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.

December 2025

Updated: Wichita Daily Times Newspaper

The Texas State Library and Archives Newspaper collection consists of over 1,600 newspapers spanning from 1741 to 2006. The majority of the collection consists of Texas-based titles, although it also includes over 500 newspapers from outside the state. An additional set of digitized newspaper issues was received from the University of North Texas and processed for access in the Texas Digital Archive. The Wichita Daily Times received 919 additional issues that have been added to the existing set of issues available in the TDA, bringing the overall total available issues for this newspaper to 5497. To read more about the Newspaper collection and to access the newspaper materials click here.
December 9, 2025

Updated: Troupe Banner Newspaper

The Texas State Library and Archives Newspaper collection consists of over 1,600 newspapers spanning from 1741 to 2006. The majority of the collection consists of Texas-based titles, although it also includes over 500 newspapers from outside the state. An additional set of digitized newspaper issues was received from the University of North Texas and processed for access in the Texas Digital Archive. The Troupe Banner received 793 additional issues that have been added to the existing set of issues available in the TDA, bringing the overall total available issues for this newspaper to 1259. To read more about the Newspaper collection and to access the newspaper materials click here.
December 4, 2025

Updated: Texas Christian Advocate Newspaper

The Texas State Library and Archives Newspaper collection consists of over 1,600 newspapers spanning from 1741 to 2006. The majority of the collection consists of Texas-based titles, although it also includes over 500 newspapers from outside the state. An additional set of digitized newspaper issues was received from the University of North Texas and processed for access in the Texas Digital Archive. The Texas Christian Advocate received 635 additional issues that have been added to the existing set of issues available in the TDA, bringing the overall total available issues for this newspaper to 1025. To read more about the Newspaper collection and to access the newspaper materials click here.
December 3, 2025

Updated: Grandview Graphic Newspaper

The Texas State Library and Archives Newspaper collection consists of over 1,600 newspapers spanning from 1741 to 2006. The majority of the collection consists of Texas-based titles, although it also includes over 500 newspapers from outside the state. An additional set of digitized newspaper issues was received from the University of North Texas and processed for access in the Texas Digital Archive. The Grandview Graphic received 3 additional issues that have been added to the existing set of issues available in the TDA, bringing the overall total available issues for this newspaper to 45. To read more about the Newspaper collection and to access the newspaper materials click here.
December 1, 2025

Updated: Devine News Newspaper

The Texas State Library and Archives Newspaper collection consists of over 1,600 newspapers spanning from 1741 to 2006. The majority of the collection consists of Texas-based titles, although it also includes over 500 newspapers from outside the state. An additional set of digitized newspaper issues was received from the University of North Texas and processed for access in the Texas Digital Archive. The Devine News received 1 additional issues that have been added to the existing set of issues available in the TDA, bringing the overall total available issues for this newspaper to 819. To read more about the Newspaper collection and to access the newspaper materials click here.
December 1, 2025

Updated: Daily Panhandle Newspaper

The Texas State Library and Archives Newspaper collection consists of over 1,600 newspapers spanning from 1741 to 2006. The majority of the collection consists of Texas-based titles, although it also includes over 500 newspapers from outside the state. An additional set of digitized newspaper issues was received from the University of North Texas and processed for access in the Texas Digital Archive. The Daily Panhandle received 4 additional issues that have been added to the existing set of issues available in the TDA, bringing the overall total available issues for this newspaper to 30. To read more about the Newspaper collection and to access the newspaper materials click here.
December 1, 2025

Updated: Neu-Braunfelser Zeitung Newspaper

The Texas State Library and Archives Newspaper collection consists of over 1,600 newspapers spanning from 1741 to 2006. The majority of the collection consists of Texas-based titles, although it also includes over 500 newspapers from outside the state. An additional set of digitized newspaper issues was received from the University of North Texas and processed for access in the Texas Digital Archive. The Neu-Braunfelser Zeitung received 810 additional issues that have been added to the existing set of issues available in the TDA, bringing the overall total available issues for this newspaper to 1,007. To read more about the Newspaper collection and to access the newspaper materials click here.
December 1, 2025

November 2025

Updated: Various state agencies

Additions were made to several state agencies for meeting material received in Fiscal Year 2025. Updates were made to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission Advisory Committees, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Texas Animal Health Commission, Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, Texas State Board of Dental Examiners, Texas State Board of Pharmacy, and the Texas Ethics Commission. To read more about the agencies and to access the records click here.
November 25, 2025

Updated: Amarillo Daily Newspaper

The Texas State Library and Archives Newspaper collection consists of over 1,600 newspapers spanning from 1741 to 2006. The majority of the collection consists of Texas-based titles, although it also includes over 500 newspapers from outside the state. An additional set of digitized newspaper issues was received from the University of North Texas and processed for access in the Texas Digital Archive. The Amarillo Daily received 506 additional issues that have been added to the existing set of issues available in the TDA, bringing the overall total available issues for this newspaper to 3,390. To read more about the Newspaper collection and to access the newspaper materials click here.
November 25, 2025

New: Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired meeting files

The Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired is a public school district that provides specialized services that focus on the learning needs of primary and secondary students with visual impairments, including those with additional disabilities. These Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired meeting files, 1856-1919, 1979-2025, are the records of the meetings of the school’s governing board and its predecessors and contain information on subjects that include the results of student testing, administration of the school district, employee benefits and expectations, support activities for blind and visually impaired students, and school district policies. Records include agenda, minutes, and agenda attachments of the agency’s board of trustees. To read more about the files and to access the records click here.
November 7, 2025

October 2025

New: Texas Governor Allan Shivers campaign files

Allan Shivers served as governor of Texas from July 11, 1949, to January 15, 1957. The governor of Texas is the chief executive officer of the state. Prior to 1975, the governor was elected by citizens every two years. The campaign files of Texas Governor Allan Shivers, dating 1938-1955 and undated, document Shivers’s campaigns for state senator (1938 and 1942), lieutenant governor of Texas (1946 and 1948), and governor of Texas (1950, 1952, and 1954), as well as inaugural ceremonies following the elections. These records include press releases, clippings, photographs, correspondence, speeches, reports, flongs (paper molds for printmaking), advertisements, original artwork for political cartoons, publications, and campaign paraphernalia. To read more about the files and to access the materials click here.
October 31, 2025

