urn:taro:sjmh.00001 San Jacinto Centennial Association Records Manuscript Collection: MC001 Mark W. Lambert Albert and Ethel Herzstein Library
San Jacinto Museum of History, La Porte, Texas
19990630 Finding aid encoded by Lisa A. Struthers. 2010, 05/07 Finding aid written in English. Collection Summary Albert and Ethel Herzstein Library,
San Jacinto Museum of History, La Porte, Texas
San Jacinto Centennial Association (1935-1938) San Jacinto Centennial Association records 1935-1938 (Bulk: 1935-1936) Materials are in English. MC001 15 boxes (5 linear ft.) + 2 vols. The records contain almost a complete history of the San Jacinto Centennial Association and the Houston events of the Texas centennial of 1936. Creator Sketch

The San Jacinto Centennial Association was organized in the fall of 1935 to be the official agency for coordinating Houston's participation in the celebrations of the Texas Centennial of 1936. The Houston Chamber of Commerce, important members of the Houston business community as well as descendants of early Texans were influential in its formation. The Association's office was opened in leased space on the 8th floor of the Chamber of Commerce building on September 30, 1935. President of the Association was John C. Townes, Jr. Members of the Executive Committee were: George D. Wilson, Chairman; Mrs. I. B. McFarland, Secretary; Chester H. Bryan; Norman H. Beard; R. B. Morris; Jeff Barnette; and Wm. S. Patton. H. Dick Golding was hired as the Executive Secretary of the Association and Wm. S. Patton served as Treasurer. Jesse H. Jones, an influential and successful Houston businessman serving at the time as Chairman of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation for President Franklin D. Roosevelt in Washington, D.C., was named Honorary President.

The Association formed seven committees to accomplish their work: the Publicity Committee, with Jeff Barnette as Chair; the Historical Committee chaired by Clarence R. Wharton; the Music Committee with Joseph S. Smith as Chair; the Beautification Committee, with C. L. Brock as its Chairman; the Schools Participation Committee, chaired by J. S. Griffith; the Acquisition of Relics and Documents Committee, with George D. Sears as Chair; and H. O. Clarke, Jr., chaired the San Jacinto Memorial Project Committee.

The Association was responsible for a number of events and observances held in the Houston area in 1936. Included among them were major events for Texas Independence Day, March 2nd; a week long celebration from April 13th to 21st to commemorate the Battle of San Jacinto; and celebrations in August commemorating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the City of Houston.

The Association was also responsible for the creation of a temporary Museum of Houston and Texas History, housed in the west wing of the Houston Public Library's Julia Ideson building during 1936. The Association assisted in the fundraising for the San Jacinto Memorial and organized ground breaking ceremonies that year. The Association also helped in the identification of significant sites and the research and writing for placement of historical markers in the Houston area by the Commission of Control for Texas Centennial Celebrations. The Association also refurbished and placed a memorial in the old city cemetery and renamed it Founders Memorial Park in honor of one of the co-founders of Houston and several Texas Revolution veterans and early settlers of the Houston area buried there. The Association also funded the publication of the book My Master by historian Lenoir Hunt containing the recollections of Sam Houston's former slave Jeff Hamilton. The Association ceased operations in 1938.

Bibliography: Ragsdale, Kenneth Baxter. The Year America Discovered Texas: Centennial '36. College Station: Texas A＆M University Press, 1987. Scope and Content Note

The records contain almost a complete history of the San Jacinto Centennial Association and the Houston events of the Texas centennial of 1936. Included are: minutes and correspondence of the Executive Committee and Executive Secretary; financial records, including ledgers and payroll files, deeds of gift and loans, files for museum objects exhibited in the Museum of Houston and Texas History; publications such as Association event programs, Texas Centennial News and Centennial Review, two official publications of the State of Texas, as well as issues of the Bandera, Texas Frontier Times, memorabilia such as ribbons created for participants in the Association's water carnival; architectural drawings of the proposed Pioneer Memorial later erected by the Association; photographs, including billboards erected throughout the American Southwest to advertise the Association's events; and two scrapbooks of clippings from local newspapers covering the creation of the Association, the Centennial and the events hosted in Houston in 1936.

