Celebration of Texas Statehood and Contributions of President Anson Jones

Tom Green with the San Jacinto Chapter of the Sons of the Republic of Texas has provided the following press release:  

On Wednesday, February 19, 2014 at 1:00 p.m., the San Jacinto Chapter of the Sons of the Republic of Texas (SRT) will sponsor a ceremony at the grave of President Anson Jones to commemorate the 168^th anniversary of Texas Statehood.  The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

Kameron Searle, of the Sons of The Republic of Texas will be speaking about the impact that Anson Jones, the last President of the Republic of Texas had in getting Texas annexed into the United States of America.  Members of the Texas Army will fire a musket salute, and we will conclude the ceremony by leading everyone in a toast to Anson Jones and all those brave men worked to get Texas admitted into the USA.  The toast will be with good old Texas water.

A free and independent Republic of Texas was officially declared March 2, 1836, when the 56 delegates present at Washington-on-the-Brazos unanimously voted to declaration independence.   Most citizens believed that Texas would be admitted into the USA in 1836, but due to the political ramifications of a new slave state, there was much disagreement about annexing Texas into the USA.  In 1842, efforts were begun to obtain recognition of the Republic of Texas by foreign governments.  Efforts were made to convince the USA that Texas was going to join up with England and create a large country from Canada to the Rio Grande.  President Anson Jones conducted the affairs of the Republic of Texas in such a way as to convince James K. Polk, the new President of the USA in 1845, that Texas no longer wished to be part of the USA, and intended to enlarge the size of the Republic of Texas by joining with the Oregon Territory, then controlled by England. 

On December 29, 1845, President James K. Polk signed a letter to President Anson Jones telling him that both the U.S House of Representatives, and the U.S. Senate had voted on a joint resolution to annex Texas into the USA.  This letter was received by President Anson Jones in January of 1846 and he called both the Republic of Texas elected officials and the newly elected State of Texas officials together in Austin on February 16, 1846 to canvas the vote and arrange for a change of power in Texas.  Then at high noon, on February 19, 1846, President Anson Jones gave a speech ending the Republic of Texas with the statement that the Republic of Texas is no more. It was on that day that Texas became the 28th state in the USA.

The Sons of the Republic of Texas is a 501(c)(3) organizations whose missions is to perpetuate the memory and spirit of the people who achieved and maintained the independence of Texas and to encourage historical research into the earliest records of Texas, especially those relating to the revolutionary and republic periods.  The SRT encourages the preservation of documents and relics, the publication of historical records and narratives, and the celebration of important days in the state’s history. They also encourage the teaching of Texas history in schools and sponsor numerous scholarships.  The public is invited to join us at 10:00 a.m. at the grave of President Anson Jones in Glenwood Cemetery on Washington Street in Houston, to honor President Anson Jones, and all those brave men who took the important step toward making Texas what it is today!  For additional details about the celebration, please contact Event Chairman, Tom Green, KSJ at 713-340-1965.

