At the time it was donated to the Giddings Library the Arnold Smith Collection was considered one of the largest privately held collections of arrowheads, spear points, and stone tools. All were found in Lee County around Giddings. Credit: GERALD E. McLEOD

The Giddings Public Library is recognized as one of the best small-town libraries in the state. Not only do they serve the community, but they offer something for out-of-town visitors. 

In 2003, Arnold Smith donated his collection of Native American artifacts to the library. When it went on display it was considered one of the largest private collections of arrowheads, spear points, and stone tools to go on public display in Texas. All the relics were found around Giddings in Lee County. The area had been a favorite hunting ground for multiple Native American tribes.  

Smith began collecting arrowheads in 1924 at the age of 7. When he went to work for Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative, he became friendly with landowners. They were happy to let him remove the rocks from their peanut fields. 

When Smith died in 2014 at age 97, his collection had become a popular attraction. The Texas Historical Commission authenticated and labeled the collection. 

After the library experienced a broken water pipe over Easter Weekend the Native American collection was back in its place by the end of August, just in time to host the Word Wrangler Book Festival at the end of September Credit: GERALD E. McLEOD

Founded in 1920, the Giddings Library has the support of a community of around 5,000. That endorsement was tested this year when a water pipe broke, flooding the library. It happened over the long Easter weekend, said Jessi Akin, library director. It took nearly five months to get the library back in shape. 

After new carpet and fresh paint, the nearly 30,000 books were back on the shelves in time for the staff and volunteers to begin planning this year’s Texas Word Wrangler Book Festival happening Sept. 25-26. This year 22 regional writers will converge at the library to read from their books and talk about writing and literature. 

The Giddings Public Library is at 276 N. Orange St. a block off U.S. Highway 290 and about an hour east of Austin. The library also houses Baseball Hall of Famer Hilton Lee Smith’s baseball memorabilia collection. For information on the book festival, go to www.giddingspubliclibrary.org/word-wrangler.

A display case in the library honors native son Hilton Lee Smith. Born in Giddings in 1907, Smith pitched in the Negro leagues alongside Satchel Paige. After playing for the Austin Black Senators he moved up to play with the Kansas City Monarchs. He was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001. Credit: GERALD E. McLEOD

1,823rd in a series. Everywhere is a day trip from somewhere. Follow “Day Trips & Beyond,” a travel blog, at austinchronicle.com/day-trips.

This article appears in September 11 • 2026.

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Gerald E. McLeod joined the Chronicle staff in November 1980 as a graphic designer. In April 1991 he began writing the “Day Trips” column. Besides the weekly travel column, he contributed “101 Swimming Holes,” “Guide to Central Texas Barbecue,” and “Guide to the Texas Hill Country.” His first 200 columns have been published in Day Trips Vol. I and Day Trips Vol. II.