Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center
Texas Societies Texas Archives and Libraries
Texas State Library and Archives Commission - Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center[edit | edit source]
The Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center is a component of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission’s (TSLAC) Archives and Information Services Division (ARIS) and serves as the official regional historical resource depository for the 10 Southeast Texas counties of Chambers, Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Newton, Orange, Polk, San Jacinto, and Tyler.
The Center’s primary mission is to collect, preserve, and provide access to historically significant state and local government records and publications of the designated region and secondarily to serve as a library of Texana and genealogical resources.
Through its collections, historic buildings, and educational exhibits and initiatives, it also honors the distinguished public service of former governors, organizations, and citizens of the historic Atascosito District, upon whose boundaries the Center’s geographical area is based.
The Sam Houston Center provides research access to local government records, rare books, manuscripts, archival materials, photographs and other media format covering a wide range of Southeast Texas history. The Center’s museum features exhibits chronicling the region’s past, including its river economy, timber industry, rice agriculture, and expansive oil fields, while also sharing stories of the thousands of years of growth and movement of people through the area. In addition, the Jean and Price Daniel Home and Archives and four historic buildings are located on the grounds: the 1848 Gillard-Duncan House, c. 1883 Norman House, 1898 St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, and c. 1930 Hull-Daisetta Rotary Building.
The Sam Houston Center’s research library and museum are open Tuesday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Tours of the Hull-Daisetta Rotary Building are self-guided and do not require an appointment. Tours of the other buildings are available by an appointment. Booking a tour at least two weeks in advance is recommended. Staff can be reached at samhoustoncenter@tsl.texas.gov or (936) 336-8821. Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center