The Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center (SHC), part of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC), will host a presentation on African American genealogy on Thursday, Feb. 20 at 7:00 p.m. Presenters will explore key resources and collections for genealogy research, with a focus on those of most use in locating African American ancestors.
Harriett Hobbs Paine, 1890s. Hardin Family Papers, 1974.002. SHC.
TSLAC’s Information Services Supervisor Tonia Wood will explore records available online and through TSLAC headquarters in Austin, like voter registration lists of 1867-1869. SHC Reference Services Coordinator Darlene Mott will share resources available in Liberty, such as poll tax lists and probate files. Southeast Texans are invited to come out and learn how to use TSLAC and Sam Houston Center collections to possibly discover more about their family’s story.
This event is free and open to the public. No registration required. Contact the Center at (936) 336-8821 or SamHoustonCenter@tsl.texas.gov for more information.
The Sam Houston Center is a component of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission and serves as the official regional historical resource depository for the 10 Southeast Texas counties of Chambers, Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Newton, Orange, Polk, San Jacinto, and Tyler. The Center’s primary mission is to collect, preserve and provide access to historically significant state and local government records and publications of the designated region and secondarily to serve as a library of Texana and genealogical resources.
Featuring recent selections from our “Throwback Thursday” and other posts on TSLAC’s social media platforms. No subscription required.
July 2024
Ferry crossing on an unknown river, 1939. Texas Department of Public Safety photographs, 1978023_73a. TSLAC.
#TBT from the State Archives: No bridge? No problem! Ferry crossings over Texas rivers and other waterways have been a transportation feature for centuries. Governments and communities regulated the ferries and ferrymen had certain responsibilities, such as ensuring the inclines for entry and exit were sufficiently graded. This flat wooden ferry was attached to a cable above the river and the ferryman pulled ropes through pulleys to cross to the other side. View more historical photos from the Texas Department of Public Safety online at https://bit.ly/TDA_DPS.
August 2024
Searching for flood victims on Waller Creek, Austin, Texas, undated. William Deming Hornaday photograph collection, 1975/070-3119. TSLAC.
#TBT from the State Archives: On April 22, 1915, a devastating flood swept through downtown Austin destroying homes and lives. Heavy rain caused both Waller and Shoal Creeks to rise high enough to demolish surrounding structures and leave more than 1000 people without homes. An estimated 57 lives were lost. This photo captured the aftermath of the flooding along Waller Creek. The dome of the State Capitol Building is visible in the background over the trees.
September 2024
Laurent Quintle House & Store, Medina River off Highway 90, Castroville, Medina County, TX. Built about 1850. Fannie Ratchford photograph collection, 1970/101-273. TSLAC.
#OTD September 12, 1844, French baker and businessman Henri Castro established the town of Castroville on the Medina River. Castro contracted with the Republic of Texas government to attract settlers to the area in exchange for land. He brought families from Europe, notably the Alsace region of France, who built homes, shops, a mill, and other features of rural nineteenth-century living. The Laurent Quintle House and Store in Castroville was built around 1850 and photographed as part of the Historic America Buildings Survey, evidenced by the number TEX-3-62 in the bottom right corner. Find more images of architecture in Texas towns in the 1930s and 1940s in the Fannie Ratchford photograph collection online: https://tsl.access.preservica.com/tda/prints-and-photographs/#ratchford
October 2024
Old Statesman Office between Seventh and Eighth on Congress, Austin, undated. Mabel H. Brooks photograph collection, 1932/005-17. TSLAC.
#TBT Texas Archives Month continues as we recognize the importance of newspapers in the archive. This undated photo of the Statesman (now Austin American Statesman) office in Austin captures early methods of printing newspapers using ink on individual metal plates. View in the TDA: https://tsl.access.preservica.com/…/IO_2e9a3654-bf99…/
November 2024
Autumn in East Texas, undated. Texas Tourist Development Agency photographs and audiovisual material, 2012/193-A0627-5-382. TSLAC.
#TBT Admiring the changing colors of the leaves each autumn is a popular tradition across the country and is currently the perfect time for the activity in Texas. This undated image from the Texas Tourist Development Agency’s slide collection captures a lovely drive in East Texas during the fall foliage season.
December 2024
The Making of the Texas Constitution, Texas Constitutional Convention of 1974 audiovisual recordings. Texas State Library and Archives Commission, 2024/080.TSLAC.
