The Museum of the Red River attracts both scholars and vacationers with its outstanding American Indian collections and informative exhibits. Local prehistory and early Indian history is featured, but the museum's broader purpose is to further knowledge and appreciation of all Native American cultures. The visitor can experience the rich diversity of Indian life over two continents, from ancient past to present day, in the frequently changed exhibits.
Founded in 1975 through the Quintus and Mary Herron Foundation, the museum is a tribute to Mr. Herron's Choctaw heritage and interest in Indian art and artifacts. Small enough for a relaxed informality, it enjoys a national reputation for fine quality holdings and cooperative research projects and receives professional recognition as a resource for prehistoric study of the region.
Mr. Herron's long career as a forester is reflected in a division of the Foundation currently under development, the Herron Aboretum and Nature Center. This sixty-acre public park-to-be incorporates an area of natural woodland within the city limits of Idabel. When complete, the aboretum will be a wildlife sanctuary with spring flowering trees, fall foliage trees, wildflower plots, lakes, nature trails and a study center. KEEP IN TOUCH!