New and Updated

New and Updated Collections

This page provides information about what is new or has been updated within the Texas Digital Archive (TDA). The page is updated as new records are added to the archive, and is listed in reverse chronological order (newest first). Links will take users to the finding aid page related to the collection that was added.

September 2023

New: Joseph Dillard Gates collection

The Gates family were landowning Anglo-Texans in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with members who served in the Texas Revolution and in the Civil War for the Confederacy, and who were first based in Gonzales County, where they were active in ranching and local politics. The Joseph Dillard Gates collection, dating 1818-1925, undated, bulk 1870-1921, primarily documents the financial and business lives of Samuel Hardin Gates, his son, Joseph Dillard Gates, and his grandson, Amos Hardin Gates, as they amassed an estate of over 644 acres between 1852 and 1920. The collection consists mainly of business and financial documents, estate records and files, and handwritten and typed correspondence. To read more about the Joseph Dillard Gates collection and to access the records click here.
September 25, 2023

Updated: Local Government records C range

Counties whose names begin with C and which have digitized records have been added to the local government records section of the Texas Digital Archive. These records primarily pertain to Wills and/or Probate records and were digitized from microfilm. Types of records that do not fall within this category but were on the same microfilm reels as those that do were also digitized and added to the TDA. Digitization of microfilm was performed by Ancestry.com with copies transferred to the TDA in 2020. This digitization is for local county records on microfilm placed on deposit by an RHRD with TSLAC and does not include current records. Further digitization may be performed for these counties in the future but is not currently planned. This addition pertains to Caldwell, Calhoun, Callahan, Cameron, Cass, Chambers, Cherokee, Clay, Coke, Coleman, Collin, Colorado, Comal, Comanche, Concho, Cooke, and Coryell Counties. To read more about the RHRD system, County records, and to access these records click here.
September 19, 2023

Updated: Department of Transportation Right of Way records Wichita Falls District now available

The Right of Way Division coordinates the acquisition of land to build, widen, or enhance highways and provides relocation assistance when needed. The division also coordinates utility adjustments, and the disposition and leasing of surplus real property owned by TxDOT. The records document these land transfers and date from 1924 to 2017, and undated. The records are part of an ongoing digitization project by TxDOT that has begun with the Austin District; the project will continue with other major-municipality districts and finish with the less populous ones. The Wichita Falls (WFS) District has now been substantially completed and made publicly accessible. Current available districts are AMA, AUS, CHS, ELP, HOU, LRD, LBB, ODA, PHR, SJT, and CHS. For more information about this collection and to access the records click here.
September 8, 2023

New: Texas Department of Corrections Convict records

The Texas Department of Corrections managed offenders in state prisons, state jails, and contracted private correctional facilities from 1957 to 1989. The Texas Department of Corrections and its predecessors recorded personal data and commitment information about convicts entering the Texas prison system at Rusk Penitentiary and Huntsville Penitentiary in these ledgers dating 1849-1976. To read more about the Department of Corrections Convict records and to access the records click here.
September 6, 2023

New: Texas Department of Criminal Justice Training and Employment records

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) manages inmates in state prisons, state jails, and private correctional facilities that contract with TDCJ. The agency also provides funding and certain oversight of community supervision (previously known as adult probation) and is responsible for the supervision of inmates released from prison on parole or mandatory supervision. The Texas Board of Criminal Justice (TBCJ) provides oversight of TDCJ and the Wyndham School District of TDCJ. These records date 1893-1939, 1947-2008, and document procedures at TDCJ facilities, training of prison employees and board members, and information for inmates. The materials in Employee ledgers and the films in In-service training materials have been digitized and are part of the Texas Digital Archive. To read more about the Department of Criminal Justice Training and employment records and to access the records click here.
September 6, 2023

New: Texas Penitentiary Board Monthly reports and Outgoing letters

The Texas State Penitentiary Board was responsible for overseeing the treatment of convicts, preparing an annual inventory of property, purchasing land for the penitentiaries, purchasing machinery, effecting repairs, leasing the penitentiaries, leasing convicts for outside labor, purchasing and/or leasing farms for the employment of convicts, and providing for the transfer of convicts from county jails to the penitentiary. Records date 1881-1889 and consist of a letterpress book of monthly reports prepared for the governor and two letterpress books containing copies of outgoing letters of the Penitentiary Board. These records reflect the activities of the board in the prison’s management. To read more about the Penitentiary Board Monthly reports and Outgoing letters click here.
September 6, 2023