The records are organized into the following series: 1. Minutes of the Executive Committee. 2. Records of the Executive Committee. 3. Records of the Executive Secretary. 4. Financial Records. 5. Records of the Museum of Houston and Texas History. 6. Publications. 7. Photographs. 8. Scrapbooks. 9. Memorabilia. 10. Architectural Drawings.

 Arrangement

Organized into ten series; arrangement varies according to series, alphabetical, chronological, or no arrangement.

 Restrictions on Access

None.

 Terms Governing Use

Open for research by appointment.

 Publication Rights

Copyright has not been assigned to the San Jacinto Museum of History. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Library Director. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the San Jacinto Museum of History as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

 Acquisition

Gift of H. Dick Golding, December 2, 1942.

 Processing Information

Processed by Mark W. Lambert, 1998-1999.

 Citation

[Identification of Item], San Jacinto Centennial Association Records, MC001, San Jacinto Museum of History, Houston, Texas.

 Index Terms

Names: Ashburn, Haygood Barnette, E. Jeff Beard, Norman H. Bevans, L. T. Brock, C. L. Bryan, Chester H. Burnet, David Gouverneur, 1789-1870 Burrell, Percy Jewett Clarke, H. O. Coulter, Robert C. Danner, H. E. DeLashmutt, H. A. Duffield, C. A. Golding, H. Dick Griffith, J. S. Hamilton, Jeff, b. 1840 Hill, George Alfred, 1892-1949 Houston, Andrew Jackson, 1854-1941 Hunt, Lenoir Jackson, W. E. Jones, Jesse H. (Jesse Holman), 1874-1956 Kemp, Louis Wiltz, 1881-1956 Kibbe, Nina McFarland, Mae Wynne, d. 1962 Moore, J. Perry Morris, R. B. Morton, Phil Nogle, G. B., Mrs. Patton, William S. Ramsey, Erl R., Mrs. Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franlin Delano), 1882-1945 Roster, Charles Sears, George D. Sheppard, Morris, 1875-1941 Smith, Joseph S. Spangler, Jos. B. Townes, John C., 1886-1948 Tucker, Merle Turner, Herbert G. Wharton, Clarence, 1873-1941 Wick, Otto Wilson, George D. Woodul, Walter Youngblood, Bertha Organizations: Commission of Control for Texas Centennial Celebrations Founders Memorial Park (Houston, Tex.) Houston Chamber of Commercen Houston Junior Chamber of Commerce Museum of Houston and Texas History (Houston, Tex.) Pioneer Memorial (Houston, Tex.) Phelps (Destroyer) San Jacinto Centennial Association Schenck (Destroyer) Texas Centennial Commission. Advisory Board of Texas Historians Subjects: Historical markers--Texas Monuments--Texas Parades--Texas San Jacinto Memorial Monument (Houston, Tex.) Places: Houston (Tex.) Texas--Centennial celebrations, etc. Titles: My master Inventory Minutes of the Executive Committee 1935-1936 1 box (.2 linear ft.)

The series contains the meeting minutes of the Executive Committee, which served as the leadership of the Association. It also includes minutes of some of the special committees formed to direct various aspects of the Houston-area Centennial celebrations, including the Historical Committee, the Acquisition of Relics and Documents Committee and the San Jacinto Memorial Project Committee.

 11Minute Book, Sept. 23, 1935-Nov. 9, 1936 Records of the Executive Committee 1935-1936 3 boxes (1.2 linear ft.)

The series consists of the general correspondence and office of the Executive Committee, many of whom were prominent members of the Houston business community. The persons involved in this committee were George D. Wilson, Chairman; R. B. Morris; Jeff Barnette, Publicity Committee Chair; Wm. S. Patton; Mrs. I. B. McFarland; Norman H. Beard and Chester H. Bryan. The series includes Lone Star: An Opera in Three Acts, written in 1934, about the Texas Revolution, and features singing parts of prominent members of both sides of the Texas Revolution. Also included in this series and now stored in an oversized container are a 1935 map of Houston as well as drawings and maps of the 1936 Texas Centennial Central Exposition in Dallas.

