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MEDALLIONMEDALLIONTEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSIONPreservation News May/June 2008

Courthouse Program Announces Grant Recipients Presidio Project Offers Window to Texas in the 1700s

Slavic Immigrants’ Proud Heritage Endures in Painted Churches, Kolaches, Music

Tex-Czech Culture

Tex-Czech Culture

Leadership LetterAt the old town site of San Felipe in Austin County, Stephen F. Austin, considered the Father of Texas, brought the first 297 families to colonize Texas under a contract with the Mexican government.

Inside the adobe walls of Casa Navarro in San Antonio, visitors can learn about Tejano patriot Jose Antonio Navarro, who served Texas for many years as an elected official and was one of the signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence.

Across our great state, sites such as these capture and bring alive unique parts of Texas’ rich history. Preserving these sites is important if we are to remember and honor those who have sacrificed so much to help us achieve all that we have today.

During the 2007 legislative session, the Texas Legislature approved the transfer of 18 of these historic sites from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s jurisdiction to the Texas Historical Commission (THC). While state parks and historic sites had previously been funded from the same account, the 18 sites will now be funded through a separate historic site fund.

Creating a separate fund exclusively for historic sites means that whether in good times or bad, our historical sites will receive sufficient funding without having to compete with other popular recreational sites. In the long run, this will help protect the funding and ensure the success of the state’s historic sites.

Transferring the sites to the THC will also allow the agency to utilize its experience in marketing historical sites. The THC manages some of the most effective preservation programs in the nation, including the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program, the Texas Main Street Program and the Texas Heritage Trails Program.

Together we are going to make the sites more efficient and help them generate more traffic. Because of the increase in funding and staff, these sites will be able to offer additional programs, outreach to the public and site preservation. I know the THC will do a terrific job of preserving and enhancing these treasured landmarks.

Sincerely,

Harvey HilderbranState Representative Chair, Culture, Recreation and Tourism Committee

TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION www.thc.state . tx .usTEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION www.thc.state . tx .us2

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TTo celebrate its 100th anniversary of becoming an independent nation, the Lone Star State threw a Texas-sized party in 1936. Planning for the 100th birthday of the Texas Revolution began years before, and the 44th Texas Legislature officially launched the effort in May 1935 with the creation of the Commission of Control for Texas Centennial Celebrations. The activities of the commission were broad and included restoration of historic buildings, coordination of statewide historical pageants and ceremonies, and a central exposition at Fair Park in Dallas modeled after the World’s Fairs.

Along with the Dallas exposition, the state designed buildings, museums and monuments in Alpine, Austin, Canyon, Corpus Christi, Crockett, El Paso, Fort Worth, Goliad, Gonzales, Houston, Huntsville, Lubbock, San Antonio and Tyler. In cities big and small, Centennial heritage tourism activities were designed to bring visitors to the state and to educate and inspire Texans about their own rich history.

Perhaps the most far-reaching Texas Centennial activities commemorating local history are the granite and bronze monuments, markers, statues and plaques that the state erected throughout Texas’ 254 counties. The Advisory Board of Texas Historians served without compensation to coordinate the historical markers program.

Louis W. Kemp, who worked at the Texas Company in Houston but was an author and historian by avocation, chaired the committee. Kemp championed the restoration of the neglected Texas State Cemetery in Austin, worked to make the San Jacinto Battlefield more accessible

Etched in Stone:Texas Centennial Markers

and was instrumental in having the monument and museum built there. He also pored through archives to identify veterans of the Texas Revolution. Other members serving on the advisory board were author and folklorist J. Frank Dobie, then a professor at the University of Texas, and priest and archivist Paul J. Foik, librarian at St. Edward’s College in Austin.

The application and review process established by the advisory board, based on local input and expertise, became the model later followed by the Texas Historical Commission (THC). The board surveyed significant historical sites in Texas, aided by local committees in most counties. Board members also consulted with the federal Works Progress Administration and United States Texas Centennial Commission, as well as the Texas Highway Department, to coordinate

the placement of markers and monuments. The board considered all applications for historical markers submitted by counties and individuals. Kemp coordinated the marker inscriptions, in most cases inviting authorities on historic subjects to write the texts, followed by peer review of the exact wording before the chisel touched the stone.

The outcome was a variety of markers and monuments commemorating Texas history for posterity. Coinciding with the depths of the Great Depression, the project seemed to combine nostalgia for the state’s romantic past with a desire to address a hopeful future. Noted architects such as Donald Nelson, Elmer Withers, Wyatt Hedrick, Paul Cret, E. F. Rittenberry, Henry Phelps and Samuel Vosper, and renowned sculptors like Pompeo Coppini, Raoul Josset, Enrico Cerracchio, Waldine Tauch, Herring Coe and Allie Tennant were commissioned to create timeless monuments and works of art.

— Continued on page 16

Texas’ Centennial markers come in different forms, from monuments commemorating San Elizario in El Paso (left) to Kimble County (above).

RRound V grant recipients of the Texas Historical Commission’s (THC) Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program serve as ideal representations of the Lone Star State. From big cities to small towns, the Plains region to the Forest region, these 14 counties will embark on major projects to restore their historic temples of justice.

The grant award recipients were announced earlier this year thanks to the 80th Texas Legislature appropriating $62 million to fund Round V of the courthouse program. Counties receiving construction awards are Cass, Cooke, Hamilton, Harris, Hood, Kendall, La Salle, Lavaca, McCulloch, Mills, Potter, Roberts, San Augustine and Trinity. Of those, Cass, Hamilton, Harris, McCulloch, Mills, Roberts, San Augustine and Trinity were Round IV planning grant recipients.

“We’re very pleased that the Legislature has supported our efforts, allowing us to make the largest grant allocations yet,” announced Stan Graves, director of the THC’s Architecture Division. “We’re looking forward to making many new courthouse restorations possible this year.”

