Daughters of the Republic of Texas, "The Vision," Republic of Texas History Complex

By consolidating the activities of The Daughters of the Republic of Texas and The Republic of Texas Museum in one location in downtown Austin adjacent to the historic French Legation Museum, The Daughters of the Republic of Texas will be able to create the Republic of Texas History Complex. The Republic of Texas History Complex will provide a larger, more appropriate setting for exhibitions, educational programs, family gatherings, conferences and public festivals. In this way, the DRT will better serve the State of Texas and visitors seeking to learn about and appreciate the rich and fascinating history of the State of Texas.

The Daughters of the Republic of Texas currently provide educational programs on Texas history for children of all ages and other special groups, in a building located in North Austin near the overpass at the intersection of U. S. Highway 183 and Interstate Highway 35. This is also the site of its daily business operations and The Republic of Texas Museum. Originally commercial in nature, the building was not designed as a museum. It is difficult for visitors to locate, and does not have adequate parking for school buses and larger numbers of visitors.

The French Legation grounds on historic Robertson Hill have been managed since 1949 by the Daughters of The Republic of Texas, and as a musem since 1956. The site is centrally located near downtown Austin at 802 San Marcos Street. A new building called the Republic of Texas history Center will be constructed on adjacent property. The Center will house the DRT Business Office and Republic of Texas Museum. It will be designed in keeping with the historic nature of the location. In addition, some existing spaces will be rearranged for improved public access, and more parking will be provided.

The Republic of Texas History Complex will contain new and existing areas:

• Vistor Center, including a Viewing Theatre
• Republic of Texas Museum (relocated)
• French Legation Museum
• Gift Shop
• Children's Interactive Museum (relocated)
• Business Office (relocated)
• State-of-the-Art Texas Family Research Center
• Meeting and Conference Accommodations
• Expanded Parking

The Daughters of the Republic of Texas are rasing money for this project with their program called A Vision for the 21st Century. A Vision for the 21st Century is intended to help The Daughters of the Republic of Texas more effectively achieve their mission which includes the following goals:

• To perpetuate the memory and spirit of those who achieved and maintained the independence of Texas.
• To provide educational programs of the highest caliber in close cooperation with school districts, as well as ongoing educational programs for the general public.
• To encourage research into early Texas records, preserve historic documents, and encourage the publication of historic records.
• To secure and memorialize historic sites.

You can help. A Vision for the 21st Century's budget is $9.5 million. Of this amount, approximately $1 million will be provided from the sale of the DRT's North Austin building and charitable donations, already made. This leaves $8.5 million to raise to attain their Vision. Included are funds for land acquisition, construction, reprogramming exhibits, and endowment for long-term maintenance. Name recognition will be available for donors of $10,000 and more. For more information, contact Lana Boussidan, DRT Administrator at 512-339-1997.

The Daughters of the Republic of Texas Campaign

510 East Anderson Lane

Austin, Texas 78752

Email: lana.boussidan@drtmuseum.org

Website: http://www.drt-inc.org/

Three Projects at the San Jacinto State Historic Site

This article was written by Steven K. Howell for the Spring 2010 editon of "The Dreadnought" the newsletter of the Battleship Texas Foundation and appears with his permission.

There are three significant projects in process at the San Jacinto State Historic Site. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is working on the Visitor Information Center; the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Battleship Texas Foundation are working jointly on the Dry Berth Project; and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Battleship Texas Foundation are also working jointly on the Wharf and Amenities Project. Details on each of these projects are presented below.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is working on the construction of a permanent Visitor Information Center at the San Jacinto State Historic Site. Five sites are under consideration, including two sites close to the location of the Texas. Public hearings have been heard to solicit input from interested parties regarding this Center. As planned the Visitor Information Center will provide a focal point for helping visitors to the Park to understand the Battle of San Jacinto, the Battleground, the San Jacinto Museum of History as well as the Battleship Texas. The Battleship Texas Foundation looks forward to working with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as the Visitor Information Center Project moves forward. Funding for the Center comes from a Federal grant.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department continues to negotiate a contract with the top bidder for the Dry Berth Project. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department received written proposals from interested consultants in late 2009 and received in-person proposals from the top five bidders during November and December. The successful bidder will take on the responsibility to design and engineer the dry berth and to meet environmental compliance requirements for the construction of a permanent dry berth for the Texas. Funding for the Dry Berth Project comes from $25 million in voter-approved Bonds, suplemented by $4 million raised by the Battleship Texas Foundation.

As the Visitor Information Center Project has continued to develop, the Battleship Texas Foundation has modified the components of its Wharf and Amenities Project to coordinate with and be compatible with the Visitor Information Center. The Battleship Texas Foundation has prepared and presented revised designs to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and, once they are reviewed and accepted, the designs will be presented to the Battleship Texas Foundation Members and financial supporters. At this point in the design process, the Wharf and Amenities will be located on the north side of the existing slip. When constructed, this will permit two existing parking lots (to the south and to the east of the ship) to be removed; and this will allow additional interpretation of of the Battleground. The Amenities building is designed to include a staging area for the Overnight Education Program, a dedicated shop and restoration space for the First Texas Volunteers, a covered open-air space for the interpretation of large exhibits and new restrooms.

