Lavaca County Historical Commission

MISSION STATEMENT OF THE LAVACA COUNTY HISTORICAL COMMISSION

The main functions of the Lavaca Historical Commission are to identify, preserve, interpret, and maintain historic and archeological sites. The agency:

Provides leadership and training to local citizens, heritage organizations and county museums in Lavaca County.
Offers preservation consultation to the public.
Works with communities to help protect Lavaca’s diverse architectural heritage, including our historic courthouse and other public buildings.
Administers the state’s historical marker program
Acts in partnerships with communities to stimulate tourism and economic development.
Works with property owners to save archeological sites on private lands.
Consults with citizens and groups to nominate properties as Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks, State Archeological Landmarks, and to the National Register of Historic Places.
Ensures that archeological sites are protected as land is developed for highways and other public construction projects.

The Lavaca County Historical Commission meets four times a year in February, May, September and November.

For more information contact:
Doug Kubicek
Lavaca County Historical Commission
P. O. Box 811
Hallettsville, Texas 77964

13th Annual Alton C. Allen Historical Conference

Archeology
In South Central Texas

Saturday, October 24, 2009
American Legion Hall, 107 E. Park Street, Hallettsville, Texas

Sponsored by the Lavaca County Historical Commission and the Dickson-Allen Foundation

Program

Time

Speaker

Event
9:00 – 9:30
Registration
9:30 – 10:30
William C. Foster

Historic Native People of Texas: Between the Lower Colorado and San Antonio Rivers
10:30 – 10:45
Break
10:45 – 11:45
Jim Bruseth
From A Watery Grave: The Discovery and Excavation of La Salle's Shipwreck, La Belle
11:45 – 1:15

Chicken Noodle Soup Lunch
1:15 – 2:15
Steven D. Hoyt
Indianola: Discovering the Ruins of a Lost Port City
2:15 – 2:30
Break
2:30 – 3:15
Gregg Dimmick

Sea of Mud: The Retreat of the Mexican Army After San Jacinto, An Archaelogical Investigation

Speakers

William C. Foster

Bill Foster describes the historic Native peoples of Texas by geographic regions. His chronological narrative records the interactions of Native groups with European explorers and with Native trading partners across a wide network. With his regional account is an annotated list of named Indian tribes in that region and maps that show tribal territories and European expedition routes.

Jim Bruseth

On a frigid, stormy day in February of 1686, a small French sailing ship lost control and ran aground in Matagorda Bay. Pounded in the Texas bay by gale-force winds and storm surges, La Belle slipped beneath the water and sank to the bottom, where she would remain for centuries. More than 300 years later, the Texas Historical Commission excavated the shipwreck and salvaged from its watery grave more than a million artifacts. For those interested in history, archeology, or the quest for clues to the past. From a Watery Grave tells a riveting tale of nautical adventure in the seventeenth century and reveals modern scientific archeology at its best.

Steven D. Hoyt

Steven Hoyt is the State Marine Archeologist with the Texas Historical Commission. Mr. Hoyt is responsible for the preservation and protection of all historic shipwrecks. His research background includes projects on numerous vessel types and periods, including ships from the great age of European exploration and discovery, Spanish treasure ships, paddlewheel river steamers, deep-water steamships and many others.

Gregg Dimmick

In 1996, Gregg Dimmick, a pediatrician and “avocational archeologist” living in Wharton Texas decided “out of the blue” to try to find evidence in Wharton County of the Mexican Army of 1836. Within two weeks after beginning the search a Mexican army site was discovered, and with the help of the Houston Archeological Society, excavated. The book “Sea of Mud” published by the Texas State Historical Association captures this story.

Preregistration is recommended. Registration will be accepted on the day of the conference. Cash or check is accepted. Make checks payable to the Lavaca County Historical Commission.

Registration Fees:
$15.00 per person
$20.00 per couple
$5.00 per student K-12/college

Registration Includes Lunch
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup With Chicken Salad Sandwich

Special for  Any  Teacher:
Show proper School District ID $5.00 per person

Registration Form

See Photos and Program Info from 2004-2008 Alton C. Allen Historical Conferences

Christmas Ornament Fundraiser

Ornaments are $10.00 each. Shipping and handling is a flat fee of $1.00 Send a check, money order or cash to: Lavaca County Historical Commission, P.O. Box 18, Hallettsville, TX 77964-0018

Lavaca County Courthouse

Construction of the Lavaca County Courthouse began in April of 1897. This three-story structure in the Romanesque Revival style was designed by architect Eugene T. Heiner. The cornerstone was dedicated on February 1, 1898. The courthouse itself was dedicated on July 4, 1899. The building is listed on the National Register of Historical Places.

