None.
Most records created by Texas state agencies are not copyrighted and may be freely used in any way. State records also include materials received by, not created by, state agencies. Copyright remains with the creator. The researcher is responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.).
Most of the maps and all of the plans and specifications are too large to photocopy.
Researchers are required to use gloves provided by the Archives when reviewing photographic materials.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is responsible for the management and conservation of the state's wildlife and fish resources; provision of outdoor recreational opportunities to the public; acquisition, development, and operation of wildlife management areas, fish hatcheries, state parks, historic sites, and other public lands; conservation education and outreach; cultural and historical interpretation; and the regulation of fishing, hunting, and boating activities. The Department is composed of ten major divisions which carry out the functions and duties of the agency: Wildlife, State Parks, Coastal Fisheries, Inland Fisheries, Communications, Law Enforcement, Infrastructure, Administrative Resources, Legal, Information Technology, and Human Resources. An Executive Director, selected by the Parks and Wildlife Commission, administers the department. In 2005, the agency employed the full-time equivalent of 3,038 people.
The Parks and Wildlife Department is governed by the Parks and Wildlife Commission, initially composed of three members, increased to six members in 1972, and as of 1983, nine members, appointed by the Governor with approval of the Senate. Members serve six-year overlapping terms. The Commission chairperson is appointed biennially by the Governor. The Commission meets quarterly or more often as needed. Its chief responsibility is to adopt policies and rules to carry out the programs of the Parks and Wildlife Department.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) had its beginnings in
1879 when the 16th Texas Legislature authorized the Governor to appoint a fish
commissioner to ensure compliance with an Act for the preservation of fish, and
to build fish ways and fish ladders (Chapter 92, 16th Legislature, Regular
Session). In 1881, the Office of the Fish Commissioner was established (Chapter
78, 17th Legislature, Regular Session). It was created for the
In 1895, the Office of the Fish and Oyster Commissioner was created by House Bill 55, 24th Legislature, Regular Session, with the commissioner appointed by the Governor as before. The duties included the protection of fish, turtles and terrapin of the bays and coastal waters of the state, protection of natural oyster beds and reefs, and the protection of the location of private beds. The Commissioner had the authority to appoint Deputy Commissioners to assist in carrying out the duties of the office. In 1907, protection of wild birds and wild game was added to the responsibilities of that office, which became the Office of the Game, Fish and Oyster Commissioner (House Bill 379, 30th Legislature, Regular Session). This Commissioner appointed Deputy Game Commissioners to assist in carrying out the duties of the office.
The single commissioner was replaced by a six-member commission in 1929 and the agency became the Game, Fish, and Oyster Commission (Senate Bill 83, 41st Legislature, Regular Session). The commissioners were appointed to six year terms by the Governor with the approval of the Senate, and were selected from different sections of the state. The chair was appointed by the Governor. Duties of the commission included administering the state's laws relating to game and fish; preventing pollution of streams; issuing hunting, trapping, and fishing licenses; collecting fees, taxes, and fines; conducting research; and proclaiming and enforcing open seasons and bag limits on game and fish. The commission also operated fish hatcheries and sanctuaries, administered game and hunting preserves, supervised oyster beds in the state, controlled and exterminated predatory animals and fish, and educated the public in the preservation of wildlife and fish and game resources of the state. It had the authority to create rules and regulations as necessary to carry out its duties. The name was changed to the Texas Game and Fish Commission in 1951 and the size of the board was increased to nine members (Senate Bill 463, 52nd Legislature, Regular Session).
The Texas State Parks Board was created in 1923 (Senate Bill 73, 38th Legislature, First Called Session) to investigate prospective park sites in the state and report to the Legislature with recommendations, and to solicit and accept donations of land for state park purposes. The State Parks Board was initially composed of five members, appointed by the Governor with the approval of the Senate to six year terms, and they were to be state officers. The number of board members increased to six in 1937 (Senate Bill 484, 45th Legislature, Regular Session). This board was to begin locating sites for the establishment of the state parks system. It directed and managed state parks created, except the historical parks which were managed by the Board of Control and/or several separate commissions. The Parks Board was charged with locating, designating, and marking historic grounds, battlegrounds, and other historic sites in the state, and erecting markers and monuments at such sites. The board also had the authority to create rules and regulations as necessary to carry out its duties. The primary function of the board between 1923 and 1933 was to acquire lands for parks through donations. In 1933, federal funds became available for state park development and the board worked with the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the National Park Service for the development of better park sites for a state parks system. The CCC provided labor during the 1930s to improve state park lands and facilities. In 1949, the state historical parks were transferred to the State Parks Board, except for the San Jacinto Battlefield, the Battleship Texas, and the Fannin Battlefield, which were still controlled by their respective commissions--the San Jacinto Battlefield Commission, the Battleship Texas Commission, and the Fannin Battlefield Commission (House Bill 120, 51st Legislature, Regular Session). Jurisdiction over the Fannin and San Jacinto Battlefields was transferred to TPWD in 1965 (House Bill 102, 59th Legislature, Regular Session). Battleship Texas was transferred to TPWD in 1983 (House Bill 586, 68th Legislature, Regular Session).
