Fall Quarterly Meeting, October 24-25, 2024

The Texas Historical Commission will hold its quarterly commission meeting in Midland/Odessa, Texas.

Black and white photograph of a small cottage with trees in the foreground.

Ghosts Along the Brazos


Take an eerie stroll around the Varner-Hogg Plantation State Historic Site and listen to tales of the area’s ghostly heritage. You’ll not want to miss out on all the eerie fun! Please see our Facebook page for more information.

A team of men wearing period clothing fire a cannon. A large plume of smoke emerges from the barrel.

Boom: Cannon Demonstration

Witness our trained staff demonstrate how a cannon is safely loaded and fired and experience the thrill of live cannon fire every half hour!

Three different types of birds posing in their natural environments.

Bird Watching at the Battleground

From the 1,210-foot long marsh trail and boardwalk, visitors will spot coastal birds like the Red-winged Blackbird, Roseate Spoonbill, Wood Stork, Mottled Duck, Osprey, and White Pelican as well as other wetland denizens such as the River Otter.

Image of the JA brand in an iron gate

Red River War Series: The JA - First Ranch of the Panhandle

Cowboys and cattle drives - the very images of the Old West! The JA Ranch has a storied past and we hope you will join us to learn more about this very first ranch in the Texas Panhandle.

A man and a woman in period dress cooking bread over a fire.

San Jacinto Family Day: Breadmaking

Try making your own campfire bread, just like the Texian soldiers did 187 years ago!

Flamethrower going off over tank in battle reenactment of the pacific war.

Pacific Valor: Sergeant Raymond Eubanks

The National Museum of the Pacific War's Pacific Valor, battle demonstrations each tell the story of a specific World War II Medal of Honor recipient. This program will transport guests back to the Jungles of New Guinea, where Sergeant Raymond Eubanks gave his life through an act of unfathomable heroism on the battlefield. The battle demonstration will include simulated explosives, blank firing guns, and a real M2-2 flamethrower for an immersive experience brought to you by the living history volunteers of Company K.

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A group of bike riders dressed in athletic clothing pedal along the road of the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site. The shaft of the San Jacinto Monument stands on the left side of the image.

Cycling Saturdays

The roads within the San Jacinto State Historic Site will open early for bicyclists. Travel our 7.5 miles of site roads and see the battleground where Texas was won at your own pace. No motorized vehicles will be allowed into the site during this time to promote safe bicycling.

A wooden spinning wheel with spindles and raw fiber rests on a table.

Spinning and Weaving

Learn more about traditional spinning and weaving at a demonstration from the Bay Area Weavers and Spinners every second Saturday at the San Jacinto Museum.

A line of six men dressed in 1830s period clothing fire muskets while standing in a green field, white smoke billowing away from the barrels.

Fire!: Arms Demo

Venture to this historic battleground to experience some of the thunderous sounds of battle as San Jacinto Battleground staff demonstrate how to fire a musket and rifle, weapons both the Mexican and Texian armies utilized on the fateful day that won Texan independence.