You can see it all at the San Benito Museums!  San Benito Historical Museum It's somewhat fitting that when entering the San Benito Museums, located on 210 E. Heywood in San Benito, the Historical Society exhibit is the first display featured. After all, why not begin with the beginning? Greeting you at the entrance will be artifacts of geographical significance showcasing a flora and fauna dedicated to highlighting area wildlife, plant life, and culture; all of which members and volunteers of the San Benito Historical Society said will awe visitors. The effort, officials said, will showcase the land's physical charms. “Then we move on to the Spanish land grants and the old ranchos,” explained Tootie Madden, President of the San Benito Historical Society and newly-elected President of the San Benito Museums Coalition. Boasting an exhibit exuberant with ambient lighting that appears to bring certain artifacts to life, Madden expressed pleasure in her hometown's history finally taking center stage. “I think our entrance alone will have people in awe,” Madden added. “There will be renewed pride in our town, and people will actually come away learning something that they didn't know before.” In a predominantly historic theme encompassing all ethnic backgrounds, it's only fitting that the Native American culture has its place in the exhibit as well … and what a place. Madden, who credited society members and volunteers for assisting with the exhibit, said the display has incorporated native artifacts that were obtained from the family of Alfonso Garcia, a former member of the Historical Society who passed away. “It took his children a little while to be able to part with those artifacts, but they did and we are so proud and happy to have them,” Madden said, adding that she rather not go into detail on what exactly is on display and instead encourages people to see for themselves. From the area's geography to the Spanish land grants and Native American artifacts, the exhibit then takes you to the city's beginnings and how it developed. Though making good use of space, something in which Madden credited consultant Edward Meza for designing, the Historical Society's exhibit spans the town's history ending in the 1930's. “We have lots of ideas, and we have a lot more history and stories to tell, but we have to probably stop in the 30's just because of space constraints,” Madden said. “But we will tell the other stories through special exhibits later, or ever get a larger or building in the future to tell the entire story.” “I'm the grandchild of a pioneer and I have grandchildren, so there are five generations of that in San Benito and it's very fascinating to know that some of what we have here came from somewhere else,” Madden added. Working with limited space, Madden said she was pleasantly surprised by what the San Benito Historical Society was able to fit into one mini-exhibit. “I think parts of it are better than what we imagined in our heads, because it doesn't look like granny's attic,” Madden stressed. “We're telling a story, which is the modern museum concept that is incorporated today.”  Texas Conjunto Music Hall of Fame and Museum If there are those who are unfamiliar with the origins of conjunto music, one visit to the San Benito Museums will change all that. Rey Avila, President of the Texas Conjunto Music Hall of Fame and Museum, said the organization's exhibit educating the public about the history of conjunto music will go hand-in-hand with honoring the genre's pioneers. Referred to by conjunto music aficionados as the “Father of Conjunto,” the late great Narciso Martinez will obviously be showcased in the HOF's exhibit as well as his partner, Santiago Almeida. Martinez was born and raised in El Ranchito, which is why San Benito has since been dubbed the “Birthplace of Conjunto.” Martinez's story and the origins of conjunto music will be told upon entering the HOF's exhibit, where a miniature stage equipped with instrumentation will be displayed as well as glass-cased biographies and pictures. Avila said HOF officials and volunteers who assisted in setting up the exhibit were Pedro Colunga, Val Garcia, Richard Pedraza, Angel Rodriguez, Yolanda Lopez, Herberto Rivas, and Celeste Sanchez; “all pitched in and really helped us out,” he added. The work paid off, Avila said, as portraits, vinyl records, and even Martinez's accordion will all be on display as each item will tell a tale significant of conjunto heritage. “The first thing see is, of course, Narciso Martinez and Santiago Almeida,” Avila said. “They see a panel explaining the history of conjunto music from the beginning, and that is translated in English and Spanish.” Furthermore, the