Texas Historical Commission

Texas Historical Commission We save the real places that tell the real stories of Texas.
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06/12/2026

Although Germany was not one of the Six Flags of Texas, its influence can still be felt in the communities settled by German immigrants in the first half of the 19th century. More than 175 years later, the Germanic roots remain strong in towns like Fredericksburg and Boerne, and especially in New Braunfels.

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, Mexico severed diplomatic ties with the Axis powers. By May 1942, after Ge...
06/11/2026

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, Mexico severed diplomatic ties with the Axis powers. By May 1942, after German U-boats sank several Mexican oil tankers, the country declared war against Japan, Germany, and Italy.

In a bold move to combine military capabilities, Mexico accepted the United States' invitation to train the 201st Fighter Squadron, known as "The Aztec Eagles," in Texas. Arriving in Laredo in July 1944, these 300 Mexican pilots and ground crew underwent a rigorous training regimen at Randolph Field in San Antonio and Foster Field in Victoria.

In April 1945, the Aztec Eagles made their way to the Philippines, joining forces with the U.S. 58th Fighter Group of the Fifth Air Force. Over their deployment, they flew an impressive 96 combat missions, successfully attacking Japanese forces.

Mexico's President Manuel Ávila Camacho pushed for the squadron's deployment to the Pacific, partly for his admiration of U.S. Gen. Douglas MacArthur, but also because he felt it could help liberate what he termed a people with "a continuity of idiom, history and traditions."

In recognition of their valor and contributions during World War II, the THC honored The Aztec Eagles with a historical marker at Victoria Regional Airport in 2007. This marker is recognizes the only Mexican military unit to see overseas combat during the war and remains a source of pride for two neighboring nations.

📸: 1. Republic P-47 Thunderbolt that Mexican pilots used in training / National Archives 2. Some of The Aztec Eagles / Getty Images by Bettmann

Come see preservation work in action! 👷🚧 Magoffin Home State Historic Site invites the public to experience the active r...
06/10/2026

Come see preservation work in action! 👷🚧

Magoffin Home State Historic Site invites the public to experience the active restoration of the home’s historic adobe walls through a limited-capacity hard hat tour.

Currently closed for general tours, the site is offering these exclusive behind-the-scenes experiences, guiding guests through the careful restoration of 150-year-old adobe bricks. Along the way, visitors will learn about the adobe preservation process, view artifacts recently uncovered during the work, and access areas of the home not seen since the walls were first built in the 1870s.

For more information, visit visitmagoffinhome.com.

When Texas heat turns relentless, there’s one timeless way to cool off: spring-fed water.Long before waterparks and reso...
06/10/2026

When Texas heat turns relentless, there’s one timeless way to cool off: spring-fed water.

Long before waterparks and resort pools, Texans flocked to natural springs, where cold, clear water became the heart of community gatherings, traditions, and summer escapes. From the Hill Country to West Texas, these iconic swimming spots offer more than relief from the heat. They tell stories.

It’s a feeling Texans have chased for generations, where the heat fades and summer memories begin.

Dive in and discover the three largest spring-fed swimming pools in the Lone Star State: https://texastimetravel.com/blog/3-legendary-spring-fed-pools-for-summer/

📸: View of Barton Springs pool from the west end (1947) / Austin History Center, The Portal to Texas History

A few essentials define a successful Texas summer: water, shade, sunscreen, and aloe vera—because no matter how much you...
06/08/2026

A few essentials define a successful Texas summer: water, shade, sunscreen, and aloe vera—because no matter how much you apply, you always end up bright red after a day spent tubing the river.

That familiar remedy has deep roots in the Rio Grande Valley, where Hilltop Gardens took shape in 1939. Founded by Lee and Sherman Ewald on 100 acres near La Villa, the farm quickly became one of the nation’s first commercial aloe vera operations. Recognizing the plant’s healing potential, Lee Ewald helped pioneer its use beyond home remedies, developing aloe-based cosmetics with her daughters and launching one of the earliest businesses to feature aloe vera gel as a key ingredient.

As demand grew, so did Hilltop Gardens. Incorporated in 1959 and later expanded, the farm evolved into a major producer, at one point cultivating more than 200,000 plants. By the late 1980s, it joined a global network of aloe producers, helping advance large-scale and organic farming practices.

