Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham announced this week that the forthcoming book “Texas Takes Shape: A History of Maps from the General Land Office” has been awarded second place in the prestigious Presidio La BahÃa Award from the Sons of the Republic of Texas.
The book, slated for publication by the University of Texas Press in July 2025, represents the first comprehensive visual narrative of Texas’s evolution using the General Land Office’s extensive collection of over 45,000 historic maps dating back to the sixteenth century.
Mapping Texas History
“I am honored that the Sons of the Republic of Texas—valued partners in preserving and celebrating Texas history—have recognized Texas Takes Shape with second place for the 2025 Presidio La BahÃa Award,” said Commissioner Buckingham in a statement.
What makes this publication unique? The book features more than 100 carefully selected maps that chronicle Texas’s journey from European colonization through Spanish and Mexican rule, into the Republic of Texas era, and finally as a modern U.S. state. These visual artifacts offer readers an unprecedented window into the geopolitical, cultural, and economic forces that shaped the Lone Star State.
The collection is structured as a two-part, nine-chapter visual history that draws exclusively from the GLO’s archival treasures. For Buckingham, the project carries personal significance. “As a ninth-generation Texan, I am honored to have a hand in the production of this uniquely written history of Texas and the meticulous research that supports it,” she noted.
Texas’s cartographic legacy tells stories that written accounts alone cannot capture. The shifting boundaries, territorial disputes, and evolving understanding of the landscape all come alive through these historical documents that the GLO has preserved for generations.
“The stories of the men and women who settled, fought for, and cultivated our beautiful Texas landscape are uniquely represented through the lens of historical mapping throughout this book,” Buckingham explained. “It’s an honor to be able to showcase our state’s sprawling history through the extraordinary work of the GLO archivists.”
Preserving Texas Heritage
The Texas General Land Office’s collection is remarkable not just for its size but for its historical significance. With maps dating back nearly five centuries, the archive offers researchers and history enthusiasts unparalleled insights into how Texas was perceived, divided, and developed over time.
The book is currently available for pre-order at $48.71 (excluding shipping costs of $8.93) and is listed under Save Texas History Collectibles alongside other notable GLO publications, including the “Catalogue of the Spanish Collection” and “New Guide to Spanish and Mexican Land Grants in South Texas,” both available in digital format for $15.00.
For cartography enthusiasts and Texas history buffs alike, “Texas Takes Shape” promises to be more than just a coffee table book—it’s a visual journey through the complex and fascinating evolution of one of America’s most distinctive states, told through the universal language of maps.