21Acquisition 22Advertising 23Advisory Board 24Ancestor Cards 25Applications for Employment 26Athletic Committee 27Barnette - Expenses to New York 28Battle of San Jacinto - Roster of Officers and Privates 29Beautification Committee 210Board of Directors 211Bowen Motor Coaches 212Budget 213Burrell, Percy Jewett 214By-Laws - San Jacinto Centennial Association 215Cachets 216Callcott - Columbia Univesity 217Cannon, Gonzales - Used April 21st in Houston 218Catholic File - Southern Messenger 219Centennial News 220Charter - San Jacinto Centennial Association 221Chicago Flag ＆ Decorating Company 222Clarahan, Mrs. Virg B. 223Coast Artillery -69th - Fort Crockett 224Committees 225Complimentary Tickets, etc. 226Concessions 227Contributions 228Control File 229Convention Committee - Haygood Ashburn 230Coulter, Robert C. - Travel Division 231Cravens, Dargan ＆ Co. 232Dean 233Decorations - Herbert Turner 234DeLashmutt, H. A. - Exhibit Space in Dallas OV41Map of Dallas w/Concentric Circles to 300 Miles; Map of Texas Centennial Central Exposition; Map and Broadside (in Color), Texas Centennial Central Exposition 235Deposit Lists - Extra Copies 236Destroyers - Schenck ＆ Phelps 31Donnellan, Mrs. - Portraits 32Duffield, C. A. - Files in Golding's Office 33Epic Century - The Naylor Co., San Antonio 34Executive Committee 35Founder's Day Program 36Founders Memorial Cemetery 37Form Letters - General 38Finance Committee 39General Program - Main Observances 310Hammond Organ 311Highway - Road to Battleground 312Historical Committee 313Historical Committee - Correspondence File 314Historical Committee - Notice of Meetings 315Hoag ＆ Company - Medals 316Houston, Colonel Andrew Jackson - La Porte, Texas 317Houston Day - Dallas - September 5th 318Immediate Release 319Indians - Alabama ＆ Coushatta tribes 320Jones, Jesse H. 321Lamar Descendants 322Le Brun 323Log Cabin 324McFarland, Mrs. I. B. - Secretary, Exec. Com. 325Mailing List - San Jacinto Centennial Association 326March 2nd Program 327Masonic Celebration 328Maps - Industrial Houston OV42Map and Guide to the Streets of Houston, 1935 329Miscellaneous 330Miller ＆ Efferson Skywriting 331Membership - Jesse Jones 332Morton, Phil - Billboards 333Music Committee 334Music Committee - Jos. S. Smith 335Musicians Protective Association 336Newspapers - Texas and Louisiana 337The Arrow - Red Arrow Publication 338Texas Centennial Magazine 339Texaco Mission - New York City 340Galveston-Houston Magazine 341Texas Press Messenger 342Southern Pacific Bulletin 343Shell Tribune 344Texaco Tour 345Great Lakes Exponent 346Magnoliagram - S. H. Dunstan - Houston 347Texaco Star 348Highway Traveler - Greyhound Publication 349Orange Disc - Pittsburgh, PA 350PTA Messenger - Mrs. Francisco 351Paramount News - Historical Items 352Nogle, Mrs. G. B. - Vice Chairman, Historical 353Notices - General 354NBC Program - March 27th 355Publicity 41Publicity - General 42Pageants 43Port Commission - Charles Crotty 44Plow 45Progress Report 46Ramsey, Mrs. Erl R. - Vice Chairman, Historical 47Regrets 48Reservations 49Resolutions 410Rogers, John B. Company - Pageants 411Roster, Charles - Director of Publicity - Dallas 412San Antonio Celebration - flowers 413San Jacinto Centennial Association - General 414San Jacinto Day Program 415San Jacinto Memorial Project Committee 416San Jacinto Memorial 417Schools Participation Committee 418Sheppard, Morris - U.S. Senate 419Show Boat 420Sound Truck - Gulf 421Sons of the Republic of Texas - Roster 422Speakers 423Stamp - 1c Issue 424Texas Centennial Committees - Harris Co. 425Telegrams 426Texas Centennial - Dallas 427Townes, Major John C. Jr. - President 428Tucker, Merle - Director of Radio 429Turner Publishing Company 430Turner, Herbert G. 431United States Centennial Commission 432U.S.S. California State 433Women's Clubs - Officials 434Wheat, Harry 435Woodul, Walter - Historical Contest 436Wick, Otto - Opera 437Worth, Hal C. - Pageants 438Youngblood, Bertha - Poems Records of the Executive Secretary 1935-1936 6 boxes (2.4 linear ft.)