In 1963, the State Parks Board and the Game and Fish Commission were merged to form the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife (House Bill 21, 58th Legislature, Regular Session). In 1967, the Historic Structures and Sites Act was passed by the 60th Legislature, House Bill 58, Regular Session, charging the Parks and Wildlife Department with stewardship of the state's cultural heritage sites. In 1983, the Legislature passed the 1983 Wildlife Conservation Act (Senate Bill 94, 68th Legislature, Regular Session), which gave the agency the authority to manage fish and wildlife resources in all Texas counties. Prior to this act county commissioner courts set game and fish laws in many counties, and other counties had veto power over Department regulations. In 1985, the legislature granted the agency authority over shrimp and oysters (Senate Bill 609, 69th Legislature, Regular Session).
The State Parks Division protects, interprets, and manages cultural and natural resources and provides recreational opportunities to the public on land owned or leased by TPWD, which includes 119 state parks, historic sites, and natural areas. The division also provides planning assistance and administers matching grants to local communities and counties for park acquisition and development, public boat ramps and other facilities, and outreach.
In the early years of TPWD the State Parks Division also investigated
potential land acquisitions for state parks and historic sites, negotiated and
prepared contracts for the donation or purchase of land, researched title
information, constructed new park facilities, renovated and repaired existing
facilities. In 1965 the Parks Division developed a statewide comprehensive
outdoor recreation plan - the Texas Outdoor Recreation Plan (as directed by the
59th Legislature, Senate Bill 165, Regular Session). This plan was updated
every five years. Master plans for state parks were begun in 1965. During a
brief period in the 1990s, the State Parks Division was known as the Public
Lands Division, whose duties included the management of some wildlife areas in
addition to state parks, historic sites, and natural areas. Today, land
acquisition activities are handled through the executive office and the
Infrastructure Division handles design and construction of new facilities,
repairs of existing facilities, and development of TPWD lands. Wildlife areas
are general managed by the Wildlife Division. The Texas Outdoor Recreation Plan
has been incorporated into the more comprehensive Land and Water Resources
Conservation and Recreation Plan prepared by the agency. The 77th Texas
Legislature (Senate Bill 305, Regular Session) required that Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department prepare (and be adopted by the Commission) the Land and
Water Resources Conservation and Recreation Plan by October 15, 2002. The plan
was adopted and the latest version (2005) is on the website of the TPWD
Sources: Enabling legislation;
The State Parks Division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) protects, interprets, and manages cultural and natural resources and provides recreational opportunities to the public on land owned or leased by TPWD. Types of records present include correspondence, memoranda, reports, project files, plans, appraisal reports, copies of land title abstracts, deeds, surveyors' field notes, survey and subdivision maps, photographs, maps and brochures, and civil engineering and architectural structural and mechanical plans and specifications for various types of repairs and improvements to two former Air Force bases in Texas. Dates covered are 1905-1990, bulk 1927-1986.
The appraisal and abstract records were accumulated during the course of land acquisition activities for the state by the TPWD and its predecessor, the Texas State Parks Board, for many of the Texas state parks, natural areas, and historic sites. The great majority of the plans and specifications are for Matagorda Island Air Force Base, but a few plans are present for Port O'Connor Air Force Base - federal military facilities that were transferred to the state of Texas. Project files are present for studies and work done to add the San Jose Mission to the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, which was accomplished in 1978. Conceptual and feasibility studies are present for several park sites including San Jose, Goliad, and Washington-on-the Brazos, and other existing or potential state park sites, including the Dallas area and Toledo Bend Reservoir. Planning records document work on the Texas Outdoor Recreation Plan in the 1970s and 1980s. Also present are maps and brochures of state parks for the 1970s and a videocassette and publication produced by TPWD to illustrate how the (then) Public Lands Division (now the State Parks Division) acquired, restored, preserved and operated historic properties in accordance with the 1967 legislative mandate to assume stewardship of important elements of Texas' heritage.
