Signature page, 1876 Texas State Constitution. View in the TDA.
As part of our activities commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence, our current featured book display and companion reading list offer a selection of titles related to this legacy and its connection to Texas history. For example, The American Solution: Origins of the U.S. Constitution, by Robert Allen Rutland, examines how the country was founded. Though Texas was not one of the original 13 colonies, the historical record of Texas shares similarities with and echoes the sentiments of the documents written there.
Featured book display: Foundational Documents of Texas and America.
Between 1836 and 1876, Texas would see a series of constitutions adopted to reflect the changing status of the government. The first new constitution was drafted once Texas was accepted for annexation to the United States in 1845, followed by another constitution in 1861 when Texas seceded from the Union to join the Confederacy. Two more versions (1866,1869) would follow during the period of Reconstruction when states were required to ratify three new amendments to the U.S. Constitution in order to rejoin the country.
Books on display in featured bookshelf.
Texas was readmitted to the U.S. in 1870 with the 1869 constitution in place, but with a new convention on the horizon. Read Debates in the Texas Constitutional Convention of 1875 to learn what was discussed to draft the next version that was ratified in 1876. Though this document is 150 years old, it still serves as the current constitution for the state.
Vote being taken, 1974. Texas Constitutional Convention of 1974 audiovisual materials, 2025/057-0008. View in the TDA.
Lawmakers have attempted to create a new state constitution for the modern age. Almost a century and hundreds of amendments later, delegates met in 1974 to write a new constitution. Delegates struggled to agree and instead of a new constitution, they submitted eight constitutional amendments to Texans for a vote. None of these amendments passed. The Texas Constitutional Revision Experience in the 70’s, by Janice C. May describes the details of this episode in Texas constitutional history. In addition, audiovisual materials from the convention, including the film productions The Making of the Texas Constitution and A New Constitution for Texas, have been digitized and are available online in the Texas Digital Archive (TDA). Documents from other constitutional conventions are also available in the TDA: https://tsl.access.preservica.com/tda/texas-state-government/texas-conventions/.
The 1876 Constitution, with digital images of the pages and transcribed text, is available online at TSLAC. There are also published versions in our collections and you may even take a closer look at the original signed document on view in TSLAC’s Reference Reading Room through July.
The list below offers more options to explore the founding of Texas and the nation. Search the TSLAC catalog for additional publications on these topics. For more information about access to the titles on display, please contact TSLAC reference services at ref@tsl.texas.gov or call 512-436-5455.
The Texas Christian Advocate newspaper, Dallas, Texas, Thursday, March 6, 1890.
Alphabetically arranged by Texas and non-Texas newspapers, the collection consists of 1,600 newspapers published between 1741 and 2006. The collection spans time periods ranging from the Republic-era to Statehood, the American Civil War through Reconstruction, industrialization through the Second World War, and into the modern era. These newspapers document aspects of Texas history including migration and emigration, education, politics, religion, government, labor movements, and major industries such as agriculture and petroleum.
Among the oldest Texas newspapers within the collection is The Texas Gazette, published in San Felipe de Austin in 1829 (name changed to Mexican Citizen in 1831). Examples of Republic-era papers include The Red-Lander (1838-1839, 1841-1847), and The National Vindicator, published in Washington-on-the-Brazos in 1843-1844.
With newspapers published in English, Spanish, Italian and German, the collection reflects the richly varied history of Texas. Such papers as the San Antonio El Bejareño, the Brownsville Democrata, the San Antonio La Prensa, the Corpus Christi Verdad, and the Dallas La Tribuna Italiana, shed light on those vibrant communities.
Twenty-eight newspaper titles from this collection have been digitized so far through an ongoing partnership with the University of North Texas (UNT) and are now freely available on TSLAC’s Texas Digital Archive (TDA) and through UNT’s Portal to Texas History. Since 2023, this partnership allows for digitization of historical newspapers in formats including fragile print issues and microfilm reels, ensuring that the information within these newspapers is preserved and accessible for years to come.
Neu-Braunfelser Zeitung newspaper, Freitag, den 12. Januar 1855 [Friday, the 12. January 1855].
One of the oldest digitized newspapers available on the TDA is the Dallas Herald, published in 1855. The Neu-Braunfelser Zeitung, now known as the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, is among the longest-published newspapers in Texas and is one of the digitized newspapers available through the TDA. Digitized papers providing coverage before, during, and after the Civil War include The Harrison Flag and The Goliad Guard, while papers documenting events at the beginning of the twentieth century include the Alpine Avalanche, The Texas Christian Advocate, and The Terry County Herald.