Round V allocated $57 million for 14 construction awards and three emergency projects. The remaining funds ($5 million) are held as a contingency for unforeseen conditions.

4www.thc.state . tx .us

Emergency grants were also awarded to Fannin, Hall and Randall counties to help stabilize their buildings. Randall received a Round IV planning grant, allowing the new funding to be used for construction. The grant awards for Fannin and Hall are earmarked to hire consultants for planning documents.

“Fannin is a particularly interesting project since the original 1889 building has been encased by 1960s cladding and must now be carefully uncovered and explored,” Graves explained.

Round V also represents several changes in the courthouse program’s

guidelines. In the four years since Round IV funding was released, costs for construction materials and labor have risen, and global economic conditions have resulted in overall price increases. As a result, the state raised its maximum potential grant award from $4 million to $6 million.

This rise in the cap on each county’s maximum grant award allows counties receiving prior funding to re-apply for funds to pay for work that may have been cut for budgetary purposes. For example, Cooke County accepted its previous grant award for an exterior restoration only; now, the Round V grant will help fund its interior restoration.

Harris and Lavaca counties will also continue ongoing restoration work. Harris County

received a planning grant and has already begun selective demolition at its Beaux Arts courthouse in downtown Houston. The latest grant of $5 million will allow the county to cover part of the increased cost to bring this building back to its original glory.

Hood County received a Round II grant for consultants to draw up plans and specifications in preparation for a potential Round V construction grant. The county will now utilize a $5 million grant for construction on the 1891 French Second Empire style courthouse in the heart of Granbury.

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THC’s Courthouse Program Announces Round V Grant Recipients

Opposite page: The exquisitely restored courtroom of the Lavaca County Courthouse. Clockwise, from above: Exterior work on the Harris County Court-house; the stylish Art Deco façade of the 1931 La Salle County Courthouse; San Augustine County Courthouse as it appeared in 1940 (photo courtesy TxDOT).

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Two smaller construction grants of $2.25 million each were awarded to Hamilton and La Salle counties for exterior courthouse restorations. Both counties already have plans and specifications completed, allowing them to undertake phased restorations to address immediate needs while remaining eligible for future grant awards.

“Things are moving forward rapidly on most of the counties that received courthouse grants — they’re proceeding with full force,” Graves said. “We’ve had 40 Texas counties rededicate their historic courthouses to date, and we’re looking forward to having this next round of beautiful buildings join them soon.”

This article was written by Amy Lambert of the THC’s Architecture Division.

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SSince its inception in 1976, the federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program has resulted in more than $45 billion of private investment in historic buildings across the nation. This program is arguably the most valuable financial incentive available for owners of historic buildings in commercial use.

The program, operated by the National Park Service (NPS) and administered statewide by the Texas Historical Commission (THC), allows private owners to claim a federal tax credit worth 20 percent of the eligible costs for rehabilitation of historic buildings. The buildings must be income-producing and must be listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.

During the last fiscal year, 11 Texas projects were completed and certified, representing more than $60 million in rehabilitation costs for historic buildings. While this figure is a significant increase from the previous year, Texas still has a large untapped market for tax incentives.

By comparison, Missouri ranked first in the nation last year with $534 million in rehabilitations. Fourteen of the 15 states ranking ahead of Texas in rehabilitation costs have a corresponding state income tax credit contributing to incentives worth 30 to 40 percent of rehabilitation costs. However, Texas compares favorably against other states without matching incentives.

“The availability of state incentives typically increases the number of projects and can make the tax incentives more attractive for smaller projects,” explains Terry

Giving CreditTax Incentives Program Provides

Useful Tool for Economic Development

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Colley, the THC’s deputy director, citing Ohio’s rehabilitation program resulting in 115 projects averaging $540,000 versus Texas’ $5.4 million project average. “Despite what these numbers may suggest, Texas does have a strong track record of both small and large projects successfully utilizing the tax credits.”

The NPS makes the final decision on which projects are eligible for the tax credits based on their adherence to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. The THC’s Architecture Division staff works closely with applicants to recommend appropriate design and treatment approaches for each project.

“The program requirements may seem complicated at first but our staff has the professional training and expertise to help walk applicants through the process and identify potential pitfalls,” says Stan Graves,

director of the THC’s Architecture Division. “We encourage project owners, developers and architects to consult with our staff early in the planning stages so projects have the best chance of success.”

One of the primary mandates for Historic Preservation Tax Incentives requires the rehabilitated building to be income-producing; therefore, owner-occupied residences do not qualify (but rental units do). Retail, office, hotels and other types of commercial uses typically qualify. To claim the credit, the building must be listed in the National Register of Historic Places either individually or in a district. The building does not need to initially be listed, but the designation process will need to be completed to claim the tax credit.

In addition to a more streamlined application process, buildings already listed in the National Register often have the advantage of utilizing a

PRESERVATION ADVICE

Tax credits helped transform the Coale Building in Beaumont from its unsightly slipcovered past (left) to its current authentic appearance (photos courtesy Anna Mod).

March/Apr i l 20087

state sales tax exemption on project labor. The improved ability to take advantage of these tax incentives provides motivation for communities to seek National Register nominations of historic districts.

While thousands of Texas buildings qualify for listing in the National Register, many of them may not qualify individually for the historic designation (even though they could qualify as part of a commercial historic district). In cases where the district is not already listed, it becomes the responsibility of the property owner to nominate and create the district to qualify for the credits. This provides a significant obstacle to using credits for properties and can often hinder a commercial area’s revitalization.

“Use of the tax credits depends on the property owner’s unique financial situation — individuals, partnerships or corporations can usually take advantage of the incentives,” Colley explains, adding that the tax credit is claimed by the owner the same year the building returns to service after rehabilitation.

