Travis County Archives

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Travis County Archives

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Preserving the records and history of Travis County. Currently the Archives is open by appointment only.

The Travis County Archives in Austin, Texas, documents the functions and activities of the Travis County government, supports the conduct of the government by preserving and providing access to essential county records, and maintains the history of the county and its community through the preservation of records with historical value.

10/20/2026

The Palm School was one of the first elementary schools in Travis County and an important community center for the Mexican-American community.

First called the Tenth Ward school, it was renamed in 1902 for Swedish diplomat and book collector, Svante Palm. For several decades, the Palm School served the lower Waller Creek community.

After the school closed in 1976, the building was later acquired by Travis County and used as the Health and Human Services and Veteran Services offices. In 2020, the offices were moved and Travis County formed the Palm School Steering Committee to create a plan for the historic building. In order to preserve the history of the school, Travis County partnered with the Voces Oral History Center and recorded fourteen oral histories, available on the Travis County Archives website.

1. Palm School, Austin History Center

10/16/2026

08/20/2026

Mark your calendars for Travis County History Day 2026! This year's theme is "Undertold Stories," the exhibit and speakers will focus on lesser-known stories and the projects that preserve these histories. We hope to see you at noon on October 27th!

08/05/2026

Lights, camera, action!

Last week, Travis County Clerk archival materials guest starred in filming for a documentary by Asian American Art & Culture Initiative . We are happy to help in this historic preservation project on Dora Lung!

Dora Lung was a Chinese American woman who lived in Austin in the late 19th to early 20th century. Despite the limits from the Chinese Exclusion Act and Texas Alien Land Law, she owned and sold multiple properties in Austin, including the historic Lung House. Our records revealed how Dora supported the family business and protected her family in a time where her husband could not own property.

To research our collections, please visit our website at traviscountyhistory.org to browse our online materials and finding aids.

06/03/2026

After a half a century of service, Travis County Commissioner Margaret Gómez is retiring.

Commissioner Gómez began her career with Travis County in 1973 as assistant to Commissioner Richard Moya, the first Mexican-American elected to a Travis County public office. She continued her service to the county as the first elected female Constable in 1980. In her 13 year tenure, she cleared 30,000 criminal warrants from backlog and was presented with the "Outstanding Hispanic Woman" award from LULAC in 1983.

Commissioner Gómez has served as Commissioner Precinct 4 since 1995, the first Mexican-American female County Commissioner in Travis County history. She was involved with the creation of the county’s Health and Human Services Department, Human Resources Department, STAR Flight, the Del Valle Correctional Complex, and the Travis County Housing Authority.

Commissioner Gómez is the longest-serving Commissioner in Travis County history. We thank Commissioner Gómez for her support of the Archives over the years and wish her the best in retirement! To learn more about the history of the Commissioners Court, check out our online exhibit at https://traviscountyhistory.org/travis-county-history-day/commissioners-court/.

03/13/2026

March is Women’s History Month!

Did you know that although Travis County was founded in 1840, it didn’t have a female elected official until 1912?

Learn more about the trailblazing women who helped shape our community in the Travis County Archives online exhibit: https://traviscountyhistory.org/online-exhibits/first-women//

02/04/2026

Address

5555 Airport Boulevard
Austin, TX
78751

Telephone

+15128544675

Website

http://www.traviscountyhistory.org/

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