The THSA's Great Texas Land Rush for the Texas Almanac

Here is a great thing for you to do!

Offering Texans the unprecedented opportunity to stake a claim to their own special part of Texas, The Texas Almanac, a publication dubbed the "Source for All Things Texan Since 1857," is launching the Great Land Rush program. Adopters will put their personal stamp on a Texas county or town and will have the added satisfaction of knowing they helped make this valuable resource, The Texas Almanac, available to Texans worldwide.

Perhaps the best part of this particular land rush is that it is tax deductible, and all donations are used to support the Texas Almanac and the Texas State Historical Association.

Remarkably affordable, a donation of just $200 gets your name on the county of your choice, and only $15 gets you your own town.

Here’s how it works. Select the county or town that you would like to adopt by visiting www.TexasAlmanac.com/adopt and click the “Find your county” or “Find your town” links. The county or town can represent you or your family and can be dedicated to a loved one or used to promote a business. Additionally, you will receive a certificate recognizing your adoption. There are print and online options for each county, though towns can be adopted online only.

Alexander Hogue Exhibit Moves from Corpus Christi to Abilene

Earlier this spring I visited the Art Museum of South Texas at
Corpus Christi, where I the chance to tour an impressive special exhibition entitled Alexandre Hogue: An American Visionary/Paintings and Works on Paper. Houge, who painted from the 1920s until his passing just a few years ago, is considered to be one of the preeminent artists of the southwest.  This exhibition is comprised of 157 oil paintings, works on paper and field sketches, organized by the Art Museum of South Texas.  The works are on loan from 63 institutions, museums and collectors located around the country and abroad. This exhibit is also marked by the publication of an important new book Alexandre Hogue: An American Visionary. It is authored by Houston art critic and curator Susie Kalil, who knew Houge personally and interviewed him extensively during his lifetime. One of the highlights of the exhibition is the availability of one of these interviews for viewing by the public. This exhibition was at the Art Museum of South Texas from January 4 to April 3, 2011.

The Houge exhibition now opens today at the Grace Museum in Abilene. It is complemented by two other exhibits that provide an additional window into Texas Art. The first exhibit is entitled "Texas Paintings from the Schoen Collection." The second, touching on the career of a noted photographer, is "June Van Cleef: Texas Outback,"

Click HERE for information of these exhibitions at the Grace Museum in Abilene.

For a short YouTube video narrated by Susie Kalil, click HERE.