The program can also accommodate rehabilitations completed in phases. Provisions allow the tax credits to be used

over many years if the owner has limited tax liabilities for the year the rehabilitation was completed. Ownership of the building must be retained for five years after claiming the credit to avoid recapture of the credit by the Internal Revenue Service.

Colley says the federal credit is intended for substantial rehabilitations as opposed to quick, spruce-up paint jobs. The eligible rehabilitation costs must exceed the adjusted basis of the building, which is generally the depreciated value of the structure.

For example, if a building is valued at $100,000, the rehabilitation costs must exceed $100,000 to qualify for the credit (there is no upper cap). If certified, the owner would claim a tax credit worth 20 percent of the rehabilitation costs. The tax credit is substantial and can typically be claimed on all costs associated with the actual rehabilitation including professional fees, materials and most construction costs (excluding property acquisition, new additions outside the historic building’s footprint and most site work).

The application to qualify for the tax credit is a three-part process with numerous but feasible requirements. Depending on the characteristics of each project, there may be steps or deadlines that must be accomplished before undertaking or completing the rehabilitation.

“It’s essential that property owners interested in the credit consult with our staff as soon as possible because the most succesful projects occur when we’re involved during the inital design phase prior to any demolition or construction,” Graves says. “We’ve certainly found that Texans realize the time involved with claiming a tax credit is well worth the effort.”

This article was written by Brad Patterson

of the THC’s Architecture Division.

Smaller Communities Would Benefit from Proposed Bill

Efforts are under way to increase the benefits of the Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program for smaller projects and communities. The U.S. Congress is currently considering a bill, the Community Restoration and Revitalization Act, that would further the ability of the tax credit program to promote building reuse and renovation in historic areas.

Highlights of the bill include opening up the 10 percent tax credit to housing (it currently applies only to commercial structures), enriching the credit to 40 percent for smaller projects primarily in rural communities, and easing the rules related to non-profits to encourage more community-oriented projects.

Updated news about the status of the proposed legislation will appear in a future issue of The Medallion.

This building on Dallas Avenue in Weatherford is one of the few smaller projects in Texas to take advantage of the tax incentives program.

County Czech Heritage Museum. “The rows in the fields were always so straight and that’s not an accident — you’ll find symmetrical patterns in everything from Czech farming to sewing to music.”

Indeed, the syncopated rhythms of the marches, waltzes and particularly the polkas of Czech music are an integral part of the culture. Family bands were commonplace and well documented. Historic images of these large groups show them posing proudly with tubas, drums and accordions. Often, the family bands would exist for generations, as children inherited their parents’ musical talents and instruments. The impact of this accordion-driven dance music lives on as an influence in Tejano music and at polka parties in Czech and German communities throughout the state. In other rare moments of free time, Czechs created friendship quilts and kroje (pronounced kro-hey), the traditional folk costumes with colorfully patterned sequences of colors and shapes representing different Slavic regions of the family’s origin.

When Texas Czechs weren’t farming or socializing, they were preparing food. On the fertile prairie, families grew corn, potatoes, beans and squash. Most also raised livestock for special occasions.

“There was always a work table in the kitchen so you could put a hog on there and cut him up,” says Marie Trcalek of the Burleson County Czech Heritage Museum. “People brought

arrived before the establishment of Czechoslovakia in 1918, they were known as Slavic people from Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia. Families often made the voyage on perilous barges with nowhere to sleep while fleeing religious and governmental persecution.

“Many of these people left home with just a suitcase and a Bible under great duress,” Foreman says. “They arrived in Texas and wrote back home saying, ‘Everything’s fine here. No dinosaurs have eaten us.’ ”

Once settled in their Blackland Prairie communities, Czechs established lodges to provide support for neighbors in need, particularly the widows who struggled to make ends meet. The SPJST (Slovanska Podporujici Jednota Statu Texas, or Slavonic Benevolent Order of the State of Texas) was established in 1897 to assist the Czech community. It still serves as an insurance company and maintains more than 100 service lodges across the state.

Upon arrival, the Czechs quickly mastered the skill of farming. The rich blackland soil yielded plentiful harvests, typically cotton as a cash crop and vegetables for family consumption. Despite emigrating from populated areas with little farmland, the Czechs set forth to learn their agricultural trade with resolve.

“You won’t find a Czech person that won’t try to grow something, and when they first got here, they worked hard at it from sunrise to sunset,” says Margaret Haisler of the Burleson

M

TRAVEL TEXAS

Slavic Immigrants Transformed Culture of Central Texas

www.thc.state . tx .us

Melba Foreman is rummaging through the Czech music exhibit of Temple’s SPJST Museum when a slight smile crosses her face.

“Oh, you have to hear this,” she says, her eyes widening with anticipation.

Foreman raises the lid of a large wooden box containing an antique 78 rpm record player and nods slightly in affirmation when she sees the worn album on the turntable. She cranks the tarnished metal handle with an assured sense of familiarity, then positions the needle on the record and begins to sing along as the scratchy, tinny sound emanates from the machine’s sturdy frame.

I’ll take you home again, KathleenAcross the ocean wild and wideTo where your heart has ever beenSince you were first my bonnie bride

“That song spoke to many people in the Czech community,” Foreman says, referring to the melancholy 1876 song “I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen” by Thomas Westendorf. “As much as we liked being in Texas, we still thought about our home across the sea.”

Most Czechs arrived in their new homeland at the port of Galveston in the late 1800s and early 1900s, immediately joining family and acquaintances in Central Texas communities such as Cat Spring and Fayetteville, and eventually further north in towns like Caldwell, Temple and West. Since the majority

Tex-Czechs

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their recipes from the old country so they could make sausage, sauerkraut and stews. They didn’t starve, that’s for sure.”

