San Jacinto Centennial Association, 1935-1938

The San Jacinto Centennial Association was organized in the fall of 1935 to be the official agency for coordinating Houston's participation in the celebrations of the Texas Centennial of 1936. The Houston Chamber of Commerce, important members of the Houston business community as well as descendants of early Texans were influential in its formation. The Association's office was opened in leased space on the 8th floor of the Chamber of Commerce building on September 30, 1935. President of the Association was John C. Townes, Jr. Members of the Executive Committee were: George D. Wilson, Chairman; Mrs. I. B. McFarland, Secretary; Chester H. Bryan; Norman H. Beard; R. B. Morris; Jeff Barnette; and Wm. S. Patton. H. Dick Golding was hired as the Executive Secretary of the Association and Wm. S. Patton served as Treasurer. Jesse H. Jones, an influential and successful Houston businessman serving at the time as Chairman of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation for President Franklin D. Roosevelt in Washington, D.C., was named Honorary President.

The Association formed seven committees to accomplish their work: the Publicity Committee, with Jeff Barnette as Chair; the Historical Committee chaired by Clarence R. Wharton; the Music Committee with Joseph S. Smith as Chair; the Beautification Committee, with C. L. Brock as its Chairman; the Schools Participation Committee, chaired by J. S. Griffith; the Acquisition of Relics and Documents Committee, with George D. Sears as Chair; and H. O. Clarke, Jr., chaired the San Jacinto Memorial Project Committee.

The Association was responsible for a number of events and observances held in the Houston area in 1936. Included among them were major events for Texas Independence Day, March 2nd; a week long celebration from April 13th to 21st to commemorate the Battle of San Jacinto; and celebrations in August commemorating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the City of Houston.

The Association was also responsible for the creation of a temporary Museum of Houston and Texas History, housed in the west wing of the Houston Public Library's Julia Ideson building during 1936. The Association assisted in the fundraising for the San Jacinto Memorial and organized ground breaking ceremonies that year. The Association also helped in the identification of significant sites and the research and writing for placement of historical markers in the Houston area by the Commission of Control for Texas Centennial Celebrations. The Association also refurbished and placed a memorial in the old city cemetery and renamed it Founders Memorial Park in honor of one of the co-founders of Houston and several Texas Revolution veterans and early settlers of the Houston area buried there. The Association also funded the publication of the book My Master by historian Lenoir Hunt containing the recollections of Sam Houston's former slave Jeff Hamilton. The Association ceased operations in 1938.

The San Jacinto Centennial Association was organized in September, 1935 by the Houston Chamber of Commerce, members of the Houston business community and descendents of early Texans to coordinate Houston's participation in the Texas Centennial of 1936.

Responsible for major events for Texas Independence Day, March 2nd, commemoration of the Battle of San Jacinto, and commemorations of the founding of the City of Houston in 1936. The Association ceased operations in 1938.