Sam Houston Regional Library And Research Center
The Center features four additional historic buildings that have been relocated to the grounds: the Gillard-Duncan House (1848), built by Dr. Edward J. and Emma DeBlanc Gillard, is one of the oldest extant homes in Southeast Texas; the Norman House (ca. 1883) features exhibits on domestic life in a historical house setting; St. Stephen's Episcopal Church (1898) served as a place of worship for nearly a century; and the Hull-Daisetta Rotary Building (ca. 1930), built by the Rotary Club of Hull-Daisetta, is one of the first and only buildings constructed and owned by a Rotary club. As of the fall of 2023, tours of the Hull-Daisetta Rotary Building are self-guided and do not require an appointment. Tours of the other buildings are available only by appointment. As of 2023, the Center recommended booking tours at least two weeks in advance, with tours with less notice accommodated based on staff availability.
History
Governor and Mrs. Price Daniel donated 114 acres (46 ha) of land for the purpose of establishing a library on September 27, 1973. Construction began in the fall of 1975; by then $700,000 had been raised through private donations. The library opened on May 14, 1977. The library commission selected the Liberty area as the site of its archive because Liberty County is the site of Atascocito, a former Spanish outpost that became the seat of government of a ten-county area that formed in 1826; the settlement's name changed to Liberty in 1831. The counties were all or partially within the Atascosito-Liberty District.
References
- ^ "Sam Houston Regional Library & Research Center". Texas State Library and Archives Commission, Sam Houston Center. Texas State Library and Archives Commission. August 24, 2023. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
- ^ "Sam Houston Regional Library & Center". Texas State Library and Archives Commission, Sam Houston Center. Texas State Library and Archives Commission. August 24, 2023. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
- ^ "Sam Houston Regional Library & Research Center". Texas State Library and Archives Commission, Sam Houston Center. August 24, 2023. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
- ^ "Liberty County". Texas State Historical Association: Liberty County. Texas State Historical Association. May 28, 2021 [1952]. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
External links
- Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center - official site