Czechs were known for their resourcefulness, especially on the family homestead. Upon arrival, families would establish a blacksmithing area to create their own farming tools and kitchen utensils. Other projects included making mattresses and pillows from goose and duck feathers, creating syrup from sugar cane plants and devising a pastry brush from turkey feathers woven together with hand-crafted cotton string.

To illustrate this practicality, Foreman relays a story about a torrential hailstorm near Temple that decimated the crops of many Czech immigrant families. While the menfolk huddled to discuss potential options for recouping financial losses, the women and children were scuttling about with buckets.

“And what do you think they salvaged from that devastating storm?” Foreman asks. “They had mixed large pieces of hail with milk, cream and sugar and were selling hailstone ice cream. You know, Czechs can always find a way to make something out of nothing.”

Above: Music takes center stage at several Central Texas Czech history museums, including the dulcimer display at the Burleson County Czech Heritage Museum (photo courtesy Frances Pullin, Pullin Photography); and the music exhibit at Temple’s SPJST Museum. Left: A traditionally dressed Czech couple holds a plate of delectable kolaches (photo courtesy Frances Pullin, Pullin Photography).

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www.thc.state . tx .us

Czech It OutTo get a true sense of the lasting impact Czech immigrants made on Texas, visit the following museums and sites:

Begin your journey at the SPJST Museum in Temple. Referred to as the “supreme lodge” of this traditional benevolent society, the museum contains thousands of items related to the Czech experience in Texas. Occupying the entire basement of the group’s building in downtown Temple, the museum is loosely organized in a chronological approach, starting with traditionally bedecked hand-carved marionettes from 1875 and progressing with military exhibits, an extensive display about family bands and countless Czech artifacts ranging from vintage farming equipment to colorful clothing to home-life displays. Highlights include a remarkably well-preserved 1549 Bible with its Slavic ink lettering remaining coal black on milky white thin paper, and an impressive library with 23,000 volumes dating from 1737 and the largest collection of Czech-related genealogy in the state.

The Burleson County Czech Heritage Museum in Caldwell is located in a charming 1863 home renovated with wood from old barns and homes in the area. The museum offers a slice of life for a Czech family in a traditionally rural Central Texas home during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Artifacts include common household items used by settlers such as kitchen equipment and utensils, books, quilts, farming tools and clothing, including the traditional red vest worn by the king of the Kolache Festival. Notable items include a large dulcimer, colorful pottery with Old-World designs and a 1737 Bible smuggled into the country inside a loaf of bread. This summer, the museum will host a quilt exhibit while preparing for its major annual event — the Kolache Festival on the second Saturday in September.

One of the state’s most significant Czech-based communities is La Grange, home to the Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center.This 72-acre complex adjacent to the Fayette County Fairgrounds includes a replica of a Czech village and walking trails with signage in English and Czech. The village is particularly fascinating, with several homes serving as miniature museums offering artifacts and information about the lifestyle of immigrant Czech families. The Kalich House contains the heritage center’s main office, a small exhibit area with historical items, a genealogical library and a gift shop. The 1870s Hoelscher residence houses the Polka Lovers Club of Texas Museum, featuring vintage instruments and memorabilia associated with the organization, and the restored Migl House includes family heirlooms along

This page (clockwise): The Czech-American Restaurant is a popular stop in downtown West; Nemecek Bros. meat market has been at the same location in West since 1896; Cover photo: The interior of Saints Cyril and Methodius Church in Shiner. (photos courtesy TxDOT)

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with photos and documents related to the immigration and settlement experience.

Just down the road is the Fayetteville Area Museumin a historic building on the courthouse square. The collection here isn’t extensive, but it’s quaint and compatible with this small community that’s become synonymous with Czech and German heritage in Texas. Museum exhibits include Bibles and other items associated with the immigrants’ devout faith, common household objects and a display dedicated to the first Czech family band in Texas.

Many Czechs ultimately fled the confines of rural life for steady employment in Texas cities. A significant Czech population in Houston resulted in the recently opened Czech Cultural Center,where visitors can experience permanent exhibits showcasing the European homeland, a pleasant memorial courtyard and a library containing historical reference materials. The center’s gallery features

paintings, sculpture and folk art along with historical artifacts and photos.

Perhaps most often associated with Czech heritage in Texas are the remarkable Painted Churches.Though more than 20 of these elaborately faux-finished structures exist throughout the state — several with brilliant sky-blue ceilings and gold-leafed detailing surrounding shiny marble columns — the collection of churches primarily associated with Czech settlers are in the Fayette County area. A Painted Churches tour originates from Schulenburg, providing guided access to several outstanding churches, including St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Ammannsville, Saints Cyril and Methodius Church in Dubina and St. Mary’s Catholic Church in High Hill.

This article was written by Andy Rhodes, managing editor of The Medallion.

If You GoSeveral of the attractions listed in this article are available by appointment only. Please contact the following organizations before planning a visit.

Burleson County Czech Heritage Museum, Caldwell979/567-0000

Czech Cultural Center, Houston713/528-2060,www.czechcenter.org

Fayetteville Area Museum, Fayetteville979/378-2279

Painted Churches Tour, Schulenburg979/743-4514

SPJST Museum, Temple254/899-2935,www.spjst.com/museum

The Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center, La Grange888/785-4500,www.czechtexas.org

Clockwise from above: Kitchen items at the Burleson County Czech Heritage Museum; traditional hand-carved marionettes greet visitors at the SPJST Museum; a family quilt at the SPJST Museum; children visiting the Burleson County Czech Heritage Museum (TxDOT).

WWhen marine stewards prepare for work, they forego coats and ties for wet suits and masks. Their assignments take them into mysterious underwater environments, often accompanied by murky conditions with the prospect of an ancient shipwreck awaiting discovery.