Alpine Avalanche newspaper, Alpine, Brewster County, Texas Friday, March 2, 1900.
For genealogists, students, educators and historians of Texas history, these Texas newspapers, more of which will appear online as digitization continues, present much to explore.
For information about access to collections at TSLAC contact reference staff at 512-463-5455 or ref@tsl.texas.gov.
With pine forests, miles of coastline, prairies covered in wildflowers, and red desert mountains, Texas is one of the most beautiful places on earth. Preserving that natural beauty has been a collaborative effort between the Texas state government and the United States federal government. Over the past century, Texas has participated in many federal government programs to preserve Texas lands.
One of the first federal programs to prioritize maintaining Texas natural spaces was the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Not only did this work to protect natural wonders, but also to control flooding and erosion during the Great Depression. Texans can explore the great outdoors in Big Bend, a national park that safeguards thousands of years of human history, including cave paintings and a wild west ghost town. To learn more about it, you can read Big Bend Historic Sites, by G. Hubert Smith. The CCC also worked on state parks, so some of these are also a collaboration between Texas and the federal government. Read Parks for Texas: Enduring Landscapes of the New Deal by James Wright Steely to learn how places like Texas’s Big Bend became national treasures.
Another historical program born from the New Deal was the Federal Farm Board, which worked directly with farmers when it began. Now known as the Farm Credit Administration (FCA), they work with the banks that help farmers by subsidizing crops to keep prices lower. For a look at how the Federal Farm Board helped Texan farmers at the start of its mission, check out The T. C. C. A. Handbook for 1931: Some Facts Concerning the Federal Farm Board and the Cotton Co-operatives in Texas for those Who are Interested in the Welfare of the Southland.
With all of the different landscapes across Texas, the state can be prone to a variety of natural disasters. Another well-known Federal program that has helped Texans throughout the years is the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). After hurricanes like Celia and Harvey, FEMA was an instrumental part of getting Texans back to regular life. TSLAC holds documents like Hurricane Celia Redevelopment: a Preliminary Catalogue of Priorities and Needs for Possible Federal Assistance in the Seven County Disaster Area, which explains what FEMA did to help people get back to their normal lives. FEMA also plays a part in making sure that even before a disaster happens, people are prepared. One example is the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Planning Project for the City of Gonzales, Texas: 2001 Flood Preparedness and Mitigation plan.
Texas and the federal government by George B. Terrell, c1942. Main 342.783 St325p.
Search the TSLAC catalog for more publications about Texas and the Federal government working together. For more information about access to the titles on display, please contact TSLAC reference services at ref@tsl.texas.gov or call 512-436-5455.
Title
Author
Call Number
Location
Available Digitally
Selected United States Government publications
McLean, Va.
015.73 D659s 1968
MAIN
Parks for Texas : enduring landscapes of the new deal
Steely, James Wright
333.783 St325p
MAIN
Texas and the federal government
Terrell, George B.
342.784 T277
MAIN
Hurricane Celia redevelopment : a preliminary catalogue of priorities and needs for possible federal assistance in the seven county disaster area.
Coastal Bend Regional Planning Commission
350.754 C63HU C.1
MAIN
Tales of the Big Bend
Miles, Elton
398.209764 M594T
MAIN
T. C. C. A. hand book for 1931 : some facts concerning the Federal Farm Board and the cotton co-operatives in Texas for those who are interested in the welfare of the southland
Texas Cotton Cooperative Association
381.41351 T312T
MAIN
Big Bend historic sites
Smith, G. Hubert
978.3 SM57b
MAIN
Ranchers, farmers, soldiers, and the CCC : the background for seven historical sites at Camp Bowie, Brown County, Texas
Leffler, John
A1900.7 P422 NO.2591
TXD
Phase I archaeological survey, Dunlap Canal, emergency spillway, Guadalupe County, Texas : FEMA-1257-DR-TX
Texas Antiquities Committee
A1900.7 P422 NO.2704
TXD
Critical environmental areas in Texas : a summary of federal, state, and local protective measures
Texas Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations
I1150.8 C869EA 1977
TXD
Texas State Parks Centennial Plan
Texas. Parks and Wildlife Department
P400.8 C333PL 2016
TXD
The Civilian Conservation Corps in Texas state parks
Steely, James Wright
P400.8 C499CON 2020
TXD
Texas state parks
Texas. Parks and Wildlife Department
P400.8 T312ST 1988
TXD
Birds of Buescher & Bastrop state parks
Mitchell, David
P500 B86BIR 1988
TXD
Site assessment and inventory of Civilian Conservation Corps features : Buescher State Park.
