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Our Mission
The mission of the Texas Historical Foundation is to serve past, present, and future Texans by supporting research in and publication of Texas history, assisting in the preservation of historic and prehistoric artifacts and information,and raising and providing funds for these purposes in order to recognize and honor past generations and to enrich the awareness of and pride in Texas heritage for present and future generations.
Our History
The Texas State Historical Survey Committee (now the Texas Historical Commission) was created by the Fifty-third Legislature and approved and filed on June 4, 1953. Its objectives were to survey the State of Texas to determine who the private preservationists were, what the endangered artifacts, shrines, and papers consisted of, and where these treasures were located. Governor Allan Shivers appointed 18 members to the committee and assigned eight directives. One of these directives was to create the Texas Historical Foundation for the purpose of funding the endeavors of the Committee.
For the first 10 years, until the State began to appropriate funds for the preservation projects undertaken by the TSHSC, most funding came from the THF. In 1965 the TSHSC and THF became two separate organizations but the relationship remained as it started, with the THF raising money to implement the programs of the TSHSC.
In 1971 as the Legislature began to fund a fairly comprehensive program for the Survey Committee, the THF began to move from its original purpose as a funding vehicle into an activist role of its own, seeking worthy projects and exploring some of the critical needs in the preservation field. Several endowments have been established within the THF that give the organization a greater opportunity to support preservation projects statewide.
Since 1971 the THF has continued to pursue these projects, raise money to fund them, and help to create an awareness of preservation through the quarterly publication HERITAGE magazine.
THF is managed by a Board of Directors from throughout the State who are committed to the continuing development of financial resources to insure the preservation of Texas heritage for future generations.
Our People
OFFICERS
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD Marshall J. Doke, Jr., Dallas
PRESIDENT Kelly A. Rushing, Houston
VICE PRESIDENT Bill Holmes, Belton
SECRETARY John D. Curtis, Spicewood
TREASURER William Knox, Austin
BOARDMEMBERS
Jim Allison, Amarillo
Rich Atwell, Fredericksburg
John Aughinbaugh, Dallas
Bill Bailey, Jr., Jacksonville
Martin D. Beirne, Houston
John F. Boyle, Irving
Frank Kell Cahoon, Midland
Shannon Wilson Callewart, Dallas
Dennis Connally, Dallas
Bob Cowan, Midland
Tom C. Doell, Dallas
Lamar Douglas, Houston
Dwight M. Francis, Dallas
Joseph J. French, Jr., Dallas
Curtis L. Frisbie, Jr., Dallas
Jose Manuel “Che” Guerra, McAllen
Kenneth S. Gunter, San Angelo
J. Evetts Haley, Jr., Midland
Holt Hickman, Fort Worth
Lacy H. Hunt, Ph.D., Austin
Robert Jones, Houston
William Keffer, Dallas
William B. Kendrick, Dallas
Patrick Killman, Houston
Jerry King, Addison
John T. Loving, Lewisville
Ted Lusher, Austin
Dr. Robert Maberry, Jr., Fort Worth
Dian Malouf, Dallas
Elizabeth Marlow, Dallas
Reuben D. Martinez, Dallas
Patricia R. Mast, Nacogdoches
James McBride, Houston
Red McCombs, San Antonio
Barbara McCormick, Snyder
Raymond A. McDaniel, Jr., Abilene
Henry E. Meadows, Jr., Austin
John B. Meadows, Austin
Jay Munisteri, Houston
Kathy Myers, Dallas
Michaux Nash Jr., Dallas
Michael Perrin, Houston
Lee Pfluger, San Angelo
Margaret Purvis, Midland
Teresa Rabalais, Corpus Christi
L. Glynn Ray, Abilene
Mildred Sentell, Post
Val Senter, Garland
Billye Proctor Shaw, Abilene
Lynn Smith, Dallas
Dian Graves Stai, Fredericksburg
William E. Strother, Dallas
Angela Styles, Washington, D.C.
Elizabeth Susser, Corpus Christi
Margaret A. Thomas, Cuero
Ralph Thomas, Houston
Sherra Thomason, Harper
Jack Wahlquist, Dallas
Diana Walker, Nacogdoches
Bill Wright, Abilene
Jack W. Young, Dallas
Standing committees of the THF:
Administration
Audit
Awards
Endowment
Executive Committee
Finance
Grants
Membership
Nominating
Program
Publications
Texas Heritage Network
Since 1954, the Texas Historical Foundation has published the stories of our history and people and helped fund projects that save Texas buildings and culture. THF is one of the only groups in the state that carries on its mission without taking state or federal funds.
We are Texans helping preserve Texas.Join us to ensure that the story of our Texas past has a place in the future.
Texas Historical Foundation P.O. Box 50314 Austin, TX 78763 Tel: 512-453-2154
Fax:512-499-3944 or email admin@texashistoricalfoundation.org