Many thanks to the members of the Texas Legislature, as well as to a host of other elected officials, who continue to be advocates for the preservation, restoration and presentation of the world's last dreadnought-type battleship through their continued support of the Dry Berth Project.

Click here for more information on the Battleship Texas Foundation at their web site.

2010 Texian Navy Day

David Hanover has provided some preliminary information regading the 2010 Texian Navy Day. The 2010 Texian Navy Day ceremony will be sponsored by the Sons of the Republic of Texas and will take place on September 18, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. This year's ceremony will honor the Secretary of the Republic of Texas Navy, S. Rhoads Fisher and the Republic of Texas Navy. The ceremony will be held in the Matagorda Cemetery in Matagorda, Texas. For more information, Texian Navy Day Chairman, David Hanover, can be reached at 903-509-2206 or dhanover@suddenlink.net Also check http://www.srttexas.org/ for any other changes.

Texas Heritage Society - June 2010 Meeting Historian Gregg Dimmick "The Archeology of the Mexican Army in Texas"

The May meeting of the Texas Heritage Society is scheduled for June 17, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at 18 West Shaker Court in The Woodlands. The June meeting will feature Texas historian Gregg Dimmick. His topic will be "The Archeology of the Mexican Army in Texas."

Dr. Dimmick is a pediatrician in Wharton, Texas whose avocation for many years has been archeology. Beginning with his work with the "Sea of Mud" in Wharton County, Gregg Dimmick has done more to advance our understanding of the history of the Texas Revolution than any other historian in recent years. Dr. Dimmick is a member of the Board of Directors of the Friends of the San Jacinto Battleground and the Wharton County Museum.

Dimmick is the author of the highly acclaimed book, Sea of Mud, which completely modified our understanding of the retreating Texas Army following the Battle of San Jacinto. He is also the editor of General Filisola's Analysis of Jose Urrea's Military Diary which has also shed considerable light on this period in Texas history.

Texas Independence Web Site

In a collaborative project, the Star of the Republic Museum and the Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site together with a number of sponsors and contributors have poduced an interactive web site for children and all students of Texas history around the world.

The promotional literature for the new "Texas Independence" web site provides the following information:

"Independence, Freedom and Democracy...What more important concepts can we teach our children? These crucial concepts were the motivation behind the convention held at Washington-on-the-Brazos, the Birthplace of Texas, in early March 1836. Texas was in turmoil, as fifty-nine elected delegates met to sign the Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico. Discover what motivated them to take this bold and unprecedented step for democracy at:

http://txindependence.org/

Students are immersed in the story of Texas Independence. Fun, educational activities, designed to complement both the 4th and 7th grade TEKS, include:

• The Independence Story in 92 Seconds - an animated, action-packed overview.
• In Washington Town - a 3D game which lets students interact with the citizens in 1836.
• Convention Comicmaker - a fun activity which allows students to create their own story.
• Timeline of Independence - notable events that led to the formation of the Republic of Texas.
• Behind the Grievances - an interactive look at the Declaration of Independence based on primary sources.
• Delegate Connection - a searchable database with key information about the delegates.
• Primary Sources - a searchable collection of primary artifacts and documents.
• Teachers Resources - lesson plans, TEKS correlation, activities and resources.
  

To learn more about Old Washington and the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence, see this interesting new web site.

Albert Sidney Johnston Camp No. 67 Meeting - May 19, 2010

The Albert Sidney Johnston Camp #67, Houston, Texas, will be holding their monthly meeting Wednesday, May 19, 2010. Mark Vogl will be making a presentation about "The Life and Times of Lt. Dick Dowling, CSA."The Albert Sidney Johnston Chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans meets at The Briar Club located at Westheimer and Timmons Lane in Houston, Texas. There will be an Executive Board meeting beginning at 5:30 p.m. (all camp members in good standing are invited to attend the Executive Board meeting). A happy hour-cash bar will follow at 6:30 p.m. The dinner and Camp Meeting will follow at 7:00 p.m. Please R.S.V.P. to Ev Gardner at 281-980-9054 or Dodd Eastham at dodd@bayoudog.org

Image of "The Johnston Journal" masthead courtesy of Albert Sidney Johnston Camp #67. All rights reserved.

On May 6, 2010, the Conroe City Council voted unanimously to release bids for the construction of the Lone Star Monument and Historical Flag Park.

The Lone Star Monument and Historical Flag Park has been designed with a number of different elements to celebrate Texas and Montgomery County history. In the center of the park will be a life-sized bronze monument. The bronze monument will represent common man who volunteered to serve in the Texas Revolutionary Army to win and preserve Texas Independence. The bronze statue of the Texas Revolutionary Soldier will be holding the Lone Star Flag on a flag pole. The flag will also be made of bronze. In front of the monument will be a bronze plaque inscribed "The Texian."

Behind the monument, on flag poles, will fly several different flags significant to the Texas Revolution and to Texas as an independent nation. At the base of each flag pole will be a plaque that describes the flag and its place in Texas history.

