Texas Historical Commission
Texas Historical Commission
Texas Historical Commission
Agency Information
The THC administers programs to preserve the architectural, archeological, historical, and cultural resources of Texas. The mission of the THC is to protect and preserve the state’s historic and prehistoric resources for the use, education, economic benefit, and enjoyment of present and future generations. Duties of the agency include preservation consultation with the public; providing leadership to heritage organizations and county historical commissions; working with communities to protect Texas’ architectural heritage, including operation of the Texas Main Street Program; administering the state’s historical marker program; working with property owners to save archeological sites on private land; ensuring archeological sites are protected as land is developed for public construction projects; consulting with citizens and groups to nominate properties for historical and archeological landmark status and for the National Register of Historic Places; and making historical attractions a cornerstone of the Texas travel industry. The THC also maintains the Historic Sites Atlas, a database of more than 300,000 historic site records; was involved with the La Salle excavations; and was involved with the development of the Bob Bullock State History Museum that opened in Austin in 2001.
Archeology Division records|Architecture Division records | History Programs Division records | Historic Sites Division presentations | Meeting records
Texas Historical Commission, Archeology Division: Architecture Division Records, 1981-2017
Texas Historical Commission Archeology Division
Creator: Texas Historical Commission. Archeology Division
Title: Texas Historical Commission Archeology Division records
Dates: 1995-2001
Dates: bulk 1995-1997
Abstract: 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.
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Texas Historical Commission, Architecture Division: Architecture Division Records, 1981-2017
Cover image for Historic Stores of Texas database
Creator: Texas Historical Commission. Architecture Division
Title: Historical Commission Architecture Division records
Dates: 1981-2017
Abstract: 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.
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Texas Historical Commission, History Programs Division: History Programs Division Records, 2007-2016
Orange Co. – Cow Bayou Swing Bridge
Creator: Texas Historical Commission. History Programs Division
Title: Historical Commission History Programs Division records
Dates: 2007-2016
Abstract: The History Programs Division of the THC provides preservation assistance to county historical commissions, museums, nonprofit preservation organizations, state and federal agencies, local governments, students, educators, and the general public. Records in these files include correspondence, memos, minutes, surveys, inscriptions, lists and project files of historical markers, membership lists and activity reports of county historical commissions, clippings, county historical commission newsletters and other publications, programs of local events, photographs, slides, negatives, maps, lists of donors to the Texas Historical Foundation, contracts, bids, and specifications for building historical markers, and electronic records. Dates covered are about 1880-2016, undated, with the bulk dating 1960-1975, 2007-2016. The files document the application for and erection of historical markers throughout the state in the early to mid-1960s (and some Confederate markers out of state), a survey undertaken by the Texas State Historical Survey Committee to gather information about historical markers and other historical and cultural resources in Texas counties, the interaction of the Texas State Historical Survey Committee/Texas Historical Commission with county historical committees, documentation of county historic projects, actions of the State Board of Review in regard to nomination of sites to be added to the National Register of Historic Places, and historic resource images of historic locations throughout Texas.
These records are organized into eight series. Only the Historical marker files, 2007-2016, are available in the Texas Digital Archive.
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Texas Historical Commission Historic Sites Division Presentations, 2011-2015
THC Historic Sites Division presentation
Creator: Texas Historical Commission. Historic Sites Division
Title: Texas Historical Commission Historic Sites Division presentations
Dates: 2011-2015
Abstract: The Texas Historical Commission (THC) protects and preserves the state’s historic resources for the use, education, and enjoyment of present and future generations. THC’s Historic Sites Division is responsible for overseeing the agency’s thirty-six historic properties located throughout the state. Presentations created by the division, 2011-2015, consist of PowerPoint presentation slides and supplemental documentation. They were used to inform the public and conference attendees about the Historic Sites Division’s operations, its historic properties, and Texas history. The presentations cover topics such as the Historic Site Division’s programs at Casa Navarro, preservation and conservation efforts on the state’s historic structures and artifacts, and the lives of Texans during the 19th century.
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Texas Historical Commission, Historical Commission meeting records, 1953-2018
Front cover of a Texas Historical Commission meeting packet
Creator: Texas Historical Commission
Title: Historical Commission meeting records
Dates: 1953-2018
Abstract: The Texas Historical Commission protects and preserves the state’s historic and prehistoric resources for the use, education, economic benefit, and enjoyment of present and future generations. Records are minutes, agenda, and exhibits of the Texas State Historical Survey Committee meetings, from 1953 to 1973; and of the Texas Historical Commission meetings, dating 1973-2018. Materials present include agenda, minutes, committee reports, resolutions, correspondence, lists of appointees to associated boards, quarterly reports from programs, rules and regulations, historic preservation and antiquities laws and/or changes to the laws, copies of agreements, press releases, lists of sites nominated for historical markers or landmark status, historical marker dedication calendars, lists of gifts and donations, lists of grants approved, attendance sheets for guests at the meetings, and newsletters, reports and other publications of the agency.
Only those meeting minutes received in electronic form are in the TDA. Please refer to the online finding aid for information on physical materials.
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