August 2023

Updated: Finance Commission of Texas records

The Finance Commission of Texas is responsible for overseeing and coordinating the Texas Department of Banking, the Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending, and the Office of the Consumer Credit Commissioner and serves as the primary point of accountability for ensuring that state depository and lending institutions function as a system. The commission and its various committees meet regularly to decide upon policy. These records, dating 1977-2022, consist primarily of minutes of those meetings. Also included are packets of various documents sent to commission members before meetings for review, a selection of press releases put out by the commission, and a list of commission members. To read more about the Finance Commission of Texas records, and to access these records click here.
August 25, 2023

Updated: Local Government records B range

Counties whose names begin with B and which have digitized records have been added to the local government records section of the Texas Digital Archive. These records primarily pertain to Wills and/or Probate records and were digitized from microfilm. Types of records that do not fall within this category but were on the same microfilm reels as those that do were also digitized and added to the TDA. Digitization of microfilm was performed by Ancestry.com with copies transferred to the TDA in 2020. This digitization is for local county records on microfilm placed on deposit by an RHRD with TSLAC and does not include current records. Further digitization may be performed for these counties in the future but is not currently planned. This addition pertains to Bandera, Bastrop, Bee, Bell, Bexar, Blanco, Bosque, Bowie, Brazoria, Brazos, Brooks, Brown, Burleson, and Burnet Counties. To read more about the RHRD system, County records, and to access these records click here.
August 16, 2023

New: TSLAC public relations social media records

TSLAC has added social media to its collections in the TDA. Currently limited to TSLAC’s twitter account as part of its public relations files. TSLAC engages in public relations activities to disseminate information about its events and programs through press releases and other forms of communication. These TSLAC public relations social media records, 2010-2022, were produced to publicize agency resources, services, and events through the utilization of social networking tools. To read more about TSLAC’s public relations social media and to access the records click here
August 15, 2023

Updated: Supreme Court M Case files

An additional set of Supreme Court M Case files have been digitized and added to the TDA. This addition is comprised of 129 cases totaling 265 individual records. This brings the total number of case files to 3,144 with 6,950 individual records. To read more about the Supreme Court M Case files and to access the records click here.
August 14, 2023

July 2023

New: Local Government records A range

Additional local government records have been added to the local government records section of the Texas Digital Archive. These records primarily pertain to Wills and/or Probate records and were digitized from microfilm. Types of records that do not fall within this category but were on the same microfilm reels as those that do were also digitized and added to the TDA. Digitization of microfilm was performed by Ancestry.com with copies transferred to the TDA in 2020. This digitization is for local county records on microfilm placed on deposit by an RHRD with TSLAC and does not include current records. Further digitization may be performed for these counties in the future but is not currently planned. This addition pertains to Anderson, Angelina, Aransas, Archer, Atascosa, and Austin Counties. To read more about the RHRD system, County records, and to access these records click here.
July 24, 2023

Updated: Department of Transportation Right of Way records Childress District now available

The Right of Way Division coordinates the acquisition of land to build, widen, or enhance highways and provides relocation assistance when needed. The division also coordinates utility adjustments, and the disposition and leasing of surplus real property owned by TxDOT. The records document these land transfers and date from 1924 to 2017, and undated. The records are part of an ongoing digitization project by TxDOT that has begun with the Austin District; the project will continue with other major-municipality districts and finish with the less populous ones. The Childress (CHS) District has now been substantially completed and made publicly accessible. Current available districts are AMA, AUS, CHS, ELP, HOU, LRD, LBB, ODA, PHR and SJT. For more information about this collection and to access the records click here.
July 11, 2023

June 2023

New: Secretary of State Executive record books

Each constitution of the State of Texas has required the Texas Secretary of State to keep a fair register of all official acts and proceedings of the Texas governor and to provide these to the legislature when required. These records comprise the executive record books maintained by the Texas Secretary of State, dating 1835-1917. Types of records contained in executive record books include correspondence (mostly outgoing) of the presidents of the Republic of Texas and governors of the state, primarily with other Texas and U.S. officials; inaugural and valedictory addresses; executive messages; Indian treaties; proclamations; appointments and resignations; passports; pardons and remissions; extraditions; rewards; reports of state agencies; etc. To read more about this collection and to access to digitize microfilm of records click here.
June 19, 2023

New: Republic pension records

The Texas State Legislature authorized pensions for persons who rendered military service to the Republic of Texas (and their widows) and signers of the Declaration of Independence, to be administered by the Office of the Comptroller. These records document those pensions, consisting of claims files and indexes. Although the service for which the pensions were granted included 1832-1837 and 1842, the pensions themselves date 1870-1920. Of these records, the Republic pension indexes volumes have been digitized. To read more about this collection and to access the digitized volumes click here.
June 6, 2023