Updated: Department of Transportation Right of Way records Yoakum (YKM) 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 began with the Austin District. The Yoakum (YKM) District has now been substantially completed and made publicly accessible. Current available districts are ABL, AMA, AUS, BMT, CHS, ELP, HOU, LRD, LBB, ODA, PHR, SAT, SJT, WFS, and YKM. For more information about this collection and to access the records click here.
October 24, 2025

Updated: 36th Division Association records

Two films have been digitized and added to the 36th Division Association materials in the TDA as part of additional records processing. The additional processing has resulted in a restructuring of the materials in the TDA to more accurately reflect the organization of the records and the souvenir publications already available have been integrated into that more detailed structure in the 1918 and 1919 segment of the Printed materials records series. When an updated description is formally published, the records description on the manuscripts page of the TDA will be updated to reflect the update as well. To read more about the records and to access the materials click here.
October 24, 2025

Updated: Health and Human Services Commission advisory committee meeting files

Advisory committee meeting minutes from fiscal year 2025 have been added to the collection. 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. Records are the meeting files of many of the commission’s advisory committees, dating 1996-2025. For more information about this collection and to access the records click here.
October 22, 2025

Updated: Governor Allan Shivers audiovisual materials

An additional 5 recordings have been digitized and are now integrated into the materials from the Governor Allan Shivers audiovisual materials available in the TDA. These specific recordings relate to the recordings titled “1949-07-16, The Shivers at Home.” 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. To read more about these materials and to access the recordings click here.
October 21, 2025

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 100 cases totaling 382 individual records. This brings the total number of case files to 3,951 with 9,598 individual records. To read more about the Supreme Court M Case files and to access the records click here.
October 21, 2025

New: Texas Facilities Commission meeting records

The Texas Facilities Commission (TFC), established in 2007 (House Bill 3560, 80th Texas Legislature, Regular Session) to take over certain responsibilities of the abolished Texas Building and Procurement Commission, supports the State of Texas through strategic facilities planning, asset management, design, construction, operation, maintenance, leasing of state facilities, and the sale, reallocation, or disposal of state and federal surplus property. TFC commission meeting records consist of minutes, agenda, and meeting supporting documentation, dating 2007-2018. To read more about this collection and to access the records click here.
October 20, 2025

New: Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities meeting files and public relations records

The Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities (GCDP) serves as a central source of information on the abilities, rights, and needs of Texans with disabilities and consults on the development of laws and policies to ensure that people with disabilities have opportunities to enjoy full and equal access to lives of independence, productivity, and self-determination. These Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities meeting files and public relations records consist of meeting minutes, reports, press releases, and newsletters relating to updates to the Americans with Disabilities Act, dating 1992-2022. To read more about this collection and to access the records click here.
October 20, 2025

September 2025

New: Andrew Jackson Houston collection

Sam Houston was governor of Tennessee, commanding general of the Texian Army during the Texas Revolution, twice president of the Republic of Texas, US senator from Texas and governor of Texas. Sam Houston’s second son Andrew Jackson Houston inherited this collection of documents from his father and maintained it until his death in 1941. This manuscript collection contains correspondence, reports, resolutions, proclamations, affidavits, depositions and other court documents, broadsides, speeches, invitations, receipts, drawings, and maps, dating 1812-1941, and undated, bulk 1835-1859. The records in the TDA represent only oversize materials digitized by Ancestry.com as part of a separate digitization project. To read more about this collection and to access the materials click here.
September 26, 2025

August 2025

New: Texas Department of Insurance commissioner topic files

The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) regulates the state’s insurance industry under the provisions of the Texas Insurance Code and other applicable statutes. These Texas Department of Insurance commissioner topic files, 1947-2002, bulk 1985-2002, contain records pertaining to the responsibilities of the head and associate commissioners, including management of the agency; relations with local, state, federal governmental agencies, the state legislature, and US Congress; interactions with the insurance companies that the TDI regulated; involvement with professional associations; public outreach that the commissioner engaged in; and projects that the agency participated in. To read more about these materials and to access the materials click here.
August 29, 2025

New: Texas Democratic Party records

The Texas Democratic Party was founded in 1846 and was the only viable political party in the state until 1952. Though the influence of the Texas Republican Party began to increase after 1952, the Texas Democratic Party maintained control until the 1970s. These Democratic records include meeting minutes, agendas, polls, election returns, election analysis, convention records, reports, surveys, photographs, audio recordings, correspondence, contracts, election results, publications, press releases, and financial records, dating 1939-1984, bulk 1960-1982. To read more about these materials and to access the recordings click here.
August 29, 2025

Updated: Governor Allan Shivers audiovisual materials

A recent addition to the Governor Allan Shivers audiovisual materials has resulted in some audio recordings receiving transcripts and other previously added recordings not. To fix this imbalance, the previously added recordings have been transcribed using automated tools and the transcripts added to the folder container the corresponding recording. 33 transcripts were added. These transcripts are not collection materials and are meant to facilitate researchers being able to locate a recording or portion of recording of research interest. 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. To read more about these materials and to listen to access the recordings click here.
August 28, 2025

New: Texas Water Development Board records

The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) administers state and federal financing programs for water-related projects including wastewater treatment, municipal solid waste management, nonpoint source pollution control, flood control, agricultural water conservation, and expenses for the creation of groundwater districts. These are meeting files, administrative correspondence, files from the Office of Project Finance and Construction Assistance, administrative travel records, organization charts, press releases, and the litigation case file of Dianne Hyatt v. the Texas Water Development Board, dating 1936-2014 and undated, bulk 1988-2014. To read more about these records and to access the materials click here.
August 27, 2025

New: Texas Lottery Commission records

The Texas Lottery Commission administers the Texas Lottery (generating revenue for the state of Texas) and the Texas Bingo Enabling Act (providing authorized organizations the opportunity to raise funds for their charitable purposes by conducting bingo); in both areas the commission is responsible for maintaining security and integrity. Records of the Texas Lottery Commission, 1988-2024 and undated, document the commission’s operations in developing, marketing, conducting, and administering the Texas Lottery; regulating charitable bingo games in the state; policymaking; and seeking legal redress against its licensors for violations of state law and lottery policies. To read more about these records and to access the unrestricted materials click here.
August 27, 2025