For nearly a decade, these eight volunteer members of the Texas Archeological Stewardship Network (TASN) have offered their unique experiences and invaluable talents to the Texas Historical Commission’s (THC) Marine Archeology program. Most marine stewards are divers with many years of experience. Some were rookie divers when the program began. One does not dive at all. Some are very capable

researchers, delving into the history of a particular shipwreck or other aspects of maritime history. Others are great organizers, able to bring people and equipment together for any particular job. All are driven by an interest in Texas’ maritime history and a willingness to spend time and money to investigate and protect that history.

So what exactly does a marine steward do? Typical activities include helping State Marine Archeologist Steve Hoyt locate and evaluate shipwrecks, gathering information on these sites and maritime history from local informants, investigating reports of shipwrecks and looting, recording wrecks as archeological sites and conducting archival research on them.

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The marine stewards work on projects either directly under the supervision of the state marine archeologist or on their own. Recent projects include investigating barrels that washed out in the sand near the mouth of the Colorado River, examining a propeller and unidentified machinery in the grassy swamps of Matagorda Island, and exploring reports of shipwrecks washing out of the beach after a major storm in Matagorda County.

Larger projects include studying a schooner wreck exposed in the surf near the mouth of the Rio Grande and investigating the lost port of Indianola. The Indianola project began with two weekends of field investigations and expanded to two 10-day periods of remote-sensing

TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION www.thc.state . tx .us

STEWARDS OF THE SEASTEWARDS OF THE SEA

Marine Stewards Dive into Texas Waters with Dedication

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surveying and diving for 25 days in the field. All the stewards were able to participate in the project at some level.

Since its inception in 1984, the TASN has played a crucial role in helping the THC protect and investigate endangered historic resources. Earlier this decade, the agency recognized a need to expand the TASN to assist in the investigation and protection of historic shipwrecks throughout the state’s waters (gulf, rivers and lakes).

Until that time, THC staff relied on volunteers from other organizations to assist with exploring shipwrecks. Groups such as the Southwest Underwater Archeology Society were willing participants in numerous underwater analyses. At their own expense, they provided labor and equipment, and on at least one occasion even hired a professional archeologist to oversee a project.

Realizing that an extension of the stewards network could provide advantages not available with other volunteer organizations, the THC organized the marine stewards group as a subset of the TASN in 2001. Other states rely on volunteer organizations to assist with investigating submerged historic resources, but Texas’ marine stewards remain unique as the only group organized by the state to work directly with state employees.

Though part of the larger TASN structure, the marine stewards are organized by and work closely

with the state marine archeologist. The marine stewards contribute to historic shipwrecks the way land stewards assist with terrestrial sites.

One of the obvious differences between marine and land stewards is the environment in which they work. This is not just the water/land difference, but just as importantly, the public/private dichotomy. Most stewards work closely with landowners to promote the investigation and protection of archeological sites on their property

because the state has no authority over sites on private property. The waters of Texas where shipwrecks are likely to be found, however, are publicly owned. As a result, work on archeological sites located in public waters must be conducted under an antiquities permit. The marine stewards’ projects are conducted under a general permit or a site-specific permit held by the state marine archeologist.

When first formally organized, the marine stewards had seven charter members: Andrew Hall of Galveston, John Hoover of Austin, Don Hyett of Palacios, John Luce of San Angelo, Gary McKee of

“Being a marine steward gives me the opportunity to deal with Texas history in a real, hands-on way.”

— Andy Hall, Texas Marine Steward

Fayetteville, Doug Nowell of San Angelo, and Russell Potocki of Houston. An eighth steward, Greg Hlvinka of Matagorda, has since been added to the group.

Each steward was active as a volunteer before being asked to join the TASN. Although they live throughout the state, they do not hesitate to travel at their own expense to any remote section of the coast or interior stretch of river to investigate a wreck or a rumored wreck.

What motivates these marine stewards to donate their time so generously? Depending on whom you ask, the answer ranges from a long family history in Texas to an abiding interest in ships to investigating these indispensable machines of human progress. Andy Hall perhaps best summarized the feelings of the entire group

when he said, “Being a marine steward gives me the opportunity to deal with Texas history in a real, hands-on way.”

This article was written by Steve Hoyt, state marine archeologist with the THC.

Opposite page: Foreground: Marine steward Russell Potocki prepares for a dive at Indianola. Background: investigating a beached wreck near the mouth of the Rio Grande are (from left) John Luce, Andy Hall, Tom Oertling and Doug Nowell.

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AA clerical error in Spain’s military archives is proving to be an unexpected boon to modern historical research. Documents misfiled centuries ago in Seville, Spain were recently discovered and provide new information about the presidio at Mission San Sabá near present-day Menard (approximately 60 miles southeast of San Angelo) and many others throughout Texas.

Thanks to a new international research project funded and directed by Dr. Kathleen Gilmore, a historical archeologist from Dallas, this information is shedding new light on Spanish colonial history and archeology in Texas. It will also provide further data on Spanish colonial military and mission life to scholars and the general public.

In spring 2007, Gilmore received

exciting news from her colleague, Dr. Tamra Walter of Texas Tech University.

Dr. Jose Manuel Serrano Alvarez, a distinguished professor, historian and archivist at the University of Seville, had discovered new information and shared it with Walter. He found archival documents about Texas (formerly New Spain) that he suspected had not been seen for perhaps hundreds of years, due to being improperly filed.

Gilmore established the Texas Presidio Project Fund to sponsor a visit to the archives by a team of Texas scholars who completed research, transcription, translation and analysis. In December 2007, the project team joined Alvarez in Spain and began exploring the documents he had found in the Seville archives.

The team of researchers includes Gilmore, Walter, Kay Hindes and Valentina Martinez. Walter is an assistant professor of anthropology and a specialist in Spanish Colonial

archeology. She has led field schools for students and for members of the Texas Archeological Society at Mission Espiritu Santo in Goliad and the presidio at Mission San Sabá. Hindes is an archeologist for the city of San Antonio. A specialist in Spanish Colonial mission archeology and archival research, she was instrumental in locating the site of Mission San Sabá as well as in identifying the second location of Mission Espiritu Santo in Victoria. Martinez, an archeologist and anthropologist who teaches at Florida Atlantic University, serves as the research team’s translator and interpreter. The most important documents were copied in Seville and brought back to the United States for translation and analysis.

