As the country celebrates 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, every state has a story to tell about its own contributions to the development of the nation. Our 2026 exhibit, Texas America250, now on view at the Lorenzo de Zavala State Archives and Library Building, spotlights some of the areas where […]

Rancheras: Spanish Texas Women and Their Contributions to American Independence uncovers the overlooked role of women ranch owners in eighteenth-century Texas and their influence during the American Revolution. Through original wills, petitions, and census records, the exhibition shows how women exercised legal and economic authority under Spanish colonial law while managing cattle networks that supported […]

Texas America250 traveling exhibit will be on display in the Palestine Public Library public spaces.

Tides of Freedom explores how Spanish influence, leadership, and resources helped shape the course of the Revolutionary War, an especially meaningful story for Texas, which was part of Spain’s American territories during this pivotal era. Through captivating storytelling and historical highlights, the exhibit sheds light on the strategic importance of the Gulf Coast, the Mississippi […]

What happens when undergraduate historians dive into the archives? You get “Revolutions and Constitutions: Nation-Building in the Americas after 1776.” This exhibition commemorates the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence by placing it within a broader hemispheric narrative. It explores how revolutionary ideals and new models of governance, shaped by Enlightenment thought and the U.S. Revolution, […]

In honor of the United States’ 250th anniversary, LSFM reflects on Texas’s contributions to national and global aviation achievements. Texas was home to several major pilot training locations during World War I and II, including Ellington Field, here in Houston. Texas manufacturers designed and produced thousands of aircraft for the war effort, as well as […]