Texas. Parks and Wildlife Department.
P500 B86Si 2008
TXD
State services and federal expenditures in Texas
Texas. Office of State-Federal Relations.
S1250.8 ST29
TXD
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) planning project for the city of Gonzales, Texas : 2001 flood preparedness and mitigation plan
Public Management, Inc.
W600.8 G589 2002
TXD
Texas state parks and the CCC : the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps
Brandimarte, Cynthia A.
Z TA475.8 B733te
TXD
Fire in the Piney Woods : Texas lookout towers, the forest service, and the Civilian Conservation Corps
Cavallerano, Edward
Z TA475.8 C314fi
TXD
Management alert – observations and concerns with FEMA’s housing assistance program efforts for Hurricane Harvey in Texas
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General
Spanish Province of Texas, about 1700-1821. Compiled from map on file among the archives at Saltillo, Mexico, Texas State Archives Map Collection, no. 2748.
Have you ever wondered what was happening in Texas while the original thirteen colonies of the Union were fighting the British Army in the 1770s? As the nation celebrates 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, TSLAC invites you to explore the published resources that offer insight into events occurring in Texas during this pivotal time. A good place to start is The Texas Connection with the American Revolution, by Robert H. Thornhoff. This book highlights Texan contributions to the newly-formed United States.
It turns out, Texas played a part in the American victory over England. The British faced war on two fronts once Spain allied with the colonies on the east coast, as they also had to fight on the border with New Spain in the west. New Spain was the territory controlled by Spain at the time, which included Texas. Cattle drives, naval battles, and many other contributions are recorded in the archival documents of the Spanish empire. You can access reproductions of these documents in Documentos Relativos a la Independencia de Norteamérica Existentes en Archivos Españoles.
You don’t need to travel east to see landmarks related to the American Revolution, either. Galveston is named for a Revolutionary War hero, Bernardo de Gálvez. Learn more about how Gálvez cleared the British Navy from the Gulf and helped draft the Treaty of Paris, the document that officially ended the war, in Forgotten Chapters of the American Revolution: Spain, Gálvez, and Isleños, by Rueben M. Perez. Investigate other landmarks with the Markers Placed by the Texas Daughters of the American Revolution, by the Texas Society Daughters of the American Revolution. If you miss the featured book display, don’t worry, we have these titles available all year long!
Search the TSLAC catalog for more publications about Texas and the American Revolution. For more information about access to the titles on display, please contact TSLAC reference services at ref@tsl.texas.gov or call 512-436-5455.
title
author
call number
location
digital
The littlest vaquero Texas first cowboys and how they helped win the American Revolution
Index of the Rolls of honor (ancestor’s index) in the Lineage books of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution [volumes 1-160]
Daughters of the American Revolution
369.135 D265L INDEX 1972 V.1-80
GEN
Tejano patriots of the American Revolution, 1776-1783
Villarreal, Jesse O.
976.40046 V713t
GEN
Republic of Texas roots : American Revolution roots
Rathburn, Lloyd Calvin
929.2 R175
GEN
The American revolution in the South
Lee, Henry, 1756-1818.
973.3 L512A
GEN
The Alamo heroes and their Revolutionary ancestors
Daughters of the American Revolution. Alamo Chapter (San Antonio, Tex.)
976.435 D265aa
GEN
Brunswick deserter-immigrants of the American Revolution.
Smith, Clifford Neal
929.3 SM53
GEN
Texas and the American Revolution
University of Texas Institute of Texan Cultures at San Antonio
976.402 IN7T
MAIN
The Texas connection with the American Revolution
Thonhoff, Robert H
976.402 T388t
MAIN
Bernardo de Gálvez : hero of the American Revolution
LaFarelle, Lorenzo G.
920.7 G139b
MAIN
Forgotten chapters of the American Revolution : Spain, Gálvez, and Isleños
Perez, Rueben M.
973.3 P415f
MAIN
Markers placed by the Texas Daughters of the American revolution; with illustrations and historical sketches. A contribution to the celebrations commemorating the state’s centennial year.
Daughters of the American Revolution. Texas Society
976.4 D265M
MAIN
The American sword, 1775-1945 : a survey of the swords worn by the uniformed forces of the United States from the Revolution to the close of World War II
Peterson, Harold L.
