Today we’d like to introduce you to Hayden Aldridge.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My beginnings are owed to God, family, and friends introducing me to the world of history and the great outdoors at a very young age. I am a tenth generation Texan with family roots in the Texas Revolution and the formation of our Great State. I grew up with folks who had walked all paths of life; ranchers, outdoorsman, scientists, and craftsman. These characters I was surrounded by increased my curiosity into a large variety of interests that I have since then pursued in great unending depth. Being outdoors with wildlife, playing in old barns, finding arrowheads, hunting and fishing; I had found what I never wanted to leave and what my heart could not.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
A challenge faced in today’s modern world in the preservation of truth and history, is the political division and economic strife faced by all people. What was left of the memories of Texas’s past are being demolished and forgotten, lost forever due to progress and lack of appreciation for hard work, craftsmanship, and “the story”. Currrent generations are unaware of their own ancestors contributions to the communities they built and served, the homes they lived in, the buildings they worked in, and the soil they tilled. The folks who are crucial to understanding true Texas heritage and how important our State’s history is to Texans are becoming few and sparse, and unknown stories of days of old are becoming harder to find. Many of the people that knew the history and folklore of the old days have passed on before I was able to shake hands with them and share my campfire. These people were story tellers, and many people today are not telling stories, and keeping the traditions alive. In summary, it has been difficult finding the last of the old timers and their descendants that know the history that was never told about Texas and being able to preserve this State’s unique heritage.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I involved myself with Fort Croghan Museum from a very young age, from simple visits to volunteering at events capturing the essence of reenactments and times past. Over the years, I became good friends with the people involved with the museum and the folks in the area who had deep roots in local history. I began volunteering my help in everyday museum operations, giving tours, and curatorial duties. I wanted to increase my contribution to the sharing and preservation of history and became involved in administration as the President of the Fort Croghan Museum. Aside from the museum, I am a wildlife biologist and manage ranches in Central and South Texas. I absolutely love what I do and the people I work with. Conserving wildlife and educating museum visitors on Texas history are my passions.
What makes you happy?
Conserving wildlife and educating folks on the history and heritage of Texas make me happy. I believe that there is so much to be fascinated by in the stories of the early pioneers and frontiersman that founded Texas who had such a love for this State’s geographical beauty and the wildlife that inhabited it. My purpose is to protect this land and its’ history for future generations of Texans and to help inspire them to contribute to the next chapter of the story of Texas.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fortcroghan.com/
- Instagram: fortcroghanbtx
- Facebook: Fort Croghan Grounds and Museum Burnet, Texas
