Texas history buffs and cartography enthusiasts have a date to circle on next year’s calendar. Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D., is urging Texans to attend the upcoming Save Texas History Symposium, a two-day deep dive into the state’s rich historical landscape through maps and documents that have shaped the Lone Star State.
Set for November 7-8, 2025, at the Bullock Texas State History Museum in downtown Austin, the symposium will explore how cartography has influenced Texas history, announced the Texas General Land Office (GLO) this week. The event’s theme aligns with the GLO’s recently published book, “Texas Takes Shape: A History in Maps from the General Land Office.”
“This symposium offers a unique opportunity to understand how Texas literally took form through historical mapping,” Commissioner Buckingham said in a statement. “These maps tell stories that words alone cannot convey about our state’s remarkable journey.”
Next Generation of Texas Historians
What makes this year’s format particularly compelling? The symposium kicks off on Friday, November 7, with a Student Research Showcase featuring work from undergraduate and graduate students representing seven different Texas universities. It’s a chance to see fresh perspectives on Texas history from emerging scholars across the state.
Following the student presentations, attendees can join an optional Friday evening reception with the authors of “Texas Takes Shape,” though this comes with an additional $50 fee beyond the symposium’s $125 registration cost. The main program on Saturday will feature speakers whose presentations align with the nine chapters of the book, according to event organizers.
The symposium represents a cornerstone event for the Save Texas History Program, a statewide initiative launched in 2004 to preserve and promote the historic maps and documents housed in the GLO Archives. These materials offer invaluable insights into Texas’s development from its earliest days through statehood and beyond.
Breaking Barriers
The push for historical preservation comes under the leadership of Commissioner Buckingham, who made history herself in 2022 by becoming Texas’ first female Land Commissioner. Since taking office, Buckingham has focused on disaster assistance, supporting Texas energy, public education funding, veterans’ services, and border security initiatives.
“The maps in our collection show how Texas has evolved over centuries,” Buckingham noted. “Understanding this evolution helps us better appreciate our state’s unique character and the challenges our predecessors overcame.”
For cartography enthusiasts, the symposium offers a rare opportunity to engage with both historical documents and the scholars who study them. The GLO Archives contain some of the state’s most significant historical materials, many of which are featured in the new book that inspired this year’s theme.
Registration details for the 2025 Save Texas History Symposium are available through the Texas General Land Office website. With limited space at the Bullock Museum venue, early registration is recommended for those interested in attending.
As Texas continues to grow and change at a rapid pace, events like this symposium serve as important reminders of the state’s complex origins—and the maps that helped draw its distinctive shape on the American landscape.