New: Texas Military Board records

The Texas State Military Board (also known as the Military Board of Texas) was established to sell or exchange state bonds for supplies and establish foundries and ordnance factories. Records include correspondence, agency meeting minutes, invoices, contracts, bonds, and reports, dating 1861-1867, 1955, bulk dating 1861-1865. The letterpress book dated March 29, 1862-December 27, 1862, has been digitized and is part of the Texas Digital Archive. To read more about this collection and to access the letterpress volume click here.
August 27, 2025

Updated: Governor Allan Shivers audiovisual materials

This update involves the addition of 29 additional audio recordings, each of which includes a image of the disc, a time-coded transcript of the audio content, and the recording itself. Note that the transcription was generated using automated means and was not checked for accuracy. 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. To read more about these materials and to listen to access the recordings click here.
August 27, 2025

Updated: Artifacts collection

A recording by Kay L. Gale to Governor Mark White has been digitized and added to the Texas Digital Archive under artifact number ATF0297. The artifact had previously only been photographed. To learn more about the Artifacts collection and to access the records click here.
August 15, 2025

Updated: Constitutional Convention of 1974 audiovisual recordings

The Texas Constitutional Convention of 1974 audiovisual recordings has received an updated, with the addition of a series of over 1,000 color slides. The audiovisual materials has been refiled on a subsequent new series titled audiovisual materials. 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. To read more about the collection and to access the materials, click here.
August 18, 2025

Updated: Texas Tourist Development Agency photographs and audiovisual materials

The Texas Tourist Development Agency (TTDA) photographs and audiovisual materials has received an update with the addition of 8 digitized videos. Where applicable captioning has been applied to these additions to facilitate better access. These records document the activities of the TTDA and its work to increase the state’s share of the national tourist market using a variety of mass media. To read more about the photographs and audiovisual materials and to access the records click here.
August 21, 2025

July 2025

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 141 cases totaling 552 individual records. This brings the total number of case files to 3,851 with 9,216 individual records. To read more about the Supreme Court M Case files and to access the records click here.
July 7, 2025

May 2025

Updated: Department of Transportation Right of Way records Beaumont (BMT) 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 began with the Austin District. The Beaumont (BMT) District has now been substantially completed and made publicly accessible. Current available districts are ABL, AMA, AUS, CHS, ELP, HOU, LRD, LBB, ODA, PHR, SJT, and WFS. For more information about this collection and to access the records click here.
May 5, 2025

New: Texas State Library and Archives Newspaper Collection

The Texas State Library and Archives Newspaper collection consists of over 1,600 newspapers spanning from 1741 to 2006. The majority of the collection consists of Texas-based titles, although it also includes over 500 newspapers from outside the state. The collection encompasses a wide chronological range, with Texas newspapers dating as early as 1829 and as recent as 2006. Representing 174 of Texas’s 254 counties, the newspapers provide statewide geographical coverage of historical events, with significant representation from Dallas, Galveston, Harris, Guadalupe, Tarrant, Travis, and Washington Counties. Some newspapers are in Spanish, German, and Italian. The collection offers insights into Texas agriculture, petroleum, politics, labor, and education and documents political and military life, the incarcerated population, and the role of Texas during the US Civil War. To read more about this collection and to access the newspapers click here.
May 21, 2025

April 2025

Updated: Artifacts collection

The Artifacts collection at the Texas State Archives is an artificial collection consisting of approximately 590 three-dimensional objects related to Texas history. This update is a revision to existing description of the collection, a curation of certain materials away from the Artifacts, as well as a virtual linking of materials that happen to be artifacts from a Secretary of State collection to the Artifacts collection. To read more about this collection and to access the artifacts click here.
April 11, 2025

New: Texas Department of State treaties between the Republic of Texas and other nations

The Texas Secretary of State is a constitutional officer of the executive branch of state government, appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate for a term concurrent with the governor’s (a two-year term at first, a four-year term since 1974). The office was first created by the Constitution of the Republic of Texas in 1836 (Article VI, Section 10), and has been continued by each succeeding Constitution. Treaties between the Republic of Texas and other nations were created as the most formal and official records of diplomacy. These records are signed copies of treaties between the Republic of Texas and other countries (France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, the Hanseatic League, and the United States), along with ceremonial seals dating 1838-1844. To read more about the treaties and to access the records click here.
April 9, 2025

March 2025

Updated: Texas Historical Commission History Programs Division records

Oral histories of Texas military veterans, African-Americans and Mexican-Americans in Texas, internment camp prisoners, and various other topics have been added to the existing set of records available in the TDA for the Texas Historical Commission History Programs Division records. This addition is a combination of digitized audio/audiovisual recordings and recordings made using a digital recording device. Transcripts for many recordings have been automatically generated by TSLAC to facilitate researcher access to the recordings and are available alongside them when available. To read more about the History Programs Division records and to access the records click here.
March 15, 2025

February 2025

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 461 individual records. This brings the total number of case files to 3,710 with 8,664 individual records. To read more about the Supreme Court M Case files and to access the records click here.
February 20, 2025

January 2025

New: Texas Board of Architectural Examiners records

The Texas Board of Architectural Examiners (TBAE) examines, licenses, and regulates architects, landscape architects, and interior designers, ensuring adherence to professional standards. These TBAE records consist of official and interagency correspondence, communications with state offices, and board members, memoranda from professional organizations and associations, meeting minutes and agendas, application forms, black-and-white photographs, press releases, newspaper clippings, newsletters, organizational charts, annual reports, resolutions, brochures, financial records, purchase vouchers, publications, itineraries, magazines, resumes, building plans, affidavits, case files, and facsimile transmissions between agencies, offices, and boards. The records date 1915-2017, bulk 1937-2007. To read more about this collection and to access the publicly available records click here.
January 24, 2025

Updated: Texas 3rd Court of Appeals records

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 2011. This update is an addition of selected electronic case files. To read more about this collection and to access the publicly available records click here.
January 8, 2025

New: Texas Department of Motor Vehicles records

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 the agency’s sunset self-evaluation report, dating 1997-2022. To read more about the records click here.
January 7, 2025

New: Sibley Cooley 36th Division Association audiovisual collection

During World War II, the 36th Division was organized in Texas and fought in Italy between September 1943 and August 1944, and then in France, Germany, and Austria between August 1944 and May 1945. The Sibley Cooley 36th Division audiovisual collection dates 2000, 2008-2009 and consists of video recordings of 36th Division reunions and interviews with those who served in Europe during World War II, recorded and produced by Sibley Cooley. To read more about this collection and to access the digitized records click here.
January 7, 2025

