Ice House Ranch Museum

The Old Ice House Ranch Museum is housed in a real former ice house which was built in 1927 and operated as such for several years, with the local office of West Texas Utilities in the West side. As Sonora moved into the 1940's, ice house operations became unprofitable for small towns and the museum space became a meat processing and a frozen food locker plant, finally ending its commercial career as a BBQ smoke house. After West Texas Utilities vacated the building they donated it to the Sutton County Historical Society for use as a museum. The Museum and Gift Shop are owned and operated by the Sutton County Historical Society, which also operates a substantial local history archive at another location along with the Mier's Home Museum, a two room preservation of one of Sonora's earliest houses, and the John and Mildred Cauthorn Building, which is the relocated and restored Santa Fe Railroad Depot which served Sonora during the life of the railroad here. The Depot is rented to the public for public meetings, receptions, weddings and other community gatherings and includes an outdoor amphitheater. The amphitheater is the home of the annual Sonora Easter Sunrise service.