New: Court of Criminal Appeals petitions for discretionary review files

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals is the highest criminal court in the state, holding the same position in the area of state criminal law that the Supreme Court holds in civil law. The Court of Criminal Appeals has appellate jurisdiction in all criminal cases (both felonies and misdemeanors). These records consist of case files resulting from petitions for discretionary review, containing copies of documents filed with the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals—the district clerk’s file (indictments, pleas of the defendant, bills of exception, assignments of error, charges of the court, verdicts and judgments, motions, orders, briefs, sentences, etc.) and statements of fact (the trial transcripts of pre-trial hearings, voir dire of prospective jurors, the guilt/innocence phase, the punishment phase, and exhibits)—as well as documents created for or by the Court of Criminal Appeals (motions, briefs, arguments, orders, opinions, etc.), dating 1981-1991. To read more about this collection and to access records available in the TDA for this collection click here.
June 6, 2023

New: Court of Criminal Appeals indexes

The Court of Criminal Appeals indexes are part of the larger collection of Court of Criminal Appeals records. The volumes in the Indexes series was digitized by Ancestry.com which has provided copies of the digitized volumes as well as transcription data for each page. Transcription data has been broken into spreadsheets for individual volumes and can be found alongside the indexes. A look-up table derived from the spreadsheets can be found at the Court of Criminal Appeals indexes look-up table page. Use this table to look up information by Appellant or Appellee. Page/image numbers are provided alongside names to assist in locating the entries.
June 6, 2023

Updated: Supreme Court M Case files

An additional set of Supreme Court M Case files have been digitized and added to the TDA. This addition is comprised of 144 cases totaling 440 individual records. This brings the total number of case files to 3,015 with 6,684 individual records. To read more about the Supreme Court M Case files and to access the records click here.
June 5, 2023

March 2023

Updated: Supreme Court M Case files

An additional set of Supreme Court M Case files have been digitized and added to the TDA. This addition is comprised of 120 cases totaling 394 individual records. This brings the total number of case files to 2,871 with 6,244 individual records. To read more about the Supreme Court M Case files and to access the records click here.
March 10, 2023

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pan style=”color: #a91d2f”>New: Texas State Board of Education Minutes and Agenda

The Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) is the policy-making body of the Texas Education Agency (TEA), which coordinates all public educational activities and services except those of colleges and universities. The SBOE approves the plan of organization for TEA; adopts policies, rules, and regulations; approves budgets; executes contracts for the purchase of textbooks and instructional materials as recommended by the commissioner; directs the investment of the Permanent School Fund; passes on appeals made from the decisions of the commissioner; reviews the educational needs of the state; and evaluates programs under the direction of TEA. To read more about this collection and to access the photographs click here.
March 6, 2023

Updated: Department of Public Safety photographs H-series

The H-series of the Department of Public Safety photographs collection has been digitized and added to the TDA. This addition is composed of three written documents and 469 sets of photographs. Photographs were made by Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) photographers to document or promote the activities of the various divisions, personnel, training, equipment, and facilities. To read more about this collection and to access the photographs click here.
March 2, 2023

February 2023

New: Texas Index Cards Collections

he Texas Index Cards Collections are four sets of index cards digitized from a card catalog held in the archives reference room. The index card collections are: the Biographical Index, Colonial Ship Lists, Customs House Ship Lists, and Ships at Texas Ports. To read more about these index cards and to begin using them for research, click here.
February 16, 2023

January 2023

New: Muster roll index cards

The Muster roll index cards provide a brief overview of the military service for individual listed on muster rolls, payrolls, rosters, returns, etc. Information points can include name of soldier, unit served under, commanding officer, and more. Not all information points are available for each individual and can also vary by type of service. To read more about these index cards and to begin using them for research, click here.
January 17, 2023

December 2022

New: Secretary of State City Charters and Amendments

Beginning in 1913, the Texas state legislature has required each city with a population of more than 5,000 to file certified copies of their city charters and amendments to charters with the Texas Secretary of State. City charters serve as the official record of the creation or incorporation of a city, defining its boundaries and its form of government. Amendments to city charters certify changes to the terms of those charters. The Statutory Documents Section records the charters of home rule cities and files amendments of charters of incorporated towns and villages. These records consist of home rule city charters and amendments to city charters filed with the Texas Secretary of State, 1913-2006. To read more about this collection and to access the records click here.
December 22, 2022

New: Secretary of State Executive Clemency records

One of the constitutional duties of the Texas Secretary of State is to register all official acts and proceedings of the governor, including proclamations. Since 1869, the governor was required to file, in the office of the Secretary of State, his reasons for granting executive clemency. Between 1946 and 1960, the Parole Division of the Texas Secretary of State maintained records and prepared all clemency proclamations issued by the governor. All of these functions are documented in these records, which include executive record books, clemency proclamations, indexes to clemency proclamations, applications for pardons and other forms of executive clemency, and registers of applications for pardons. To read more about this collection and to access the records click here.
December 22, 2022