New: George Willrich Spanish-American War papers

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. To read more about these papers and to access the materials click here.
January 7, 2025

New: Texas Education Agency historical school district action files

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the entities which preceded it (State Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Board of Education, and State Department of Education) administered agency oversight of public school districts. TEA historical school district action files, 1883-2005, bulk 1935-1992, document the existence of and changes to common, independent, and rural high school districts as well as juvenile detention facilities. Volumes listing districts document each district’s existence during the span of 1883-1954 (not inclusive). The historical school district actions, 1935-2005, document changes in district boundaries through consolidation and annexation, which affect apportionment of school funding. This collection has been partially digitized. To read more about this collection and to access the digitized records click here.
January 7, 2025

December 2024

New: Texas Constitutional Convention of 1974 audiovisual recordings

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 recordings 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 original film footage of the convention and film productions about the convention, and of 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. To read more about these materials and to access the records click here.
December 12, 2024

November 2024

Updated: Texas Department of Transportation Right of Way Custom Search

Following the publication of the records the SAT (San Antonio) District, the information for the Texas Department of Transportation Right of Way custom search has been recompiled and the page updated. This custom search tool is meant to facilitate access to items of interest within the Right of Way records. To read more about this collection and to access the custom search page click here.
November 21, 2024

New:Executive Council of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Examiners records

The Texas Executive Council of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Examiners (ECPTOTE) was created in 1993 to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the people of Texas through the regulation and enforcement of the practices of physical therapy and of occupational therapy. The executive council staff is organized into three functional areas: administrative support, licensing, and investigations. ECPTOTE records, 1986-2023, consist of minutes and agenda of the executive council (2006-2023), of the Texas State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners (2022-2023), and of the Texas State Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners (1986-1992, 1999-2005, 2022-2023), and a 1995 chart showing the organizational structure of ECPTOTE. To read more about the collection and to access the records click here.
November 19, 2024

New:Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation records

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) is the state’s primary occupational licensing agency with responsibility for regulating 38 occupations and industries in Texas. These TDLR records, 1971-2023, include records from its predecessor agency, the Texas Department of Labor and Standards (existed 1973-1989), and consist of commission summaries of minutes, (1989-2020), advisory bodies minutes and agenda (1971-2023), meeting supplemental materials (1983-2020), and press releases (1975-1998). To read more about the collection and to access the records click here.
November 19, 2024

New:Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General organization charts

The Texas State Health and Human Services Commission Office of Inspector General prevents, detects, audits, inspects, reviews, and investigates fraud, waste, and abuse in the provision and delivery of all health and human services in the state. Records consists of organizational charts showing the structure of the Office of the Inspector General, dated 2006-2022. To read more about the collection and to access the records click here.
November 19, 2024

Updated: Texas Department of Agriculture audiovisual materials

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. This update represents the addition of the Video File Tape Tejas recording in within the Broadcast reports. To read more about this collection and to access the records click here.
November 14, 2024

New: W. Lee O’Daniel Collection

W. Lee O’Daniel served as Texas governor from 1938 to 1941 and as United States senator from 1941 to 1948. His work in radio advertising and country music programming made him a popular figure in Texas. This collection, dating 1937-1948 and undated, consists of photographs, artwork, maps, scrapbooks, and a lacquer disc recording of his “Hillbilly Boys” radio show. These document O’Daniel’s family; political campaigns; his farm near Burleson, Texas; and news of the day. A portion of these materials have been digitized and are part of the Texas Digital Archive. To read more about the collection and to access the collection click here. In addition to being found within the manuscripts materials, this collection has been cross-referenced to records of Texas governors for researcher convenience.
November 14, 2024

Updated: Nacogdoches Archives

An additional record has been digitized within the Nacogdoches Archives materials and added to the TDA. This record is a discrete addition of collection materials found to have been missing from a previous digitization of microfilm project by Ancestry.com and is located within the Coahuila censuses records. It is one of several records authored by Stephen F. Austin to be found within the collection. To read more about the Nacogdoches Archives and to access the collection click here.
November 14, 2024

Updated: Supreme Court case files search page updated

Following the most recent update to the Supreme Court M case files, the customized search page and filter table created to help researchers locate a case of interest has been updated. This search tool covers the top-most level of the case file, if a case has multiple digitized records the filter table will link to the applicable folder to provide access to all of the records. Records are M case files of the Texas Supreme Court dating 1840-1892, representing the circuit court era. Records include original petitions (briefs, appeals), original indictments (criminal cases only for the early years), transcripts of proceedings from the district court, bills of exception, agreements, demurrer and answer, supplemental answers, statements of facts, testimony, judgments, motions, petitions and/or bonds for writ of error, citations in error, assignments of error, sheriffs’ returns, certifications of costs, waivers of service, precepts, motions for rehearing, applications for extensions of time, certification of costs, and opinions of the lower court.In 1944, M numbers were assigned to the early case files because there had been several duplicate numbering systems in place. The original numbers can be found on the case files, in the dockets, and on the index cards. To access the Texas Supreme Court case files custom search click here.
November 13, 2024

New: Secretary of State Bonds and Oaths of Office records

Bonds are posted by public officials to secure their fiduciary responsibilities. Oaths are sworn and filed by public officials to assure their loyalty to the government and their promise to uphold the duties of the office. No one governmental office has had the responsibility for filing all bonds and oaths. The Comptroller’s office at some point maintained certificates of bonds, and possibly even oaths. However, state law has required many if not most state officers to file bonds and oaths with the Texas Secretary of State (as early as 1846). These Texas Secretary of State bonds and oaths include related records of elected and appointed officials of the Republic of Texas, State of Texas, districts, counties, and municipalities, and date 1837-1844, 1846-1920. To read more about this collection and to access the records click here. Note that there is a related set of index cards meant to facilitate access to the Bonds and Oaths available in the Reference tools section of the TDA.
November 1, 2024

October 2024

New: Delayed Birth records

Many people whose births were not officially recorded at the time had records established later in life. State registration of delayed birth certificates began in 1939. Sometimes even individuals born out of state were issued a delayed birth certificate in Texas. Delayed births at the state level are registered under the individual’s full name, so there are no “infant of” listings or parents’ names in the delayed birth indexes. If births were recorded before 1903, they were recorded in the county clerk’s office in the county of birth. For researcher convenience, birth certificates are aggregated into sets of 100. To access these records click here.
October 31, 2024

