Collin County kids are looking for facts in all the right places this summer, just as they did last summer. They are hitting the trail again to local museums and libraries in pursuit of answers to historical questions about Collin County. And they won't be alone: they're carrying along cut-outs of Collin McKinney, one of our first settlers and the namesake of the county and county seat. This "Carry Along Collin" folder is a child's passport to learning and fun as they visit different Collin County museums for validation stamps and the answers to questions on local history contained within the folder.

Hundreds of local kids participated in the program last summer, and many more are expected to "Carry Along Collin" as they visit our county museums and historic landmarks in the next couple of months.

"Carry Along Collin" is a summer project of the Collin County Historical Commission to promote student understanding of their local history, and to encourage families to visit local museums. Materials are available at all Collin County libraries.

Note: For families visiting the Farmersville historic sites, please stop by the Visitors Center (at Hill and Main Streets) to get your Carry Along Collin brochures stamped.

The Allen Depot Museum will have a "Flags and Uniforms" special exhibit on one weekend only: July 26th (10:00 to 2:00) and July 27th (1:00 to 3:00), displaying historical flags and uniforms from a number of U.S. wars.

The North Texas History Center (McKinney) opened the "Gone to Texas - Pioneering in North Texas" exhibit in June, showcasing why people came to Texas, the life of pioneer era women, a day in the life of a child, and the technology that “brought us out of the mud.”

The Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary (McKinney) opened its Native Texas Butterfly House exhibit on July 14th to run through September. The enclosure is an 800 square foot space with hundreds of butterflies fluttering inside.

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