Updated: Department of Transportation Right of Way records custom search

The Department of Transportation Right of Way records custom search tool has been recompiled to incorporate the substantial completion of the PHR (Pharr) District. The Amarillo District (AMA) is currently being added to the TDA and upon substantial completion of that set of records, the search page will be updated to reflect the additional options available in the TDA. To access this custom search click here.
December 6, 2022

November 2022

New:Texas State Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners minutes

The Texas State Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners conducts exams in podiatric medicine, issues and renews licenses, revokes licenses for due cause, prosecutes persons who violate the Podiatric Medical Practice Act, collects license and renewal fees, and adopts rules and regulations governing the practice of podiatric medicine. All of these functions are documented by these records, which comprise the minutes of the board, dating 1923-1967 (for the Board of Chiropody Examiners), 1967-1995 (for the Board of Podiatry Examiners), and 1995-2017 (for the Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners). To read more about this collection click here.
November 20, 2022

New: Beauford H. Jester Gubernatorial Campaign Recordings

Beauford H. Jester ran for and won the Democratic Party nomination for Texas governor in 1946 against primary opponent Homer P. Rainey. Jester became governor of Texas in 1947. These sound recordings were created in 1946, the bulk between May 4 and August 24, 1946. The recordings are pre-recorded and live radio broadcasts leading up to and including election day. To read more about this collection and to access the recordings click here.
November 17, 2022

New: Beauford H. Jester Railroad Commissioner Campaign Recordings and Transcripts

Beauford H. Jester campaigned for a Texas Railroad Commissioner position in 1942, and served in that role from January 1, 1943, to January 21, 1947, before becoming governor of Texas in 1947. These sound recordings and written transcripts were created in 1942, the bulk between June 22 and August 22, 1942. The recordings are pre-recorded and live radio broadcasts and consist of radio addresses by Jester as well as recorded testimonials from Texans in support of his candidacy for Railroad Commissioner. To read more about this collection and to access the records click here.
November 17, 2022

New: Homer P. Rainey Gubernatorial Campaign Recordings

Homer Price Rainey ran for the Democratic Party nomination for Texas Governor in 1946, but lost to Beauford H. Jester. These sound recordings were created between May 5 and August 24, 1946, from pre-recorded and live radio broadcasts leading up to and including the election day. The recordings contain addresses from Homer P. Rainey covering issues such as education, health, old-age pensions, farming, and socioeconomic inequalities. Additional addresses consist of other Texans voicing their support of Rainey…to read more about this collection and to access the records click here.
November 17, 2022

New: Texas State Board of Control Confederate Home for Men records

The primary functions of the Texas State Board of Control were controlling and supervising the state eleemosynary institutions (state schools, hospitals and sanatoriums, orphanages, and juvenile training schools), the Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation, the Confederate Homes, the State Cemetery, and more. Records consist of Confederate Men’s Home records of the Texas State Board of Control. Types of materials include applications of admission to the Texas Confederate Home for Men, correspondence, index cards, patient files, rosters, and visitor registers. A portion, but not the entirety, of these materials has been digitized and is part of the Texas Digital Archive. To read more about this collection and to access the records click here.
November 17, 2022

New: Texas Municipal Retirement System minutes

The Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS), created in 1948, administers a retirement and disability pension system for employees of participating Texas cities. Records of TMRS are minutes of its Board of Trustees and committees, 1947-2021, that were created to document in a thorough but summary fashion the actions of the board and committees at their meetings. Minutes since 2019 are in electronic format and are in the Texas Digital Archive. To read more about this collection and to access the records click here.
November 3, 2022

New: Texas Animal Health Commission meeting records

The Texas Animal Health Commission works to protect the animal industry from, and/or mitigate the effects of domestic, foreign and emerging diseases; to increase the marketability of Texas livestock commodities at the state, national and international level; to promote and ensure animal health and productivity; to protect human health from animal diseases and conditions that are transmissible to people; and, to prepare for and respond to emergency situations involving animals. These records consist of minutes, with supporting documentation and audio cassette tapes, of Texas Animal Health Commission meetings and public hearings. To read more about this collection and to access the records click here.
November 3, 2022

New: Texas Attorney General Open Records Letter Rulings

The attorney general is the lawyer for the people of Texas and is charged by the Texas Constitution to defend the laws and the Constitution of the State of Texas, represent the state in litigation, and approve public bond issues. Open records letter rulings are informal rulings in response to a request by a member of the public to a government entity; they are based on established law and practice under the Texas Public Information Act. To read more about this collection and to access the records click here.
November 2, 2022