New: Henry Arthur McArdle scrapbooks

Henry Arthur McArdle, born in 1836 in Belfast, Ireland, became interested in Texas history while researching his painting Lee at the Wilderness. Dawn at the Alamo and The Battle of San Jacinto, the best known of his surviving works, now hang in the senate chamber of the Texas State Capitol. Exhaustively researched, the two paintings attempt to reproduce as accurately as possible the persons, events, accoutrements, and settings of the events they portray. To read more about the scrapbooks and to access the materials click here.
October 29, 2024

New: Texas Secretary of State bonds and oaths index cards

The Texas Secretary of State bonds and oaths index cards provide a brief overview of the oaths and/or bonds taken by an individual elected to public office during the state era of Texas. Information points can include name of office holder, what the office was, and dates of oaths and bonds. Although Reconstruction oaths dating 1866-1873 can be found in the State-era and are included in the card index, an additional 500 or so were later found misfiled with unprocessed Adjutant General’s Department records, and therefore not included in the card index. Although these index cards are not part of an archival collection they are an important reference tool for researchers and are made available in the Reference tools section of the TDA. To access the index cards click here.
October 25, 2024

New: Texas Brewers’ Institute

The Texas Brewers’ Institute (TBI) was a lobbying group formed by ten Texas breweries operating after the 1933 repeal of Prohibition, with a goal to promote and protect the interests of the beer industry. The records document the business activities of the Institute and its member breweries during that time. In particular, this collection sheds light on the way that breweries in Texas reacted to the abolishment of Prohibition and how they attempted to influence alcohol legislation in Texas and on a national scale. Much of TBI’s records consist of correspondence between the officers of the Institute and brewery executives and politicians in Texas. To read more about this collection and to access the records click here.
October 25, 2024

New: Zarh Pritchard collection

Zarh Pritchard, born Walter Howlison Mackenzie Pritchard, was an artist best known for painting underwater landscapes while underwater. The Zarh Pritchard collection documents his work, travels, and interest in numerology and the occult. Included are letter and card correspondence; pamphlets and invitations; administrative files detailing his personal finances, business dealings, and properties; books and literary efforts; magazine and newspaper clippings; memorabilia collected through his travels, friendships, and business dealings; photographs, drawings, and postcards; and artifacts and artwork. To read more about this collection and to access the records click here.
October 24, 2024

New:Texas Board of Criminal Justice Minutes and Meeting Files

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) manages offenders in state prisons, state jails and private correctional facilities that contract with TDCJ. The Texas Board of Criminal Justice is composed of nine members appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate, and governs the department. These are minutes, agendas, and meeting files of the board and its predecessors, including the Texas State Penitentiary Board, Texas Board of Prison Commissioners, Texas Prison Board, and Texas Board of Corrections, dating from 1881 to 1885, and 1900 to 2021. Some of the minutes and meeting files contain letters; copies of leases, easements, or contracts considered by the board; statistical reports on the inmate population; committee reports; reports by the executive director and division directors; board policies; and rules and regulations. The minutes include resolutions by the board, generally regarding the death of board members, prison officials, or citizens connected to the prison system. These records include the minutes and agenda of the meetings of the Board of Trustees of the Windham School District (run by TDCJ for inmates), dating 1970-2021 and minutes of the Substance Abuse Subcommittee for 1991-1992. To read more about this collection and to access the records click here.
October 24, 2024

New: Texas Water Development Board Office of Project Finance and Construction Assistance records

The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) provides loans to local governments for water supply projects; water quality projects including wastewater treatment, municipal solid waste management, and nonpoint source pollution control; flood control projects; agricultural water conservation projects; and expenses for creation of groundwater districts. The agency also provides grants and loans for the water and wastewater needs of the state’s economically distressed areas, such as the colonias in south Texas, and water-related research and planning grants. The TWDB Office of Project Finance and Construction Assistance (PFCA) administers the board’s loan and grant programs that provide for the construction of water-related infrastructure and other water quality improvements. These engineering and financial records of the TWDB PFCA are correspondence, memoranda, resolutions, audit reports, specifications and contract documents, proposals, financial records, facility engineering plans, applications, and the board’s decision on the request for loans or grant funds. Dates covered are 1936-2012, bulk dating 1988-2012. To read more about the Board Office of Project Finance and Construction Assistant records click here. Note: These records are restricted and not publicly accessible in the TDA.
October 24, 2024

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 102 cases totaling 264 individual records. This brings the total number of case files to 3,590 with 8,203 individual records. To read more about the Supreme Court M Case files and to access the records click here.
October 21, 2024

New: Republic claims

The Republic claims represent four different records series from within the Comptroller’s Office claims records historically grouped together by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission and made accessible as a discrete and frequently accessed type of record arising from events during the Republic period. Organization in the TDA reflects this historical grouping, although the online finding aid description displays organization in the larger context of the Texas Comptroller’s Office claims records. Record-level information has been converted into filterable tables with search capability to facilitate better access. To read more about these materials and to access the records and custom search pages click here.
October 15, 2024

Updated: Texas State Department of Highways and Public Transportation films

The Texas State Department of Highways and Public Transportation (TSDHPT) was responsible for the building and maintenance of Texas roads and highways and for developing public mass transportation in state from 1975 to 1991. The agency was formed in 1975 when Texas legislature merged the Texas Highway Department and the Texas Mass Transportation Commission into this single agency. Both TSDHPT and the Texas Highway Department operated a Travel and Information Division that promoted travel to and within the state of Texas, highway safety, and tourism through the distribution of publications, audiovisual programs, and news media materials. This update includes 12 films across Bridge construction films, Stock films, Highway safety and funding films, and Transportation type films series. To read more about this collection and to access the records click here.
October 10, 2024

New:Texas Attorney General’s Office litigation case files

The Texas Office of the Attorney General (OAG) is responsible for supervising and approving all appellate litigation for the State of Texas and for ensuring consistency in legal positions taken by the state. 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. Records consist of selected working files relating to litigation and major investigations handled by the Office of the Texas Attorney General, closed in or before 2004. Materials date 1959-2004, bulk 1967-1985. To read more about this collection click here. Note that these records are restricted.
October 10, 2024