At the entrance to the park will be a four-sided granite stand with a bronze bust of Charles B. Stewart. A biography of Stewart and directions to Montgomery, Texas where Stewart spent most of his adult life will be inscribed on this monument. Many historians credit Charles B. Stewart with the design of the Lone Star Flag of Texas in 1839 while residing in the Town of Montgomery then the county seat of Montgomery County, Texas.

The stated purpose of the park is to serve as an educational tool for the citizens of Texas, to become a source of local pride and inspiration for Montgomery, County; and to enhance heritage tourism by being a point of destination for the great number of tourists that pass through that area daily.

For more informaiton about the Lone Star Monument and Historical Flag Park, go to: http://www.texasflagpark.org/park.htm

Madam Powell Marker Re-Dedicated

A Centennial Marker dedicated to Madam Powell in 1936 was re-dedicated on Saturday, May 1, 2010. This marker had been knocked down over the years and the Texas Star had been removed by vandals. The San Jacinto Chapter of the Sons of the Republic of Texas took a leading role in the repair and cleaning of the Madam Powell 1936 marker. Jack Wendt, who now owns the property, up-righted the marker and improved the road to the marker site.

The Master of Ceremonies for the ceremony was Tom Green. Curt Osborne, Chaplain of the San Jacinto Chapter of the Sons of the Republic of Texas led the invocation. Sam Clark, KSJ, the President General of the Sons of the Republic of Texas, led the pledge to the United States flag. Ron Brown, the President of San Jacinto Chapter #1 led the pledge to the Texas flag.

Jack Wendt then provided the history of the land that the Elizabeth Powell marker is located on going back to the original Mexican land grant and tracing the history of the ownership of the land to the present. Bert Bleil, the Chairman of the Ft. Bend County Historical Commission also spoke and welcomed everyone on behalf of the Ft. Bend County Historical Commission. Charles Sadnick, III, Historian with the Texas Historical Commission spoke about the history of the 1936 Centennial markers and the importance of efforts such as this one to preserve Texas history.

Several descendants of Elizabeth Powell were then introduced. Some of the Powell descendants had come all the way from Louisiana to be here for the re-dedication of the marker. Descendants of Elizabeth Powell included Frank and Vickie Deffes, and their son Frank and his wife, Alicia.

Keynote speaker, Dr. Gregg Dimmick, spoke about his archeological investigation of the Madam Powell site several years ago. His archeological investigation confirmed that the Mexican Army camped at the location where the Madam Powell marker was erected in 1936. Dr. Dimmick believes that the site of the Madam Powell marker marks a critical location in the history of Texas.

It was at this site, following the defeat of the Mexican Army at San Jacinto, that all the Mexican Generals met to decide what to do next. Should they take the large combined army they had (about 2500 and about 1,500 camp followers) and go after the much smaller Texas Army (about 800), or should they retreat. They decided to retreat to two towns within Texas. Shortly after leaving Powell's Tavern, it began to rain and the Mexican Army got stuck in what became known as the "Sea of Mud" or "El Mar de Lodo" near present day town of Wharton, Texas. It took the Mexican Army two weeks to extract itself from the mud. Having lost much of their supplies, General Filisola the commander of the Mexican Army decided to retreat across the Rio Grande River.

Had the Mexican Generals decided to take the attack to the much smaller Texian Army, Texas history would probably have been much different.

The up-righted, restored and cleaned marker was then unveiled by SRT President General Sam Clark and San Jacinto Chapter President Ron Brown while members of the Sons of the Republic of Texas (David Martin, Tom Houston, Carl Hill, and Dale Williamson) in 1836 period attire fired several black-powder rifle salutes.

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Wendt then welcomed everyone into their home for refreshments following the re-dedication ceremony.

SITE OF THE HOME OF

ELIZABETH POWELL

BUILT BEFORE MARCH 21, 1831, WHEN
THE LAND WAS GRANTED TO HER. THIS
POINT MARKS THE MOST EASTERN
ADVANCE OF URREA'S ARMY AND THE
MOST SOUTHERN ADVANCE OF SANTA
ANNA, WHO TURNED EAST FROM HERE
TO THE BRAZOS AND SAN JACINTO.
HERE THE MEXICAN ARMY ENCAMPED
AFTER THE BATTLE OF SAN JACINTO

Erected by the State of Texas
1936

For more information on Madam Powell and the archeological investigation conducted by Gregg Dimmick, see Chapter Four of the book Sea of Mud. All photos courtesy of David L. Martin and K. K. Searle.

Bevill Recieves Summerfield G. Roberts Award for Paper Republic

On Saturday, April 10, 2010, at the 88th Annual Meeting of the Sons of the Republic of Texas held in Tyler, Texas, James P. Bevill received the prestigious Summerfield G. Roberts Award for his book, The Paper Republic: The Struggle for Money, Credit and Independence in the Republic of Texas. The Summerfield G. Roberts Award is awarded by the Sons of the Republic of Texas for excellence in Texas historical literature and also includes a cash award of $2,500.

