The Texas Historical Commission Library

The Texas Historical Commission (THC) library in the historic Gethsemane Lutheran Church building houses a unique collection that makes it a one-of-a-kind facility for agency staff, outside professionals and citizens interested in history, archeology and preservation. The library is open to the public by appointment only. The collection is noncirculating.

The collection reflects the agency's historic preservation mission. It contains approximately 5,000 publications, including about 3,000 books, most of which focus on some aspect of Texas' rich heritage. The library holdings are divided into four main areas: museum studies, archeology, state and local history, and historic preservation and architecture.

Two of the library's most significant resources include the agency's historical marker files, which number about 15,500, and a file collection of the state's 3,183 National Register sites. Other notable library resources include:

• Survey reports of archeological and cultural resources

• Maps from the 1936 county survey

• Slides and photos of state historic sites and buildings

• City and county histories

• A general reference section

• A collection of archeology and history periodicals

Hours
The THC Library is available by appointment only.

Please call History Programs at 512-463-5853 if looking for National Register or Texas Recorded Historical Landmark files, oral histories or city &/or county histories.

Please call the Archeology Division at 512-463-6096 if researching archeological sites and related information.

Please call Division of Architecture at 512-463-6094 if researching Texas Courthouse Preservation Program or other buildings.

For copies of individual National Register nominations, call 202.354.1496 or contact nr_references@nps.gov.

Location
The library is located at 1510 N. Congress Ave. in downtown Austin on the corner of W. 16th St. and N. Congress Ave., one block north of the State Capitol.

THC Library and Research Links