Lavaca County, Texas

Originally called La Baca for the Spanish word meaning cow. Created in 1846 the county covers 970 square miles of the Coastal Plain in South Texas between the Lavaca and Navidad Rivers. Today Lavaca County includes the towns of Hallettsville 1849, Moulton 1887, Shiner 1887 and Yoakum 1887.

Lavaca County Fire Departments

The tradition of volunteer firefighting began early in American history (1653 - 1736). The volunteer fire departments in Texas were often the core of the social, cultural and political institutions in local communty life.
After decades of dedicated community service the following volunteer fire departments are still active:
Yoakum: Org. in 1887
Hallettsville: Org. in 1890
Shiner: Org. in 1893
Moulton: Org. in 1932
Sweet Home: Org. in 1955
Employed and volunteer firefighters in Lavaca County remain the first line of response to public safety battling everything from chemical spills to hurricanes and fires.

Head of the Cow

Historical Sources suggest that the earliest Europeans to set foot in Lavaca County were ship wrecked survivors of the 1527 Narvaez Expedition namely Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca. The family had been given the surname "Head of the Cow" after distinquishing itself in battle.
Cabeza de Vaca spent several years living among various native Texas tribes both on the coast and inland. Accounts vary, but he traveled through environs of Lavaca County in 1530. His trek ended in 1536 when he and other survivors were found.

The San Antonio & Aransas Pass Railroad
In Lavaca County - 1887

In 1887, the San Antonio & Aransas Pass Railroad Co. organized by Uriah Lott, constructed a main line from San Antonio to Houston that traversed Lavaca County from southwest to the east. On this route were stops in the towns of Yoakum, Sweet Home, Mont, Hallettsville and Sublime. A branch line was also constructed from Yoakum, the division shop, to Waco traversing Lavaca County along its western boundary. Alon this route were stops at the towns of Midway, Shiner and Moulton.

The West-Wagner Homestead
Old Sweet Home, Texas

First settled by members of the West family in 1854 who named the area Sweet Home. The West homestead was located in a mott of live oak trees with water for cattle in nearby Mustang Creek. A ranch house was built by George West in 1875 who lived in it until 1883 when he sold it to his brother Ike West who in turn sold it to Frank and Anna Wagner in 1891.
Since 1875, both the West and Wagner families used the house as a ranching and farming headquarters. In 1996 Dr. Patrick Wagner of Shiner, Texas purchased the property and restored the house and barn. The West-Wagner House received a Texas Historical Marker in October of 1997.

LaSalle's Journey Through Lavaca County

French explorer, La Salle, established Fort St. Louis on Garcitas Creek southeast of Victoria, Texas.
On January 12, 1687, La Salle and seventeen men left the fort attempting to reach French settlements to the north.
La Salle entered Lavaca County on Jan. 17, 1687 near Speaks, Texas. Traveling up the Navidad River, camps were made east of Vienna, Texas on Jan. 19 and northwest of Sublime, Texas on Jan. 23, 1687. La Salle and his group exited the county on Jan. 26, 1687 east of Oakland, Texas.
His own men killed La Salle on March 19, 1687 near Navasota, Texas.

Marking History in Lavaca County

The Lavaca County Historical Commission and the Raymond Dickson Foundation produced this spiral-bound paperback in 2001. The text of each historical marker in the county is given along with historical photographs, drawings, transcripts, maps, and more. 196 pages.
The book is $10.00, plus $1.50 shipping and handling.