This series was removed from the overall TPWD finding aid due to the
electronic file size limitations imposed by the online finding aid web site
(TARO). If you are reading this electronically, click on the following link to
access the overall finding aid,
To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.
The records have been organized into seven series by State Archives staff:
(Identify the item and cite the series), Texas Parks and Wildlife Department State Parks Division records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
The records of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept. were appraised by
State Archives staff on October 18, 1999. Series appraised as archival
described in this finding aid are:
Lisa Hendricks, February, March and April, 1996
Laura K. Saegert and Jason Walker, June 1998
Laura K. Saegert, May 2006
Accession numbers: 1996/052, 1996/060, 1996/065, 1996/081, 2002/114, 2004/090, 2006/366
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department on February 1, February 20 and March 21, 1996; March 27, 2002; and February 17, 2004; by the Texas Documents Collection of the Library and Archives Commission on February 27, 1996. One accession was transferred by an unknown entity in the 1970s and was assigned an accession number for control purposes on May 16, 2006.
The State Parks Division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department, during the time period covered by these records, investigated
potential land acquisitions for state parks, historic sites, and natural areas,
negotiated and prepared contracts for the donation or purchase of land, and
researched title information. Types of records include appraisal reports,
copies of land title abstracts, deeds, surveyors' field notes, survey and
subdivision maps, photographs, and correspondence, dating 1905-1986, bulk
1908-1986. Appraisal files typically include photographs of the property, maps,
market data, soil and mineral analysis, and surveyors' field notes. Abstract
files contain copies of all instruments of record and documents filed for
record (deeds, abstracts, etc.), conveying, affecting or pertaining to the
title of lands being considered for acquisition. The appraisal and abstract
records were accumulated during the course of land acquisition activities for
the state by the TPWD and its predecessor, the Texas State Parks Board, for
many of the Texas state parks, natural areas, and historic sites. Land
acquisition files for most of the state historic parks and monuments can be
found in the
These records are arranged into two groups by State Archives staff - Appraisal files and Abstract files. Within each group the files are arranged as received from the agency.
(Identify the item), Land acquisition appraisal and abstract files, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's State Parks Division records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Accession numbers: 1996/081, 2004/090
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department on March 21, 1996 and February 17, 2004.
None.
Most records created by Texas state agencies are not copyrighted and may be freely used in any way. State records also include materials received by, not created by, state agencies. Copyright remains with the creator. The researcher is responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.).
Most of the maps are too large to photocopy.
Researchers are required to use gloves provided by the Archives when reviewing photographic materials.
Lisa Hendricks, April 1996
Laura K. Saegert, May 2006
The State Parks Division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, during the time period covered by these records, investigated potential land acquisitions for state parks, historic sites, and natural areas, negotiated and prepared contracts for the donation or purchase of land, researched title information, constructed new park facilities and did renovations and repairs in existing facilities. These records are plans and specifications of federal military facilities that were transferred to the state of Texas when the state took over management of Matagorda Island Air Force Base and surrounding public lands from the federal government in 1983. Records are civil engineering and architectural structural and mechanical plans and specifications for various types of repairs and improvements to two Air Force bases located in Texas dated 1940-1974. The vast majority of the files are for Matagorda Island Air Force Base, but a few plans are present for Port O'Connor Air Force Base. Several of the plans have listed either Bergstrom Air Force Base, Strategic Air Command or Carswell Air Force Base, Strategic Air Command, in the title area. That information seems to indicate the drawings were done at or authorized by that particular air command, not that the files represent drawings from those bases. Unless otherwise noted, the plans are for the Matagorda Island Air Force Base. Types of improvements, repairs, and rehabilitations detailed in the plans include repainting doors and windows; repairing features in the dining areas, the educational center, the operations buildings, the hangars and other buildings; installing a submarine cable; making changes to the runways and facilities on the gunnery and bombing range; and repairing cargo piers, sanitary sewer systems, roads, water mains, and fire hydrants. Some of the structures for which these plans were drawn have since been destroyed. Plans of the base and a few maps of the base and surrounding area are present.
Matagorda Island became part of the state park system as a result of a cooperative agreement between the United States Department of the Interior and the state of Texas. The agreement was approved in December 1982 and passed into law by the Texas Legislature in March 1983 (Senate Bill 249, 68th Legislature, Regular Session). The agreement stated that Matagorda Island and the surrounding wildlife management area, consisting of public lands surrounding the island, were to be managed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Matagorda Island Wildlife Management Area consists of 56,688 acres of offshore barrier island and bayside marshes that is operated as a wildlife management area, jointly owned by the Texas General Land Office and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is cooperatively managed as the Matagorda Island National Wildlife Refuge and State Natural Area. Texas Parks and Wildlife manages the area for public use and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has the main responsibility for managing the wildlife and habitat on the island.