Updated: Texas International Women’s Year Coordinating Committee records

Several video recordings from the Texas International Women’s Year Coordinating Committee records have been digitized and added to the TDA. The include a multi-part recording of the first planning meeting and a production video titled Remember the Ladies. To read more about this collection and to access the records click here.
November 2, 2022

Updated: Supreme Court M Case files

An additional item has been digitized for Supreme Court M case file M-00913 and added to the TDA. Previously, there was a single item, which means this case file document count now stands at two. For additional information regarding the Supreme Court M case files and to access the records, click here.
November 1, 2022

October 2022

Updated: Texas Department of Transportation Right of Way Division – Pharr District files

The PHR or Pharr District files have been added to the TxDOT Right of Way Division records. The PHR District conisits of the following counties: Brooks, Cameron, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Kenedy, Starr, Willacy and Zapata. Click here to access this updated collection.
June 24, 2022

September 2022

Updated: Texas Health and Human Services Commission

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission is the oversight agency for certain state agencies with health or human services functions. Services provided include Medicaid for families and children, long-term care for people who are older or who have disabilities, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cash assistance for families, behavioral health services, services to help keep people who are older or who have disabilities in their homes and communities, and services for women and people with special health needs. The update includes recent additions to the meeting files of many of the commission’s advisory committees, dating 1996-2022. Click here to access the collection.
September 19, 2022

New: Texas State Board of Dental Examiners

The Texas State Board of Dental Examiners serves the following functions: to license qualified dentists and dental hygienists (by examination and/or by credentials); to register dental assistants after examination; to register qualified dental laboratories; to renew licenses and registrations annually; to investigate all complaints; to prosecute complaints through informal or formal disciplinary means; and to monitor on-going compliance of disciplined licensees/registrants with board orders. Those functions are documented by these records, which include copies of minutes, agenda, transcripts, press releases, committee membership lists, and a brochure, dating 1961-2005, 2018-2020. Click here to access the collection.
September 15, 2022

New: Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) inspects, supervises, and regulates the business of manufacturing, importing, exporting, transporting, storing, selling, advertising, labeling, and distributing alcoholic beverages in Texas. These records date 1964-2021 and include copies of minutes, agenda, and transcripts of meetings of the Texas Liquor Control Board (TABC’s predecessor from 1935 to 1969) and the TABC; correspondence, memorandums, and reports from the executive division; and press releases issued by the agency. Click here to access the collection.
September 15, 2022

New/Updated: Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar papers

Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, second elected president of the Republic of Texas, was a statesman, soldier, historian, and poet. These are Lamar’s personal and official papers as well as material gathered by Lamar as a collector of historical documents with a particular interest in the histories of Texas and Latin American republics. Documents include correspondence, historical manuscripts, clippings, drafts, notes, editorials, poems, maps, reports, legal documents, histories of Texas and Mexico, and biographies of prominent regional figures. Dates are 1756-1859 and undated, bulk 1821-1859. The 1982 publication Calendar of the Papers of Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar includes a detailed chronological listing of the papers. This calendar and the Texas Declaration of Independence broadside have been digitized and are part of the Texas Digital Archive. Click here to access the collection.
September 14, 2022

New: Texas Legation (U.S.) correspondence

The Texas legation in Washington, D.C., headed by a Minister Plenipotentiary, conducted diplomacy between the Republic of Texas and the United States. Records of the legation document that diplomatic business, consisting of correspondence (272 items) and an index, dating 1835-1839, 1841, 1843-1845, and undated, bulk 1836-1839. Subjects include U.S. recognition of Texas independence, proposals for annexation of Texas to the U.S., boundary issues, Native Americans, the slave trade, relations with Mexico (including the repudiated public and secret Treaties of Velasco), the Texas Navy, financial arrangements for loans, bonds, queries regarding land claims, emigration plans, news of relatives supposedly in Texas, etc. The repudiated public and secret Treaties of Velasco have been digitized and are part of the Texas Digital Archive. Click here to access the collection.
September 14, 2022

Updated: Court of Appeals index look-up table

The Court of Appeals index and register volume covering the period of 1900-1922 has been transcribed and the transcription has been added to the TDA. This is in addition to the transcription fo rthe volume covering 1892-1900. The transcription is in a spreadsheet format, one per volume, and can be found alongside the digitized indexes. A look-up table derived from the spreadsheets can be found at the Texas 3rd Court of Appeals Index look-up table page. Use this table to look up information by Appellant, Appellee, or case number.
September 9, 2022