The Son of the Republic of Texas describe the Summerfield G. Roberts Award as follows:

"The purpose of this award is to encourage literary effort and research about historical events and personalities during the days of the Republic of Texas, 1836-1846, and to stimulate interest in this period. The judges will determine which entry best portrays the spirit, character, strength and deeds of those who lived in the Republic of Texas."

Because of his use of so many new primary sources, we are huge fans of Bevill's book. Click here to see our review of The Paper Republic. The first printing of The Paper Republic in September of 2009 was such a huge success, Jim Bevill has advised us that The Paper Republic is already being prepared by his publisher Bright Sky Press for a second printing.

The photo above was taken at an earlier time when Bevill presented a signed copy of The Paper Republic to former First Lady Barbara Bush. Left to right: James P. Bevill, Barbara Bush, and Jodie Bevill.

David Hill San Jacinto Veteran Memorial Ceremony

On Saturday May 29, 2010 at 2:00 p.m., the San Saba River Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and the Family of David Hill will be conducting a veteran memorial ceremony for David Hill's service at the Battle of San Jacinto. The ceremony will be held at Bluffton Cemetery in Llano County, Texas. The speaker will be historian, Karylon Halmark "Bitsy" Russell. The ceremony will be presented by the San Saba River Daughters of the Republic of Texas (DRT). There will be light refreshments and visitation from 1:00-2:00 p.m.

Directions: From Llano take TX 29 E to RR 2241, Bluffton Cemetery on your left about 11 miles. From Burnet take 29 W 13 miles to CR 261-Lakeshore DR. 8 miles to Bluffton stay on 2241 2.5 miles cemetery on right.

For more information contact Louise Barton Sanders at 512-752-3400 or email at lsanders8@wildblue.net .

Rolling Thunder

Fred Mead has been kind enough to share some of the history of the famed Texas cannon, Rolling Thunder, with the Texas History Page. He writes:

The historic Texas cannon, Rolling Thunder, has changed handlers recently. Rolling Thunder is a 3/4 scale firing replica of an 1841 Mississippi or Tennessee field cannon. There is some argument as to which state claims the design. But no matter, it is more often referred to as a "field piece" and was usually towed by horses way back then together with a following "limber box" with its own axle. Today, the "limber box" is much smaller and contains all the supplies that the multiple members of the gun crew use: large gloves, friction primers, and all the multitude of miscellaneous items that it takes to make the gun charges as well as the special effects often used and safety items.

Rolling Thunder was made about 20+ years ago, machined from a solid piece of oilfield steel by a local machinist working at home in his off-hours. Some friends from San Jacinto Chapter #1 of the historic organization, The Sons of the Republic of Texas, formed a partnership among the 3 or 4 of them: Richard (Dick) Reese, Jr., Sam Clark, Tom Houston, and Leonard Cloud. They purchased the gun barrel, then had the wooden carriage built to fit the barrel and found some antique wagon wheels, which were at the time, about 130 years old and that had been used on overland wagons carrying settlers West to explore America.

These gentlemen put all this together and had themselves a great field piece and began carrying it around Texas to help celebrate the anniversaries of Texas holidays and other important historic dates and events in Texas history. Rolling Thunder was also used to help teach Texas history which is one of the cornerstones of the mission of the Sons of the Republic of Texas. While the SRT does not sponsor Rolling Thunder, all these men are members of the SRT and have displayed and fired Rolling Thunder to celebrate Texas history as individual members of Texas Volunteers or Texas Army. They took Rolling Thunder all over the state for various purposes, parades, displays, and firing demonstrations for more than 18 years.

The individual owners of Rolling Thunder decided that based upon their personal activities and the demands on their time from family, professions and age that they would look around for a new generation of men to step forward and take on the tasks and traditions they began. The Conroe area Chapter of the Sons of the Republic of Texas, Lone Star Chapter #58, had three members who stepped forward and took on the ownership and responsibility of carrying on these important traditions already begun for Rolling Thunder.

Charlie Fogarty from the Steamboat House Restaurant, Mike Wilson from a local energy company, and Fred Mead from his own construction related business, stepped up to the plate and took on the task. They called upon additional friends from their Chapter and the San Jacinto Chapter of the SRT to become members of their Rolling Thunder gun crew and have begun displaying and firing the cannon. They had their first chance to learn to fire Rolling Thunder three weeks ago when Dick Reese and Sam Clark took them out to some vacant land and ran through some safety drills and the proper handling of the cannon. They also learned how to make the charges that are the ammunition for the cannon. This past weekend, a special cannon school was held at the George Ranch to get the gun crew certified as "Cannoneers." This is a State and Federal requirement to display and fire the cannon on the lands belonging to State and Federal parks.

In its career, Rolling Thunder, has been in parades all over Texas in many communities. It has fired at ceremonial activities at Washington on the Brazos, the Alamo, the Presidio La Bahia at Goliad, the San Jacinto Battleground, and many other historic and civic locations around Houston and other areas too numerous to list here. Rolling Thunder is a true Texas native and part of our history. It might be relatively young but it represents over 150 years of Texas history and spirit. Look for Rolling Thunder when you next go to a historic place or event in Texas.

