Man House Museum grand opening canceled

While the grand opening event for the Man House Museum is canceled for Dec. 12, the museum will begin normal hours of operation starting that day.

The restored homestead of Mansfield co-founder Ralph S. Man will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, starting Dec. 12.

The restored house turned museum will provide visitors with a glimpse of life in Mansfield in the late 1800s.

“This museum is a perfect companion to the Mansfield Historical Museum downtown,” said Jessica Baber, museum manager. “While the downtown museum provides an overall history of the community, this museum will focus on the life of Mansfield co-founder Ralph S. Man, his family and their life during the beginnings of our city.”

The original homestead Man House was built in 1865 by Man as a log cabin. Between 1865 and 1879 he expanded and added onto the house. He lived in the homestead until his death in 1906. His daughter lived there after his death and the property stayed in the family until 1940.

The city purchased the Man House property in 2017 and restoration on the house began in 2019. The property includes the house, a barn and the land. Plans call for the addition of a visitor’s center and restroom facility in 2021. Eventually the city will relocate other historic log cabins to the property and provide an outdoor learning area.

The Man house received its Texas Historical Marker in 1977 and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. It was dedicated last month as a  Mansfield Historic Landmark.

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