Algerita Art Center

131 East Main Street
806-495-3461
(Home of the Post Area Chamber of Commerce)

 

The native stone, two story, old Algerita Hotel in Post was the center of settlement and development activity when C. W. Post colonized in Garza County in 1907-13. The Hotel, known throughout West Texas, for fine accommodations. City founder, C. W. Post initiated the construction the elegant Hotel to serve the traveling businessmen of the era. was completed on July 17, 1908.
The early settlers' families staying at the Hotel, watched as the men drove cattle down Main Street from the train depot to settle the rich farmlands of the Plains.

The lower front portion of the Algerita, now the Algerita Art Center serves as the meeting place, studio, and exhibit space for art organizations that host major exhibits, juried shows, and workshops, attracting many visitors to Post, Texas.

The 90 year old building was one of the first structures in Post. It was saved from destruction in 1978 by the Garza County Heritage Association, and after two renovation efforts, the lower floor was returned to usefulness in 1984. It now houses the office for the Post Area Chamber of Commerce.

CCA Heritage House

806-495-4148

A two story apartment building, donated to the Caprock Cultural Association by the family of W. R. and Ruth Little. Ruth Little, prior to her death was a renowned china painter.

 

The house was originally built in 1913 to house the nurses that worked and trained at the Old Post Sanitarium, which is now the Garza County Historical Museum, just next door to the Heritage House at 109 North Ave, N. in Post. The house had been altered into a boarding house with a total of eight furnished apartments by the Little family. For two years after acquiring the house, it was called "Little House". We later renamed the house to the CCA Heritage House since we were always having to explain that "No, actually, it's not really little."

 

The Little's purchased the house from their good friends, C.R. and Minnie Greaber who had purchased the house as their home from the Post Company. Mr. Greaber owned and operated the "Red and White" grocery in what is now the Algerita Arts Center. "Aunt Minnie" was well known as the social queen of Post, hosting many events and musicals in her home.

 

The house has been totally renovated and developed into an "Historical Resource, Research Center" and library. The center has meeting rooms, family history research center, lifestyle exhibits and a fine office for the Caprock Cultural Association.

The Garza County Historical Museum

119 North Ave. N.
806-495-2207

 

The Garza County Historical Museum was originally the Post Sanitarium. In 1964, it was declared a Texas Historical Landmark, in 1966, the Mason Memorial Building and in 1977 was put on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

The Sanitarium opened for business in 1912, a model institution of its kind, noted as the "first hospital in this part of West Texas" (within a range of twenty-four counties) and the best equipped hospital this side of Fort Worth. Equipment included a laboratory, x-ray room, operating and sterilizing room. The 25 rooms each had its own private baths, central steam heat, electricity and electric call bells. There were two wards, male and female with adjoining baths plus private and professional consulting rooms.

 

By 1917, WWI took its toll on the Post medical community as the doctors were called to serve their country. Inevitable with all the doctors in military service, the Post Sanitarium closed in 1918. Dr. Ponton, the only doctor left moved to Lubbock to start another hospital. Lubbock General - later to become Methodist, which is now the part of the Covenent Care.

When the doctors finally returned home, everything had changed so much, the facility had detoriated, staff had disappeared, the heating plant was out of date, plumming had gone wackey, other hospitals were in the area. Drs. Surman, Williams, and Castleberry formed a partnership and started their prartice in downtown Post. Castleberry moved to Lubbock eventually and Surman and Williams practiced medicine together for the balance of their careers. The former offices of the duo is now used by the Senior Citizens of Post.

 

Later the building, was purchased by Marshall Mason, who converted the building into the Colonial Apartments. The property was donated to Garza County in 1967 to be used as a museum by their children, Marshall Mason Jr. and Mrs. James Minor after their parents death.

 

The last few years, the museum has been renovated with central heat/air, new carpeting, new roof, rewiring, new ceilings, and redecorated rooms. Second floor handicapped access will be joined by exterior handicapped access and other exterior renovations this coming year.

OS Ranch Museum

127 East Main Street
806-495-3570

 

Our exhibits change approximately three times yearly, so there’s always something new in the gallery.

 

The OS Ranch Foundation was created by Giles C. McCrary and family. The museum was built to house the art and artifact collection they have gathered around the world. The gallery is located in the room that was designed as the meeting room for the community, here in the building C.W. Post built in 1911, to house the offices of his Land and Cattle Company.

 

We hope you enjoy your visit to the Museum. Please tell your friends and neighbors about us. Better yet, bring them with you next time you visit.

Garza Theatre

226 E. Main
(806) 495-4005

 

The Garza theatre began as a dream of the city's founder, Charles William Post of "Post Toasties" fame. He dreamed of a self-sufficient city that would provide everything its townspeople would need. To him, that meant including a theatre. Mr. Post did not live to see this happen.

 

But in early 1986, a native son, Will McCrary returned home and began theatre productions. After three plays, he seized the opportunity to realize a dream of his own and opened the theatre. Will McCrary, a veteran of 41 years of professional theatre experience, became the driving force behind the theatre project, accepting the challenge of being director, designer, producer and actor of the "new" Garza Theatre.

 

The city-owned building was built in 1916 and served as a movie theatre. It was permanently shuttered in 1955, but two years later vandals set a fire which caused extensive damage to the stage area. the building was boarded front and back for the next 30 years.

 

The money for refurbishing and redecorating included donations from private citizens as well as area wide enthusiasts and included special "Angels"such as Dina Merrill, the actress and granddaughter of C. W. Post.

 

Ragtown Gospel Theater

1-877-RAGTOWN

Pursuing a longtime dream Chip wrote a musical about the founding of Post City, called "Ragtown," and a one act play entitled "Paul the Apostle." During this same time, Glenn, who had experienced a strong sense of a destiny in ministry as a young man, had that destiny revealed.

 

A film entitled "Saint John in Exile, "in which actor Dean Jones performs a one-man presentation portraying the apostle John, drew Glenn to commit the rest of his life to ministry, sharing the Gospel through drama. He would begin that ministry performing his brother's play, "Paul the Apostle."

 

Over the next seven years Glenn and his wife Twila would travel through seven states, to over 260 different churches, Glenn performing "Paul the Apostle" for congregations of every Christian denomination. The play was aired on television, reaching over 2 million households in over 150 countries, including Israel. They would be invited to go to Europe to present the play in three different countries. A video of the play, translated into the Czech language, is now being presented to groups in the formerly communist controlled Czech Republic.

 

It was during this time that the Lord drew the brothers and their wives together in a vision to build Ragtown Gospel Theater. It would be a state of the art live performance hall, where the Gospel of Jesus Christ would be proclaimed through the arts.

 

The theater's first production, "Peter the Rock," opened in March 2007, and was performed for over 5000 people, receiving consistently enthusiastic responses from every audience. The play, gospel music show preceding each production, exquisite design of the interior, and the hospitality and warmth every guest experiences is the result of a marriage of the many blessings of talent and ability the two couples have been given.