News & Events

The Galveston and Texas History Center collects and preserves yearbooks from the island's public and private schools. Among our most treasured yearbooks are those from Galveston's Central High School, the first Black high school in the state of Texas. Until recently, our holdings of The Bearcat only went back to 1955. Thanks to a generous donor, we can now preserve…

Part ICasey Edward Greene, Rosenberg ScholarThe 1900 Storm is recognized as the deadliest natural disaster in the history of the United States. Approximately eight thousand people died on Galveston Island. Several thousand more were lost on the mainland. It is impossible to provide a full accounting of the victims. In September 1900, Galveston’s population was much larger than the 37,78…

By Casey Edward GreeneDale Carnegie (1888-1955) was a widely recognized author and lecturer on public speaking, salesmanship, and self-improvement. A Missouri native, he worked as a salesman and then in acting before teaching public speaking in New York. His first book, The Art of Public Speaking, appeared in 1915. In 1936, Carnegie authored How to Win Friends and Influence People…

By Casey GreeneIn 1900, American business firms employed 708,000 people as secretaries, stenographers, and typists. The percentage of women occupying clerical positions jumped from 19% in 1890 to 38% in 1910. Businesses improved their efficiency by adopting the time-and-motion research of Frederick W. Taylor (1856-1915), an engineer who became known as the father of scientific management. Managers monitored worker output…

By Mia SorrellsFrom the historic Grand Opera House, to the glamorous Balinese Room, Galveston has been known for its wide array of rich musical culture. This is but one collection that is within the Galveston and Texas Historical Center. There is a vast amount of material on almost any topic one can think of such as historical buildings, genealogy, Galveston…

By Brock YetterThe Galveston & Texas History Center holds a vast collection within their archives, consisting of books, maps, newspapers, and letters, with each item being related to the city of Galveston and the early growth of Texas. To not be overwhelmed by all of the material, I focused my research on a singular topic, the 1st of January in…

Celebrating the President's Birthday BallFranklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945) was among the greatest American Presidents. He is remembered for facing head on the challenges of the Great Depression and World War II, as well as greatly expanding the role of the federal government in the economy and foreign relations. At Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada, in 1921, Roosevelt was stricken by…

The Rosenberg Library is now a FamilySearch Affiliate Library! What does that mean? When you login to FamilySearch.org onsite at the Rosenberg you have access to restricted digital records and images that you can't access from home. Currently, Affiliate Libraries have access to about 400 million original records. Frequent FamilySearch researchers may have noticed that pesky icon of a camera…

The Galveston and Texas History Center's David B. McMichael Papers on the N.S. Savannah are featured in the latest Southwestern Archivist. Read GTHC Archivist Kevin Kinney's article about the Savannah's voyage from Galveston to Europe and back to Galveston on page 24, https://societyofsouthwestarchivists.wildapricot.org/resources/Documents/Newsletters/SWA2019v42no4-Nov.pdfFor more on the Savannah or other topics in maritime history, check out the Archives Catalog or contact…

George H. Henchman was a Galveston building materials dealer during the last quarter of the 19th century. He was born in Massachusetts circa 1835-36, the son of Lewis and Mary C. Henchman. Henchman was employed by Chas. W. Adams (circa 1815-1887), an early Galveston settler. Henchman enlisted in 1862 in the Texas 20th Infantry and served at the Battle of…

Meet the Author, Mackenzie FinkleaSaturday, January 4th, 10 am - 12 pm Rosenberg Library, Wortham Auditorium (1st floor)Join us for a lively discussion of Mackenzie Finklea's new book and a celebration of museums! Light refreshments will be served and books will be available for purchase.

People who traveled long distances during the 19th century transported their clothes and belongings in bulky trunks. These were sturdy affairs, designed to withstand the rigors of travel and storage on railroads and aboard ships. Trunks were made of wood and covered with canvas or leather. They remained in vogue until they began to be supplanted by luggage at the…