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Celebrating all that makes Texas distinctive https://youtu.be/6o26HgKCcT0

10/09/2026

Ending off the week with is this film poster for Viva Zapata!

The 1952 movie was filmed in Roma, Texas, among other areas in the American Southwest. John Steinback, author of The Grapes of Wrath, wrote the screenplay. Viva Zapata! is a dramatized tale of Emiliano Zapata, who was a Mexican revolutionary. The film chronicles his life from his peasant beginnings to his 1919 death. Marlon Brando plays the titular character, but it was Anthony Quinn, who played Zapata's brother Eufemio, who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

📸: Boris Grinsson

City of Roma, Texas

10/08/2026

Here's another for everyone! This picture features Roma's historical district during an unknown year. Maybe the cars could tell us a bit about when the photo was taken? The bird cage on top of the car in the foreground is incredibly interesting!

📸: Portal to Texas History; Texas Historical Commission

City of Roma, Texas

10/07/2026

For this , we highlight how history doesn't stay in the classroom.

Students in Introduction to Public History taught by our Executive Director LeAnna Schooley recently stepped behind the scenes at Log Cabin Village for a special tour exploring Fort Worth's living history - and discovering the stories, objects, buildings and people that help us better understand Texas's past.

Experiences like these give students the opportunity to look beyond the textbook, ask questions, and engage directly with history.

We're grateful to Log Cabin Village for welcoming our students and sharing their expertise!

📸: Sarah Escamilla

Log Cabin Village

10/06/2026

For this week's , we're looking at a very interesting museum: the World Birding Center in Roma, Texas!

The World Birding Center is actually made up of nine parks and nature preserves, which are all overseen by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The Roma Bluffs area, located in Roma, Texas, "includes a three-acre riverside nature area," according to Texas Time Travel. People can see all sorts of birds through walking tours and float trips.

Although the World Birding Center website does not exist anymore, Google states that the center is open from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM Monday through Friday. Texas Time Travel gives the phone number as (956) 849-4930, so call to learn more about pricing among other things!

📸: https://texastimetravel.com/directory/world-birding-centerroma-bluffs/ ; Valerie Bates

City of Roma, Texas

10/05/2026

Thank you for joining us for yet another ! This week, we're in Roma, Texas, with the marker for the Nuevo Santander Land Grants.

According to the marker, this area was "one of the last northern provinces of New Spain," established by José de Escandón. Surveying began around 1767, with commissioners Juan Armando de Palacio and José de Ossorio y Llamas taking the lead. This portion of land was part of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. As the years passed, border disputes between Mexico and Texas became border disputes between Mexico and the United States. This marker's place in Roma, Texas, helps remind residents of the "lasting cultural legacy" of existing in a place that experienced so many historical changes.

📸: HMDB; Brian Anderson

City of Roma, Texas

10/02/2026

As school is back in full swing, we're highlighting our website!

For teachers, parents, and students, our website has resources under our Teachers and Resources tabs. You can find lists of books, primary sources, links to digital archives and virtual tours, and sample classroom activities. Happy learning!

10/01/2026

This week's does not go back too far, but shows something cool about the past nonetheless! This photo, taken in 1991, shows a peach orchard in Stonewall, Texas. The flowers are so vibrant!

📸: Portal to Texas History; Evelyn Fiedler Streng

Stonewall Chamber of Commerce

09/30/2026

Happy ! THIS SATURDAY, we're hosting the upcoming talk "Wrangling Pelicans: Military Life in Texas Presidios".

Many Texans know about Spain’s colonization of the state, but what do they know about life back then? Do they know anything about the strange requests that stem from being ruled by a king? This month, Dr. Tim Seiter joins us to discuss his book, Wrangling Pelicans: Military Life in Texas Presidios, to answer those questions. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about common professions of the region, their dangers, and what happened when the King of Spain, Carlos III, demanded that his subjects in Texas wrangle pelicans for his royal zoo in 1775. Ultimately, those who attend the lecture will learn that early Tejanos lived hard lives. They battled illness and endured hunger (scurvy was a recurring problem). And yet, in the face of myriad hardships, these Tejanos carved out lives for themselves on their own terms. Book signing follows lecture. Program is free.

Dr. Tim Seiter is an assistant professor of history at the University of Texas at Tyler, where he specializes in colonial Texas with a focus on Spanish and Native histories. This book, Wrangling Pelicans, was the winner of the 2026 Summerlee Book Prize in nonfiction. Currently, Seiter is organizing a new general history of Native peoples in Texas for the University of Texas Press.

We will have a Zoom option for this talk, so please visit our Linktree to register for Zoom! We hope to see you all there on Saturday!

09/29/2026

Sticking with Stonewall, Texas, this features the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm!

According to farm's website, the Sauers were the first family to establish the farmland in 1869. In 1900, they sold the farm to the Beckmann family. One of the Beckmann's descendants sold it to Texas Parks and Wildfile in 1966. Now, the farm contains many dedicated individuals in costume who perform seasonal chores and hosts events throughout the year.

There is no admission fee, but they do accept donations! They are only closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day and the last Tuesday of every month. Their hours range from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM October through May, and 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM June through September. Find out more here: https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/lyndon-b-johnson/sauer-beckmann-farm

📸: https://www.fredericksburgtexas-online.com

Stonewall Chamber of Commerce Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm at LBJ State Park

09/28/2026

Welcome back to ! This week, we're in Stonewall, Texas, covering the Stonewall Community Cemetery.

This cemetery shows how the rapid changes of the late nineteenth century affected many Texas towns. According to the marker, the cemetery "originally served the settlement of Millville." In 1875, Millville transformed into Stonewall and the cemetery kept operating. Ironically, the land wasn't formally deeded until 1934, and became inactive in 1939. Despite the name changes and formalities, people in the area used the cemetery for around 60 years... that is, until it resumed operations in 1966. The cemetery association that followed three years after reopening helps keep the unincorporated community's local history alive.

📸: HMDB; Duane Hall

Stonewall Chamber of Commerce

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