Fast Facts

Cemetery Preservation

1,706

Historic Texas Cemetery designations

254

Counties with Historic Texas Cemetery designations

County Historical Commission Outreach

CHC

Abbreviation for County Historical Commission

7

Minimum number of appointees required for a County Historical Commission

18

Average number of appointees per County Historical Commission

3,600

Approximate number of County Historical Commission appointees in Texas

444,808

County Historical Commission volunteer hours for 2019 year of service

$11,311,467

Monetary value of County Historical Commission volunteer hours for 2019

185

County Historical Commission reports submitted for the 2019 year of service

236

Counties that have at least one County Historical Commission contact in place

$9.87

Average monetary value of service returned after investing $1 in a County Historical Commission

Curatorial Facility Certification

17

Curatorial facilities certified in Texas

2005

Curatorial Facility Program established

Curatorial Facility for Artifact Research

2011

Year that the Curatorial Facility for Artifact Research opened to receive collections

35%

Humidity level some archeological collections must be stored at to prevent damage to the artifacts

1408

Number of artifacts that have been conserved through the Curatorial Facility for Artifact Research since 2009

Historic Resources Survey

$234,028

CLG grant funds awarded from 2010 to 2013 for historic resources surveys

25%

THC’s target survey and inventory increase

Historic Sites Division

1853

Date of the coin found under the pier of the main house at Levi Jordan Plantation

22,000

The number of gallons of molasses produced by Patton in 1850 at the Varner-Hogg Plantation

8

The number of sides of the dance pavilion at Confederate Reunion Grounds

85,554

The number of historic artifacts in the Historic Sites collection

0

The number of building foundations at the Magoffin Home

1911

The year that the 32nd Legislature appropriated funds to erect a monument over Elizabeth Crockett's grave at Acton State Historic Site

3

The number of camel expeditions passing through Fort Lancaster

June 24, 1807

The date that explorer Zebulon Pike camped near Caddo Mounds State Historic Site

March 29, 1836

The date of the burning of San Felipe de Austin during the Runaway Scrape

4

The average number of oil derricks per acre during the height of oil production at the Varner-Hogg Plantation

1821

The year in which Stephen F. Austin, during his first trip to Texas, camped at Caddo Mounds State Historic Site

33

The number of longhorn cattle at Fort Griffin that are part of the Official State of Texas Longhorn Herd

50,000

The number of acres of land owned by Jose Antonio Navarro in the San Antonio area

8

The number of sets of china that Sam Rayburn owned and used at his home in Bonham

645

The number of hand-painted tiles in the "Laredito" mural at Casa Navarro by San Antonio artist Jesse Trevino

1833

The year that Jose Antonio Navarro registered his cattle brand

17

The number of amazingly talented and dedicated Site Managers in the Historic Sites Division

4

The number of years Jose Antonio Navarro spent as a prisoner of Santa Anna in Mexico

7

The number of "Lazy Boys" that became the Pleiades constellation in the Caddo myth

26

The number of kilowatt hours provided to the City of Castroville by J.T. Lawler's hydroelectric plant at the Landmark Inn in 1927

800

The number of loaves of bread produced by the bakery at Fort Griffin each day when the Fort was in active service by the U.S. Army

313,088

The number of people who participated in THC Historic Sites programs in FY 2014

16,000

The number of gallons of water the basement cistern at Fulton Mansion held

1913

The year in which Fannin Battleground was acquired by the state, making it one of the four oldest state historic sites in Texas

45 Feet

The depth of the well at Fort Griffin that has never run dry

78%

The increase in THC Historic Sites visitation from FY 2008 to FY 2014

1189

The number of hand hewn shingles on the roof of the Monod Kitchen, the smallest building at Landmark Inn

53,365

The number of volunteer hours contributed at THC Historic Sites in FY 2014

1,000,000

The number of pounds of corn meal produced at the Gristmill at Landmark Inn in 1880

151,113

Visits to THC Historic Sites websites in FY 2014

December 7, 1941

The date that the Officer's Quarters at Fort McKavett was burned

Historic Texas Highways

2,700+

Number of road-related resources documented during Bankhead Highway survey

1917

Texas Department of Transportation was established, then known as State Highway Department

Broadway of America

Nickname for the Bankhead Highway; also know as SH 1, US 80/US 67, IH 10/IH 20/IH 30

1880s

Good Roads Movement got started by bicyclist advocates for better-quality paved roads

Oct. 5, 1899

First motorized horseless carriage arrives in Dallas driven by Edward Green and George Dorris

1902

Auto races held at the State Fair of Texas

May 2016

Projected completion of the Meridian Highway survey

10,527

total miles of roadway in Texas in 1914

43

Counties traversed by the Bankhead Highway

1930

year that the Texas Highway Department built its first roadside parks to provide places for travelers to stop and relax