Texas Constitutional Convention of 1974 audiovisual recordings are now online in the Texas Digital Archive (TDA). The Texas Constitutional Convention of 1974 was the culmination of a three-part process to revise and simplify the 1876 Texas constitution, which had been amended 218 times. The State Archives has digitized recordings documenting the convention (convened on January 8 and closed on July 30), including original film footage and audio recordings regarding the convention, and film productions about the convention. Ultimately, the convention did not succeed in producing a new constitution for Texas. Explore the audiovisual materials online here: https://tsl.access.preservica.com/uncategorized/SO_6da8e784-45af-4282-97f9-00b37e36a362/
American colonist’s home, Colombia, Mexico, (undated). William Deming Hornaday photograph collection, 1975/070-155.
In 1967 the State University of New York in Oyster Bay held the first International Conference to discuss “Mexico in Microfilm,” an ambitious co-operative project to microfilm great quantities of Mexican documents before they were unrecoverable due to neglect, loss, or destruction. The thirty-four institutional representatives present at the conference supported the importance and purpose of the project, and the following year a national consortium was organized with a priority in filming archives in Guadalajara.
The five Texas delegates who attended the Oyster Bay conference returned to their home state energized and motivated to create a Texas Consortium to support the national consortium by focusing on microfilming documents from different parts of Mexico besides Guadalajara. This passion and collaborative spirit for archiving and making Mexican archival resources accessible to Texas scholars came to fruition in 1969 with the adoption of “Articles of Agreement for a Texas Consortium to Microfilm Mexican Archival Materials” and an organizational meeting of thirteen Texas institutions to implement the work necessary.
Map of southwest Texas and northern Mexico, about 1861. Texas State Archives Map collection, map no. 01423.
Each member of the consortium agreed to assume responsibility for leading a microfilming program targeting a geographical or functional area of Mexico. In 1971, the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) joined the Texas Consortium and shared responsibility with Trinity University in San Antonio and Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) for microfilming in Nuevo León and Coahuila. The Texas Consortium was active for only a few years before problems and challenges put an end to their efforts.
Now, over fifty years later, you can access a portion of this microfilming project at TSLAC!
There are 380 microfilm reels available that record Nuevo León government and church documents such as birth, death, marriages, baptisms, church and judiciary records, and a miscellany of other records dating 1701 – 1966.
Microfilm screenshot of baptism record, Fondo de documentación para la historia del noreste [i.e. nordeste] de Mexico microform collection,1745-1797.
This Nuevo León Microfilm Inventory list describes the general contents of each reel to help pinpoint which reel will benefit your research. The list is organized by locations in Nuevo León (i.e. Abasolo, Agualeguas, Villa de García, and Villa de Santiago), document type, dates of the records, the repository the records came from, and the microfilm’s reel and camera number. You can find the catalog record under the title Fondo de documentación para la historia del noreste [i.e. nordeste] de Mexico microform. If you can’t find what you are looking for in TSLAC’s collection, try searching through Trinity University’s Special Collections and Archives microfilm records of Nuevo León and Coahuila. Their contact us page will direct you on how to get in touch to access their collection.
TSLAC holds publications helpful for Nuevo Leon genealogy and history that can be identified through a search in the online library catalog. If you don’t know where to begin your search, try TSLAC’s Mexican American Genealogy Guide as a starting point.
For more information on how to access the Nuevo León collection or any other materials, please contact TSLAC reference services at ref@tsl.texas.gov or call 512-463-5455.
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) is now accepting applications for its 2025 Research Fellowship in Texas History. The fellowship includes a $2,000 stipend and is awarded for the best research proposal utilizing the collections of the State Archives in Austin or the Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center in Liberty, Texas.
The application must include the purpose of the proposed research, collections of interest, a discussion of how this research will contribute to a greater understanding of Texas history, plans for dissemination and a curriculum vitae. The recipient of the fellowship will be asked to present the results of their research at a TSLAC event. Judges may withhold the award at their discretion.
In Texas, the history of quilts is a long (and comfortable!) one. Settlers who came to the state made quilts for many different reasons: necessity, to commemorate a national event, or just as beautiful artworks. Here at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC), you might be surprised to learn that we house several historical quilts in our artifacts collection. The description of this collection says, “Many objects in the collection have little or no accompanying information to provide context for when they were made.” Fortunately, quilts always reveal something of themselves and their makers, even without a written record.
Quilt, Isabel L. Clark collection, 1879 or between 1830-1849. Texas State Archives Artifacts collection, ATF0050. [Click image for larger version.]