exhibit pays homage to conjunto music's European influences, which Martinez used to fuse German, Polish, and even Chekoslavakian accordion styles. Mexican influences include large photos and biographies on El Trio Los Panchos and Luis Aguilar, two conjunto outfits that helped Martinez revolutionize the genre from instrumental music into including three-part harmonies with a bass guitar accompaniment and drums. “That's what really distinguished Paulino Bernal, because Conjunto Bernal was the first to incorporate Narciso's conjunto with El Trio Los Panchos' harmony vocals and full band sound,” Avila explained. “It started with Narciso's instrumental conjunto, and then Valerio Longoria started singing but it was only one vocalist at a time. So it was El Trio Los Panchos that really incorporated harmonies. ” Battling space limitations, Avila said while the HOF exhibit was originally going to include all 33 inductees, a lesser amount are on display until a larger venue is acquired. “We chose mostly the pioneers, we also wanted to have a room dedicated to La Villita as a little replica of a dance hall,” Avila said. La Villita Dance Hall was once the hotspot for social gatherings and dances in San Benito and was reestablished thanks to new owner Miguel Diaz. Avila said the original plan was to showcase a room filled with La Villita paraphernalia in an interactive manner, but since the plans were scrapped due to space constraints, the Conjunto HOF President stressed that is currently displayed will suffice. “I think people have been pleasantly surprised,” Avila concluded.  Freddy Fender Museum People from San Benito already know who the late great Freddy Fender is, a three-time Grammy-award winning singer that hailed from the Resaca City. But it's Baldemar Huerta (a.k.a. Freddy Fender), the charming barrio kid who grew up in El Jardin that will be introduced to visitors of the San Benito Museums. And what better way to tell his story than through the Bebop Kid's own words. Freddy Fender Museum Board President Ron Rogers said the exhibit dedicated to the famed rock and roll and country music star includes Fender's quotes serving as a sort of narration that guides visitors through a display showcasing the significant events that occurred in Fender's life. “Many of the quotes are Freddy's own words, and how appropriate,” Rogers said. “We can certainly document his life through photos and stories, but a lot of the quotes that you see in the museum are something special. So people have come away pleased with what we've done. They're impressed.” All items on display are in chronological order, Rogers said, allowing Fender's life to be told spanning his birth to his highly-publicized death in 2006. “I think that people get a glimpse of who Freddy was as a person, and certainly as an entertainer,” Rogers said. “Many people even locally don't even realize that this man was known worldwide. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has sold out venues worldwide, but he never forgot who he was or where he came from.” In a career that spanned 50 years, Rogers said he hopes those who are unfamiliar with Fender's accomplishments will come away with a renewed respect for the San Benito native. More importantly, however, Rogers said he hopes that Fender's love and admiration for his hometown will come across in the exhibit. “Here was a man who came from very humble beginnings in El Jardin and ended up playing for presidents,” Rogers said. “Freddy was something else. He was an international star that still called San Benito home. He was a very humble person.” Hesitant to reveal too much, Rogers instead shared one very unique item that is on display: Freddy's 1954 vintage Harley Davidson. “He was a Harley fan and rider, and when he went into towns that he had never been to before, he always looked for a Harley shop,” Rogers recalled with a laugh. “Other than that, I think just the whole exhibit showcases the magnitude of someone who had a career for over 50 years that started when he sang rock and roll in Spanish in the 1950's, which was groundbreaking at that time.” Though exciting for Rogers and Freddy Fender Museum officials and volunteers, the process of setting up Fender's exhibit was somewhat cathartic for most. “The whole process of getting things together was like that (cathartic),” Rogers said. “But the Freddy Fender exhibit is really turning some people's heads. It's got some attention, and people are saying `wow,'” he added. Fender's widow, Vangie Huerta, was on hand at the museums' opening in November of 2007. For more information on the San Benito Museums, call Martha McClain, City of San Benito Director of Community Affairs, at (956) 361-3800.