3,724

number of miles of new roads constructed by WPA work-relief projects from 1933 to 1941

Historic Texas Lands Plaque

36

Plaques awarded to Texas landowners through the Historic Texas Lands Plaque program

90%

Of all Texas archeological sites are on private land

Military History

1st in Texas

World War II-era Enemy Alien Internment Camp (Crystal City) listed on the National Register of Historic Places

24

Texas in World War II Vignettes dedicated

66

Oral History Training Workshops conducted

5

Texas Civil War Monuments dedicated since 2008

7

Park Days (battlefield clean-up) held at Palmito Ranch Battlefield since 2008

Museum Services

1969

Year museum services program established

13.5 million

Historic artifacts in U.S. collecting institutions are at risk

11 counties in Texas

Do not have history museums

153 million

Photographs in U.S. collecting institutions are at risk

19%

of all Texas history museums are in the Texas Independence Trail Region.

2.6 billion

Items in historic, cultural, and scientific collections in the U.S. are not protected by an emergency plan and are at great risk

3 Trail Regions

have at least one history museum in every county.

12 million

The number of students museums provide hands-on experiences to each year

Texas

Has the largest state museum association in the country

165 million

The number of tourists museums attract annually

2,200+

Museums in the state of Texas

$21 billion

The amount museums contribute to the American economy each year

59%

Of collecting institutions in the U.S. have had their collections damaged by light exposure

53%

Of collecting institutions in the U.S. have had their collections damaged by moisture

26%

Of collecting institutions in the U.S. have no environmental controls to protect their collections

59%

Of institutions in the U.S. have the majority of their collections stored in areas too small to accommodate them appropriately

65%

Of collecting institutions in the U.S. have experienced damage to collections due to improper storage

78%

Of museums in the U.S. do not have an emergency plan with staff trained to carry it out

39%

Of collecting institutions in the U.S. have a backlog in cataloging their collections

80%

Of collecting institutions in the U.S. do not have paid staff dedicated to collections care

70%

Of collecting institutions in the U.S. need additional training for their staff and volunteers caring for collections

Over 900

Local history museums are in the state of Texas.

Over 4.8 billion

Artifacts in U.S. are held in public trust by museums and other institutions.

Preservation Tax Incentives

419 sqft

Floor area of the Whiskey Warehouse, Columbus, the smallest building certified under the state tax credit program

$880,565,142

Income generated by federal rehabilitation tax credit projects in Texas between 1979 and 2011

$55 million

State tax revenue generated by the state rehabilitation tax credit program in Texas between 2015 and 2020

243

Successful completed projects approved by the state tax credit program as of 2020, with total eligible costs of $1.8 billion

$453 million

the total proposed investment in new state tax credit projects, based on Part B applications received in the year 2020 alone

2 out of 3

The average number of state tax credit projects that also participate in the federal program

$3.55 billion

Total estimated rehabilitation expenditures for all Part B project proposals for the state tax credit program, 2015-2020

641

Number of Part A applications received for the state tax credit program as of 2020

$6 million

Average amount spent on each certified federal rehabilitation tax credit project in Texas since 2000

45

The number of Texas communities with certified state tax credit projects as of 2020

$2.7 billion

Reinvested in the Texas economy through the federal rehabilitation tax credit program from 1979 to 2018

54,000+

Jobs supported by certified state rehabilitation tax credit projects in Texas between 2015 and 2020

553,013 sqft

Floor area of the Statler Hilton, Dallas, the largest building certified under the state tax credit program

1263

Federal tax credit projects reviewed by THC staff from 1979 to 2014 (before state program launched): an average of 35 projects per year

Project Review

96%

Projects reviewed in 2012 that had no effect or no adverse effect on historic properties, compared with those with an adverse effect

11

Average number of days for Texas Historical Commission staff to complete a project review

98,560

Acres surveyed in 2014 under Section 106 and Antiquities Code projects

15,000

Average number of projects reviewed per year since 2008 by Texas Historical Commission review staff

1,355

Archeological sites recorded in FY 2014

7,044

Antiquities permits issued since 1970

175

State Antiquities Landmarks on private land

Regional Archeology

1500 years ago

Bow and arrow was introduced to Texas

13,000 years

Age of Oldest Known Archeological Sites in Texas

1,143

FY 2014- Archeological sites reported in Section 106 and Antiquities Code of Texas reviews

76,840

Archeological sites recorded in Texas, as of September 2014

90%

Or more of the archeological sites in Texas are privately owned

State Historical Markers

16,934

Official State Historical Markers in Texas as of Jan. 1, 2020

3,829

Number of buildings, structures and objects designated as Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks (RTHLs) from 1962 to 2019

