Six Degrees of Connection:
Texas Heritage
Raising awareness of Austin and Texas history
Exhibitors
Six Degrees of Connection: Texas Heritage has invited history-related non-profit organizations to host
tables in order to showcase the purpose of their groups, to collect donations, and to sell items from
their gift shops. The exhibitors will be located in the tent area just west of the chapel in Oakwood
Cemetery.
EXHIBITORS
The Austin Genealogical Society advances genealogy through wide-ranging research and education,
and supporting the preservation of the heritage of Austin, Travis County and Texas.
www.austintxgensoc.org
Austin History Center and Austin History Center Association
The Austin History Center provides the public
with information about the history, current events,
and activities of Austin and Travis County. It
collects and preserves information about local
governments, businesses, residents, institutions, and neighborhoods so that generations to come will
have access to the area’s history. http://www.austinlibrary.com/ahc/about.htm The Austin History
Center Association is a 501(c)3 non-profit membership organization dedicated to the support of the
Austin History Center. AHCA helps the community value our past and build a better future – by
supporting the Austin History Center to achieve excellence in its efforts to serve as the collective
memory of Austin and Travis County. AHCA will be selling its books, posters, DVDs, and cards.
The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), founded in 1890, is a non-profit, non-political
volunteer women’s service organization dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American
history, and securing America’s future through better education for children. As one of the most
inclusive genealogical societies in the country, DAR boasts 170,000 members in 3,000 chapters across
the United States and internationally. Any woman 18 years or older who can prove lineal descent from
a patriot of the American Revolution is eligible for membership. http://www.dar.org/
Elisabet Ney Museum is the former studio of the nineteenth century sculptor Elisabet Ney. Ney’s
studio became a gathering place for influential Texans where stimulating discussions of politics, art,
and philosophy took place. After her death in 1907, her friends created the Elisabet Ney Museum and
established the Texas Fine Arts Association. The museum is listed on the National Register of Historic
Places and is a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Historic Artists’ Homes and
Studios program. www.austintexas.gov/department/elisabet-ney-museum
The French Legation Museum began in 1841 as a private home built for the French charge
d’affaires, Alphonse Dubois. The property has had two other significant owners including Dr. Joseph
Robertson and the State of Texas, who appointed the Daughters of the Republic of Texas the
custodians of the property. The French Legation Museum promotes the understanding and
Six Degrees of Connection:
Texas Heritage
Raising awareness of Austin and Texas history
appreciation of Texas history and culture through preservation of the legacy, structure, and collections
of the French Legation of the Republic of Texas. www.frenchlegation.org
The German-Texan Heritage Society was founded in 1978 to preserve and
promote the rich cultural heritage of the German families that immigrated to
Texas since the early 1830s. State headquarters of GTHS is in the historic
German Free School in downtown Austin, built by the original settlers to
provide an education available to all. The building houses a library for
genealogical studies and research on German-Texana. In addition to offering
German language classes to adults and children, GTHS hosts a number of
cultural events, including a Speakers Series, German Film Night, an Annual
Meeting, Oktoberfest, and a Christmas Market. http://germantexans.org/
O. Henry Museum
The O. Henry Museum offers a look into the life of William Sidney Porter in the Austin years leading
up to his controversial prison term, after which he assumed the pen name O. Henry and set about
transforming himself into the famed short story writer who authored such universal classics as “Gifts
of the Magi,” “The Ransom of Red Chief,” and “The Cop and the Anthem.” The mission of the O.
Henry Museum is to collect, preserve, and interpret artifacts and archival materials relative to the
author for literary, educational, and historical purposes. http://www.austintexas.gov/department/ohenry-museum
Joseph & Susanna Dickinson House Museum
The 1869 home of Joseph and Susanna Dickinson Hannig was saved and deeded to the City of Austin
in 2003. Joseph Hannig built this home in 1869 for his new wife, Susanna Dickinson. She survived
the Battle of the Alamo and carried the news of its fall to Sam Houston. For this deed, Susanna
Dickinson became known as the “Messenger of the Alamo.” The Joseph and Susanna Dickinson
Hannig Museum is the only remaining residence of Susanna Dickinson. The mission of the Joseph and
Susanna Dickinson Hannig Museum is to preserve the home and legacy of Battle of the Alamo
survivor Susanna Dickinson and to celebrate Texas’ historical heritage by providing programs and
educational resources to the citizens of Austin and its visitors.
