Americans have often asked each other, “Where were you when Kennedy was shot?” Many recalled precisely where they were when they learned that the president had been assassinated, and the incident became part of the identity of the city of Dallas. Other Texas cities and sites have become associated with headline-making episodes that brought the state into the public eye.

“Houston, we have a problem” will forever connect Texas to the space program. The Galveston Hurricane holds the terrible legacy of the worst natural disaster in the history of the United States. Spindletop, an oilfield in Southeast Texas, became shorthand for the oil boom that changed the trajectory of the nation’s economy.

Other incidents may be lesser known in the modern era but had an enormous impact when they occurred. While significant stories of the past are often filled with pain and suffering, the simultaneous sharing of the knowledge through the news media connected people from beyond the borders of Texas. Each event affected many Texans and continues to define the state’s history through the documents and images left behind.

View the online exhibit of Extra! Extra! Eyes of the World on Texas