Send a check, money order or cash to:
Lavaca County Historical Commission
P.O. Box 18
Hallettsville, TX 77964-0018

12th Annual Alton C. Allen Historical Conference

Law and Disorder
In South Central Texas

Saturday, October 18, 2008
American Legion Hall, 107 E. Park Street, Hallettsville, Texas

Sponsored by the Lavaca County Historical Commission and the Dickson-Allen Foundation

9:00 – 9:30
Registration
9:30 – 10:45
James Smallwood
The Feud That Wasn't: The Taylor Ring, Bill Sutton, John Wesley Hardin, and Violence in Texas
10:45 – 11:00
Break
11:00 – 11:45
Susan Kaufman
Wanted: Using Criminal Records in Genealogical Research
11:45 – 1:15
Chicken Noodle Soup Lunch
1:15 – 2:15
Kyle Coleman
Police Officer Memorial Foundation Case Research
2:15 – 2:30
Break
2:30 – 3:30
Donaly Brice
Finding a Solution to Reconstruction Violence: The Texas State Police

On Site Exhibit

Keeping the Peace in Lavaca County
by the Lavaca County Historical Museum

11th Annual Alton C. Allen Historical Conference

When Cotton Was King
In South Central Texas

Saturday, October 20, 2007
St. Mary's Parish Hall, St. Mary's, Texas

Sponsored by the Lavaca County Historical Commission and the Dickson-Allen Foundation

Program

Time

Speaker

Event
9:00 – 9:30
Registration
9:30 – 10:45
Dan Utley

"Steve Allen Never Picked Cotton in Texas"
10:45 – 11:00
Break
11:00 – 11:30
Doug Kubicek
"There Goes The Neighborhood"
11:45 – 1:15

Chicken Noodle Soup Lunch
1:30 – 2:15
Henry Wolff,  Jr.
"Memories of the Cotton Patch"
2:15 – 2:30
Break
2:30 – 3:15
Bill Crawford

"Please Pass the Biscuits Pappy,
Governor W. Lee “Pappy” O’Daniel &  Border Radio"

The 10th Annual Alton C. Allen Historical Conference

"Lavaca County & South Central Texas Country School Legacy"

Hagan School, 1932-33

Click photo to see enlarged view
Saturday, October 21, 2006
St. Mary's Parish Hall
St. Mary's, Texas

Program

9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. — Registration

9:30 - 10:45 — Dr. Thad Sitton
Author of Ringing in the Children: Texas Country Schools

11 - 11:30 — Part I, Sheron Barnes
Special Collection Librarian, Victoria Regional History Center
VC/UHV Library, Victoria, Texas

11:45 - 1:15 — Chicken Noodle Soup Lunch

1:30 - 2:15 — Part II, Sheron Barnes

2:30 - 3:15 — The Legacy Continues: Ezzell I.S.D, Sweet Home I.S.D., & Vysehrad I.S.D.
Ezzell - Donald Egg
Sweet Home - Jo Ann Bludau
Vysehrad - Paul Darilek

Photos from 9th Annual Alton C. Allen Historical Conference

"On the Home Front in World War II: Lavaca County and the Downed Flyers"

October 22, 2005, Hallettsville, Texas

commemorating the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II

The conference was held Saturday, October 22, 2005 at the Hallettsville KC Hall.

Dr. Bruce Ashcroft, Air Force historian at Randolph AFB, spoke about the Army Air Corp in WWII.
Other speakers included Victoria Advocate columnist Henry Wolff, Jr. who presented "Wings Over the Coastal Bend: Foster & Aloe Fields, Matagorda Island and the Peninsula." Local historian Doug Kubicek spoke about the fliers downed in Lavaca County during WWII and how the county has memorialized those who lost their lives.

Surviving family of the fliers downed in Lavaca County traveled to the conference from all over the country.

The conference ended with a concert given by the Veterans Band of Corpus Christi and a fly over by the Commemorative Air Force.

Photos from 8th Annual Alton C. Allen Historical Conference

"Mapping Your Ancestors"

October 23, 2004, St. Mary's, Texas

Speakers

L to R: Gary McKee,
Data Entry Coordinator for the Texas Historical Sites Atlas, Texas Historical Commission
"Using the Texas Historical Sites Atlas as a Genealogical Resource"

Martha Everman Jones, Ph.D.,
President Texas State Genealogical Society
"State and Federal Land Records – What is the Difference?"

Jerry Drake, M.A.,
Division Director, Archives and Records Division, Texas General Land Office
"Using Map Resources in the Texas General Land Office"

Recommended Web Sites

Texas General Land Office

Texas Historic Sites Atlas

Deed Platter

Quilt Fundraiser

Lavaca County Historical Commission member, Norma Casey, who pieced the quilt, left, and the winner and conference attendee, Gladys Brewer, right
Photos provided by Brenda Fisseler