Rolling Thunder is a 3/4 scale cannon. It was built from specifications of what is called a 6 pounder cannon, so Rolling Thunder is actually a 4 pounder with a 2.25" bore. It is about 4' long, 4' tall, has 4' tall wheels, and 6' trail piece. It has its own trailer it rides on from place to place. When it is not being displayed or fired somewhere, Rolling Thunder is on display at the Steamboat House Restaurant in Houston, Texas along with other beautiful and historic items and artifacts of Texas history for visitors to view and enjoy. It is referred to as a "black powder" cannon. It is fired using a "friction primer" so it can be fired with a lanyard rather than lighting it with a fuse which is much safer for all. It has been used to fire projectiles 3/4 of a mile or further. Rolling Thunder has fired many different types of loads, including some for fun (such as colored smoke) and some for special tasks. These types of cannons are very powerful, quite loud and produce a lot of smoke.

In the photo above, left to right, Fred Mead and Mike Wilson stand with Rolling Thunder. Photo courtesy of K. K. Searle. In the video above, Rolling Thunder is fired by a cannon crew composed of Charlie Fogarty, Fred Mead, Mike Wilson, John Homman and K. K. Searle. Instructor, Jerry Tubbs has placed a steak over the fuse hole to show the dangers of being near the fuse hole when the cannon is fired. Video courtesy of Linley Johnson.

Master Mason Degree - Battleship USS Texas

All Texas Master Masons are invited to observe a unique and historic Master Mason's Degree aboard the battleship USS TEXAS BB-35 on April 23, 2010. Frontier Lodge No. 28 has been given the opportunity to present this historic Masonic event. This will be joint degree conferred by Frontier Lodge No. 28 and Garden Oaks Lodge No. 1306.

The date and time again: Friday, April 23, 2010, 7:30 p.m. Please note that you may want to arrive early as chairs are limited. Click here for more information on the Battleship Texas.

See maps and directions to the Battleship Texas here.

Re-Dedication of 1936 Madam Powell Historical Marker Set for May 1, 2010

The public is invited to attend the re-dedication of the Texas State Historical Marker originally placed where the Mexican Army met at Madam Powell's Tavern after learning of the Texian victory at San Jacinto. After learning of the defeat of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, General Vicente Filisola, second in command of the Mexican Army, ordered the other Mexican Generals all to meet him at Madam Powell's Tavern for a council of war, which was held from April 24 through April 26, 1836.

Instead of moving the remaining two or three thousand man army on across the Brazos River and attacking General Sam Houston's Texian Army, the Mexican Generals decided to fall back to the west side of the Colorado River and wait for orders from their government. If these Mexican Generals had decided to attack the Texian Army instead of withdraw, our history might be considerably different. As the huge Mexican Army began their retreat, the rear guard is believed to have burned Madam Powell's Tavern.

The San Jacinto Chapter of the Sons of the Republic of Texas believes this is an important event in Texas history and they will host a ceremony starting at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 1, 2010 to re-dedicate the marker that was placed at the site of Elizabeth Powell's home as part of the massive state wide project in 1936 to mark all historic sites in the state. Dr. Gregg Dimmick will be the featured speaker, and Bob Brinkman with the Texas Historical Commission will tell us about the history of the 1936 marker program. Everyone interested in Texas history is invited to join them.

The marker is located near the crossing of Turkey Creek in the middle of Mr. Jack Wendt's cattle ranch, and was knocked down by cows some years back. Mr. Wendt uprighted the 1936 marker and the San Jacinto SRT Chapter has replaced the missing lone star on the marker and cleaned the years of grime from the granite marker. Mr. Wendt has also greatly improved the road through his farm to the marker, and has vounteered the use of his onsite ranch building for a reception after the re-dedication ceremony.

Directions and Contact Information-

To reach the site of the ceremony, proceed southwest from Houston on Highway 59 to the town of Kendleton, Texas. As you exit at the Kendleton exit, make a "U" turn and drive back toward Houston on the access road for about one mile to Darst Road, where you turn right and continue until you cross the bridge over Turkey Creek. The next farm entrance on the left is the entrance to Jack Wendt's farm and ranch, where signs will direct you to the ceremony. For other details, contact Tom Green at (281) 922-1118 or his cell phone at (832) 687-3474.


Photos showing Elizabeth Powell marker on ground missing lone star at the beginning of the preservation process are all courtesy of Dale Williamson.

Julia Ideson Library - Archival Wing and Reading Garden Opening April 5, 2010

On Monday, April 5, 2010, the new archival wing and reading garden of the Julia Ideson Library in Houston, Texas will be opening.

The Julia Ideson Library has been undergoing extensive preservation and extension during the past year. The Julia Ideson Library Preservation Partners thanks the City of Houston/Downtown Redevelopment Authority TIRZ #3 and the hundreds of individuals, foundations, and corporations who have helped them raise more than $30.1 million to date.

Phase I of the expansion and restoration of the Julia Ideson Library, the construction of the new archival wing for the invaluable holdings of the Houston Public Library's Houston Metropolitan Center, will open on April 5, 2010. Please come and visit the HMRC as well as the adjacent palm-shaded reading garden and open-air loggia (entrance at the corner of Smith and Lamar Streets). For hours of operation call 832-393-1313. For more information on the Houston Metropolitan Research Center and its archives visit http://www2.houstonlibrary.org/hmrc/index.html .

