The storied history of Texas and its people still lives today in the popular museums, iconic landmarks and preserved relics of our past, like at the historic frontier Army post of Fort Concho. Explore these remarkable sites up close and personal to experience glimpses into everyday life of the past.
The Alamo
The mother of all historic sites in Texas and a former Spanish mission, the Alamo is the site of the 1836 siege by Mexican troops that killed many settlers during the Texas Revolution. Used for military purposes around the time the U.S. annexed Texas, the Alamo is part of the historic San Antonio Missions and is open to the public.
Texas State Capitol
The Texas State Capitol is a Renaissance Revival construction among Austin’s quirky Spanish-Colonial vibe, and it tells plenty of tales about how the state of Texas came to be. From the history of key women public figures in the state to a journey through the building’s ghost stories and haunting legends, tours of the capitol have something for everyone.
Galveston East End Historical District
A national historic landmark with plenty of character, Galveston’s East End is home to restored historic mansions, towering palm trees and picturesque Spanish colonial churches. The homes on these 50 city blocks are perfect for exploring if you enjoy classic architecture and castle-like sites, including Bishop’s Palace and Moody Mansion.
Fort Worth Stockyards
Experience the wild west on the original brick walkways of the Fort Worth National Historic District at the Fort Worth Stockyards. Here, you can get a front row seat for historical reenactments, daily longhorn cattle drives and year-round championship rodeos.
San Jacinto Battle Monument
A massive monument to the 18-minute battle that created Texas, Houston’s San Jacinto Battle Monument and the San Jacinto Museum of History mark the place that Sam Houston’s troops overtook Mexican forces to gain Texas’ brief independence before it was annexed by the United States less than a decade later.
NASA Space Center Houston
Want to walk the same halls as NASA’s space engineers and astronauts? Interactive exhibits and educational in-theater films are just the beginning at Space Center Houston. It’s home to the mission control center that launched Apollo 11—the first human spaceflight to the moon.
Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park
The LBJ Ranch District of Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park is located in Stonewall, while the other half of the national park is located 14 miles to the east in Johnson City. The focal point of this district is the “Texas White House,” the ranch home of the 36th president of the U.S., where he entertained many world leaders. Among other sites along the Pedernales River, visitors to this district can also see LBJ’s reconstructed birthplace, the schoolhouse he attended and his resting place in the Johnson Family Cemetery.
Deep Ellum Historic District
Deep Ellum was born as a residential and commercial district whose roots are still visible to this very day. It is a neighborhood that is essential to the stories of Black and immigrant Dallas residents. Prior to 1900, the District was home to cotton gin factories and early auto plants. By the 1920s, it boasted a vibrant jazz scene with blues musicians Blind Lemon Jefferson, Bessie Smith and Sam “Lightnin” Hopkins headlining its clubs. Today, its eclectic art and music scene honors its extraordinary and consequential history.
Dealey Plaza
Dallas’ Dealey Plaza is where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated and is now home to a museum dedicated to the late president’s life. The museum is located on the sixth floor of the square’s Texas School Book Depository, where the shots that ended Kennedy’s life were fired.
Pioneer Village
Head to The Village in Gonzales to learn about the pioneer way of life in a collection of houses from the 1800s and early 1900s. At this living history museum, tour guides dress in period costumes and demonstrate skills and crafts from a time when the area was first being settled.
Casa Navarro State Historic Site
José Antonio Navarro’s house in the former Tejano neighborhood of Laredito showcases his life at the restored 1850s limestone home. Navarro was a rancher, merchant, one of only two native-born Texans to sign the Texas Declaration of Independence and a leading advocate for Tejano rights. Now a Texas Historical Commission state historic site, the property was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1962, listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and named a National Historic Landmark in 2017.
Fulton Mansion State Historic Site
Decorated with dark columns and trim, the Fulton Mansion embodies the wealthy home life of the Fulton family. Luscious grass covers the perimeter of the house, and oak trees surround the sides. The house is filled with love, as well as interior gas lighting and flush toilets. George and Harriet Fulton completed their dream house in 1877 with profits from their ranching empire and spent their lives together in the mansion.