Established in 1922, the Dallas Historical Society (DHS) offers programs and exhibits that educate and inform visitors about their home city. Their collections reveal insights and little-known facts that one might be unable to attain from history books alone. Among the three million historical artifacts at DHS are numberous treasures. Sam Houston’s handwritten account of the Battle of San Jacinto is one. There’s also the only known original Juneteenth document, James Fannin’s watch, and Santa Anna’s spurs. The DHS collection houses over 10,000 bound volumes and receives more than 1,500 research requests annually. The collections are Housed at the Hall of State in Fair Park. DHS presents the collections through education programs, exhibitions, tours, access to research materials and workshops.
Karl Chiao, Executive Director of the Dallas Historical Society in front of the interactive Alamo diorama by Thomas Feely. Photo by Danny Campbell. The exhibit allows viewers to hold up a tablet and point it to one of the characters in the diorama. The character comes to life on the tablet to talk about what they are doing.
Membership in DHS includes opportunities for both corporations and individuals and has many benefits at different levels, such as access to a variety of behind-the-scenes events and intimate gatherings. One such highlight is its latest series, the Author’s Table Dinners, where members will enjoy intimate dinner parties featuring bestselling authors and Pulitzer Prize nominees. Visit www.dallashistory.org for details.
Dallas History Makers Awards for Excellence Luncheon
In November, DHS was honored with a generous gift of $7 million from the Harry W. Bass, Jr. Foundation. It marks the largest single donation in DHS’ history. The Harry W. Bass, Jr. Foundation supports nonprofit organizations dedicated to science, education, the arts, and human services. The late Harry W. Bass, Jr., after whom the foundation is named, ran an oil company, developed ski resorts in Colorado, and amassed one of the world’s greatest coin collections.
Learn about other efforts to Preserve, Celebrate and Remember Texas History.
This article appeared in the Holiday 2024 Issue of The Savvy Life. For our many newcomers to the Dallas/Fort Worth area, this issue is designed to inspire them to get involved and explore all that the North Texas community has to offer. And if you’re a native or longtime resident, the content inside will remind you how fortunate we are to be part of a community that embraces humility, passion and kindness. North Texans place a high value on preserving and promoting our history, architectural treasures and culture. We encourage you to spread the word about it.
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