For example, the first quilt is part of the Isabel L. Clark Collection, though the name of the maker is unknown. It is all hand stitched and is thought to be made some time in the between 1830 and 1879. The quilt’s pattern is “similar to Bride’s Puzzle, Twelve Crowns and / or Wedding March,” which probably means that this quilt was made by a newly engaged or married woman wanting to create something beautiful for her home. According to the record, “Of note is the use of tan fabric in place of the off-white fabric in several places.” This probably means that the maker was not affluent enough to purchase all the fabric she needed for this quilt and used some (or all) scraps to make it.
Close-up, Quilt, Isabel L. Clark collection, 1879 or between 1830-1849. Texas State Archives Artifacts collection, ATF0050. [Click image for larger version.]
Patrons curious about the Texas State Library and Archives Commission’s (TSLAC) genealogy resources and interested in learning how to use them with the assistance of a professional librarian are invited to visit the Reference Reading Room on Second Saturdays at 10:00 a.m. for Hands-on Help Sessions.
TSLAC Reference Librarians will offer a brief overview of a particular collection or tool that family history researchers may find helpful in tracking down ancestors. No registration is needed, and the sessions are free and open to the public. Hands-on Help Sessions on Second Saturdays this fall are as follows:
Sept. 14 10:00 a.m. Vital Statistics at TSLAC Oct. 12 10:00 a.m. Newspaper Resources at TSLAC Nov. 9 10:00 a.m. City Directories at TSLAC
TSLAC’s collections include books, periodicals, documents, photographs, and artifacts related to Texas history, government, natural resources, businesses, culture, people, and more. Themed exhibits showcasing the wide range of materials available at TSLAC are on view in the lobby of the Lorenzo de Zavala State Archives and Library Building on the State Capitol grounds.
Visitors to the Reference Reading Room are also welcome to log on to computers and explore online databases such as Family Search, Ancestry.com, Fold3, and other products that may contain information available only to on-site patrons. The library is open Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and the second Saturday of each month from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call 512-463-5455 or email ref@tsl.texas.gov for assistance. Learn more at www.tsl.texas.gov/arc.
The Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center in Liberty has announced that it will host its second Family History Day of 2024 on Saturday, Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.
Steven Kantner, Digital Assets Archivist at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC), will share tips and tricks for preserving family photos and media. Photos from yesterday or centuries past all present challenges to those hoping to make the images last for future generations. Morning and afternoon sessions will offer instructions on how to properly care for family photographs and ensure the information is not lost to time. Participants will learn about photograph identification, proper storage and handling, safely creating digital images, digital archiving and other activities related to preserving personal collections.
Family History Day Schedule: 10 a.m. – 12 noon Identification and preservation session 12 noon – 1:30 p.m. Lunch break (on your own) 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Digitization and digital archiving session
A free preservation kit will be provided to pre-registered participants. Contact SHC via email at samhoustoncenter@tsl.texas.gov or call (936) 336-8821 to register. Seating is limited.
The Sam Houston Center is a component of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission and serves as the official regional historical resource depository for the 10 Southeast Texas counties of Chambers, Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Newton, Orange, Polk, San Jacinto and Tyler. The Center’s primary mission is to collect, preserve and provide access to historically significant state and local government records and publications of the designated region and secondarily to serve as a library of Texana and genealogical resources.
October is Texas Archives Month and the Texas Historical Records Advisory Board (THRAB) and Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) are offering up professional development opportunities, preservation assessments, and the annual poster and webpage is now live!
While registrants for the Society of American Archivists (SAA) online workshop, Finance Basics for Archives Managers have been selected, applications are still open for an in-person workshop to be held in Austin in November. TSLAC will host the closed SAA workshop, Grant Proposal Writing on November 8 at the Lorenzo de Zavala building from 8:30a.m. to 4:30p.m. Learn more and apply by October 7 here: https://www.tsl.texas.gov/workshops
For those in the El Paso and Far West Texas region of the state, THRAB is offering free preservation assessments for archival repositories. Applications are open through October 14. Visit the Archival Resources section of THRAB’s site to apply: https://www.tsl.texas.gov/arc/thrab/resources
Lastly, stay tuned for THRAB’s announcement of the 2024 Archival Award recipients!
Please let us know if your archive has activities to promote for Texas Archives Month and we will add the event to the Texas Archives Month page calendar.
Happy Archives Month!
The National Historical Publications & Records Commission (NHPRC) supports THRAB initiatives.
