Our Texas History
With Texas Independence Day occurring in the month of March, I wanted to take this opportunity to discuss the different resources available regarding our shared history as Texans. The Coastal Bend area is particularly rich with history and heritage. This is a fact that is helpful for our reputation as one of the primary tourist destinations in Texas.
A source for Texas history is The Texas Historical Commission. This is a public agency funded by the state of Texas. The commission was originally formed in 1953 as the State Historical Survey Committee by the Texas Legislature, and changed to its current name in 1973. The commission manages and implements the State Historical Marker Program which is one of the commission’s most visible and recognizable programs. The markers signify sites of noteworthy local history around the state. There are over 10,000 historical markers in Texas, and approximately 100 historical markers in Nueces County. Each fall, Texans can apply for sites, buildings, and other items to be considered for a historical marker after the applications become available in July. If you are interested in applying for such a marker for your neighborhood or just to learn more information about the process, visit Apply for a Historical Marker. If there is a marker in your area that needs to be relocated or maintained, you can find information for that process at Information for Existing Markers.
The Texas Historical Commission has a broad array of other programs as well. It hosts a database at Texas Historic Sites Atlas, where you can search historical sites by keyword and county. For example, by searching Nueces County, you can access markers signifying World War II Coastal Defenses in Port Aransas, a marker on the Karankawas on Suter Wildlife Refuge Trail and the Pat Dunn Ranch on Padre Island.
The Marine Archeology Program finds, analyzes, and attempts to protect historic shipwrecks off the Texas Coast. The San Esteban was a Spanish ship that wrecked off Padre Island. Texas Historical Commission archeologists excavated it in the early 1970s, and the remains of the San Esteban are currently located in the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History.
Other programs at the Texas Historical Commission include the Texas Heritage Trails, which is the Commission’s project on linking history with tourism in the state; Military History, which researches, documents and helps maintain military sites of historical interest; and a Preservation Grant program, which can be found here Preservation Grant Guide.
As a reminder, the 84th Texas Legislative session began on January 13th and is currently underway. As always, I want to hear your ideas and suggestion. Your ideas and information are important forms of feedback and I hope that you will not hesitate to contact my office.
If you would like to follow the Texas House and learn more information on news, committees or other aspects of the legislative body, you can access its website at Texas House of Representatives. The site features live streaming from the House floor, committee hearings as well as access to a number of other resources. You can also follow the the Texas Senate. The Texas Governor’s official website can be found at Office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott. For important information regarding transportation in the state, feel free to visit Texas Department of Transportation. Also you can visit The Texas General Land Office, and the Texas Railroad Commission.
If you have questions regarding any of the information mentioned in this week’s article, please do not hesitate to call my Capitol or District Office. Please always feel free to contact my office if you have any questions or issues regarding a Texas state agency, or if you would like to contact my office regarding constituent services. As always, my offices are available at any time to assist with questions, concerns or comments (Capitol Office, 512-463-0672; District Office, 361-949-4603).
– State Representative Todd Hunter, District 32
Rep. Hunter represents Nueces (Part)County . He can be contacted at todd.hunter@house.state.tx.us or at 512-463-0672.