739.72 P442 1965
MAIN
Historic costumes and furnishings
Daughters of the American Revolution. Texas Society.
391.2 D265
MAIN
Documentos relativos a la independencia de Norteamérica existentes en archivos españoles
Spain. Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores
973 D659 V.1 PT.1
MAIN
Drama & conflict : the Texas saga of 1776
Weddle, Robert S.
976.402 W413D
MAIN
Texas in 1776 : a historical description
Connor, Seymour V.
976.402 C762T OVER-T
MAIN
American Revolution Bicentennial Commission of Texas
Riddle, Gene Jones
A1500.8 AM35
TXD
Spanish Texas, 1519-1821
Chipman, Donald E.
Z UA380.8 C444SP
TXD
Guidelines for city bicentennial planning
American Revolution Bicentennial Commission of Texas, issuing body
A1500.5 G942ci
TXD
Texas Bicentennial Community Program : citizen involvement in a national celebration
American Revolution Bicentennial Commission of Texas
Join us on site at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) in Austin on Saturday, Feb. 14 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for a user-friendly workshop on tracing your family lineage back to the era of the American Revolution in 1776. Guest speakers from the Texas Society Daughters of the American Revolution will discuss the organization along with resources they offer for genealogy research.
Come learn about the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), why women join and how DAR resources can help uncover overlooked patriots. You may have one or more Revolutionary patriots in your family, and this session will walk you through the resources available that help you explore your connection to these brave men and women. Presenters will also share information about the DAR’s E Pluribus Unum Committee and specialty research groups. In addition, our library reference staff will describe the various genealogy tools available through TSLAC. After the morning presentations and Q&A, DAR volunteers and TSLAC librarians will be on-hand to assist with family history research in the reading room from noon until 2:00 p.m.
Presentations 10:00a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Public Events Space
Hands-on Research Noon – 2:00 p.m. Reference Reading Room
This workshop is free and open to the public. Registration is requested, but not required. Sign up for the workshop by Feb. 11 via the online form at https://forms.office.com/r/iJFDaG7qtS.
Named a National Literary Landmark, the Lorenzo de Zavala State Archives and Library Building located at 1201 Brazos St. in downtown Austin, directly east of the Texas Capitol. In addition to TSLAC’s rotating exhibits, visitors may view the six flags flown over Texas, six Texas seal mosaics and the panoramic Texas history mural in the lobby.
Parking is available at the Capitol Visitors Parking Garage across the street. Additional parking options, including handicapped parking, along with directions and maps, is available on TSLAC’s website at www.tsl.texas.gov/visit.
Quinn’s work of historical fiction centers around a boarding house in 1950s Washington, DC, and the various women renting rooms from the home’s owner. Join the group for this fun, free, and informal gathering of readers from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. No membership or registration is required.
Featuring fictional works with a connection to the world of museums, archives, and libraries, the SHC book club is open to all and meets in the Center’s main building at 650 FM 1011 in Liberty. Home to extensive archival holdings documenting Southeast Texas, a library collection and a museum, the Center offers an ideal setting for discussions about novels tied to these fields. Each meeting will be led by SHC staff.
Interested participants may obtain a copy of the novels through their local library or favorite bookstore to prepare for the conversation. For more information, contact SHC staff at (936) 336-8821 or via email at SamHoustonCenter@tsl.texas.gov.
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
Mrs. Clara Driscoll Sevier, Austin, Texas, undated. William Deming Hornaday photograph collection, 1975/070-4821.
#OTD July 17, 1945, Clara Driscoll (1881-1945) passed away. Descended from veterans of the Battle of San Jacinto, Driscoll was raised in a wealthy family in the Corpus Christi area. As an educated young woman of eighteen, she turned her interest in historic preservation to the fate of the crumbling buildings left standing on the site of the famous battle of the Alamo. Driscoll financed, with the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, the purchase of the site and became known as “The Savior of the Alamo.” She went on to engage in other historic preservation efforts, write fiction, serve on various boards and committees, and take over her father’s business interests after the death of her brother.