Updated: Confederate Pension Application records

Another set of Confederate Pension Application records have been added to the TDA and released for public access. This new set adds from application number 35,001 through application number 42,500, an additional 7,467 applications. Click here to read more about the Confederate Pension Application records, access the collection, and use the index database to find service members corresponding to an application number.
September 1, 2022

August 2022

Updated: Supreme Court M Case files

An additional set of Supreme Court M Case files have been digitized and added to the TDA. This addition is comprised of 108 cases totaling 235 individual records. This brings the total number of case files to 2,751 with 5,920 individual records. To read more about the Supreme Court M Case files and to access the records click here.
August 30, 2022

Updated: NAGARA records

Two photographs have been digitized and added to the collection of NAGARA records available in the TDA. The additional photographs are part of the Project files series, listed as Photographs for potential use in publications. Click here to read more about the collection and access materials.
August 26, 2022

July 2022

Updated: Supreme Court M case files

An addition set of Supreme Court M case files has been digitized and added to the TDA. This set comprises 63 cases, which may have more than one document, with a total of 154 records. To access more information of the Supreme Court M Case files please see our descriptive guide. For assistance finding specific cases, we recommend using our Supreme Court case files search page as it provides a filterable table and links to specific cases.
July 14, 2022

Updated: Texas Constitutional Convention of 1875 records

The Texas Constitutional Convention of 1875 records has received a new addition in the TDA in the form of the “Ordinances of the Constitutional Convention of 1875.” This bound volume includes laws or regulations related to topics under discussion but not actually included in the Texas Constitution. Click here to access additional information about the collection.
July 7, 2022

June 2022

Updated:Texas Department of Transportation Right of Way Division – Laredo District files

The LRD or Laredo District files have been added to the TxDOT Right of Way Division records. The LRD district is made up of the following counties: Dimmit, Duval, Kinney, La Salle, Maverick, Val Verde, Webb and Zavala.Click here to access this updated collection.
June 24, 2022

Updated: Supreme Court M case files

An additional set of Supreme Court M case files has been digitized and added to the TDA. This set comprises 100 cases, which can have one of more documents each. To access more information of the Supreme Court M Case files please see our descriptive guide. For assistance finding specific cases, we recommend using our Supreme Court case files search page as it provides a filterable table and links to specific cases.
June 23, 2022

Updated:Texas Department of Transportation Right of Way Division – San Angelo District files

The SJT or San Angelo District files have been added to the TxDOT Right of Way Division records. The SJT district is made up of the following counties: Coke, Concho, Crockett, Edwards, Glasscock, Irion, Kimble, Menard, Reagan, Real, Runnels, Schleicher, Sterling, Sutton and Tom Green. Click here to access this updated collection.
June 6, 2022

May 2022

New: Allan McCree papers

Allen McCree was the architect of the Capitol of Texas from 1988 to 1992 and oversaw the interior preservation and underground extension of the Capitol Building. These Allen McCree papers, dated 1975-1997 primarily document McCree’s involvement in architectural projects in the state and include plans for the Capitol project, general architectural materials, newspaper clippings, correspondence, memos, notes, architectural plans and specifications, budgets, reports, pamphlets, drafts, and slides and a script for a lecture on the history of the Capitol. Click here to access the collection.
May 12, 2022

New: “On This Day of New Beginnings”

A reference publication entitled “On This Day of New Beginnings” has been uploaded to the TDA and added to the reference tools collection. The publication includes the transcripts of inaugural speeches given by 12 Texas Governors, from 1846 to 1963. Click here to access the reference tools page and to link to the publication.
May 17, 2022

New: Compiled Index to Elected and Appointed Officials of the Republic of Texas, 1835-1846

A reference publication entitled “Compiled Index to Elected and Appointed Officials of the Republic of Texas 1835-1846 has been uploaded to the TDA and added to the reference tools collection. This index transcribes information appearing in two registers of Elected and Appointed Officials for the Republic found within the Secretary of State’s records. Click here to access the reference tools page and to link to the publication.
May 17, 2022

April 2022

New: José Bernardo Maximiliano Gutiérrez de Lara papers

José Bernardo Maximiliano Gutiérrez de Lara, Mexican revolutionary and diplomat, played a significant part in the Mexican War of Independence against the Spanish. These papers date 1811-1841, undated, and include correspondence as well as a 62-page portion of Gutiérrez de Lara’s bound diary, dating November 1811-May 1812. The fragmentary diary recounts his journey from Tennessee to Washington DC, his stay in the area, and his return to Natchitoches, Louisiana, to recruit volunteers for the Gutiérrez-Magee expedition. The diary described in this finding aid has been digitized and is part of the Texas Digital Archive. Click here to access the diary.
April 29, 2022

Updated: Reports of arrests added to the Adjutant General’s Reconstruction records

Three volumes of records have been digitized and added to the existing collection of Adjutant General’s Reconstruction records. These are a Register of reports, and Records of arrests. This collection already contained Records of Murders and Assaults under the 5th Military District series. Click here to access the collection.
April 6, 2022

Updated: Lamar Calendar

The Lamar Calendar previously posted on the TDA has been reprocessed to enhance readability and formatting. The updated version is now available in the TDA and replaces the original version. Links to the original version will no longer work and should be replaced with a link to the current version. Click here to access a page describing the Lamar Calendar and its usage. Click here to access the Lamar Calendar directly.