What is the most interesting discovery the team has made so far? “All of the information has been really exciting,” reports Walter. “From an archeological perspective, the information about buildings, supplies and the layout of the fort are particularly interesting; because

Presidio Project Provides Window to Texas’ 18th-Century History

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Above: Mission San Jose represents Spain’s 18th-century presence in the area.

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they can be compared with the archeological record that we have documented in modern times. From a historical perspective, we are learning more about the personalities of those who lived at these sites, such as Felipe Rábago y Terán and Captain Diego Ortiz Parrilla.”

Rábago, a Spanish soldier, first appears in chronicles of the mid-1700s. In March 1750, King Ferdinand VI designated him as commander of a proposed presidio in Central Texas, San Francisco Xavier de Gigedo. En route to take command, the young Rábago engaged in scandalous behavior with Indian and Hispanic women, shocking the Franciscan monks who accompanied him. He was later implicated in the murder of two men at Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria Mission and removed from office. After the destruction of the San Sabá mission in 1758 and the dismissal of Captain Diego Ortiz Parrilla as commander of Presidio San Luis de las Amarillas, Rábago was exonerated of the murders and was appointed as a replacement for Parrilla. He took command of the presidio in 1761 and replaced the wooden structure with a massive stone fortress.

“The kinds of new information we are finding include documents

regarding Rábago’s financial situation, inventory lists of goods at Presidios Bexar and San Sabá, information about building materials and the layout of Presidio San Sabá,” Walter adds. “We hope to generate several journal articles from our current research and possibly a book chronicling Rábago’s career.”

The project team also plans to investigate documents in other archives to see if they can uncover additional new insights.

“We are planning on researching other Texas presidios, such as San Xavier, Los Adaes and La Bahia,” says Gilmore. “We want to retrieve the same kinds of information about these forts as we have found for San Sabá and Bexar, and we will be looking at archives in Madrid, Rome and Mexico.”

Members of the team went to Rome in late February and explored the repository there. Reports on the research are currently being compiled and will be completed in late 2008.

Gilmore is thrilled about the potential new information that will be uncovered through this research project. She wrote her master’s thesis on the San Xavier Presidio and Missions, and ever since her major interest has been Texas colonial archeology and history. She believes that not enough research is being done on the colonial period in Texas history.

“I hope this project will encourage others to conduct further study,” she says. “There is so much more to learn about this fascinating period in Texas history.”

This article was written by Toni Turner,

the THC’s development officer.

“I hope this project will encourage others to conduct further study. There is so much more to learn about this fascinating period in Texas history. ”— Dr. Kathleen Gilmore,

Historical Archeologist, Dallas

Venerable Spanish buildings in Texas remaining from the country’s colonial period include (left) Mission San Sabá near Menard and Mission Espiritu Santo in Goliad.

TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION www.thc.state . tx .us16

— Continued from page 3

The artists and architects collaborated on unique designs for each major monument and statue, dedicated to Texas heroes like Stephen F. Austin, R.E.B. Baylor, Ben Milam, Jose Navarro, Mirabeau B. Lamar, Richard Dowling and John Meusebach. Josset, a French-born sculptor, has left the most indelible artistic impression on the land, having designed three dozen bronze tablets and plaques that memorialize county histories, explorers, Spanish missions, early churches and other topics.

The most notable legacy of the advisory board’s deliberations remain the more than 1,000 historical markers spread across Texas. Carved from gray or pink granite quarried from Burnet County, these stately stones adorned with bronze stars, wreaths and descriptive plaques mark important historic sites.

The commission tried to be as equitable as possible in spreading historical markers around Texas. Every county in the state received a marker indicating the date of its establishment and the source of its name. These pink blocks of granite were placed along major roads, with the cooperation of the Texas Highway Department, which often developed roadside parks and scenic overlooks to enhance travelers’ experiences.

Nearly 500 vertical granite historical markers from 1936 identify significant sites and topics statewide, ranging from ancient Native American villages and Spanish missions to battlefields and oilfields. Some were erected in public places with inscriptions that begin “Two and one half miles east,” or “In this vicinity,” when the actual site could

not be accessed, so people could learn the local history. Other times, particularly with gravesites, the marker was placed at the exact site on private land. In many cases, a Texas Centennial marker became the only tribute at the unmarked graves of the state’s patriots and pioneers.

When the Texas Legislature created the Texas State Historical Survey Committee (now the THC) in 1953, the new agency was given responsibility for the state’s 1936 markers, some of which had already been damaged or lost after 17 years. The inscriptions of all the centennial markers are included on the online Atlas on the THC web site, searchable by keyword, county and location.

The Commission of Control for Texas Centennial Celebrations achieved its goals of documenting and preserving Texas history for posterity. Today, the Centennial markers and monuments are admired

for their aesthetics as much as for their historical value. Their quality craftsmanship also ensures their commemorative efforts will be appreciated for many years to come.

In Josset’s obituary, the prolific Frenchman-turned-Texan was quoted as saying, “There is so much development to be done in Texas with fine arts. There is money and enthusiasm here and the people know what they want. Texans seek things with meaning and simple beauty for their homes and their appreciation. They choose with an eye of permanence, thinking in terms of years, generations, maybe forever.”

This article was written by Bob Brinkman of the THC’s History Programs Division.

Above: A historic photo of the dedication of the Centennial marker at Highway 24 Park in Delta County near Cooper (photo courtesy TxDOT).