http://www.austintexas.gov/department/joseph-and-susanna-dickinson-hannig-museum
Neill-Cochran House Museum is considered to be one of Austin’s
three most important historic residences and was built by Austin’s
master builder Abner Cook. Built in 1855 as a suburban estate, this
impressive Greek Revival house has survived war, neglect, and the
immense growth of the University of Texas area and the capital city. In
celebration of Abner Cook’s birthday, the NCHM is hosting a birthday
party at the museum so be sure to stop by for cake at 2:00 and make it
part of the Six Degrees of Connection’s Heritage Hunt. The NCHM is
owned by the National Society of the Colonial Dames in the State of
Texas and is open to the public for guided tours. http://www.nchmuseum.org
Six Degrees of Connection:
Texas Heritage
Raising awareness of Austin and Texas history
Save Austin’s Cemeteries is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving
historic cemeteries in Austin through documentation and education, and promoting
historic cemeteries of Austin as local and state cultural resources
(www.sachome.org). SAC conducts a variety of volunteer projects such as photodocumentation of headstones and cemetery cleanups. It also focused on the
rehabilitation of Oakwood Cemetery’s 1914 Gothic Revival limestone chapel
designed by architect Charles H. Page. For more information on the chapel project,
go to http://www.sachome.org/cemeteries/Oakwood%20Chapel.html
Swedish Friends display the customs, costumes, and history of the Swedish people
who settled in Texas. Learn about the preservation of the Swedish log cabin at
Zilker Park.
Texas Archive of the Moving Image
Texas Archive of the Moving Image celebrates Texas’ home movies, industrial
films, television output, and regional cine-club product as well as Hollywood and
internationally produced images of Texas. Valuable to state history, these films also serve an
important collaborative role in the preservation and restoration of the larger motion picture heritage for
the United States. TAMI works to discover “orphan” films and to educate the public about moving
image history and contemporary preservation practice. www.texasarchive.org
Texas General Land Office
The Texas General Land Office is the oldest state agency in Texas, dating back to
the year 1836. The General Land Office Archives and Records contain 35 million
archival documents and maps dating back to the year 1720. These documents and
maps tell the story of the public lands of Texas, which really is the history of
Texas. http://www.glo.texas.gov/
The Texas Military Forces Museum is an incredible collection of military
equipment, uniforms and artifacts that follow the Lone Star State’s military
heritage from early Texas Rangers to the present. It is located at historic Camp
Mabry in central Austin, which is the home to the Texas National Guard and other
military branches. Special events include the upcoming Muster Day held April
21st-22nd, which features exhibits and reenactments and is open free to the public.
http://texasmilitaryforcesmuseum.org/
Travis County Historical Commission and Travis County Archeological Society
The Travis County Archeological Society sponsors excavations in the Travis County
area and assists other organizations with their projects. The TCAS meets monthly to
keep current on new projects and to hear various speakers. Opportunities are available
to attend the annual Texas Archeological Society field school and to brush up on
techniques at archeology training academies located throughout the state. The TCAS
represents a large range of members, from novice to professional, and welcome all.
www.travis.txarch.org
Six Degrees of Connection:
Texas Heritage
Raising awareness of Austin and Texas history
The Travis County Historical Commission is a collection of interested and knowledgeable members
whose mission is to preserve and protect the historical legacy of the county. The Commission assists
individuals and organizations in their research and preservation efforts, sponsors public dedications of
State Historical Markers, reviews properties for potential historical designations and sponsors an
annual essay contest with Austin Community College. The ongoing projects include surveying and
recording all historical properties in Travis County and researching the histories of Mexican-American
and African-American schools. www.co.travis.tx.us/historical_commission/
The Travis County Archives is a division of the Records
Management and Communication Resource Department of Travis
County. The mission of the TCA is to serve the government and
the community of Travis County by documenting, preserving, and
making available its records and history.