With the new year comes a new limited-time exhibition for the Rosenberg Railroad Museum (RRM) titled Railroads and American Popular Music. This exhibition is the first to be created by the Museum’s new Curator, Jesse Otto, Ph.D., and is set to replace the beloved Lionel Model Train Exhibit that has been in place since October of last year. An official exhibit opening took place on Saturday, February 11th, 2023.
The first three panels of this exhibition examine the various ways that railroads have shaped American popular music. The fourth panel tells the story of Huddie Ledbetter’s experience with railroads in Fort Bend County leading to the creation of a classic American song. The final part of the exhibition consists of 16 small panels detailing the TV show Soul Train along with 15 railroad themed American songs.
Jesse Otto holds an MA in History from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and in 2021, he earned a Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. His graduate work focused on music industry history along with museum studies and historic preservation. He joined RRM in August 2022 and is excited be part of the team.
The Railroads and American Popular Music Limited-Time Exhibition will be on display until the end of October 2023. For more information, visit: www.rosenbergRRmuseum.org/limited-time-exhibit
The Rosenberg Railroad Museum is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the preservation and education of railroading in Fort Bend County.