These records are arranged in the order received from the agency.
(Identify the item), Plans and specifications of military bases, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's State Parks Division records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Accession number: 1996/052
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department on February 1, 1996.
None.
Most records created by Texas state agencies are not copyrighted and may be freely used in any way. State records also include materials received by, not created by, state agencies. Copyright remains with the creator. The researcher is responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.).
The plan and specifications are too large to photocopy.
Lisa Hendricks, March 1996
Laura K. Saegert, May 2006
The State Parks Division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) protects, interprets, and manages cultural and natural resources and provides recreational opportunities to the public on land owned or leased by TPWD. Records document studies and work done by the Parks and Wildlife Department and the National Park Service to make the San Jose Mission part of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. Types of records present include correspondence and memoranda; surveys, deeds and other acquisition material; maps; conceptual studies; staff meeting transcripts; a grant application and report; project expenditure records; archeological studies; architectural and engineering plans and drawings; historical interpretation report; environmental assessment; specifications for the stabilization of the church and sacristy; geotechnical foundation and soil moisture analysis; a deterioration study; and a proposal for Old Spanish Missions National Park. Also present are minutes of some meetings of the San Antonio Missions Advisory Commission, generally found in the correspondence files. Dates covered are 1968-1983, bulk dating 1976-1981.
Correspondents include the Parks and Wildlife staff (executive director, Historic Sites Branch staff, architects, and others), National Park Service, manager of the mission facility, the Texas Historical Commission, San Antonio Missions Advisory Commission, San Antonio Conservation Society, consulting engineers and architects, and others.
Earlier files on restoration work at the mission can be found in
the Texas State Parks Board records, primarily in the series
Mission San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo was founded in 1720 by
Father Antonio Margil de Jesus, a prominent Franciscan missionary, on the banks
of the San Antonio River. The mission was named for Saint Joseph and the
Marques de San Miguel de Aguayo, the governor of the Province of Coahuila and
Texas at the time. San Jose, as it became known, was the largest of the
missions in the area, becoming known as the
In 1941 the San Jose Mission became a State Historic Site, and later that same year, a National Historic Site. It was governed for several years by an advisory board composed of representatives from the National Park Service, the Texas State Parks Board, the Catholic Church, the County of Bexar, and the San Antonio Conservation Society. These entities undertook several projects to restore portions of the mission and add improvements to the complex. The mission grounds were operated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department from 1941 to 1983. On November 10, 1978, San Jose Mission became part of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park and is now governed by the National Park Service. The church within the mission complex is still an active parish.
(Sources: National Park Service online article,
These records are arranged by type of material, as received from the agency.
(Identify the item), San Jose Mission project files, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's State Parks Division records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Accession number: 2004/090
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department on February 17, 2004.
None.
Most records created by Texas state agencies are not copyrighted and may be freely used in any way. State records also include materials received by, not created by, state agencies. Copyright remains with the creator. The researcher is responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.).
None.
Laura K. Saegert, May 2006
The State Parks Division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) protects, interprets, and manages cultural and natural resources and provides recreational opportunities to the public on land owned or leased by TPWD. Records document conceptual studies of existing state historic parks and feasibility studies of proposed state parks or areas of the state. Conceptual studies are prepared by TPWD and provide a history of the site, a plan for future needs, and recommendations on concepts such as land acquisition, program operation, renovation, and development. Some studies may include a flood protection analysis. Studies are generally done to renovate a park, to acquire land for expansion, or to develop a recreational plan for a park. Feasibility studies are prepared by TPWD for proposed state park sites or areas of the state and generally include a historical review, analysis of county characteristics, analysis of regional needs, and a review of existing regional parks and open spaces. Feasibility or other studies by regional or local authorities are sometimes present.
Other records found in the files include correspondence, memoranda, committee and other reports, notes, drafts of the final report, slides, photographs, maps, copies of articles, and clippings. Legislation and publications are occasionally present. Dates covered for this series are 1940-1980, bulk 1971-1978. Correspondents may include federal agencies, such as the National Park Service or the U.S. Forest Service, regional authorities, and local officials.