August
W. Lee “Pappy” O’Daniel on a bicycle, undated. Prints and Photographs collection, 2009/100.
#TBT W. Lee O’Daniel served as Texas governor and United States senator. Born in 1890 in Ohio, O’Daniel came to Texas at age 29 as a sales manager for Burrus Mills, a flour-milling company in Fort Worth. In 1928, O’Daniel took over the company’s radio advertising and started a country music program to promote the flour. O’Daniel hosted the show and organized a band called the Light Crust Doughboys. Many of the musicians who made Western Swing famous, including Bob Wills, got their start in O’Daniel’s band. In 1935 he organized his own flour company to make “Hillbilly Flour” and began to call his band the Hillbilly Boys. The slogan, “Pass the biscuits, Pappy,” made O’Daniel a household name throughout Texas. O’Daniel takes a spin on a bicycle in this undated photo. Read more about “Pappy” here: https://www.tsl.texas.gov/treasures/characters/pappy.html
September
Texan Theatre, Kilgore, TX, undated. Department of Public Safety records, 1978/023-30.
#TBT This undated photo of Kilgore’s Texan Theatre may have been taken very soon after it opened in 1931. The 1931 film A Connecticut Yankee starring humorist Will Rogers is advertised as running in June at the theatre. A fire destroyed the building in 1942, and a new theatre was constructed in 1944.
October
Harvesting peanuts in Texas, undated. William Deming Hornaday photograph collection, 1975/070-5076.
#TBT Fall is a time for hayrides and pumpkin carving and celebrations surrounding harvest season. This gentleman is using a horse-drawn plow to harvest peanuts somewhere in Texas. The state is a leading producer of peanuts, which have health benefits for people and are also good for the soil. According to our Dept. of Agriculture, Texas is the only state to produce all four types of peanuts: Runner, Virginia, Valencia, and Spanish.
November
Kneeling soldier, 1918. Photographs, 1972/115-189. General John A. Hulen papers.
#OTD Originally referred to as Armistice Day, on Veterans Day we honor all those who have served in the U.S. military. Armistice Day celebrated the end of WWI, which was still ongoing when this photo was taken in 1918. The note reads: “Wounded man on the way back to the hospital, 144th Regiment Infantry (formerly 4th and 6th Regiments Infantry, Texas National Guard), Ville-sur-Tierre, France 8-29-18. Signal Corps Photo 24134. Photo by U.S. Signal Corps.” View more images from this collection in the TDA: https://tsl.access.preservica.com/uncategorized/IO_26bce761-1078-437b-9172-f3bff4545619/
December
Texas Governor’s Mansion in the snow, January 22, 1940. Texas Department of Safety photographs, 1976008_194.
#TBT Will Austin see snow this year like this day back in January of 1940? Governor W. Lee “Pappy” O’Daniel and his daughter Molly pose in front of the Governor’s Mansion on a snowy day. The first day of winter is around the corner and time will tell!
For more information about the collections at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, contact ref@tsl.texas.gov or 512-463-5455.
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).
FY 2025 Q2
New Finding Aids
State Records
Vote being taken, 1974. Texas Constitutional Convention of 1974 audiovisual materials,2025/057-0008. View in TDA.
The Texas Constitutional Convention of 1974 was the culmination of a three-part process to revise and simplify the ninety-seven-year-old Texas constitution. These audiovisual materials date 1974 and document the Constitutional Convention of 1974 (convened on January 8 and closed on July 30), which failed to result in a revised constitution to submit to voters. Digital copies of the color slides, film footage of the convention, film productions about the convention, and the original audio recordings regarding the convention, document its ceremonial aspects; selection of convention officers; committee appointments, assignments, and meetings; floor debates; testimonies; press conferences; information prepared for the public; and the film productions The Making of the Texas Constitution and A New Constitution for Texas. These digital copies were created by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission with grant funding provided by the Library Services and Technology Act, Institute of Museum and Library Services, and are part of the Texas Digital Archive.
The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles provides title, registration, and license plate services; licenses and regulates motor vehicle dealers, manufacturers, converters, lessors, and lease facilitators; enforces the law regulating motor vehicle dealer sales practices (regarding manufacturers’ warranties and fraud, unfair practices, discrimination, impositions, and other abuses); and investigates consumer complaints under the “lemon law” of 1983. These Texas Department of Motor Vehicle records include correspondence, minutes, organization charts, and a draft of the agency’s sunset self-evaluation report, dating 1997-2022.
The Texas Guardianship Certification Board oversaw the certification, registration, and licensing of state-appointed guardians, under the direction of the Office of Court Administration (OCA) of the Texas Judicial Branch. A legal guardian is a person who has been appointed by a court or otherwise has the legal authority to make decisions relevant to the personal and property interests of another person, known as a ward. These Texas Guardianship Certification Board meeting agenda and minutes, 2006-2013, document aspects of the certification process, disciplinary proceedings against guardians, and committee activities.