97%

Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks (RTHLs) saved in 50 years of the program -- less than 100 of 3,853 have been lost

1,100

Number of markers, monuments, statues, memorial museums and exposition buildings from the Texas Centennial in 1936

198

Average number of new historical markers each year THC has produced over the last ten years

2,000

Number of people attending "Education in Livingston" historical marker dedication in Polk County in April 2008

8

Most historical markers dedicated simultaneously -- in Thurber (Erath County) in October 1995

242

Number of 1936 Centennial markers in need of restoration

19

Average number of historical marker replacements processed each year

22

Average number of historical marker relocation requests processed each year

168

Number of markers awarded through the Undertold Program since 2007

Texas Archeological Stewards

1,100

Landowners, organizations, and other individuals assisted by Texas Archeological Stewards in 2019

4,935

Number of people attending presentations and workshops given by Texas Archeological Stewards in 2019

$555,849

Dollar value of Texas Archeological Stewards volunteer hours worked in 2019

128,098

Volunteer miles driven by Texas Archeological Stewards in 2019

$645,795

Dollar value of Texas Archeological Stewards volunteer hours worked in 2018

45

Archeological sites recorded by avocational archeologists in 2019

1,557

Archeological sites recorded by avocational archeologists between 2006 and 2019

138

The number of stewards in the Texas Archeology Stewardship Network

21,858

Volunteer hours contributed by Texas Archeological Stewards in 2019

Texas Archeology Month

2015

61 Texas Archeology Month events were held in 42 towns throughout 37 counties

1989

Texas Archeology Awareness Week, the precursor to Texas Archeology Month, was first observed during the month of April.

April 1989

Texas Archeology Awareness Week was first observed and initiated by the Texas Archeological Society

2014

70 separate Texas Archeology Month events held in 40 communities in 38 counties.

1993

THC took on the task of Texas Archeology Awareness Week coordination

1996

Texas Archeological Awareness Week was expanded to a month-long observance due to growth in popularity

1997

Texas Archeology Month was moved to October to enable educators to incorporate archeology into curriculum early in the school year.

Texas Courthouse Stewardship

83

Grant-funded Counties Participating in Courthouse Stewardship Program

140+

The amount of hours provided for Courthouse Stewardship Training

Texas Heritage Trails

110,185

Hours contributed by volunteers through the Texas Heritage Trails Program

$652,319

Partnership grants to communities and nonprofits through the Texas Heritage Trails Program

$7.3 billion

Estimated annual heritage traveler spending

54,000

Texas jobs created by heritage tourism (estimated annual average)

$175

Average daily spending of each Texas heritage traveler

7.6 million

Heritage travel guides distributed to visitors

10.5%

Travel in Texas that is heritage-related

$3.2 million

Regional cash contributions supporting the Texas Heritage Trails Program

$4.8 million

In-kind contributions supporting the Texas Heritage Trails Program

Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation

More than 240

Historic county courthouses in Texas

67

Counties have received full restoration funding through the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program

$681 million

Gross State Product generated through the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program

10,656

Jobs created through the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program

21

Major Films Featuring a Texas Courthouse

$555 million

Income generated through the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program

130

Revitalization Projects Completed in Denton Since their Courthouse Restoration

over $40 million

State and local taxes generated through the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program

93

Counties Received Courthouse Grants

$271 million

Courthouse Grant Funding Awarded Since 1999

$224 million

County Matching Funds Toward Courthouse Preservation

$69 billion

Direct Travel Spending in Texas

over 100,000 people

Visit the Harrison County Courthouse During the Wonderland of Lights in Marshall

Texas Main Street Program

First

Texas Main Street was one of the first coordinating programs in the country, created in 1980

Almost 11,000

Small businesses created in Texas Main Street districts

$4.78 billion

Reinvestment in designated Main Street communities since 1981

89

Designated communities in the Texas Main Street Program

Closed

2023 Main Street Application Process

1,500 and 316,381

Smallest (Granger) and largest (Corpus Christi) Texas Main Street cities

1.98 million

Number of volunteer hours dedicated to local Main Street programs since 2001, valued at more than $50 million

43,849

Jobs created by small businesses in Texas Main Street districts

20, 25, 30, 35

Anniversaries for Main Street communities. See our Current Participants Page.

Texas Treasure Business Award

1845

Oldest pharmacy awarded: Reuss Pharmacy in Cuero

1841

Oldest business awarded: Gibbs Brothers and Co., Huntsville

470

Businesses have received the Texas Treasure Business Award since 2005.

Tribal Consultation Guidelines

3

Federally recognized tribes located in the State of Texas

27

Tribes that have historic ties to Texas