Monday, December 19, 2022 - 11:59am
By Margo McCutcheon, Educator at the Sam Rayburn House State Historic Site
Sam “Mr. Sam” Rayburn was alive just 61 years ago. To some people, that may seem akin to a million years ago, but historically speaking, it’s just a blip on a very large radar. That’s such a short while ago, really, that some visitors to the Sam Rayburn House State Historic Site share personal stories about Mr....
Thursday, November 17, 2022 - 10:55am
By Margo McCutcheon, Educator at Sam Rayburn House State Historic Site
What do you think of when you imagine an archeological artifact? Old bones and clay pots? Tools and weapons from a time long gone? The jar for that medicine you don’t want anybody to know about?
All of these things can be archeological artifacts if they are unearthed in a few years. According to the National...
Thursday, November 10, 2022 - 9:40am
Veterans Day is a moment to pay respect and show support for our nation's veterans. This year, the National Museum of the Pacific War (NMPW) will hold an onsite program in Fredericksburg at the museum's Memorial Courtyard on Friday, November 11 at 11 a.m. The program will also be livestreamed to YouTube and Facebook. NMPW offers free admission on Veterans Day for all veterans and all who are...
Monday, October 31, 2022 - 3:38pm
Show your support for the historic places in Texas by giving holiday gifts from the Texas Historical Commission Stores. We are pleased to share our holiday gift guide to inspire ideas for fans of history and heritage travel.
If you would like a product from our state historic sites stores shipped to you this season, email museumstores@thc.texas.gov or call 979-885-2181 to...
Tuesday, October 11, 2022 - 1:53pm
After Texas gained independence from Mexico in 1836, the Republic of Texas found itself in dire straits. The Republic was heavily in debt from the revolution and its newly won freedom remained precarious. The Mexican congress refused to recognize Texas independence as outlined in the Treaties of Velasco, signed by the imprisoned President Antonio López de Santa Anna. The threat of reconquest...
Monday, October 10, 2022 - 4:01pm
By Brooklyn Pfennig, Intern at the Sam Rayburn House
On summer days, especially those of late July, with its 100-degree weather and blistering sunshine, I love to reminisce and think of the days of March and April when it rains. I find myself on days like those curled up with a blanket and a delightful book, listening to the weather outside and immersing myself in wherever the book...
Monday, September 19, 2022 - 8:27am
By Kirby McLeod, Intern at the Sam Rayburn House
Biographers D.B. Hardeman and Donald Bacon recall a meeting with Sam “Mr. Sam” Rayburn in December of 1956. On the day in question, the biographers note the lunch prepared by Medibel Bartley and Martha Rayburn Thomas (longtime cook Bobbie Erskine Phillips had passed away earlier in the year) consisted of fried pork shoulder, pork sausage...
Thursday, August 25, 2022 - 1:03pm
By Margo McCutcheon, Site Educator at the Sam Rayburn House
Whether they have researched him on their own time or have traveled to his historic home site for a tour, most people agree there was a lot to respect about Sam “Mr. Sam” Rayburn. He was a professional politician who supported his political party’s decisions whether he personally agreed with those decisions or not.
He...
Monday, August 8, 2022 - 9:53am
Before it was the site where Texas won its independence, the San Jacinto Battleground was a cattle ranch owned by Peggy McCormick.
Peggy was born in Ireland, likely around 1788. Along with her husband, Arthur, and two sons, John and Michael, Peggy immigrated first to New Orleans in 1818 and then to Texas in 1823 or 1824, making the McCormicks part of Austin’s Old Three Hundred...
Friday, July 22, 2022 - 11:41am
Lots of places in Texas fly six flags, but the six flags flying in front of the San Jacinto Monument are unique. Instead of the traditional six flags of Texas, we fly six flags that represent key sites from Texas’ struggle for independence.
Texas won its independence at San Jacinto, but the battle didn’t happen in a vacuum. These six flags represent events and locations that...
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