These records are arranged into two groups - Conceptual studies and Feasibility studies, as received from the agency. Within each group the files are arranged by name of the park or proposed site/study area.
(Identify the item), Reports and studies, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's State Parks Division records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Accession number: 2004/090
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department on February 17, 2004.
None.
Most records created by Texas state agencies are not copyrighted and may be freely used in any way. State records also include materials received by, not created by, state agencies. Copyright remains with the creator. The researcher is responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.).
None.
Laura K. Saegert, May 2006
The State Parks Division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) protects, interprets, and manages cultural and natural resources and provides recreational opportunities to the public on land owned or leased by TPWD. These records document the work done by the Parks and Wildlife Department to develop and implement a statewide comprehensive outdoor recreation plan - the Texas Outdoor Recreation Plan (TORP). The plan was first developed in 1965 (as directed by the 59th Legislature, Senate Bill 165, Regular Session), and updated every five years. These files contains copies of the 1965, 1975, 1980 and 1985 (incomplete set) plans. Also present are project files for the 1970s to the mid 1980s, consisting of correspondence, memos, program proposals, drafts, comments on the proposed plan, draft environmental impact statements on several parks, notes, and maps. Overall date coverage for the series is 1965, 1975-1985, bulk 1975-1980. Correspondents include the TPWD executive director and chair, governor's office, regional governmental bodies, local governments, and federal agencies - U.S. Department of the Interior (mainly the U.S. Bureau of Recreation), the Army Corps of Engineers, and the Department of Defense. The Dept. of Defense file contains information on land use withdrawals at some parks and the impact of low air flying routes over some parks. The Corps of Engineers prepared environmental impact statements for several parks. The project files also include recreation/use studies of the Trinity River Basin and the Brazos River, and TORP implementation program activities for 1981-1983 (filed in the NPS quarterly reports).
The Texas Outdoor Recreation Plan has been incorporated into the
more comprehensive Land and Water Resources Conservation and Recreation Plan
prepared by the agency. The 77th Texas Legislature (Senate Bill 305, Regular
Session) required that Texas Parks and Wildlife Department prepare (and be
adopted by the Commission) the Land and Water Resources Conservation and
Recreation Plan by October 15, 2002. The plan was adopted and the latest
version (2005) is on the website of the TPWD
These records are arranged in two groups - Project files and Texas Outdoor Recreation Plans, as received from the agency.
(Identify the item), Plans and planning records, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's State Parks Division records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Accession numbers: 2002/114, 2004/090, 2006/366
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department on March 27, 2002 and February 17, 2004. One accession was transferred by an unknown entity in the 1970s and was assigned an accession number for control purposes on May 16, 2006.
None.
Most records created by Texas state agencies are not copyrighted and may be freely used in any way. State records also include materials received by, not created by, state agencies. Copyright remains with the creator. The researcher is responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.).
None.
Laura K. Saegert, May 2006
The State Parks Division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) protects, interprets, and manages cultural and natural resources and provides recreational opportunities to the public on land owned or leased by TPWD. Records consist of brochures, plats and maps of state parks and state recreation areas showing trails, facilities, and site markers. Dates covered are 1974-1990. Descriptive text about the sites includes historic data, geology and/or archaeology of the area, wildlife present, general rules, and rules pertaining to special situations, such as public hunts and other points of interest.
These records are arranged alphabetically, then in reverse chronological order within the folders by State Archives staff. Brochures without maps are filed following the maps if undated.
(Identify the item), Maps and brochures of state parks and recreational areas, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's State Parks Division records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Accession number: 1996/065
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Texas Documents Collection of the Commission on February 27, 1996.
None.
Most records created by Texas state agencies are not copyrighted and may be freely used in any way. State records also include materials received by, not created by, state agencies. Copyright remains with the creator. The researcher is responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.).
Some of the maps are too large to photocopy.
Laura Saegert and Jason Walker, June 1998
The State Parks Division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department (TPWD) protects, interprets, and manages cultural and natural
resources and provides recreational opportunities to the public on land owned
or leased by TPWD. Records consist of a publication and a videocassette, both
dated January 1996. The video, titled
These records are arranged as received from the agency.
(Identify the item), Videocassette and publication, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's State Parks Division records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Accession number: 1996/060
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department on February 20, 1996.
None.
Most records created by Texas state agencies are not copyrighted and may be freely used in any way. State records also include materials received by, not created by, state agencies. Copyright remains with the creator. The researcher is responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.).
A videocassette player is available in Archives Division. Please contact the preservation archivist for assistance.
Lisa Hendricks, February 1996