Phase II of the $32 million project, the restoration of both the exterior and the beautiful and architecturally significant interiors of the original 1926 building at 500 McKinney designed by Ralph Adams Cram, is now underway and expected to be complete by Summer of 2011. For more information on the project, or to make a tax-deductible contribution to Phase II, visit http://www.ideson.org/ or call Julia Ideson Library Preservation Partners executive director, Margaret Lawler, at 713-660-0772.

Save Texas History Symposium

Mark your calenders for the inaugural Save Texas History Symposium in Austin, Texas on Saturday, November 6, 2010. The topic of the symposium will be "Discovering Spanish and Mexican Texas." The Save Texas History Symposium will be hosted by Commissioner Jerry Patterson and the Texas General Land Office. The symposium will be held at 1700 North Congress Avenue in Austin, Texas between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The Save Texas History Symposium is only $25 per person. To register, call 1-800-998-4GLO or email: archives@glo.state.tx.us .

There will be plenty to do at the symposium:

• Survey downtown Austin with a real-life survey team
• Learn tips to research your family tree
• Visit the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum
• Tour the Texas General Land Office Archives - See original signatures of Stephen F. Austin and other Texas heroes
• Make handcrafted paper from old fashioned materials
• Print your own map on an antique iron hand printing press

Guest speakers will include Texas State Historian Dr. Light Cummins, former Texas State Historian Dr. Frank de la Teja, and Dr. Felix D. Almaraz. Click here to read more about the Save Texas History Symposium.

The Texas General Land Office Archives was created after the Texas Revolution when Sam Houston directed the first land commissioner, John P. Borden, to collect all available land records defining the new Republic. These valuable documents, now housed in temperature- and access-controlled vaults, are used daily by genealogists, historians, archeologists, surveyors and anyone interested in Texas history. For more information about the Texas General Land Office Archives go to http://www.glo.state.tx.us/archives/archives.html . For more information about what you can do to help save Texas history, go to http://www.glo.state.tx.us/OC/savetxhist/index.html .

Memorial to General Carroll A. "Curly" Lewis, Jr. of the Texas Army

The following is from the memorial service brochure for General Carroll A. “Curly” Lewis, Jr. held on January 20, 2010 at the San Jacinto Monument at 2:00 p.m.

GENERAL CARROLL "Curly" LEWIS, JR. left this world January 7, 2010. Born February 3, 1924 in Houston, Texas, he was known at an early age as the Poet Laureate of Poe Elementary School. This was not the end of his literary career for he late wrote numerous magazine and newspaper articles, a definitive history of Fort Anahuac (The Birthplace of the Texas Revolution), enjoyed the fifth printing of his popular book The Treasures of Galveston Bay and is included in the American Diaries of WWII

Also excelling in art, when attending Lanier Junior High School, he won a four year art scholarship at the Houston Museum of Fine Arts. At Lamar Senior High School he formed his own twelve-piece dance band and was the founding president of the MAC (Make Action Count) Club – a quasi fraternity. While studying chemical engineering at Rice Institute, he continued his musical activities with the Rice Band and the Knight Owls dance orchestra.

When World War II interrupted, he flew twenty five missions as a B-17 bomber pilot in the Eighth Air force; being shot down twice over Nazi Germany

Returning to Rice he was founding president of the Rice Veteran’s Association, Student Council chairman, re-organized and led the Knight Owls dance orchestra, ansd was of the Rice Owl band where his outrageous innovations created a spirit that was thereafter adopted by the MOB (Marching Owl Band). There is a legend at Rice University, that one Friday afternoon, before a Rice / A & M football game, Lewis secretly flew an airplane from Houston to College Station and dropped a large stink bomb and one hundred pounds of rice on an Aggie pep rally. The 1947 Rice yearbook shows photos of the mission.

Before graduating from college he began investing in land; eventually developing the following subdivisions in the Houston Area of Memorial Estates, Shady Oaks, Karankawa Pines, Richmond Road Farms, Shamrock Estates, Battleground Vista, Belknap Acres, Braeburn Gardens, Pinegrove Valley, Lomax Gardens, Greendale, Richmond Road Estates, Skyview Farms, Captains Retreat, Pirate’s Grove and Battleground Estates.

A former Eagle Scout, he served as scoutmaster with Boy Scout Troop l1 Airscouts and Girl Scout Troop 116 and as a council director of Sam Houston Area Council Boy Scouts of America. He was a Sunday School teacher, officer and choir member of First Presbyterian Church of Galveston, and the United Church of Idaho Springs, Colorado, and chairman of the Greater Houston Presbyterian Extension committee of the Brazos Presbytery. A 32^nd degree Scottish Rite Mason, he played in the Arabia Temple Shrine Drum and Bugle Corps. Band. Early in his life, he served on the Board of Directors of the YMCA camps.