Manuscripts
Company H schedule of clothing and material: item 3, 1890s. George Willrich Spanish-American War papers, 1948/016.
George Willrich served as captain of the Fayette Light Guard, first organized in 1886 as part of the Texas Volunteer Guard. On April 24, 1898, he joined for duty and enrolled at La Grange, Texas, to serve as captain of Company H, 1st Volunteer Infantry, during the Spanish-American War and was mustered into service the following month. The George Willrich Spanish-American War papers, 1898-1899, 1928, bulk 1898-1899, document his service and that of Company H in Havana, Cuba, during that military conflict. These papers consist of quartermaster records; correspondence relating to personnel and military court matters; ordnance and ordnance stores records; infantry equipment inventories, schedules, and correspondence; muster rolls; an annual report of the Adjutant-General of the Army to the Secretary of War; and correspondence sent to Willrich in 1928 asking him to organize an encampment of Spanish-American War veterans. These papers have been digitized and are part of the Texas Digital Archive.
The Hull-Daisetta Rotary Club was chartered on April 1, 1926, in Hull, Liberty County, Texas. Rotary clubs are local chapters of an international service organization that seeks to build fellowship and understanding between business and professional leaders. In 2006, several local individuals and organizations began working to support renovation of the Hull-Daisetta Rotary Club building and preserve its legacy. It was moved to the grounds of the Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center in June 2010 and now houses an exhibit on the heritage of Rotary clubs and community service in Southeast Texas. The Hull-Daisetta Rotary Club collection documents some of the activities of the club. These records are attendance and program records, membership rosters, correspondence, financial records, newsletters, photographs, posters, and artifacts. Materials date 1926-1979, 2010, bulk 1949-1979.
Robert Dawson (Bob) Evans was a prominent rice farmer in Devers, Liberty County, Texas. This collection consists of 275 color slides of photographs, maps, and statistical information pertaining to rice production in Southeast Texas, primarily Devers in Liberty County. Materials date 1961-1965.
Governor Coke Stevenson issued proclamation no. 41-29 designating September 7, 1946, as Air Day in Texas. The proclamation was issued in recognition of the important role played by the United States Army Air Corps during World War II, that much of the training of the Air Corps’ pilots took place in Texas, and the increasingly important role that civilian air traffic was playing in Texas. The proclamation noted that Texas had more airports, “more feet of airport runways,” and more privately owned airplanes than any other state.
Front page, Tuesday, July 23, 1946, Valley Morning Star newspaper, Harlingen, Texas. Air Day in Texas, 4-14/154. Texas Governor Coke R. Stevenson records.
Air Day was hosted in Harlingen, home to the Army Airfield (later Harlingen Air Force Base and today Valley International Airport). Attendance at the event was estimated to be between 15-20,000. Approximately 300 aircraft flew to Harlingen. Festivities included performances by military aircraft, including acrobatic and precision flying, simulated combat flying, and an appearance by a new jet-propelled plane that flew over the crowd. The delegation from Cuero, Texas, proposed a stunt that was ultimately not allowed due to safety concerns: dropping a live turkey from a low flying plane onto the audience. A beauty contest was also held, with the contestant from San Antonio named “Miss Air Queen.”
Some of the many dignitaries invited to the event were not able to attend. Governor of California and future Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren sent his regards. Telegram, Governor Earl Warren to Governor Coke Stevenson, September 6, 1946. Air Day in Texas, 4-14/154. Texas Governor Coke R. Stevenson records.
Air Day in Texas followed on the heels of Air Force Day, held on August 1, 1945, and again one year later on August 1, 1946. While the focus of Air Day in Texas was both civilian and military air travel, the Air Force Days were focused exclusively on military applications of flight. August 1 was the anniversary of the founding of the US Army Air Corps in 1907 and the proclamations for each of the Air Force Days noted that more Air Force bases were located in Texas and more Air Force pilots were trained in Texas than in any other state. The US military presence and the veterans who continue to contribute to communities long after their service has concluded, helps define the legacy and spirit of Texas.
Collections at the State Archives help document the long history of civilian and military aviation in Texas. To learn more about these and other materials at the State Archives, visit https://www.tsl.texas.gov/arc or contact reference staff at 512-463-5455 or ref@tsl.texas.gov.
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) is now accepting applications for its 2026 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.