Updated:Price Daniel audiovisual materials

Price Daniel served as Texas attorney general, US senator, and Texas governor. These audiovisual materials and related papers date 1952-1962, 1980, undated, and encompass Daniel’s service in these offices, as well as his US Senate and Texas gubernatorial campaigns, and contain one item from after his political career. Topics covered include narcotic laws, segregation, states’ rights, traffic safety, and Texas business and agriculture. The most common film format is 16mm black-and-white film, and audio materials include open reel audiotapes and instantaneous recordings. Some audiovisual materials include accompanying documents. This update represents the digitization of 5 lacquer discs, both a and b side. To read more about this collection and to access the records click here.
October 10, 2024

Updated: House recordings

The Texas House of Representatives is one arm of the Legislature of the State of Texas (the other being the Texas Senate), which the Texas Constitution (Article III, Section 1) vests with all legislative power of the state. House of Representatives recordings mainly contain floor debates and logbooks, with some committee proceedings included, dating 1959, 1962, 1973, 1975-1979, 1981-1984. They span the 56th Legislature, 2nd Called Session, in 1959, the 57th Legislature, Interim Term, in 1962, as well as the 63rd Texas Legislature, 1st Called Session, through the 68th Legislature, 2nd Called Session, from 1973 to 1984. This update represents additional recordings for the 56th Legislature. To read more about this collection and to access the records click here.
October 7, 2024

September 2024

New: Texas Ethics Commission records

The Texas Ethics Commission has the following powers, which are documented by these records: to pursue sworn complaints alleging violations of state ethics laws; to penalize violators of state ethics laws; to sponsor ethics training and informational programs and to explain compliance guidelines; to issue advisory opinions, which apply ethics laws to specific situations of fact; to require regulatory agencies of the executive branch to develop rules for the commission’s approval that limit the acceptance of benefits from regulated entities; to recommend salary levels for members of the legislature and the lieutenant governor, which are submitted to the voters at the next general election; to set the per diem paid to legislators and to the lieutenant governor. The Ethics Commission was preceded by a Public Servant Standards of Conduct Advisory Committee, and a State Ethics Advisory Commission. To read more about this collection and to access the records in the TDA, click here.
September 11, 2024

New: Friends of the Governor’s Mansion records

In 1979, Texas Governor William P. Clements Jr. and First Lady Mrs. Rita Clements established Friends of the Governor’s Mansion, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization committed to maintaining and preserving the historical and cultural significance of the Texas Governor’s Mansion, preserving the historical collections, beautifying the gardens, and educating the public about the home and its history. The Governor’s Mansion docents educate the public about the mansion and serve as trained guides for mansion tours and hostesses during special events held there. To read more about this collection and to access the records click here.
September 11, 2024

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

The Beauford Jester 50 word spots lacquer disc recording has been digitized and added to the TDA. 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.
September 11, 2024

Updated: Texas Capitol Building Commission administrative records and architectural drawings re-imaged

Portions of the Texas Capitol Building Commission administrative records and architectural drawings have been re-imaged and added to the TDA. The original scans of the re-imaged items have been removed from the TDA, and any associated links to those first scans will need to be updated to reflect the newer counterparts. The 16th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 1879, created both the Texas Capitol Building Commission (CBC) and Texas State Capitol Board (SCB) to oversee the construction of the Texas State Capitol. The CBC and SCB worked together to manage the construction of the Capitol. The SCB managed the survey and sale of public domain lands used to fund construction and took care of legislative matters while the CBC managed day-to-day construction activities and reported progress and problems to the SCB. After the 1853 Limestone Capitol burned in 1881, these entities also oversaw the building of the temporary Capitol. To read more about the Capitol Building Commission and to access the records click here.
September 11, 2024

August 2024

Updated: Local Government records M thru Z ranges

Counties whose names begin with L and which have digitized records have been added to the local government records section of the Texas Digital Archive. These records pertain to Wills and/or Probate records that were digitized from microfilm by Ancestry.com and also records digitized by FamilySearch. 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. FamilySearch digitization of records held by TSLAC for select counties is active and ongoing and further additions may occur at a later time. This publication of digitized records pertains to Madison, Marion, Matagorda, Maverick, McLennan, McMullen, Medina, Menard, Milam, Mills, Mitchell, Montague, Montgomery, Morris, Nacogdoches, Navarro, Newton, Nolan, Nueces, Orange, Panola, Parker, Polk, Red River, Refugio, Robertson, Rockwall, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, San Patricio, Schleicher, Shackelford, Smith, Somervell, Starr, Stephens, Sterling, Stonewall, Swisher, Taylor, Throckmorton, Titus, Tom Green, Travis, Trinity, Tyler, Uvalde, Van Zandt, Victoria, Walker, Waller, Washington, Webb, Wharton, Wichita, Wilbarger, Willacy, Williamson, Wilson, Wise, Wood, Young, Zapata, and Zavala Counties. To read more about the RHRD system, County records, and to access these records click here. This completes the county-specific Ancestry.com file portion of the local government records, additional mixed county delayed birth certificate records are still in process.
August 6, 2024

June 2024

Updated: Local Government records L range

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 brings the total number of case files to 3,488 with 7,856 individual records. To read more about the Supreme Court M Case files and to access the records click here.
June 26, 2024

Updated: Local Government records K range

Counties whose names begin with K and which have digitized records have been added to the local government records section of the Texas Digital Archive. These records pertain to Wills and/or Probate records that were digitized from microfilm by Ancestry.com and also records digitized by FamilySearch. 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. FamilySearch digitization of records held by TSLAC for select counties is active and ongoing and further additions may occur at a later time. This publication of digitized records pertains to Karnes, Kaufman, Kendall, Kenedy, Kerr, Kinney, and Knox Counties. To read more about the RHRD system, County records, and to access these records click here.
June 24, 2024

Updated: Local Government records J range

Counties whose names begin with J and which have digitized records have been added to the local government records section of the Texas Digital Archive. These records pertain to Wills and/or Probate records that were digitized from microfilm by Ancestry.com and also records digitized by FamilySearch. 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. FamilySearch digitization of records held by TSLAC for select counties is active and ongoing and further additions may occur at a later time. This publication of digitized records pertains to Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jim Wells, Johnson, and Jones Counties. To read more about the RHRD system, County records, and to access these records click here.
June 21, 2024

