Fannin County, Texas -- Forty-two years to the day of the official opening of the Sam Rayburn House Museum, the site will once again welcome the community in honor of a new, permanent exhibit exploring the life and times of Sam Rayburn.

The Sam Rayburn House Museum opened its doors to the community on April 1, 1975. Such a monumental occasion prompted those who knew Sam Rayburn best to attend. Notable participants included former First Lady Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson (Lady Bird), former Speaker of the House of Representatives, John McCormack and Texas Congressmen Wright Patman and Ray Roberts. The event attracted nearly 1,000 attendees.

The popularity of the new museum drew over 13,000 visitors to the Rayburn home between April 1, 1975 and April 1, 1976. A core group of dedicated volunteers logged hundreds and thousands of hours during those early years to make visitors feel welcome during their guided tours of “Mr. Sam’s” home.

Dignitaries sit on the front porch of the Rayburn house during the opening ceremonies on April 1, 1975. Those in the photo, from left to right, are former Speaker of the House of Representatives John McCormack, Former First Lady of the United States Lady Bird Johnson, U.S. Congressman Wright Patman and his wife Pauline Patman.

On April 1, 2017 visitors are once again invited to Sam Rayburn’s home, now known as the Sam Rayburn House State Historic Site, to view the new, permanent exhibit inside the site’s visitor center. “Sam Rayburn: An Uncommon Common Man” tells the story of Sam Rayburn’s early life, his career in politics and his dual life as a farmer and rancher in Fannin County, Texas. Between 2015-2016 staff from the Sam Rayburn House, the Texas Historical Commission’s Historic Sites Division and the Split Rock Studios exhibit design team developed the new interpretive exhibit.

The exhibit includes a timeline of events in Sam Rayburn’s life, large scale historic photos, a digital photo display, a hands-on desk with rotary phone mimicking the desk and phone inside Rayburn’s own home, and an orientation video giving visitors a brief overview of Rayburn’s life. A free-standing, life-sized photograph of Sam Rayburn from 1941 allows visitors to snap a “Mr. Sam selfie.”

Join us in celebration of the “Sam Rayburn: An Uncommon Common Man” exhibit opening on Saturday, April 1. The program will begin at 1 p.m. and the open house will end at 3:30 p.m. Visitors are invited to join us to view the new exhibit, take a guided tour of the Rayburn house and sample refreshments. The event is free and everyone is welcome.

Visitors are also invited to tour the recently y restored barn and view Sam Rayburn’s historic vehicle collection including a recently donated 1953 Chevrolet and a 1951 Dodge Express pick-up.

The Sam Rayburn House State Historic Site tells the real story of Sam Rayburn, one of the most powerful and influential politicians of the 20th century, in his authentic 1916 home. Preserved as a period time capsule, the two-story home contains all original Rayburn furnishings. The Sam Rayburn House State Historic Site is one of 21 historic attractions operated by the Texas Historical Commission. For more information, visit www.visitsamrayburnhouse.com.