Historic Preservation Month Event Hub

May is Historic Preservation Month!

During May, we host several preservation events and presentations to showcase Mansfield's unique heritage. You'll find information on all our events on the Historic Preservation Month Event Hub. You can even register for the events on this page.

Events are sponsored by the Mansfield Historic Landmark Commission, the Historic Services Department, the Historic Preservation Officer, the Mansfield Historical Society and our preservation volunteers.

Join us this May, where we bring you and history together!

Our Historic Preservation Month events are made possible in part by a Community Activation Grant from the City of Mansfield, Texas.

Historic Downtown Mansfield Car Show

May 6, 2023, from 9:00am to 1:00pm

Mansfield’s love affair with automobiles began when the first car arrived in 1906, purchased by Charles Dunnell for $1,025. From 1906 on, automobiles became more popular, and by 1910 there were enough vehicles in town that the City Council found it necessary to adopt a speed limit of 10mph.

Throughout the 30s, 40s and 50s, more and more vehicles came to Mansfield. Roads were paved. Services stations popped up on Main Street. From that time on, the automobile was the primary form of transportation in Mansfield.

Celebrate Mansfield’s automotive heritage at our Historic Downtown Mansfield Car Show on May 6, 2023, from 9:00am to 1:00pm in the City parking lot at 108 W. Broad Street. The show is open to the public free of charge.

To pre-register a car for the show, please complete the online form here or email this registration form to planning@mansfieldtexas.gov. Pre-registration closes Friday, April 28, 2023.

UPDATE - Chalk the Walk Contest

It looks like rain is in the forecast for Saturday, May 13, 2023. We don't want your works of art to wash away before everyone can see them, including our contest judges, so we delayed the contest until Saturday, May 20, 2023, from 9:00am to 1:00pm.

You still have time to pre-register or you can come to our registration station and check-in on May 20 at the Mansfield Historical Museum at 102 N. Main Street. We'll have sidewalk chalk for you, or you can bring your own if it is water soluble. Check-in starts at at 8:00a.m. and prizes will be awarded at 1:00p.m.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Click here for the contest rules.

To participate in the contest, sign up here. Pre-registration closes Friday, May 19, 2023, or check-in when you arrive.

Historic Mansfield Chalk the Walk Contest

May 20, 2023, from 9:00am to 2:00pm

Historically, art in Mansfield involved things that could be done at home, like music and homemade decorations, including painting, quilting, and weaving hair wreaths. These days, Historic Downtown Mansfield embraces art in all its forms. From the murals on the buildings and sidewalks to the shows in the Farr Best Theater, art is an important aspect of life downtown.

Come add your own work of art to Historic Downtown Mansfield by participating in our Chalk the Walk Contest. Decorate the sidewalks of the historic downtown district using chalk in this free, family-friendly contest.

Mansfield History Hunters Scavenger Hunt

May 20, 2023, from 1:00pm to 4:00pm

Become a Mansfield History Hunter in this family-friendly scavenger hunt following Mansfield’s history from its founding into the 1920s. The Hunt starts at the Mansfield Historical Museum and Heritage Center at 102 N. Main Street.

History Hunters, working as individuals or in teams, can start the hunt between 1:00pm and 2:00pm on their journey through Historic Downtown Mansfield to solve clues and complete challenges to unravel Mansfield’s early history. Three teams will be awarded prizes for the most points gained during the Hunt, including for creativity and historical insights.

As a special bonus, Plus One will perform live at the Farr Best Theater during the Hunt. Be sure to interact with the band (they are one of the clues!) and settle in for a mini-concert after the awards.

To pre-register, click here. Pre-registration closes Friday, May 19, 2023. You can also check-in when you arrive at the event.

Guided Walking Tours – Each Saturday in May

Join Mansfield’s Historic Preservation Officer on guided walking tours of Historic Downtown Mansfield each weekend in May. The tours are FREE. To register, click here.

Crime Tour

102 N. Main Street, May 6, 2023, at 5:30pm or 7:00pm

Since the town’s founding in the mid-1800s, law and order was a necessity. Hear how the crimes of ne’er-do-wells and even some prominent citizens kept early law enforcement busy and how some arguments could only be settled with a gun. We have two tours on Saturday, May 6, 2023 at 5:30pm or 7:00pm. The tours start in front of the Mansfield Historical Museum and Heritage Center at 102 N. Main Street.