March 2022

New: Bradford Smith Audiovisual Materials

Bradford Smith started his career in Texas print and broadcast media in the Rio Grande Valley. In 1958, he moved to Austin to be Texas State Traffic Safety Director and later a member of Governor Price Daniel’s staff. These audiovisual materials, created by Smith while serving in those roles, date 1958-1962 and consist of black-and-white photographs and negatives, 16mm motion pictures, color transparencies, a framed drawing of a political cartoon, and an open reel audiotape. Most photographs document events of Governor Daniel. The motion pictures and audiotape described in this finding aid have been digitized and are part of the Texas Digital Archive. Click here to access the collection.
March 29, 2022

New: Joint Committee to Investigate the Texas State Ranger Force

The Texas Joint Committee to Investigate the Texas State Ranger Force was created in January 1919 during the 36th Texas Legislature to investigate the actions taken by the Texas Ranger Force during the period from 1914 to 1919. The investigation is frequently referred to as the” Canales Investigation, “after Representative José T. Canales who instigated it. The original copy of the proceedings was filed with the Chief Clerk of the Texas House of Representatives on February 28, 1919. Records consist of digital copies of the original three-volume transcript of proceedings conducted by the committee during January and February of 1919. Click here for additional information and to access the collection.
March 24, 2022

Updated: Battleship Texas collection

New files have been added to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Battleship Texas collection. This new set of 81 Battleship Texas ships plans were more fragile and required extra attention during digitization. The records document the ship during active duty including building the ship, updates, and repairs, dating 1900-1948, 1984, undated. The records consist of over 3,000 blueprints, blueline prints, brownline prints, blackline prints, drawings, manuals, and booklets. Click here to access this updated collection.
March 11, 2022

Updated:Texas Department of Transportation Right of Way Division – Lubbock District files

The LBB or Lubbock District files have been added to the TxDOT Right of Way Division records. The LBB district is made up of the following counties: Andrews, Crane, Ector, Loving, Martin, Midland, Pecos, Reeves, Terrell, Upton, Ward and Winkler. Click here to access this updated collection.
March 8, 2022

Updated: Confederate Pension Application records

Another set of Confederate Pension Application records has been released for public access. This additional release covers the collection from pension application 16,500 thru 24,000; bringing the overall application range from application 00001 thru 24000. There are 22,349 applications online at this time with an additional 26,086 remaining, excluding Confederate Home pension applications and rejected pension applications. Click here for a brief overview and access to the records. Click here to access the searchable database of pension applications for assistance in identifying which pension application belongs to which individual.
March 1, 2022

February 2022

New:
Texas Department of State records of legislative and executive bodies prior to the Republic

Prior to the regular government established by the Republic of Texas Constitution of 1836, a variety of governmental entities, both legislative and executive, succeeded one another. The draft 1836 Texas Constitution in English and Spanish that is part of Series 69: Acts of Convention has been digitized and is in the Texas Digital Archive. Click here learn more about the collection.
February 23, 2022

New: William Barret Travis Letter from the Alamo, 1836 February 24

This document, written by Commander William B. Travis, dated February 24, 1836, and signed Victory or Death, is the one that has come to be known simply as The Travis Letter among the other missives issued by Travis from the Alamo. Travis called for reinforcements with this heroic message, carried from the Alamo by Captain Albert Martin of Gonzales and passed to Lancelot Smither, both of whom added notes to the letter. Smither delivered this appeal to the citizens’ committee in San Felipe, where several copies were made, and transcripts of the letter began to appear in newspapers as early as March 2. Santa Anna’s troops broke through on March 6, and all of the defenders of the Alamo died. Click here learn more about the letter.
February 23, 2022

New: Texas Declaration of Independence, 1836 March 2

This document is the Texas Declaration of Independence, completed and approved by vote on March 2, 1836. The 59 delegates attending the Convention of 1836 at Washington-on-the-Brazos, each representing one of the settlements in Texas, signed the declaration over the next several days, after which five copies were made and dispatched to the designated Texas towns of Bexar, Goliad, Nacogdoches, Brazoria, and San Felipe. One thousand copies were ordered to be printed in handbill form by the printer in San Felipe, to circulate the news. Click here learn more about the document.
February 23, 2022