Updated: Local Government records H and I range

Counties whose names begin with H and I and which have digitized records have been added to the local government records section of the Texas Digital Archive. These records pertain to Wills and/or Probate records that were digitized from microfilm by Ancestry.com and also records digitized by FamilySearch. 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. FamilySearch digitization of records held by TSLAC for select counties is active and ongoing and further additions may occur at a later time. This publication of digitized records pertains to Hamilton, Hardin, Harris, Harrison, Haskell, Hays, Henderson, Hidalgo, Hill, Hood, Hopkins, Houston, Hunt, and Irion Counties. To read more about the RHRD system, County records, and to access these records click here.
June 13, 2024

Updated: Allan Shivers audiovisual materials

Two audio recordings have been added to the Allan Shivers audiovisual materials collection in the TDA. The recordings are interfiled with transcripts of the speeches, added to the TDA on 2021. The recordings are “1952 (date approximate), Shivers 2nd primary (Spanish)” (item 1977/081-555-001) and “1950s, Shivers for Governor (Spanish)” (item 1977/081-555-002). To read more about this collection and to access the collection materials click here.
June 3, 2024

May 2024

New: Audiovisual materials collections page

A new webpage has been added to the TDA to aggregate a listing of collections with some audiovisual materials. This aggregated listing is not a collection of its own and records referenced may come from government or manuscript collections. Links to collections will take users to the collection within its original hierarchy in the TDA. To read more about audiovisual materials and access the listed collections through this listing click here.
May 31, 2024

Updated: Local Government records G range

Counties whose names begin with G and which have digitized records have been added to the local government records section of the Texas Digital Archive. These records pertain to Wills and/or Probate records that were digitized from microfilm by Ancestry.com and also records digitized by FamilySearch. 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. FamilySearch digitization of records held by TSLAC for select counties is active and ongoing and further additions may occur at a later time. This publication of digitized records pertains to Galveston (previously published), Gillespie, Goliad, Gonzales, Grayson, Gregg, Grimes, and Guadalupe Counties. To read more about the RHRD system, County records, and to access these records click here.
May 30, 2024

New:Guides to Local County records

The Guides to Local County records provide information about specific types of records within select counties. These guides do not encompass all counties, nor do they represent every kind of record held by a county at the time that a specific guide was created. However, the guides may be useful in locating records of value to researchers. The guides are largely the result of the work of The Texas Historical Records Survey Division of the Professional and Service Projects with the Works Projects Administration during the 1930s-1940s. Most guides were microfilmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah and were later digitized from that microfilm by Ancestry.com as part of its Will and Probate records microfilm digitization project. As a project taken up through the United States federal government, these guides are within the public domain. Click here to access the guides.
May 10, 2024

New: Nacogdoches Archives

Texas has been governed by six sovereign countries, including Spain from 1690 to 1821 and Mexico from 1821 to 1836. The Nacogdoches archives consists of records maintained by national, regional, and local officials—both political and military—of the Spanish and Mexican governments documenting their rule of Texas from the mid-eighteenth into the early nineteenth century, dating 1729-1836, undated. To read more about the Nacogdoches Archives and to access the records click here.
May 6, 2024

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 109 cases totaling 264 individual records. This brings the total number of case files to 3,391 with 7,681 individual records. To read more about the Supreme Court M Case files and to access the records click here.
May 2, 2024

March 2024

Updated: Texas Department of Agriculture Audiovisual materials

This addition to the Texas Department of Agriculture audiovisual materials represents digitized motion picture recordings (reel-to-reel recordings) within the Motion picture recordings subgroup of the records. 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. To read more about this collection and to access the records click here.
March 28, 2024

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 139 cases totaling 469 individual records. This brings the total number of case files to 3,282 with 7,417 individual records. To read more about the Supreme Court M Case files and to access the records click here.
March 28, 2024

Updated: Governor Sam Houston records

The governor of Texas is the chief executive officer of the state elected by citizens every four years. Sam Houston served as governor from December 21, 1859, to March 16, 1861. These records mainly document Governor Houston’s term in office. Types of records are correspondence; petitions from citizens of various counties; memorandums; proclamations; broadsides; resolutions; requisitions; military orders; minutes; a letterpress book; messages to and from the Texas Senate and House of Representatives; clippings; and related records, dating from 1824 to 1862, bulk 1859-1861. This addition represents a significant portion of the correspondence and manuscripts within the manuscripts. To read more about this collection and to access the records click here.
March 28, 2024

New: Texas Library Association records

The Texas Library Association (TLA) is a non-profit organization whose goal has been to promote, support and improve services for academic, public, school, and special libraries in Texas since its establishment in 1902. These records document the TLA’s own work and its history with other organizations such as the American Library Association, the Southwestern Library Association, and the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Records of the Texas Library Association consist of executive board and TLA Council reports, planning and promotional material for annual conferences, meeting minutes, and documentation relating to the nomination and selection of their numerous annual awards. The records are dated 1902-2018 and undated, bulk 1970-2017. This collection includes papers, photographs, reports, manuscripts, administrative minutes, newspaper clippings, negatives, color slides, audiocassette tapes, open reel tapes, digital files, and videotapes. To read more about this collection and to access the records click here.
March 11, 2024

February 2024

Updated: Department of Transportation Right of Way records Abilene (ABL) 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 Abilene (ABL) 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.
February 19, 2024

Updated: Texas Attorney General Open Records Letter Rulings for 2008

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. This update incorporates the rulings for calendar year 2008. To read more about this collection and to access the records click here.
February 13, 2024

New: Texas State Archives Records relating to the penitentiary

The prison system began as a single institution known as the Huntsville Penitentiary and received its first prisoners October 1, 1849. Later a second facility, Rusk Penitentiary, opened in 1883. These records document the state penitentiary system in Texas from the early years through the beginning of the twentieth century, 1846-1921, undated. They reflect governors’ involvement with the prison system and activities of various penitentiary officials, especially the superintendent and financial agent. A wide range of subjects are covered, including cloth production and distribution during the Civil War, investigations of financial agents, treatment of convicts, conveyance of convicts to the prison, leasing of the prisons, contracting for convict labor, repairs and additions to the Huntsville facilities, construction of Rusk Penitentiary, the iron industry at Rusk, purchase of state farms, the Texas State Railroad, and routine financial affair. To read more about this collection and to access the digitized records click here.
February 13, 2024

Updated: Local Government records F range

Counties whose names begin with F 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 Falls, Fannin, Fayette, Fisher, Floyd, Fort Bend, Franklin, Freestone, and Frio Counties. To read more about the RHRD system, County records, and to access these records click here.
February 7, 2024