📸: Hilltop Gardens

Another homage to the trails this National Trails Day—this time, to the journeys still waiting to be discovered: https:/...
06/06/2026

Another homage to the trails this National Trails Day—this time, to the journeys still waiting to be discovered: https://shophistorytexas.com/products/guide-texas-state-parks-historic-sites

The Official Guide to Texas State Parks is your essential companion for exploring every corner of Texas, now updated with the latest THC-managed historic sites, new state parks, and stunning photography. Organized by region and trusted by adventurers for over thirty years, it’s the most complete resource for planning your next hike, campout, or scenic escape.

Shop now: https://shophistorytexas.com/products/guide-texas-state-parks-historic-sites

Where will the trail take you next?

Long before highways crisscrossed Texas, El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Association, or “Royal Road...
06/06/2026

Long before highways crisscrossed Texas, El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Association, or “Royal Road,” was the main artery of Spanish Texas, stretching from the Rio Grande to the piney woods of Louisiana. For over a century and a half, it was the route for missionaries, soldiers, traders, and families.

El Camino Real de los Tejas began as a network of indigenous footpaths, later adapted by Spanish explorers to connect missions and settlements like San Antonio and Nacogdoches. Over time, it became a cultural crossroads, bringing together Native American, Spanish, French, and Anglo-American influences that shaped the Texas we know today.

Today, you can still experience this history at sites along the trail, including Caddo Mounds State Historic Site in Alto (pictured) and Mission Dolores State Historic Site in San Augustine.

There’s still time to plan a getaway to Kerrville and discover its vibrant community of artists, makers, and entrepreneu...
06/04/2026

There’s still time to plan a getaway to Kerrville and discover its vibrant community of artists, makers, and entrepreneurs. Through June 28, the Kerr Arts & Cultural Center is hosting Spark! Places of Innovation, a Smithsonian traveling exhibition that celebrates creativity, ingenuity, and the power of place.

While you’re there, explore Small Towns with Big Ideas, a companion exhibit honoring Kerr County’s spirit of innovation. Make a day of it with additional programming, including vineyard tours, film screenings, live music, a traditional English tea, and a special exhibit commemorating 100 years of Schreiner University.

Start planning your visit, browse the full schedule of events, and follow Spark! Places of Innovation as it travels across Texas. Begin your journey at https://texastimetravel.com/plan/the-smithsonian-comes-to-texas/smithsonian-in-kerrville/

As the new Texas Technological College (now Texas Tech University) took shape at Lubbock in the 1920s, an unusual facili...
06/03/2026

As the new Texas Technological College (now Texas Tech University) took shape at Lubbock in the 1920s, an unusual facility was established at the heart of campus.

Agriculture instructors A.H. Leidigh and W.L. Stangel helped plan a college dairy barn complex that included a silo, milking and feeding room, sun room, and other spaces.

Perhaps better known for its skyscrapers, courthouses, and large commercial and residential buildings, the Fort Worth architectural and engineering firm of Sanguinet, Staats & Hedrick designed the dairy barn with Arts and Crafts styling.

In the 1926 course catalog, seven of the 20 courses offered involved the dairy barn. The dairy produced milk products for the college cafeteria, and students with animals kept there benefited from dairy sales.

Though portions of the complex were demolished in the 1960s, the dairy barn and silo were listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1992, and the dairy barn was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 2015.

The 1902 Newton County Second-Empire-style courthouse is a three-story brick structure featuring a clock and bell tower,...
06/02/2026

The 1902 Newton County Second-Empire-style courthouse is a three-story brick structure featuring a clock and bell tower, mansard roof, and corner quoins. Notably, the clay for the brick was mined from nearby Caney Creek, then molded and fired right on the courthouse square, making the building literally built from its own land. It replaced an earlier courthouse built in 1853.

The courthouse square has witnessed significant moments in history, including a political speech delivered by the future Governor of Texas, Dan Moody, in 1926. That same year, a monument was dedicated on the courthouse lawn honoring Reverend Henry Stephenson, reputed to have preached the first Protestant evangelical sermon in the State of Texas. The original tower housed a faux clock until 1929, when local benefactors donated a real four-faced clock in honor of Dr. J.S. Peavy and his wife, Maryann Fuller.

A catastrophic fire on August 4, 2000, destroyed much of the interior and collapsed the bell tower. The courthouse was subsequently reconstructed and restored to its 1936 exterior and 1925 interior appearance, with a new steel and aluminum bell and clock tower installed in May 2009. The project was completed in 2012 and rededicated on December 8, 2012 in Newton.

Newton County received over $4.4 million in grants through the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program (THCPP). The courthouse has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1997 and was designated a State Antiquities Landmark in 1981 and a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1974.

Learn more about how the THC helps preserve these landmarks through the THCPP at thc.texas.gov/courthouses

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