The series consists of the general correspondence and office files of H. Dick Golding, the person responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Association. Included in this series, and now housed in an oversize container are two maps of the Houston area and one of the United States showing the placement of billboard advertisements purchased by the Association. Also housed in oversize is a printed broadside advertising Houston Day at the Centennial Central Exposition in Dallas. Found in this series and now separated to the museum sheet music collection were the words and music for The Texas Flag, by Virginia Young and Emily Harris Maddox, the Legend of the Bluebonnets by Ida Bassett Botts, and Triumph of Texas Freedom by S. T. Moore.

51Acquisition of Relics Committee 52Acquisition of Relics ＆ Documents Committee 53Aderman, Carle - Preliminary Gifts Committee 54Advisory Board of Texas Historians, Reports of 55Applications 56Anderson, Miss Estelle 57August 30th Celebrations - Programs 58Beautification Committee 59L. T. Bevans - Control File - Twentieth Century Flash 510Blue Card Control Sheets - Extra Sheets 511Blue Cards Returned - Preliminary Gifts Committee 512Boy Scounts - Services Rendered March 2, 1936 513U.S.S. Blakeley - U.S.S. Breckenridge 514Jeff Barnette - Member of Executive Committee 515Jeff Barnette - Correspondence 516Blaffer, For Mr. 517Budget - Approved by Advisory Committee Meeting 518Burnet, David G. - Marker Ceremonies 519Beard, Col. Norman H. - Control File 520Correspondence - SJCA 521Centennial News Publication 522Civic Decorators 523City Permits 524Commander in Chief and his Staff, Roster of Men in Battle 525Committees - Progress Report 526Concessions Committee 527Contract for Memorial - Hermann Park 528Contracts 61Contributions - August 15 letter 62Contributions Correspondence 63Contributions Letters pulled from mailing list - Bank letters 64Contributions Letters pulled from mailing list 65Correspondence Received 66Correspondence 67Correspondence - May 16 to July 20 71Correspondence - July 22 to Oct. 5 72Correspondence - Oct. 16 to Feb. 8, 1937 73Danner, H. E. - Coordinator - April 21st Celebrations 74Executive Committee 75Executive Committee - Misc. OV44Latest map of Houston, 1929 76Federal Theatre Projects 77Fireworks 78Flags 79Football Schedule - Cotton Bowl - Dallas 710Form Letters 711Form Letters - San Jacinto Centennial Association 712Founders Day Luncheon Programs 713Founders Memorial Park 714Founders Memorial Park - Contracts and Bids 715Galveston 716Garden Clubs 717Golding, H. Dick - Control File - Correspondence, May 1936 to Oct. 1936 718Golding, H. Dick - Chronological File - Correspondence, May 1936 to Aug. 1939 719Gooch - Green - Tooke Studios 720Historical Committee 721Houston Days - Dallas ＆ Ft. Worth, 1937 722Houston Days OV43Broadside: Houston Days, Central Centennial Exposition 723Houston Day - Dallas 724Houston Birthday Luncheon - Reservations 725Houston Day - Ft. Worth 726Hunt, Lenoir - Historian My Master 81Jones, Jesse - San Jacinto Address 82Jones, Jesse - Address - Correspondence 83Jubilee Festival - R. A. Stout, Chairman 84Jubilee Festival 85Jackson, General W. E. 86Kemp, L. W. 87Kibbe, Nina 88Literature - Misc. 89Maps OV45Map of La Porte, Battleground Road 810March 2nd Celebrations 811Sam Houston Marker Dedication Ceremonies, Sunday, August 8, 1937 812Membership 813Memoranda for Mr. McCully 814Membership Clubs 815Memorial Arts Monument Co. 816Michaels Monument Company 817Military Affairs Committee 818Minor's Release 819Miscellaneous 820Miscellaneous 821Moore, Major J. Perry 822Museum of Houston ＆ Texas History 823Morton, Ph. Art Bulletin System OV46Map of Billboard Advertisements, Ph. Morton Art Bulletin System 824Music Committee 825Murphy, Lt. Allan Rex 826National Fireworks Distributing Company - Contract 827Navy Department 828Newspaper Clippings - Briggs Broadway Balloons 91O'Brien, George 92Office Employees 93Parades ＆ Floats - Correspondence 94Parades ＆ Floats - Literature 95Patriot Banquet - Rice Hotel, April 15, 1936 - Complimentary Tickets 96Patton, Wm. S., Treasurer - Bond 97Permits 98Photographers 99Pioneer Memorial - Hermann Park 910Preliminary Gifts Committee - Thomas W. Sailing and Brady Steele 911Preliminary Gifts Correspondence 912Programs - March 2nd Celebration, 1936 913Prograns 914Programs - San Jacinto Centennial Association 915Prospective Experienced Workers - taken from Community Chest Drive Lists 916Reception Committee - Visit of S.S. California State, March 14-18, 1936 917Requests for Information about Centennial 918Requests for SJCA Literature 919Requisition Blanks - Names of Individuals who received requisition tablets 920Resolutions 921Robbins Monument Company 922Roberts, Webb 923Rogers, John B. Producing Co. 924Rose, Ed 925President Roosevelt's Reception - June 11, 1936 926Russell, O. Cotton 927San Jacinto Battlegrounds - O. P. Floyd, Asst. Supt. 928Spangler, Jos. B. - U.S.S. Phelps ＆ Schenck 929San Jacinto Centennial Association - Capt. Golding 930Spangler, J. B., Chairman 931State Clubs 101SJCA Celebration - April 15-20, 1936 102Stout, Dick 103San Jacinto Chapter, Daughters of the Republic of Texas 104Sample Buttons 105Save Supply Company 106Schools Participation Committee 107Sound Equipment 108State Club Luncheon - Rice Hotel, April 17, 1936 109Stationery - San Jacinto Centennial Association 1010Stevens, Ralph W. 1011Stock Record - Letterhead Stationery 1012Stolz Monument Company - La Grange, Texas 1013Teich Monument Company 1014U.S.S. Tarpon - Submarine 1015Telegrams Sent 1016Trade Association Course Notes 1017Treasurer W. S. Patton - Correspondence 1018Tours 1019Urgent Correspondence 1020Letters of Appreciation - Water Pageant ＆ Boat Parade 1021Work Schedule - San Jacinto Centennial Association 1022Water Carnival 1023Water Pageant - Aug. 28, 1936 1024Water Pageant Pictures 1025Welcoming Committee List - 1936 1026Worth Company 1027Wilson, George O. - Control File 1028York, Norman - Parade Chairman Financial Records 1935-1938 2 boxes (.6 linear ft.)

