Sam Houston Memorial Museum Endowed Scholarship in memory of Bertha Kirkley

The Sam Houston Memorial Museum was dedicated in 1936 and opened in 1937. It spans 18 acres from the 200 plus acres that comprised Sam Houston’s Homestead, which he and his family occupied during the 1840s and 1850s in Huntsville, Texas. The Museum’s primary focus in the life of Sam and Margaret Houston, their family, and other individuals and events important in the early history, cultures, and development of Texas and the Southwest, particularly during the period 1832-1863 and as they relate to Texas today. The Museum is responsible for the collection, preservation, conservation, exhibition, research, support, and interpretation of the historic buildings, landscape, artifacts, manuscript collections, other archival material, and objects of material culture within its care. As a part of Sam Houston State University, the Sam Houston Memorial Museum is an important educational institution for the benefit of local, state, national, and international audiences.

In 1950, the estate of Bertha Kirkley established a scholarship endowment in her name with awards to be made in memory of her parents, James Ellison Kirkley and Elizabeth Hollis Kirkley. Awards were for a major student of Social Science.

Miss Kirkley taught at the then Sam Houston Normal Institute as a professor of history until her retirement in 1927. After retirement, she served part-time in the Sam Houston Library and as curator of the Sam Houston Memorial Museum. In 1905, Miss Kirkley was instrumental in raising funds to purchase a former home and the grounds of General Sam Houston. She felt this shrine should be returned to the citizens of Texas and

The Sam Houston Memorial Museum was dedicated in 1936 and opened in 1937. It spans 18 acres from the 200+ acres that comprised Sam Houston’s Homestead, which he and his family occupied during the 1840s and 1850s in Huntsville, TX The Museum’s primary focus is the life of Sam and Margaret Houston, their family, and other individuals and events important in the early history, cultures. and development of Texas and the Southwest. particularly during the period 1832-1863 and as they relate to Texas today. The Museum is responsible for the collection, preservation, conservation, exhibition, research, support, and interpretation of the historic buildings, landscape, artifacts, manuscript collections, other archival material, and objects of material culture within its care. As a part of Sam Houston State University, the Sam Houston Memorial Museum is an important educational institution for the benefit of local, state, national, and international audiences. This Museum’s mission is supported by the Friends of the Sam Houston Memorial Museum Advisory Board, which assisted with the establishment of the scholarship.