A business degree from the University of Houston guided him to other interests such as building and operating the Post Oak Twin Drive-in Theater, a Giant Slide, and Movie land Golf – a 36-hole miniature golf course where each hole represented a famous movie. He was president of the Southwestern Historical Exploration Society and in 1968 directed its recovery of many Civil War artifacts out of the Buffalo Bayou in downtown Houston. Leading another exploration in 1968, he discovered Puritan Pilgrim fortifications on the Caribbean Islands of Santa Catalina that had been lost from history for over 300 years. He wrote many articles for True West, Treasure World, and Treasure magazines, and had a weekly shooting sports column for Citizen newspapers.

In1969, he convinced Governor Preston Smith to reactivate the Texas Army, which had been inactive since 1845, and was appointed Commanding General in which capacity he served for 40 years. He was well known for his impersonation of General Sam Houston on television, the news media and at public events. Curly was dedicated to perpetuating the memory of early Texas heroes; as one journalist put it, “The General keeps Texas’ past alive!” A consummate hunter, fisherman and sailor, his large Texas flag mainsail was frequently seen on Galveston Bay – Curly loved all things Texan. Since retirement, he enjoyed monthly meetings with his Lamar ’41 classmates and singing and playing drums every Wednesday night with the jazz group known as the Over The Hill Gang.

He is survived by his wife Candace Frazier, daughter Marsha Blake, grandchildren Jordan and Sawyer Ross.

The service will be at 2:00 p.m. on January 20, 2010 at the San Jacinto Monument (Auditorium) the General Staff of the Texas Army will conduct a public ceremony of remembrances and celebration of the General's life. Dressed in 1836 attire, the Texas Army will perform full military honors; firing a 21-gun salute using cannon and flintlock rifles. The United States Air Force Funeral Detail will also fire a salute and execute its flag presentation ceremony. Officiating will be Rev. Joe Hause and Rev. John W. Lancaster will close with the benediction. The family has requested donations to the Texas Army War Chest in lieu of flowers. For Information, please email Col. John Martin at Coljwm@gmail.com .

Photo of of Governor Preston Smith reactivating the Texas Army in 1969 (l. to r. unknown Texas Army soldier, Governor Preston Smith and General "Curly" Lewis). This photo is from the collection of K. K. Searle.

Houston: 1860 - 1900 (Images of America)

Review of Houston: 1860 - 1900 by Ann Dunphy Becker

Review by K. K. Searle

Another wonderful pictorial history from Arcadia Publishing and their Images of America Series. This history takes the City of Houston from the period just before the Civil War to the beginning of the 20th century. The book's author, Ann Dunphy Becker, has illustrated Houston: 1860-1900 with hundreds of rare old photographs taken during this unique period in Houston's history. Many of these photographs are from private collections.

Between 1860 and 1900, Houston developed into a major railway center and an international port of call that would allow Houston to eventually become the fourth largest city in the United States of America. With every photograph, author Ann Dunphy Becker has included many fascinating anecdotes and historical details. Houston: 1860 - 1900 is a wonderful visual feast that will transport you back in time to when the City of Houston was young.

2010 San Jacinto Day Ceremony

You are invited to the official San Jacinto Day Ceremony commemorating the 174th anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto. This ceremony is celebrated on April 21st every year. This year's ceremony will be held on Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at the San Jacinto Monument on the San Jacinto Battleground beginning at 11:00 a.m.

This year's Principal Speaker will be James L. Haley author of the acclaimed biography, Sam Houston. Ron Stone, Jr. will be the Master of Ceremonies. There will be a prelude by the Deer Park High School Orchestra. The Daughters of the Republic of Texas and the Sons of the Republic of Texas will be presenting the winners of DRT and SRT Scholarships.

The San Jancinto Chapter and the Sam Houston Chapter of the Sons of the Republic of Texas will be presenting their Sailor of the Year Awards. Sam Houston's report of the Battle of San Jacinto will be read. The Texas Army will will fire ceremonial black powder rifle salutes and there will be a wreath laying at the foot of the San Jacinto Monument to honor the memory of those Texian soldiers who fought and died to win Texas' independence from Mexico.

Please R.S.V.P. to help them plan at 713-516-3429.

The Paper Republic - The Struggle for Money, Credit and Independence in the Republic of Texas

Review of The Paper Republic - The Struggle for Money, Credit and Independence in the Republic of Texas by James P. Bevill
Review by K. K. Searle

James P. Bevill had let it be known several years ago that he was working on a book about the money and finances of the Republic of Texas; and frankly, I was not sure what to expect. Having seen a number of catalogues geared towards paper money collectors, I was not prepared for the groundbreaking scope of Bevill's finished book, The Paper Republic - The Struggle for Money, Credit and Independence in the Republic of Texas.

Almost everyone who has read The Paper Republic has been completely awestruck by what James Bevill has accomplished. What he has done is nothing short of extraordinary. In an era of endless hashing and rehashing of secondary sources by revisionist historians, Bevill went out and dug into a mountain of private Texana collections locked up in dozens of safe deposit boxes across the state - primary sources of new information. Working with other collectors to tell the previously untold story of Texas money, he discovered documents that no one had ever looked at before by looking where no one had thought to look before. What makes this tour de force all the more amazing is that Bevill is not a historian by vocation.