Etched in Stone: Texas Centennial Markers

TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 17

May/June 2008

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

SSummer is just a few weeks away, meaning it’s time for the annual family vacation. Chances are, you’re heading to the beach, visiting Fiesta Texas in San Antonio or seeking cooler temperatures in the West Texas mountains.

As the old saying goes, it’s about the journey, not the destination. The drive to Mustang Island or Sea World has probably become all too familiar — here’s where the Texas Travel Industry Association’s (TTIA) Texas Education Vacation web site (www.texaseducationvacation.com) comes in handy.

The first thing you’ll see on the web site is a Texas map listing the state’s major cities. Click on one to see a list of area attractions. You’ll probably find a few places you’ve never heard of before: these would be ideal sites to visit as a side trip en route to your destination or as an added stop on your itinerary.

“There’s something new to learn in every Texas town,” says David Teel of the TTIA. “Dropping by one of the attractions featured on the Education Vacation site adds a new dimension to the usual family trip. If you’re going to the beach with your family, it can be a lot of fun to incorporate an educational element.”

For example, enhance a trip to Mustang or North Padre islands with a visit to the nearby Fulton Mansion, a grand Victorian villa built in 1877 that included many progressive items for its time, such as flushable toilets and interior gas lighting. The property, recently acquired by the Texas Historical Commission (THC), is featured on the TTIA’s Texas Education Vacation site.

Perhaps you’re visiting friends or family in Houston or San Antonio. Be sure to consult the THC’s web site (www.thc.state.tx.us) in addition to Texas Education Vacation to find out more about regional attractions, including THC sites such as Varner-Hogg Plantation near Houston or Casa Navarro in San Antonio. If you’re West Texas bound, consider stopping by Fort Lancaster in Sheffield or Fort McKavett near Menard.

Finally, just because it’s summer vacation doesn’t mean you can’t learn something new and have fun too. Consider making a scrapbook, web diary or journal entry about your excursions to sites off the beaten path. Submit a photo to The Medallion of your visit (see notice at right) and you’ll be rewarded with more than just a passing grade.

This article was written by Andy Rhodes,

managing editor of The Medallion.

Above: TTIA’s Texas Education Vacation web site

www.texaseducationvacation.com

See the Signs

How many times have you seen one of those brown signs along the side of the highway announcing “Historical Marker Ahead”? 20 times? 100? Now’s your chance to see what they’re all about.

When you’re traveling to a vacation destination this summer, bring a digital camera along and ask your parents (or grandparents or older sibling or whoever’s driving the car) to stop at a historical marker for a quick visit. Snap a photo of the marker and email it to us at The Medallion(medallion@thc.state.tx.us) along with a sentence or two about where you were and what you remember about the site. In return, you’ll receive a nifty prize from the Texas Heritage Trails Program, our agency’s regional tourism initiative. Happy trails!

our knowledge of the state’s past.Texas Archeology Month

2008 will be here soon. Plan your schedule so you can join in the fun at numerous opportunities. Educational and entertaining activities in communities across the state include demonstrations of traditional crafts and technologies, special exhibits on archeological sites or topics, hands-on activities, such as mock digs and rock art replication, lectures on archeological topics and tours of archeological sites and laboratories.

The THC proudly sponsors TAM in association with the Texas Archeological Society and the Council of Texas Archeologists. For information about events in your area, consult the TAM page on the THC web site (www.thc.state.tx.us). To request a printed calendar (typically available by September), contact the agency’s Archeology Division at 512/463-6090 or archeology@thc.state.tx.us.

Scholarship is the award’s focal point; however, it also honors those who have made significant and lasting contributions to the field of Texas history over time.

Utley earned degrees in history from the University of Texas at Austin and Sam Houston State University. His experience includes teaching, working as a field and oral historian and co-authoring two books on Texas history, From Can See to Can’t: Texas Cotton Farmers on the Southern Prairies, and Guided with a Steady Hand: The Cultural Landscape of a Rural Texas Park. He retired from the THC in 2007 and is currently a freelance historian in the Austin area.

Mark Your Calendars for Texas Archeology MonthTexas Archeology Month (TAM) is a time to celebrate Texas’ rich archeological heritage. Each October Texans can learn about how archeological investigations enable us to add new and important details to

Utley Named TSHA FellowDan Utley, former chief historian with the Texas Historical Commission (THC), was recently named a Fellow by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). The honorary title, one of the most prestigious accolades bestowed on Texas historians, is annually given to up to three TSHA members who have demonstrated an extraordinary aptitude for historical study relating to Texas, primarily through published works.

“It is a wonderful personal honor, one that means a great deal because it comes from my fellow historians. But beyond that, I believe it is an important recognition of the field of public history in general and of the work carried on by such organizations as the THC, the Baylor University Institute for Oral History, and the Texas Archeological Research Laboratory,” said Utley, the first THC staffer to receive the esteemed honor. “During my years with those groups, I was fortunate to be part of some great teams who worked on many significant historical projects, and all those experiences are, to me, an integral part of the honor.”

Utley adds that the award represents the highest peer recognition of the oldest learned society in Texas.

NEWS IN BRIEF

The Texas State Historical Association recently honored former THC Chief Historian Dan Utley as a Fellow.

www.thc.state . tx .us18

THC Announces Annual Preservation Award WinnersEach year, the THC gives prestigious awards to notable individuals and organizations to emphasize outstanding contributions to preserving Texas’ historic resources. The following people were recently honored at the Annual Historic Preservation Conference in Corpus Christi:

The Ruth Lester Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Peggy Tobin of the Bandera County Historical Commission.

The George Christian Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Awardwas presented to David E. Hollingsworth of the Williamson County Historical Commission.

The John L. Nau, III Award of Excellence in Museumswas presented to Larry Francell of the Museum of the Big Bend in Alpine.

The Curtis D. Tunnell Lifetime Achievement Award in Archeology was presented to Dr. Michael B. Collins of Austin.

