Breckenridge Mayor declares March as Texas History Month
By Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan
On Monday morning, March 8, members of the Picketville Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas gathered to witness Breckenridge Mayor Bob Sims sign a proclamation declaring March 2021 as Texas History Month in Breckenridge.
The State of Texas also observes Texas History Month, which was first officially designated in 2003 by the Texas Legislature to honor those Texans who helped shape the history of the State of Texas and in recognition of events throughout Texas’ history. In the Texas Government Code that deals with holidays and recognition days, the legislators stated, “Texas History Month shall be regularly observed by appropriate celebrations and activities in public schools and other places to promote interest in and knowledge of Texas history.”
March features several significant dates in Texas history, including:
- March 2 — Texas Independent Day — On March 2, 1836, the Texas Declaration of Independence was signed at Washington-on-the-Brazos.
- March 6 — Alamo Heroes Day
- March 27 — Goliad Heroes Day
The DRT website (https://www.drtinfo.org/) includes information about the organization, as well as Texas history.
In addition to local DRT members, also attending the ceremony were DRT President General Carolyn Raney and Republic of Texas History Center Chair Sherry Jenkins. On display at the meeting were drawings and blueprints of the Republic of Texas History Center, which the DRT is building in Austin.
After Sims signed the proclamation, Raney presented him with a Texas flag that flew over the Alamo on March 2, 2020. Jenkins explained that a couple of years ago she attended a fundraiser at the Breckenridge Woman’s Forum and won the opportunity to have the University of Texas flag fly on the city’s flagpole.
“What I didn’t realize was y’all only have one flagpole,” she said with a laugh. “So, the Texas flag came down and the University of Texas flag went up…that doesn’t look good for the DRT president. So, I’m presenting to Breckenridge a flag that flew over the Alamo on March 2, 2020.”
Jenkins said she felt bad about the situation when she found out later.
Members of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas joined Breckenridge Mayor Bob Sims as he proclaimed March to be Texas History Month in the city. Pictured are, front row, from left, Sherry Jenkins, Republic of Texas History Center Chair, Donna Irby, Linda Boose, Mayor Bob Sims, DRT President General Carolyn Raney, Helen Haddock and Susan Hare; middle row, Darla McLeod, Kay Jurecek, Judy Wolfe, Sally Thompson, Jean Edwards and Billie O’Neal; and, third row, Elizabeth Swindle, Mary Frances Thompson, Barbara Trammell, Laura Kestner and Cheryl Belson. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Cutline, top photo: Breckenridge Mayor Bob Sims signs a proclamation declaring March 2021 to be Texas History Month, as members of the Picketville Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas look on. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Make sure you don’t miss any of the Breckenridge Texan’s news…click here to sign up for our email newsletter, the Weekly News Roundup. It has links to stories, photo galleries and more! It’s free to sign up, and it comes to you on Monday mornings.
Help support the Breckenridge Texan’s local news coverage mission
The Breckenridge Texan, a non-profit news outlet serving Breckenridge and Stephens County, Texas, has launched its annual NewsMatch fundraising campaign, running through Dec. 31, 2024.
As a non-profit news outlet, the Breckenridge Texan depends on donations, in addition to ad sales, to fund daily operations, including website costs, freelance writers, and basic office expenses. The organization aims to raise $4,000, which could be tripled to $12,000 through various matching programs, including the NewsMatch program and the Rural Partner Fund, which is supported by several major foundations.
Founded in 2017 by journalists Tony Pilkington and Carla McKeown, the Breckenridge Texan provides daily local news coverage, weekly newsletters, photo galleries, a community calendar, and obituaries. The outlet serves both local residents and people outside the community seeking information about Breckenridge and Stephens County, including potential new residents and businesses. They chose the non-profit structure to maintain local control of news coverage while minimizing the financial burden on the community.
In addition to regular news coverage, the Breckenridge Texan also offers:
A weekly newsletter that delivers a roundup of recent stories via email every Monday
Photo galleries from local events
A Calendar of Events, which lists upcoming community activities
Local obituaries
And more
Donations can be made through the Breckenridge Texan website’s donate page, the NewsMatch campaign page, or by mail to Breckenridge Texan, P.O. Box 1228, Breckenridge, Texas 76424. The organization operates under the fiscal sponsorship of the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), which is the name that will appear on donation billing statements.
If you believe local news is important and love the work we’re doing, please contribute today!
Click here to make a donation.
Thank for your support.
Make a donation