Bevill is a wealth management advisor at UBS in Houston. He is also a numismatist who got interested in collecting Republic of Texas currency as a hobby. Later, he decided to learn everything he could about the Republic of Texas currency that he was collecting but initially found only a vacuum of information on the subject. While trying to learn more about the money of the Republic of Texas, he meticulously researched the Texas Treasury Papers - transcripts of original correspondence from the treasury of the Republic, and compared these letters to the original monetary instruments which were imaged from numerous private collections. While doing so, he began to discover things about the history of the Republic of Texas from primary sources that simply could not be found in any of the previously published histories of Texas.

By researching the money and economy of the Republic of Texas and sharing these findings in his book, Bevill has added a whole new dimension to our understanding of the overall history of the Republic of Texas. The last person to do something like this was another avocational historian, Gregg Dimmick. As you will recall, Dr. Gregg Dimmick is a pediatrician who relied on several overlooked primary sources (diaries and books written by Mexican Army officers who participated in the Texas Revolution). Based on these primary sources, Dimmick began an archeological dig in pasture near Wharton, Texas. His research and discovories presented in his book, Sea of Mud - The Retreat of the Mexican Army after San Jacinto, An Archeological Investigation, added a whole new dimension to everyone's understanding of the Texas Revolution.

Just as Gregg Dimmick's research, his discoveries and his book forced everyone to rethink what they thought they knew about the Texas Revolution; Bevill's book, The Paper Republic, is forcing everyone to rethink what they thought they knew about the social and economic history of the Republic of Texas. Many Texas historians knew the "what" and the "when" concerning many of the events surrounding the Texas Revolution and the history of the Republic of Texas. Now, The Paper Republic explains the "why" of many of these events for the first time.

At 352 pages, The Paper Republic is huge. In addition to the whole new economic dimension he adds to the history of the Republic of Texas, Bevill keeps the reader interested and entertained with many interesting anecdotes and details about early Texas history that are simply found nowhere else.

Richly illustrated with hundreds of high quality digital photographs and scans, James Bevill's book is also one of the most beautiful Texas history books we have ever seen. The Paper Republic is destined to become a classic on the history of the Republic of Texas and is already being widely recognized as such. As an example, the Sons of the Republic of Texas just announced that The Paper Republic is the winner of the 2009 Summerfield G. Roberts Award for Texas historical literature.

I am a huge fan of this book. If you only read one Texas history book this year, get The Paper Republic and read it cover to cover. I promise that you will learn things about the history of Texas that you have never read before. I know I did!

The Paper Republic - The Struggle for Money, Credit and Independence in the Republic of Texas is published by Bright Sky Press, copyright 2009, and is available from Amazon.com.

Battle of San Jacinto Symposium - April 17, 2010

The 2010 Battle of San Jacinto Symposium will be held Saturday, April 17, 2009, 9:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hilton Hotel and Conference Center at the University of Houston. This year's theme is Skulls, Slaves, and Sex: Secrets of Early Texas Tickets are $50.00 and include lunch and parking.

This year's symposium will feature the discovery of six skulls of Mexican soldiers slain in the Battle of San Jacinto. In 1837, American naturalist, John James Audubon, visited the San Jacinto battleground. He picked up four skulls of Mexican soldiers and sent them to his friend, Dr. Samuel Morton, in Philadelphia. These, plus other skulls from two other collectors, became part of Morton's world-wide collection of 1500 crania. In 2009, the six Mexican skulls were discovered at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, virtually unknown to Texas historians for 170 years. Last January, internationally renowned anthropologist Doug Owsley conducted a forensic examination of the Mexican skulls on behalf of the Friends of the San Jacinto Battleground. His findings will be presented publicly for the first time at the 2010 Battle of San Jacinto Symposium.

This year's speakers are: Dr. Ron Tyler will be speaking about Audubon's visit to Galveston, Houston and the San Jacinto Battleground; Dr. Douglas Owsley will discuss Crania Injuries in Mexican Soldiers at San Jacinto; Dr. Andrew J. Torget will discuss slavery and its impact on revolutionary Texas; Professor James W. Paulsen will discuss Sam Houston's legal problems following the break up of his marriage to Eliza Allen in Tennessee and subsequent romance with Anna Raguet of Nacogdoches during the Texas Revolution; and Lael Morgan will discuss Revolutionary Sex: Texas' Philandering Founders.

This year's moderator will be Dr. James E. Crisp, Associate Professor of History at North Carolina Sate University. There will also be a special luncheon presentations by the Hon. William P. Hobby, Jr., Lt. Governor of Texas, 1973-1991; and Dr. Frank de la Teja will comment on his new book, Tejano Leadership in Mexican and Revolutionary Texas.

The Battle of Sam Jacinto Symposium is sponsored by the Friends of the San Jacinto Battleground as a forum for promoting public awareness of the events of the Texas Revolution. For additional information, call (713) 237-8997 or email sjbafriends@earthlink.net .

You can visit the Friends of the San Jacinto Battleground web site: http://www.friendsofsanjacinto.org/
You can also register online for The Battle of San Jacinto Symposium by clicking here.

Photograph: San Jacinto Monument; Courtesy of David Melasky