Presented in partnership with the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum.
September 17 – January 3rd
Access is included with your admission.
The Hays in John Hays Hammond Jr. is a tribute to his great-uncle, Colonel John Coffee Hays. Called “Captain Jack” by his friends and “Devil Jack” by his enemies, this lawman and soldier had a life and career so storied and successful that it has passed into legend. This is a rare case when legend is inseparable from documented history.
From Tennessee to Texas to Mexico to California, Jack Hays cantered along a trail of adventure and glory rivaled by few in U.S. history. Yet this Texas Ranger-turned-military commander-turned-Sheriff remained humble; our exhibit is not bound by such restraint.
“Brave-Too-Much”: The Legend of John Coffee Hays, an original temporary exhibition presented in partnership with the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum in Waco, Texas. Through the loan of museum artwork and fascinating stories, this unique exhibition introduces New England audiences to the legendary Texas Ranger captain who was also the great-uncle and namesake of John Hays Hammond Jr.
The exhibition traces Hays’s extraordinary journey from joining the Texas Rangers at just 19 years old to becoming one of the most respected military leaders of his era. Notable Rangers who served under or alongside him include Samuel Walker, co-inventor of the Colt Walker revolver, the first practical six-shooter in the Old West, and Flacco, a Lipan Apache chief, who gave him the nickname “Bravo-Too-Much” (aka “Brave-Too-Much”) for his boldness in battle.
Visitors will explore his role in the Texas Republic, the Mexican-American War, the California Gold Rush, and the founding of early California communities, while also examining the complex history of the American frontier and the many cultures that shaped it.