January 2024

Updated: Local Government records E range

Counties whose names begin with E 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 Eastland, Ellis, and Erath Counties. To read more about the RHRD system, County records, and to access these records click here.
January 29, 2024

Updated: Local Government records D range

Counties whose names begin with D 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 Dallas, Delta, Denton, DeWitt, Dimmit, and Duval Counties. To read more about the RHRD system, County records, and to access these records click here.
January 18, 2024

Updated: Secretary of State Executive clemency records

Secretary of State Executive clemency records digitized and made public within the TDA have received a major addition. The Alphabetical name indexes to Governors proclamations and 12 volumes of the Pardons and Remissions books have been added. Additions are based on digitized microfilm. To read more about these records and to access the records click here.
January 5, 2024

December 2023

New:Texas Historical Commission Archeology Division records

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 Archeology Division works to identify, protect, and preserve Texas’s archeological heritage. These THC Archeology Division records, 1995-2001, bulk 1995-1997, primarily document the La Salle Shipwreck Project with logbooks, photographs, drawings, diving records, field notes, and other project materials. Also present are Antiquities Advisory Board meeting minutes, which include Archeology Committee agendas. To read more about the collection and to access the records click here.
December 15, 2023

Updated: Employees Retirement System of Texas records

The Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS) oversees retirement and health benefits for State of Texas employees to provide for, protect, and enhance the economic well-being of members, retirees, and their beneficiaries through effectively managing benefit programs, using sound actuarial principles and available resources consistent with applicable laws. The programs offered by ERS include benefit payments for both service-related and disability-related retirements and benefits for survivors of active and retired members. Board of Trustees and Advisory Committee meeting materials 1998-1999, 2019-2022, are available in the TDA. To read more about the collection and to access the records click here.
December 15, 2023

New: Texas State Board of Pharmacy records

The Texas State Board of Pharmacy is responsible for regulating pharmacists, pharmacies, and prescription drugs. Records documenting the agency’s activities consist of meeting minutes, agenda, logs, and supporting documentation; policies and procedures; speeches and presentations; pharmacist registration master cards, dating 1907-1949, 1969-1970, 1984-2023. Minutes 2006-2023, are available in the TDA. To read more about the collection and to access the records click here.
December 15, 2023

New: Texas Supreme Court Opinions records

The Texas Supreme Court Opinions have been partially digitized and added to the TDA. Records are bound opinion books and typescript opinions of the Texas Supreme Court and the Commission of Appeals, dating 1840-1949. Opinions set forth the reasons for the decision of the court and any relevant precedents. Any of the justices may file an opinion dissenting from or concurring with the court’s judgement. The early opinions of the Supreme Court, 1840-1893, give the style of the case, case number, opinion, and judge delivering the opinion. In most cases, the county from which the case was appealed is also given. Dissenting opinions, if listed, will follow the opinion of the court. Dates reflect the court terms or the date the opinion was issued. To read more about the collection and to access the records click here.
December 15, 2023

New: Texas Department of Agriculture Audiovisual materials

The Texas Department of Agriculture audiovisual materials has has been digitized and added to 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. To read more about this collection and to access the records click here.
December 11, 2023

Updated: Volumes added to Bastrop and Bexar Local records

Due to the efforts of FamilySearch, 9 new volumes of material have been digitized and added to the Texas Digital Archive. For Bastrop County this includes a Justice of the Peace examining trial docket for 1933-1949. For Bexar County this includes 5 new volumes of Registers of Prisoners Committed to Jail, 2 Sheriff’s Jail Registers, and a Register of Automobiles for Hire for 1927-1928. To access these records go to the Texas Local Government records section of the Texas Digital Archive and navigate to Bastrop and Bexar Counties sub-sections.
December 7, 2023

October 2023

New: Texas Secretary of State voter registration lists, 1867-1870

The Secretary of State, in accordance with the constitution of the Republic of Texas and affirmed by the 1st Texas Legislature, collected, arranged, and preserved all books, maps, parchments, records, documents, deeds, conveyances, and other papers belonging to the state. On March 23, 1867, the Unites States Congress passed legislation requiring states to compile registration of every qualified voter in each county. The completed registers were used to determine who would be eligible to vote for any proposed constitutional conventions. The Texas Secretary of State voter registration lists, compiled from 1867 to 1870, record the date of registration and the name of the registrant, along with place of residence; precinct number; length of residency in the state, county, and precinct; place of birth; naturalization information; signature; and general remarks by the military district commander. These records were previously referred to as the Texas Secretary of State voters’ registration of 1867-1869. To read more about the Secretary of State voter registration lists and to access the records click here.
October 27, 2023

New: Texas Historical Commission Architecture Division records

The Architecture Division works to preserve and protect Texas’ diverse architectural heritage by monitoring historical landmarks, awarding preservation grant funds for restoration work on historical structures, and offering advice and technical consultation for the restoration of or changes made to the state’s architectural resources. These records consist of grant reports, minutes, agenda, correspondence, clippings, photographs, needs assessment files, compact discs, master plans, completion reports, and architectural drawings, dating 1981-2017. Records document meetings of several trust fund associated boards (Texas Preservation Trust Fund Committee, the Advisory Board of the Texas Preservation Trust Fund, the Guardians of the Texas Preservation Trust Fund, and the Architecture Committee Trust Fund Advisory Board), the Architecture Committee and the Courthouse Committee. The records also document the assessment of preservation needs for endangered historic properties, and restoration work on historical buildings through preservation grant funding, including courthouses restored through the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program. To read more about the Historical Commission Architecture Division records and to access the records click here.
October 25, 2023

September 2023

New: Texas Veterans Land Board records

The Texas Veterans Land Board was created by the Texas Legislature in 1946 in an amendment to Article III of the Constitution of the State of Texas as the executors of the Veterans Land Fund, created in the same amendment. The board uses bond funding for programs to help Texas veterans purchase land and homes and make home improvements, oversees Texas State Veterans Homes that provide long-term nursing care, and manages Texas State Veterans Cemeteries. These Texas Veterans Land Board records consist of meeting agendas, minutes, exhibits, information about bonds, lists of land parcels for sale, publications, and press releases, dating 1968-2019. To read more about the Texas Veterans Land Board records and to access the records click here.
September 25, 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

The 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