The Anice B. Read Award of Excellence in Community Heritage Development was presented to Chris Mosley of Fort Worth.

The Award of Excellence in Historic Architecturewas presented to Komatsu Architecture, Fort Worth.

The Award of Excellence in Preserving Historywas presented to the City of College Station Project HOLD.

The Award of Excellence in Media Achievementwas presented to Mike Snyder of the Houston Chronicle.

TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSIONMay/June 2008

BobWhat THC programs have been most effective in your county? Our CHC has gained public awareness by publishing regular newspaper articles about our history and our events. Also, the THC and CHC training for our members have been very effective. We are also following the THC’s ideas to attract tourism and

visitors to our county. As part of the Texas Independence Trail Region, we work hard to make the public and our students aware of the important role our county played in Texas’ independence.

What have you found is the most effective way of working with your county officials and county residents to keep them interested and active in historic preservation?Communication with our public officials is important. We regularly advise our officials of projects, invite them to meetings, have them speak at our breakfast gatherings and participate in our major events. Our relationship with our county officials and the public is superb. Our county judge and commissioners court have worked well with us, recently providing a “new” archives, museum, visitors center and meeting facilities. We are fortunate to have public officials supporting our efforts.

HHow long have you been serving with your CHC?I’ve been involved with the Chambers CHC for approximately eight years and I’ve served as chairman for the past three years.

What are your group’s most memorable projects? One was obtaining a historical marker for all the African American schools in the county. Another was celebrating and reenacting the 1832 confrontation at Fort Anahuac, where the first shot was fired against unjust treatment of colonists at Anahuac, giving it the distinction of being known as “The Cradle of Texas Independence.” We’re also proud of getting our students interested in local and Texas history by promoting history-related essay projects.

What interesting projects are your CHC members currently undertaking? Chambers County was chosen a few years ago as one of the first 17 counties in the state to participate in the THC’s RIP Guardian cemetery program. To date, we’ve located and documented more than 112 old and historic cemeteries. Even though the project has officially ended, we continue to research and find lost cemeteries throughout the county. Also, we have a historic home recognition project where we place historical commission signs throughout the county telling different homes’ histories.

The Medallion is published bimonthly by the Texas Historical Commission. Address correspondence to Managing Editor, The Medallion, P.O. Box 12276, Austin, TX 78711-2276. Portions of the newsletter that are not copyrighted or reprinted from other sources may be reprinted with permission. Contributions for the support of this publication are gratefully accepted. For information about alternate formats of this publication, contact the THC at 512/463-6255.

TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSIONCommissioners:John L. Nau, III, ChairDavid A. Gravelle, Vice ChairDiane Bumpas, Secretary

Thomas E. Alexander Albert F. (Boo) HausserBob Bowman Lisa HembryEarl Broussard Jr. Sarita A. HixonDonna D. Carter Gilbert E. Peterson Mario Castillo Thomas R. PhillipsJohn Crain Steve TomkaJon Hansen Marcus Watson

Commissioner Emeritus: T.R. Fehrenbach Executive Director: F. Lawerence Oaks

Medallion Staff:Heather McBride Director of MarketingBarbara Putrino EditorAndy Rhodes Managing EditorJudy Jensen Senior Graphic DesignerShayla Groves Graphic Designer

ISSN 0890-7595Vol. 45, No. 5–6

www.thc.state.tx.us thc@thc.state.tx.us

The Medallion is financed in part by a grant from the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. All of the agency’s public programs and activities are operated free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, gender or disability. Any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against should write to Office of Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, DC 20240.

The Medallion is available online at www.thc.state.tx.us/medallionmag/mddefault.html. If you would prefer to receive The Medallionelectronically instead of through the mail, please send your name and address to thc@thc.state.tx.us. You will be notified by email when each new issue is available on the THC web site and will no longer receive a printed copy.

19

CHC SPOTLIGHT

Our MissionTo protect and preserve

the state’s historic and prehistoric resources for the use, education, enjoyment and economic benefit of present and future generations.

Chambers County Historical Commission

The MedallionTexas Historical CommissionP.O. Box 12276Austin, TX 78711-2276

PRESORTEDSTANDARD

U.S. POSTAGE PAIDAUSTIN, TX

PERMIT NO. 1938

WWHERE ON EARTH... IN TEXAS

www.thc.state. tx.us

Where on Earth? You tell us! Write to the Texas Historical Commission, P.O. Box 12276, Austin, TX 78711-2276. You also may fax your answer to 512/463-6374 or email it to medallion@thc.state.tx.us. The first three people who correctly guess the site will be named with the answer in the July/August issue of The Medallion. The first correct mail answer will be counted, even if correct emails and faxes arrive first. Limit one prize annually per contestant.

Want a clue? This Second Empire style limestone building by architect W.C. Dodson is

similar to several other large-scale buildings he designed south of Dallas-Fort Worth.

Answer to the photo from the last issue: The stone carving pictured at left sits atop the Mobeetie Jail Museum in the Panhandle community of Mobeetie. This town of 107 residents

was originally called Sweetwater, but concerns of name duplication resulted in a change to Mobeetie, reportedly a Native American term for “sweet water.”

Congratulations to the following readers who submitted correct answers: Guy Giersch of McKinney and 8-year-old Tyler Lester of Mobeetie.They will receive prizes from our Texas Heritage Trails Program, the Texas Historical Commission’s regional tourism initiative, as tokens of our appreciation for taking part in the fun. Thanksto all participants!

THIRD NOTICETexas law requires state newsletters to notify recipients in three consecutive issues that to continue receiving the publication, they must request it once each year. To maintain your free subscription to The Medallion, please mail or fax this portion of the page (including the mailing label) to:

The Medallion CirculationP.O. Box 12276Austin, TX 78711-2276Fax: 512/463-6374

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