Johnson County Commissioners were proud when renovations on the county courthouse, built in 1912, were completed in 2007. But they wanted more.

Commissioners saw an opportunity to ensure the courthouse’s future and to preserve and celebrate the county’s past as well.

“We felt it very important to display Johnson County’s history for our residents in the location most typically visited by them,” said Commissioner John Matthews. “The courthouse having been recently renovated, and in the county seat, it just makes sense.”

Before renovations began, commissioners decided to set an area aside on the first floor of the courthouse for an eventual museum.

The area was the same room where commissioners held court before renovations began. They now meet in the old 413th District Courtroom.

For three years volunteers from the Johnson County Historical Commission have been working to organize and establish the museum.

The work is rewarding if at times apparently never-ending, said Wilma Reed, chairwoman of the museum for the Johnson County Historical Commission.

Progress is being made, Reed and county officials said, but an opening date for the museum remains to be determined.

Reed and volunteers Pat Dexheimer, Mary Norris and Dorothy Schwartz spend Wednesdays at the courthouse sorting and cataloging mountains of files, pictures, displays and other items.

“If anyone could see the array of things we have and how much of it is unorganized, they’d see why this is taking some time,” Reed said.

The goal, Reed said, is to do things right and take the time to create the best possible museum. Commissioners also have not determined details of how and when the museum will be in operation.

“What I like about this is that we’re from all parts of the county,” Schwartz said.

Schwartz lives in Alvarado and Reed in Cleburne, while Dexheimer and Norris hale from Burleson.

Commissioners also recently approved the purchase of cabinetry, which will hold displays and files when it arrives.

The volunteers are sorting through the items and preparing them for eventual display and storage.

The job of sorting through files containing information on the first county sheriff, first commissioners court and a host of other history and trivia falls to Dexheimer and Norris.

Numerous files remain to be organized — they’re presently up to the letter “M” — and all of it is being transferred onto acid-free paper and into acid-free folders for preservation purposes.

“Our biggest problem is identifying a lot of these items, especially pictures,” Reed said.

She offers numerous tintypes and old photographs with little or no identifying information as proof.

It is unknown whether many of the people pictured have any ties to Johnson County at all, she said.

Some documents, pictures and items came from the courthouse. Several, such as a chandelier and chairs, predate the current courthouse, having been salvaged from the former courthouse that was destroyed by fire in 1912.

Sam Bigham, a member of Save Old Cleburne, delivered one such item to the museum on Wednesday.

The item, a coat rack, was located in the sheriff’s office, which used to be on the third floor of the previous courthouse, said Sandy Sims, administrative assistant to County Judge Roger Harmon.

Bigham restored the coat rack and plans to do the same with other courthouse items.

“We both belong to Save Old Cleburne, and that’s where I found out about [Bigham’s] capabilities of restoring and repairing things,” Reed said. “He’s been nice enough to donate his time to help out.”

Some items found their way back to the courthouse.

Peggy Densman of Abilene and her two sisters recently donated a Seth Thomas clock to the county, which now hangs in the museum.

Densman’s uncle, Dr. W.R. Jones, a Cleburne optometrist, purchased the clock from Dr. H.C. Quinn.

Quinn purchased it in a courthouse lawn sale sometime in the 1950s. Before that, the clock hung in the courthouse, though no one is sure where or for how long.

Most of the museum items come from donations, Reed said, citing Dan Leach, Jack Carlton, Karen and Gary Shaw and other donors.

Reed also praised the commissioners’ decision to set aside an area to display and preserve county history.

“Judge Harmon and all the commissioners have really been behind this,” Reed said. “And Sandy Sims, who has been a gold mine of historical recollection and efficiency.”

The success of the museum will depend on residents, officials said.

“The museum will be an ongoing venture, and we welcome and need donations,” Reed said. “This is going to be an educational site, but also a place to celebrate not just the history of the courthouse but all of Johnson County.”

Reed characterized the museum’s mission statement as broad.

“Johnson County focus, of course,” Reed said. “But some things that are important though not necessarily just to Johnson County.”

Circus posters, old issues of Harper’s Magazine and newspaper stories relaying the deaths of presidents and beginnings of World War II are among such items.

“I hope this is going to help keep our history alive,” Reed said. “And the museum will also serve as a resource for those wanting to research the history of Johnson County and the histories of county families. We have some information on the older families in the area as well.”

Harmon agreed.

“We approved in this budget year hiring a part-time curator, which we’ll hire once we get everything set up,” Harmon said. “Those volunteers with the Johnson County Historical Commission have been down here every week doing a great job getting things together. It’s just going to be a great place where if someone wants to come in and look at the old history of the county, we’ll have a nice place for them to do that.”

Residents who would like to make donations or volunteer to help with the museum should call Harmon’s office at 817-556-6360.