Announcing the 2026 Rescuing Texas History Recipients

Every Texas community has stories worth preserving.

The 2026 Rescuing Texas History (RTH) recipients reflect the many ways those stories are captured and shared. From military records and family photographs to student scrapbooks, organizational archives, oral histories, and cultural collections, this year’s projects highlight the people, places, and experiences that have shaped Texas.

Through the Rescuing Texas History program, libraries, museums, archives, historical societies, private collectors, and other partners work with the UNT Libraries to digitize historically significant materials and make them freely available through The Portal to Texas History. Together, the 2026 recipients will expand access to records documenting military service, education, civic life, arts and culture, faith communities, local institutions, and everyday Texans for researchers, students, and the public.

Military Service and Veterans Experiences

Military service is documented throughout this year’s awards, with collections from the Private Collection of the Ritchie, Private Collection of the Brownlee, Private Collection of the Arredondo, and Private Collection of the Rudd families preserving records, photographs, correspondence, and publications related to World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam era. Together, these materials provide insight into both the experiences of those who served and the communities that supported them.

Community and Local History

The people, places, and institutions that shaped communities across Texas are reflected in projects from the Fannin County Historical Commission, Fannin County Museum of History, Pioneer Memorial Library, Atlanta Grade School Friends, the Private Collection of John Germann, Moore Memorial Public Library, and Travis Park United Methodist Church. Their collections document local businesses, schools, churches, organizations, and civic life, preserving the histories of towns, counties, neighborhoods, and institutions that form the foundation of Texas history.

Education and Everyday Life

Scrapbooks, student records, memory books, photographs, and educational materials from Denton Public Library, Austin College, Moody Medical Library at UTMB, and the Collin County Genealogical Society offer a glimpse into learning, student life, professional development, and community connections across generations. Collectively, these materials help illustrate how Texans lived, learned, and built their communities.

Cultural Heritage and Public Life

The organizations, institutions, and creative endeavors that have shaped public life in Texas are represented across several awarded projects. The Dallas Municipal Archives will preserve records related to WRR radio, the Museum of the American Railroad contributes materials documenting passenger rail history, and the Liberty Hill Development Foundation will digitize records tied to a long-running public sculpture initiative. Additional projects from the Philosophical Society of Texas, Heritage Association of Frisco, and the Private Collection of Dr. Teresa Marrero document intellectual life, commemorative events, and the performing arts.

Family Archives and Personal Collections

Personal collections remain some of the richest sources for understanding everyday Texas history. The Private Collection of TB Willis, the Private Collection of the Ferguson Family, the Sam Bell Maxey House State Historic Site, and other family-centered archives contain photographs, correspondence, manuscripts, memoirs, and personal records that offer valuable perspectives on family life, professional careers, community involvement, and daily experiences across generations.

Looking Ahead

The 2026 Rescuing Texas History recipients showcase the dedication of organizations, communities, and individuals working to preserve Texas history.

Together, these projects document the lives of students, veterans, artists, educators, medical professionals, civic leaders, community organizations, families, and local institutions. They capture stories from every region of the state and contribute new resources for research, teaching, and discovery.

As these materials are digitized and added to The Portal to Texas History, they will become freely accessible to researchers, educators, students, genealogists, and the public around the world.

We congratulate the 2026 awardees and look forward to sharing these collections as they become available through The Portal to Texas History.

Private Collection of the Ritchie Family	Fannin County Museum of History	Dallas Jewish Historical Society	Private Collection of the Arrendondo Family	Pioneer Memorial Library	Moore Memorial Public Library
Private Collection of TB Willis	Austin College	Private Collection of Dr. Teresa Marrero	Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas	Philosophical Society of Texas	Travis Park United Methodist Church
Fannin County Historical Commission	Sam Bell Maxey House State Historic Site	Atlanta Grade School Friends	Private Collection of the Rudd Family	Heritage Association of Frisco	Collin County Genealogical Society
Denton Public Library	Private Collection of John Germann	Private Collection of the Brownlee Family	Museum of the American Railroad	Magoffin Home State Historic Site	Liberty Hill Development Foundation
Dallas Municipal Archives	Rainbow Garden Club of North Texas	Private Collection of the Ferguson Family	Moody Medical Library at UTMB	Smith County Historical Society	Private Collection of the Matta Family

The Portal to Texas History