Lost Mansfield Tour

102 N. Main Street, May 6, 2023, at 5:30pm or 7:00pm

In 1890, life in Mansfield revolved around the businesses and homes spreading out from the intersection and Broad Streets. In the years since, downtown Mansfield has changed quite a bit. While many of our historic buildings have been preserved, our Historic Preservation Officer will tell you about the buildings and places that have disappeared. We have two tours on Saturday, May 13, 2023 at 5:30pm or 7:00pm. The tours start in front of the Mansfield Historical Museum and Heritage Center at 102 N. Main Street.

Historic Cemetery District Tour

750 W. Kimball Street, May 20, 2023 at 9:00am or 10:30am

The history of Mansfield’s early families lies buried in the Historic Cemetery District, consisting of the Mansfield Cemetery, c. 1868, and the Mansfield Community Cemetery, c. 1874. Once segregated, these cemeteries have joined together to bring the story of Mansfield’s early families to life. We have two tours on Saturday, May 20, 2023 at 9:00am or 10:30am. The tours start at the cemetery pavilion at 750 W. Kimball Street. There is limited parking at the Cemeteries, but additional parking is available in the lot at McClendon Park East at 740 W. Kimball Street. Tours are generously sponsored by the Mansfield Cemetery and the Mansfield Community Cemetery Associations.

Downtown History Tour

102 N. Main Street, May 20, 2023 at 9:00am or 10:30am

Learn what Mansfield was like in the late 1800s and early 1900s and see what our historic building reveal about the people who built them. We have two tours on Saturday, May 27, 2023 at 9:00am and 10:30am. The tours start in front of the Mansfield Historical Museum and Heritage Center at 102 N. Main Street.

Updates will be posted here if tour schedules change due to inclement weather or other circumstance.

Mansfield Historical Museum and Heritage Center

102 N. Main Street

From the Vault

From the Vault, a special exhibit of rarely seen artifacts from the Museum’s collection, will be displayed all month. The Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00am to 4:00pm.

History How-To: Care of Family Photographs

May 6, 2023, 1:30PM

Join Museum Manager Jessica Baber for History How To, a special class to give you the tools of the trade to become a family historian. In this session, Jessica will show you how to care for your family photographs. Unlike today’s digital photography, your family’s old photographs need special care. Jessica has tips on how to preserve those photos for future generations.

Man House Museum

604 W. Broad Street

History Demonstrations

Every Saturday in May from 11:00am to 3:00pm

From painting a floor cloth to tin punching, our demonstrators explain how home decorations were made before modern technology at the Man House Museum.

May 6 - Floor Cloth Painting
May 13 - Stamp Making
May 20 - Tea Cup Decorating
May 27 - Tin Punching

House Tours

Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10:00am to 4:00pm

Explore the home of town co-founder Ralph Man with our Man House Museum Tours. Beginning as a log house, Mr. Man added new rooms to create a home for his growing family. The house is furnished with period pieces to show how the Man family lived.

Historic Recognition Day

Private Reception, May 18, 2023, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm

The Historic Recognition Day Ceremony is a celebration of Mansfield’s designated historic landmarks and officially recognized historic properties. We invite the owners of landmark or recognized properties to a special reception at the Man House Museum.

This Place Matters, 31 Days of May – All month

We’ve selected 31 historic sites in Mansfield to celebrate during Preservation Month. Just look for the “This Place Matters” signs generously provided by the Mansfield Historical Society. We'll post a brief history on a different property each day in May.

If you see one of these signs around town, take a selfie with it and let us know why you think it is important. To find the signs, click here or on the picture at right to open a map with the location and description of each historic property. Please take care though; some signs may be on private property.

Post your selfies and thoughts on your favorite social media platform and use #MansfieldTXPlacesMatter.

Historic Preservation Poster Contest

Calling all school-age kids in Mansfield to enter our Historic Preservation Poster Contest! Design a poster that highlights the history of a building, the story of a person, or period of time in Mansfield’s history. Prizes will be awarded by the Mansfield Historical Society.

Poster Contest Rules:

1. Poster should fit on a sheet of llx17 inch paper.

2. Digital and traditional art is welcome.

3. Open to all school aged children.

4. Posters must be submitted by April 30.

5. Winners will be announced on May 18.

Drop your poster off at the Mans House Museum Information Center, or scan the QR code on the flyer.

Volunteer Interest Form

These events cannot happen without the volunteers who give their time to support their neighbors to succeed in these events. As a volunteer, you make up the backbone of these events and each and every participant benefits from your hard work, enthusiasm and spirit. If you are interested in volunteering, please click this link to complete the Volunteer Interest Form.

Thank you for your interest in making these Historic Preservation Month events an incredible success!