This post is part of our blog series “Scholars Speak,” which features writing from our 2024 cohort of Preservation Scholars. Click the link to learn more about this donor-funded program that aims to increase the diversity of voices in the Texas historical narrative by placing students from underrepresented cultural and ethnic backgrounds in paid, 10-week long summer internship positions at the Texas Historical Commission.
Scholars Speak: Walking by History
As I progress with my current internship with the History Programs Division of the Texas Historical Commission (THC), working with county historical commissions to develop training materials for conducting Recorded Texas Historical Landmark (RTHL) photo surveys, I am once again blown away by how history is everywhere and most of the time you don’t even realize it. Growing up, I assumed history was only found in the pages of books, on a screen, or in distant lands like England, Egypt, or Japan, never considering history was also found in the towns and cities I grew up in. I realize now that community and public history plays a significant role in preserving this history.
Working on my internship project, I was able to go out into the field and explore Travis County to conduct a sample photo survey of RTHLs in preparation for developing the materials for the county historical commissions and volunteers. RTHLs are properties at least 50 years old that are decided to be historically and architecturally significant, and with this designation, they are protected by state law.
Travis County, being the home of the State Capital, naturally boasts a plethora of historical sites and buildings. However, what truly surprised me was the abundance of RTHLs scattered across neighborhoods in Austin, not just confined to downtown. The joy of strolling through a neighborhood, encountering these historic homes, and reading their plaques to unravel their stories was a fascinating chance to see a glimpse of what life was like in the past. It was also interesting to see the juxtaposition of history and contemporary life when you encounter a historic home sitting next door to a modern home.
Of course, these historical buildings are not still here today because of sheer luck but because someone decided they were important and needed to be preserved and saved. That someone wasn’t the Texas Historical Commission or the state but rather individuals of the community. Local community members or organizations champion most RTHLs—those who know and recognize that these properties tell their community’s history and, thus, their individual histories. With the help of the public, these buildings were preserved.
Yet, some RTHLs are abandoned, in disrepair, or simply hidden from public view. They have been forgotten, and their history could be next. This also helps me understand why public history and community engagement are vital. Public history only works when it has the engagement and support of the public. It is crucial to nurture that relationship. With the public’s engagement, their community expertise, and the resources that can be provided through public history, our local historical resources can be known and protected.
I am grateful to the Friends of the Texas Historical Commission for giving me this opportunity and I know when I return to my city, I plan to become more engaged in the local history of my community and educate others on their community’s history and what they can do to preserve it. There is so much history found where you are; you do not need to travel far-off lands. Merely look around at your neighborhood and local vicinity. Perhaps next time you are out, open the THC’s Texas History Navigator app, or if you are bored at your computer, go to the THC’s Historic Sites Atlas, and see if there are any historical buildings in your community. You might be surprised that the buildings you regularly walk or drive by or even stop for a cup of coffee in is rich in history.