Texas State Historical Survey Committee

Founded by the Texas legislature in 1953, the Texas State Historical Survey Committee, acting as a collecting and information center, was created to preserve, record and restore all aspects of Texas history. In 1973, the Texas State Historical Survey Committee became the Texas Historical Commission.

The Texas State Historical Survey Committee was created on a temporary basis in 1953 (Senate Concurrent Resolution 44, 53rd Legislature, Regular Session) to administer a comprehensive state program for historical preservation; it was given more permanent status in 1957 (Senate Bill 426, 55th Legislature, Regular Session). The committee was composed of eighteen members appointed for six-year terms by the governor. It had the power to erect historical markers, to check the historical accuracy of inscriptions prepared for markers by any individual or group, and to certify the historical worthiness of any historical property the state determined to purchase. In 1962 the Official Texas Historical Marker Program was formed to record Texas historic sites in all counties. Staff evaluated applications and made recommendations to the State Marker Review Board and then prepared marker inscriptions. State law authorized county judges to appoint county historical survey committees. These committees allowed the Texas State Historical Survey Committee to coordinate and cooperate in activities throughout the state. By 1966 each county had formed a historical survey committee. State law also allowed commissioners courts to appropriate money from the general fund to finance the activities of county historical survey committees, and to erect historical markers and acquire objects of historical significance. In addition, cities and counties were authorized to spend funds to operate historical museums.

The Committee created a program called RAMPS in 1964. It called for the recording, appreciation, marking, preservation, and surveying of Texas history. One of the basic objectives was to erect 5,000 official Texas historical markers in five years. The 5000th marker was approved on October 27, 1969. The committee created and/or approved several types of markers, including building markers, small subject and large subject markers, grave markers, medallions, private state-approved markers, 1936 centennial (independence) markers, and large Civil War centennial markers. The historical markers were erected to mark structures; archeological finds; mountain passes; old trails; Indian camp and burial grounds; sites of battles and skirmishes; sites related to important events in cattle, agricultural, and petroleum industries; unique weather sites; early railroads; famous gunfights; early business and educational institutions; and birthplaces or homes of outstanding Texans. The markers gave information on the date of founding, origin of name, and history of many towns and counties, as well as towns that no longer existed.

The Committee was active with the National Civil War Centennial celebration between 1960 and 1966. It provided staff support for the Texas Civil War Centennial Committee as well as having staff members on the Committee itself. The two largest projects involving the TSHSC during this celebration were conducting a survey to locate and mark the graves of Civil War veterans throughout the state and the erectin of historical markers commemorating Civil War events, places, or noteworthy individuals participating in the Civil War.

The Committee was also heavily involved in the 1967 Chisholm Trail Centennial commemoration. It provided staff support and coordinated activities for the Texas Chisholm Trail Centennial Commission (TCTCC). The most significant activity undertaken by the TSHSC during this centennial was coordinating the stops of the traveling rail car museum in Texas cities and towns. The museum traveled by rail to stops in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas along and near the Chisholm trail route with exhibits pertaining to the history of the Chisholm Trail. The TSHSC also worked with the TCTCC in the creation and marketing of medallions and other merchandise for sale in the traveling museum, and it erected historical markers along the trail in Texas.

The Committee became the Texas Historical Commission in 1973 (House Bill 1512, 63rd Legislature, Regular Session).