New: Texas 3rd Court of Appeals records, 1891-2009

The Texas 3rd Court of Appeals has intermediate appellate jurisdiction of both civil and criminal cases appealed from lower courts in the 3rd Supreme Judicial District of Texas; in civil cases where judgment rendered exceeds $100, exclusive of costs, and other civil proceedings as provided by law; and (since 1981) in criminal cases except in post-conviction writs of habeas corpus and where the death penalty has been imposed. The records of the Texas Court of Appeals, Third District (previously the Court of Civil Appeals, Third District), are composed of indexes and registers, dockets, minutes, opinion records, case files, fiscal records, and motions that range in date from 1891 to 2009. Originally the 3rd Supreme Judicial District included all of south, west, and central Texas, but it eventually was reduced to 24 counties in central Texas; it meets in Austin. A portion of these materials has been digitized and is part of the Texas Digital Archive. Click here learn more about the collection.
February 18, 2022

Updated: Texas Court of Criminal Appeals: Case files, 1892-2012

Currently, only one case file has been digitized: TxCCA #37900-State of Texas vs Jack Rubenstein Alias Jack Ruby. Click here learn more about the collection.
February 18, 2022

January 2022

New: German diary found in Austin, Texas

The collection consists of one 42-page portion of a bound journal written in German, dating September 1843-September 1844. The diary has not been translated, but upon cursory inspection it appears a substantial amount was written in Germany. H.R. Nieman Jr., obtained this diary during his time as the executive director for the State Building Commission. A contractor found the item while demolishing an old residence in Austin, Texas. Click here learn more about the collection.
January 27, 2022

December 2021

New: Allan Shivers audiovisual materials

Allan Shivers served as governor of Texas from 1949 to 1957. These audiovisual materials mainly document Shivers’s 1954 gubernatorial campaign for reelection and consist of 16mm films, open reel audiotapes, instantaneous recordings, and phonograph records dating 1949-1956, bulk 1954. Click here learn more about the collection.
December 3, 2021

Updated: Confederate pension applications

An additional set of Confederate pension applications has been added to the existing set of records in the TDA. With this addition the records now go from application number 1 to application number 16500. The next release of pension applications is expected on February 1, 2022. Click here to read more about the Confederate Pension Application records and to access the materials.
December 1, 2021

October 2021

Updated: Battleship Texas collection

New files have been added to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Battleship Texas collection. The new set of Battleship Texas ships plans document the ship during active duty including building the ship, updates, and repairs, dating 1900-1948, 1984, undated. The records consist of over 3,000 blueprints, blueline prints, brownline prints, blackline prints, drawings, manuals, and booklets. Click here to access this updated collection.
October 27, 2021

New: Civil War special topics collection

A new topics collection has been added to the TDA. This is a selection of records in the TDA related to the Civil War in the United States of America, which occurred between 1861 and 1865. Some records are related to the Civil War but are not contemporaneous, such as the confederate pension application records. As the TDA continues to grow, this selection will be updated but may not include all records in the TDA from the Civil War period. Also, this selection does not represent all Texas State Library and Archives Commission holdings dating from the Civil War period. Click here to access this topical collection.
October 14, 2021

New: Department of Transportation Right of Way records custom search

To better facilitate better access to the comprehensive and ever growing set of Texas Department of Transportation Right of Way records, we have created a customized search. With this search page you can select from the range of currently available districts, counties, and conveyance types. Options change dynamically as you select options. You can also limit your search by date range, a specific control number, and any desired text. Click here to access the customized search page or click here to access descriptive information about the collection.
October 5, 2021

September 2021

New: George Gordon papers

George Gordon lived at Moore’s Bluff, Liberty County, Texas, where he farmed and worked on steamboats that plied the Trinity River. The George Gordon papers document the lives of Gordon and his family during the 1870s as well as the steamboat trade on the Trinity River during that period. Materials consist of George Gordon’s diary, dating between 1873-1879; an 1862 document appointing Gordon to carry dispatches from the British Consulate in Galveston, Texas, to their consulate in Richmond, Virginia; transcribed Bible records on the Gordon family; a 1938 Houston Post clipping containing excerpts from the diary; and a book of poetry by Robert Burns, possibly dated around 1786, that belonged to Gordon. Materials date about 1786, 1862-1879, 1938, 1975, with the bulk dating 1873-1879. The manuscript diary of George Gordon described in this finding aid has been digitized and is part of the Texas Digital Archive. Click here to access more information about the George Gordon papers.
September 28, 2021