted in 1999, best summarizes their passion for preserving the past while pioneering towards the future: “Out of love for our community, respect for our founders, and for the purpose of educating current and future generations, we will research and preserve our rich heritage and document the continuing present.” That, they do. And for generations of Celina residents wanting to encounter the glorious chapters from this city’s past and its people now gone, the Celina Area Heritage Association & Museum is the best place to dig into roots that helped bloom a community that, today, is Life Connected.

Sharing the Stories that Connect Our Community

Life in Celina is the official community podcast of Celina, Texas. Hosted by motivational speaker and author Drew Myers, the Life in Celina Podcast is a storytelling podcast through the eyes of the residents that make our community so special. The podcast regularly shares the stories behind the amazing people, businesses, and groups that make Celina home. It’s aimed to inspire our residents to live a Life Connected

Since its first episode in January 2020, Life in Celina has accumulated a library of over 100-plus stories from those who connect our community. Life in Celina can be heard twice a month and can be found wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Previous guests have included:

• Punk Carter, Legendary Horseman

• Bill Elliott, Celina Head Football Coach

• Brian Fleming, Celina Resident and War Hero

• Rachel Baty, Owner of Annie Jack

• Torii Hunter, Former Major League Baseball Player

• Ryan Merritt, Former Major League Baseball Player

• Dr. Tom Maglisceau, Celina ISD Superintendent

• Natalie Imhoff, Owner of Buff City Soap

• City of Celina Residents

• City of Celina Council Members & City Staff

• … and many more!

Most recent guests include:

• Mindy Koehne, City Council member

• Capt. Justin Beamis & Jacob Talley, Firefighter

• Cory & Remy Yow, Celina residents