James H. Long Railroad Park and Museum
Smithville
106 NE 1st St
Smithville TX 78957
512-237-2313
Whether you’re a railroad aficionado, or just enjoy the charm of small, historic towns, the James H. Long Railroad Park and Museum (inside the Chamber of Commerce building) in Smithville, Texas, welcomes you! Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, with special openings during weekend downtown events.
With railroad history and artifacts dating from 1886, Smithville’s Railroad Museum is fun for visitors of all ages. From Smithville’s Main Street, the white Gazebo and the twenty-foot high 2006 Guinness World Record Gingerbread Man beckon you to Railroad Park and its special events area. Children will enjoy the playground, nestled between two actual railroad cabooses while you picnic in the park.
Smithville was once a major passenger hub on the Missouri-Kansas-Texas (M-K-T) railroad until the mid 1950s and was the location of a major turnaround for the rail lines where trains could be rotated to a different rail line and train cars were repaired. Filled with items from the grand railroad past of Smithville, the museum also has replicas of the first railroad depot in Smithville. There are items from the MKT days and Union Pacific.
Smithville, TX 78957