Celebrate Constitution Day with the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC)! Visit the lobby of TSLAC’s headquarters in the Capitol Complex on Tuesday, Sept. 17 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. and pick up a free, pocket-sized version of the U.S. Constitution. The Lorenzo de Zavala State Archives and Library Building houses important state government records and also provides access to federal government publications.
Constitution Day offers an opportunity to appreciate democracy and the relevance of an informed citizenry. The commemorative date recognizes the historic occasion when, on Sept. 17, 1787, delegates from the existing twelve states signed the U.S. Constitution, the founding document of U.S. governance. The ceremony took place at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, PA. The pocket-sized version contains the full text of the document—so pick one up while supplies last!
TSLAC will provide free copies of the U.S. Constitution in the Lorenzo de Zavala Archives and Library Building lobby on September 17 from 8:00a.m. to 5:00p.m.
TSLAC is your source for vital information produced by the state and federal government. The state agency’s mission is to ensure citizens have free access to materials that support civic education.
Through the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), TSLAC patrons may access federal government publications produced by the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) along with a wealth of other materials. Visit the Reference Reading Room from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, or online at www.tsl.texas.gov/reference, to learn more about these and other collections.
As our archives staff work on an ongoing basis to arrange, preserve, describe, and make available to the public the materials under our care, we spotlight new additions to the website in a regular feature from Out of the Stacks. The column lists new and revised finding aids recently made available online, along with fresh uploads to the Texas Digital Archive, our repository of electronic items. For a comprehensive list of all recently added and updated finding aids visit Archives: Finding Aids (New & Revised)
New Finding Aids
State Records
Texas Department of Agriculture audiovisual materials – nearly all of these materials are part of the Texas Digital Archive The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) promotes production agriculture, consumer protection, economic development, and healthy living. TDA’s Office of Communications provides media information and keeps the public informed of TDA activities and agriculture issues via traditional and social media channels. These 16 mm motion picture films and digital copies of the original audiotape and video recordings document the department’s activities, including many of the agency’s programs and events, public appearances of commissioners Jim Hightower and Rick Perry, and interviews with agricultural producers in Texas, dating 1969-1999 and undated. The majority of the 16 mm motion picture recordings have been digitized and along with the digital copies of the original recordings are part of the Texas Digital Archive.
Christmas meats, Silent film footage of grocery store during holiday season, 1969. Texas Department of Agriculture audiovisual materials. 1994/099-3-2. TSLAC.
Texas Department of Agriculture meeting minutes, agenda, and supporting documentation (replaces description of the portion of these records that had been included in our Texas Department of Agriculture records finding aid, which will be revised for this soon). The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) promotes production agriculture, consumer protection, economic development, and healthy living. These TDA records, consisting of meeting minutes, agenda, and supporting documentation, 1924-2021, bulk 1960-1997, document the activities of various boards and committees operating under TDA oversight. The records include meeting minutes, agenda, transcripts, reports, and supporting documentation. Major topics include administration of programs that provide loans and grants to agriculture-related businesses, promotion of agricultural diversification in Texas, establishment of environmental rules and regulations, management of seed quality and development, pesticides and pest eradication, herbicides, and ground and surface water.
Texas Historical Commission Historic Sites Division presentations – includes electronic records that are part of the Texas Digital Archive The Texas Historical Commission (THC) protects and preserves the state’s historic resources for the use, education, and enjoyment of present and future generations. THC’s Historic Sites Division is responsible for overseeing the agency’s thirty-six historic properties located throughout the state. Presentations created by the division, 2011-2015, consist of PowerPoint presentation slides and supplemental documentation. They were used to inform the public and conference attendees about the Historic Sites Division’s operations, its historic properties, and Texas history. The presentations cover topics such as the Historic Site Division’s programs at Casa Navarro, preservation and conservation efforts on the state’s historic structures and artifacts, and the lives of Texans during the 19th century.
Texas Historical Commission executive director files The Texas Historical Commission (THC) protects and preserves the state’s historic resources for the use, education, and enjoyment of present and future generations. THC executive director files include correspondence, legislative bills, subject files, reports, memorandums, newsletters, programs, brochures, photographs, meeting agendas and minutes, dating 1953-2009, bulk 1976-1980. Correspondence from Executive Directors Truett Latimer and Curtis Tunnell make up the bulk of these records. Also included are correspondence and other materials regarding the Texas Conservation Fund, the Texas 1986 Sesquicentennial Commission, the State Historic Preservation Officers, and the purchase of the Crockett letter.