FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Center for American History
The University of Texas at Austin
Heather Trent
Sam Rayburn Museum
800 West Sam Rayburn Drive
P.O. Box 309
Bonham, Texas 75418
Phone: 903-583-2455
Fax: 903-583-7394
email: e.trent@austin.utexas.edu
http://www.cah.utexas.edu/museums/rayburn.php
Early Texas History on display at Sam Rayburn Museum
BONHAM, TEXAS – May 8, 2007 – Priceless Texas historical documents from the Spanish colonial era through the Revolution of 1836 are featured in a new exhibit opening May 14 at the Sam Rayburn Museum. The exhibit, Lone Star Treasures: From Colony to Republic, Early Texas Ephemera, contains a wide variety of documents from the vast collection at the Center for American History at The University of Texas at Austin. The exhibit is free and open to the public in the main reading room of the Rayburn Museum, May 14 – June 1.
Texas Map, 1834. By David H. Burr. Texas Map Collection, CAH; di_03293.
The exhibit will consist of examples of early maps, including the first large scale map of Texas created by David H. Burr in 1834 and the official battle map of the Alamo fortification drawn by the commander of engineers for Santa Anna’s army. In addition, documents on display will feature the official letter from the Spanish governor to Moses Austin allowing for settlement of Americans in Texas, and the diary of William Barret Travis, Texas’ commander at the Battle of the Alamo, recounting his daily activities and Sam Houston’s call for volunteers for the revolution.
Other items of interest are a first-hand account of Davy Crockett’s execution by José Enrique de la Peña, an officer in Santa Anna’s army, and Stephen F. Austin’s hatchet. The collection also includes a number of broadsides, which offer unique insight to life in a bygone era. Among them is an original printing of the Texas Declaration of Independence from 1836, produced in such haste that the printers omitted two delegates’ names.
As an Organized Research Unit of The University of Texas at Austin, the Center for American History facilitates, sponsors and supports teaching, research and public education in U. S. history. In support of its mission, the Center acquires, preserves, and makes available for research archival, artifact, and rare book collections and sponsors exhibitions, conferences, film and video documentaries, oral history projects, grant-funded research, and publications. The Center’s resources and services support the University’s curriculum and University faculty, student and staff research, as well as research by the general public.