Contact:                   Sons of The Republic of Texas

Contact Person:        Tom Green, KSJ

Email Address:           TBGreen3@gmail.com

SRT Web Site Address:          http://www.srttexas.org

Texas Railroading Heritage Museum News - February 2014

Gulf Coast Chapter, National Railway Historical Society, est 1961

The Express   Mid-February2014   News For the Friends of the              Texas Railroading Heritage Museum                 www.houstonRRmuseum.org     713 631-6612              Visit Our Website Museum Will Be Known as "Texas Railroading Heritage Museum" It's official- when we re-open in Tomball, we will take the name Texas Railroading Heritage Museum. Anybody interested in suggesting or designing a new logo?.   Museum Planning Session to Feature Brainstorming Session and Discussion of Master Plan Development   The Gulf Coast Chapter will replace half of its program meetings with planning meetings in 2014. Why? Because there are numerous decisions that are required before a new museum can be established.   The February 18th meeting will feature two teams of consultants who will discuss museum master planning and then facilitate brainstorming sessions to try to clarify our next steps. For example, at some point we will need to determine which cars we will move to Tomball, in what order they will be displayed, whether or not to make interpretive improvements before moving in, and if so, which improvements are the most critical and the most practical.   Everyone is invited to participate. The Logan's Roadhouse Restaurant on Highway 290 is the site and if you want to come earlier than 7:30 for dinner, we will have a private room.  The third Tuesday of odd numbered months will continue to feature railroading programs of interest.     Board Adds Curator Position ....if only we had a curator "Curator (from Latin: curare meaning "take care"). Traditionally, a curator of a cultural heritage institution (e.g., gallery, museum,library or archive) is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material. " The Gulf Coast Chapter of the NRHS, the owner of the Texas Railroading Heritage Museum, now has a position (but not an incumbent) to focus on the interpretive aspects of our collection - telling the story of regional railroading development through artifacts, interesting signage, attractive and perhaps even interactive displays. In our long history, we have typically only been open a few hours each weekend and there have been enough qualified volunteers to give every visitor a personal tour. However, we have aspirations of being open six days a week in Tomball and that means it will be difficult to give every visitor a guided tour. Accordingly, we will need to rely on signs and videos to tell the story. Furthermore, there are aspects of our story for which we do not have representation in our collection. A Curator will be responsible for identifying these gaps and recommending acquisitions to make our presentation comprehensive and logical. The first step in the process is beginning on Feb 18th with a planning meeting to discuss our vision for the museum, building on the collection we have. Anyone interested in participating is invited to Logan's Roadhouse at 7:30 p.m. April 12th Trip to Dequincy via Motorcoach with Return on Sunset Limited Reservation Deadline March 15th JOIN THE GULF COAST CHAPTER FOR A MOTOR COACH/TRAIN EXCURSION TO THE DEQUINCY, LA. MUSEUM FOR "RAILROAD DAYS" ON SATURDAY, APRIL 12TH. WE WILL LEAVE THE HOUSTON AMTRAK STATION AT 7 A.M. BY BUS AND RETURN VIA THE WESTBOUND SUNSET LIMITED FROM LAKE CHARLES ARRIVING 6:18 P.M. THE SAME DAY.  RESERVATION PROCEDURE: Reserve your own seats on the train (Lake Charles to Houston) through Amtrak and your seats on the bus by sending $30 per traveler ($20 for children ages 3 through 12) to Gulf Coast Chapter Event Committee, 1536 Indiana Street, Houston, TX 77006. The check should be made payable to the Houston Railroad Museum. If you prefer, you can use a credit card on the Chapter web page, www.houstonRRmuseum.org.     AMTRAK RESERVATIONS: Reserve your one way ticket from Lake Charles (LCH) to Houston (HOS) by calling Amtrak at 800-872-7245 or via the web at www.Amtrak.com. A reserved seat is currently $20 with half price for children and small discounts for seniors and NARP members. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT YOU MAKE YOUR AMTRAK RESERVATIONS FIRST BEFORE SENDING A CHECK TO THE CHAPTER since the train does sell out but we could add bus seating capacity. Amtrak raises fare price as the trip gets nearer.  FOOD: Coffee and rolls will be provided on the bus and there will be food vendors at the festival. Dining or snack service will be available on the train. You are free to bring picnic materials(small cooler only).   Call 713 319 8906 for more information.   What's Happening? Upcoming Events The February meeting of the Chapter will be at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 18th at Logans Roadhouse, 12950 Northwest Highway. Non-members are cordially invited.    Work parties are conducted many Wednesday mornings, Thursday evenings, and Saturdays. Call or check Chapter web page to confirm. Gulf Coast Chapter National Railway Historical Society The Texas Railroading Heritage Museum is owned and operated by the Gulf Coast Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. The Museum is currently closed although the Chapter meets monthly(except for December) on the third Tuesday of the month for a planning session or a program of interest to railroading enthusiasts. While the museum is being stored, the meetings are held at various locations. Check the museum web page or Facebook for information on the location. Visitors are always welcome. .

San Jacinto Battleground Conservancy Featured Charity by OKRA

San Jacinto Battleground Conservancy featured at  OKRA Charity Saloon through February!

SJBC is honored to have been selected as one of the featured charities by OKRA.  This unique program highlights local charities and gives them an opportunity to earn needed dollars.  And, it is fun!

Please support us by grabbing your friends and colleagues for cocktails and tasty tidbits (fried okra is divine!) as you support the San Jacinto Battleground Conservancy in its efforts to protect and reclaim the San Jacinto Battleground---a national treasure. One drink equals one vote.

When

ENTIRE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2014! From 4 pm to 2 am (Happy Hour 4 - 6:30 pm)

Where OKRA CHARITY SALOON 924 Congress

Houston, Tx  77002 www.friedokra.org  OKRA occupies a building from the 1880's.  It is located just off of the historic intersection in the hub of the Main Street/Market Square Historic District, directly across the street from the Hotel Icon. One of the oldest buildings in Houston, 924 Congress (originally 72 Congress St.) opened in 1882 as the Casino Saloon and served as a bar until Prohibition, when it became a barbershop. Since that time, the building housed several other businesses including the "Circle Bar", named for its original circle arch and barrel vault ceilings which are still intact today.

The San Jacinto Battleground Conservancy is a Section 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to preserve, reclaim, and restore the San Jacinto Battleground and build greater public awareness of the battle of San Jacinto, the culminating military event of the Texas Revolution.   No other nonprofit organization is devoted entirely to these goals. The San Jacinto Battleground was included on Preservation Texas' Most Endangered Places list in 2010. Preservation Texas is the statewide partner of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  Visit  www.sanjacintoconservancy.org to find out what you can do to help.  We are so appreciative of your gifts and donations. If you would like to make a secure donation online, click here or go to the "Donations" tab on our website. San Jacinto Battleground Conservancy | | sjbc-texas@usa.net |  808 Travis, Suite 1429 P. O. Box 940536 Houston, TX 77094-7536 713-237-8997