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Overview

Created in 2004, the Save Texas History program is a statewide initiative to rally public support and private funding for the preservation and promotion of the historic maps and documents housed in the GLO Archives.

With the twin goals of preservation and education, the Save Texas History program seeks to conserve these documents for future generations, and educate Texans about the rich heritage found in these important records.

CONSERVATION

  • Document/Map Conservation: Our goal is to spend approximately $100,000 per year on archival conservation. A single item can cost anywhere from $100 to $20,000, depending on size and condition. No money is appropriated from the legislature for this purpose. Cash donations of all amounts are accepted into a restricted fund to pay for conservation only.
  • Adopt a Document, Map, or Collection: Sponsor the conservation of a specific item or collection that is significant to you, your family, school or organization. Adoption costs vary depending upon size and condition. Please inquire about specific items.

EDUCATION

  • Save Texas History Symposium: This is a yearly event that offers first-class speakers, exhibitors, and breakout sessions centered around a specific theme. The symposium is our largest fundraiser of the year, and welcomes between 200-250 people every fall. There are many symposium-specific sponsorship benefits available. Sponsorship opportunities range from $100 up to $5,000+.
  • Curriculum Cadre: Help us fund lesson plans and curriculum for Texas history teachers that emphasize the use of primary resources and technology in the classroom. Specifically, donations pay teachers/curriculum writers to attend annual meetings. $1,000/teacher per week. $3,000-$5,000.
  • Traveling Educational Workshops: Help us reach teachers across the state by underwriting our educational teacher workshops for Texas history teachers. We focus on school districts that are outside of the major metropolitan areas of the state because those areas lack adequate resources for Texas history teachers. These workshops allow us to apply lesson plans/curriculum and strategies in person. $1,000-$2,500 per workshop.

DIGITAL PROJECTS

  • Map Monday: Become a sponsor of the popular social media program, #MapMonday. By sponsoring this program, you will help highlight a different historic map every week, and expose tens-of-thousands of additional people to the historic maps of the Texas General Land Office (as well as your brand). Sponsorship money can be split between social media advertising and document and map conservation. Your logo will appear on each sponsored post, linking back to your website. Weekly sponsorships starting at $25/week; Exclusive one year Sponsorship: $10,000.
  • Texas Hidden History: Sponsor an intern to geo-reference GLO historic maps. This project combines modern satellite photography with historic map imagery for a new, dynamic way to view Texas history, available for free to the public at TexasHiddenHistory.com. The goal for this project is to have all 254 counties represented with at least one map; geo-reference our city map collection; and geo-reference select state, Republic, and regional maps. An intern should be able to geo-reference approximately three maps per week. Minimum of $6,000 ($2,000/month; $24,000/year).

ACQUISITIONS

  • Map and Document Acquisitions: Our goal is to develop the most comprehensive Texas Map Collection in the world and make it entirely available online. Donate specific maps to help us develop the collection, or donate money to help fund acquisitions. A reproduction of the donated map(s) will be provided to donors.

No general revenue from the Legislature is appropriated for conservation of historic records. The conservation and promotion of these Texas treasures depends solely on private donations, map purchases and corporate sponsorships.


For more information on Save Texas History, or how you can help, contact us at 512.463.5277 or archives@glo.texas.gov.