Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center facts for kids
The Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center is a special place in Liberty County, Texas, located in an area that isn't part of a town. It's about 3 miles (5 km) north of Liberty, Texas. This large building, which is about 17,600 square feet (1,635 square meters), is owned and run by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. This commission helps manage libraries and historical records for the state of Texas.
The Center is a treasure chest of history for Southeast Texas. It holds many important items like old government records, books, handwritten papers, newspapers, maps, historical objects, and photographs. These items tell the story of the Atascosito region, which includes ten counties: Chambers, Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Newton, Orange, Polk, San Jacinto, and Tyler. People can visit the research library to look at these collections for school projects, family history, or just to learn about the past.
In 2018, the Center's museum reopened after getting a big makeover. It now has an exciting exhibit called Atascosito: The History of Southeast Texas. This exhibit shows the region's past using cool displays of old objects, pictures, maps, and historical papers. You can learn how the area grew, from its river trade and timber industry to rice farming and huge oil fields. It also shares stories of how people have lived and moved through this 10-county area for thousands of years.
The Center's campus also includes the Jean and Price Daniel Home and Archives. This building keeps and shows the library, archives, furniture, and personal items that belonged to Jean and Price Daniel. They were important public servants, and Price Daniel even served as the governor of Texas. Their home was designed to look like the Texas Governor's Mansion, which has a classic Greek Revival style.
The Center also has four other historic buildings that were moved to its grounds. The Gillard-Duncan House, built in 1848, is one of the oldest homes in Southeast Texas. The Norman House, from around 1883, shows what daily life was like in a historical home. St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, built in 1898, was a church for almost 100 years. Finally, the Hull-Daisetta Rotary Building, from about 1930, was built by the Rotary Club of Hull-Daisetta. It's one of the first buildings ever built and owned by a Rotary club. A Rotary club is a group of people who work together to help their communities.
As of 2023, you can take self-guided tours of the Hull-Daisetta Rotary Building without needing an appointment. For the other historic buildings, you need to book a tour in advance. It's a good idea to book at least two weeks ahead of time, but sometimes they can fit in tours with less notice if staff are available.
History of the Center
The Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center started thanks to Governor Price Daniel and his wife, Mrs. Daniel. On September 27, 1973, they generously gave 114 acres (46 hectares) of their land to create this library.
Construction of the Center began in the fall of 1975. By that time, $700,000 had been raised through donations from people who wanted to support the project. The library officially opened its doors on May 14, 1977.
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission chose the Liberty area for the archive because of its historical importance. Liberty County is where Atascocito was located. Atascocito was an old Spanish outpost, like a small fort or settlement, that later became the main government center for a ten-county area formed in 1826. The name of the settlement changed to Liberty in 1831. All or parts of these ten counties were once part of the Atascosito-Liberty District.