The series consists of ledgers, paid invoices, time sheets of employees, financial audit reports, as well as cash books (attendance and payment records) for dinners the Association held to honor persons and events during the Centennial. One of the dinners given was the Patriotic Banquet on April 15th billed as the First reunion of all the descendants of Houston Pioneers and Texas Heroes.

 111Accounting / Bank Account Records 112Bills Paid, A-D 113Bills Paid, E-L 114Bills Paid, M-P 115Bills Paid, Q-S 116Bills Paid, T-Z 121Cash Book - Patriotic Banquet at Rice Hotel, April 15, 1936 122Cash Book - San Jacinto Union of States Luncheon, April 17, 1936 123Cash Book - San Jacinto Centennial Luncheon, April 20, 1936 124Employee Time Sheets - March, 1936-April, 1938 125Proposed Budget, Decorations for Centennial - Ed Rose Display Co. 126Special [Audit] Report, May 31, 1936 127Special [Audit] Report, Oct. 20, 1936 128Voided Checks OV11Cash Receipts / Check Register / Stock Inventory, 1935-1937 OV12Accounts Payable / General Journal / Purchase Journal / Cash Disbursements Records of the Museum of Houston and Texas History 1936 (.2 linear ft.)

The series consists of the records of loans and transfers of title of relics (artifacts) assembled for the creation of the temporary Museum of Houston and Texas History, assembled by the Association and housed in a wing of the Julia Ideson Building of the Houston Public Library during 1936.

 129Museum of Houston and Texas History - Museum Records (1 of 2) 1210Museum of Houston and Texas History - Museum Records (2 of 2) 1211Museum of Houston and Texas History - Visitor's Registration Book OV13Attendance Record, San Jacinto Centennial Exhibit, Houston Public Library, April 15-Nov. 30, 1936 Publications 1935-1936 1 box (.2 linear ft.)

The series consists of programs of various events sponsored by the Association, as well as Centennial News and Texas Centennial Review, newsletters created by the Texas Centennial Commission covering the Central Exposition in Dallas and other statewide celebrations during 1936. Also included is the published transcript of a speech given by George A. Hill, Jr. during Houston Founders Day in 1935. The speech served as the impetus for the creation of the San Jacinto Centennial Association as well as the later San Jacinto Museum of History. Included in this series and now separated to the museum periodicals collection are issues of the Bandera, Texas Frontier Times from 1935-1936.

 131Houston: The Capital of The Republic - Founder's Day Address, George A. Hill, Jr., Aug. 30, 1935 132Centennial News, Oct. 1935-April 1936 133Texas Centennial Review, Nov. 1935-March 1936 134Program: March Second Celebration, March 2, 1936 135Program: Official Program of Principal Events 136Program: April Celebration, April 15-21, 1936 137Program: Patriotic Banquet, April 15, 1936 138Program: Dedication Ceremonies, Founders Memorial Park, April 22, 1936 139Program: Pioneer Texas, Federal Theatre Project, ca. Aug. 1936 1310Program: Anniversary Dinner, Aug. 30, 1936 Photographs August, 1936 (.1 linear ft.)

The series consists of photographs found scattered throughout the records of the Executive Committee and Executive Secretary. They cover a variety of topics including images of outdoor billboards advertising the Houston Centennial Celebrations, paid for by the Association and erected throughout the southern and western United States in early 1936.

1311The Alamo, undated 1312Centennial Billboards, 1936 1313Houston Beauty Queen - Houston Day - Dallas December 5, [1936?] 1314Sam Houston Statue, Hermann Park, undated 1315U.S.S. Phelps, 1936 1316Water Pageant, Houston Texas [Aug. 28, 1936?] Scrapbooks 1935-1936 2 vols.

The series consists of two large scrapbooks assembled by the Association and covering news of the planning and celebrations of the Texas Centennial in 1935-1936.

 OV3Scrapbook ca. Aug. 14, 1935-April 28, 1936 OV2Scrapbook ca. March 27-Aug. 7, 1936 Memorabilia 1935-1936 (.2 linear ft.)

The series includes samples of lapel buttons sent to the Association for their review, as well as ribbons and tickets created for the Water Pageant held during Houston's Centennial Celebration in the fall of 1936. Also included is a rubber stamp (cachet) used to cancel U.S. Mail on Houston's Centennial date of August 30, 1936. The sample lapel buttons include a John Garner for President button.

 1317Button Samples - D. L. Ballich Co. 1318Invitation: Solemn Military Field Mass, April 21, 1936 1319Water Pageant Guest Ribbon - Houston's 100th Birthday 1320Water Pageant Reception Ribbon - Houston's 100th Birthday 1321Water Pageant Transportation Committee Ribbon - Houston's 100th Birthday 1322Water Pageant Yacht Committee Ribbon - Houston's 100th Birthday 1323Water Pageant Guest Tickets - Houston's 100th Birthday 1324Rubber Stamp (Cachet) - Houston's 100th Birthday Architectural Drawings 1936 3 items

The series holds the drawings submitted by three companies for the memorial erected in Founders Park in Houston to honor the persons buried there who were instrumental in the founding and early history of the Republic of Texas and/or the City of Houston.

 OV47Proposed Pioneer Memorial, Gooch - Green - Tooke Studios OV48Proposed Pioneer Memorial, Memorial Arts Monument Company OV49Proposed Pioneer Memorial, Michaels Monument Company