August Events: Texas History Lessons
Ease your kids back into the school year by taking them to historical events big on fun with an educational appeal. Explore Texas history at your speed — whether that’s strolling through a scenic cemetery, hunting for dinosaur tracks, or chugging through the countryside on a vintage train.
Central Texas
LBJ Birthday Celebration, Aug. 27, Stonewall
Celebrate the life and accomplishments of the 36th president of the United States, Lyndon B. Johnson, on what would have been his 111th birthday. Play vintage games like marbles, tops, jacks and stick-horses at the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm. Why not pack a picnic basket to enjoy an outing inside the park?
WWII Pacific Combat Program, Aug. 31, Fredericksburg
Get immersed in the sights and sounds of World War II at the National Museum of the Pacific War’s living history reenactment. The drama begins at midnight, when you’ll start your adventure right on the front lines of a beach in the Pacific. Your journey will show you the bravery and ingenuity of men and women fighting for their country and conclude with a heroic raising of the American flag.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students, and free for children under 6.
North Texas
Dutch Oven Cookin’, Aug. 10, Cooper
Bring a plate and spoon to the Gulls Bluff Pavilion for a delicious cooking lesson using Texas’ classic campfire tool: the Dutch oven. Learn the basics and history of Dutch oven cooking and go home with a full belly. The recipes are always changing, and this group is always growing, so get there early.
Park admission is free with a Texas Parks Pass; otherwise, it is $5 for adults and free for children 12 and under.
Dinosaur Valley “Track Talk”, Aug. 3, Glen Rose
Come walk in the (very large) footsteps of Texas’ first inhabitants — dinosaurs! Meet a park ranger at the Main Track Site to hear the 113-million-year-old story of how Dinosaur Valley got its name.
Park admission is free with a Texas Parks Pass. Otherwise, park admission is $7 for adults and free for children 12 and under.
South Texas
Historic Glenwood Cemetery Walking Tour, Aug. 24, Houston
Tour the final resting place of many of Houston’s founding politicians, architects, and executives. Glenwood Cemetery has been a gorgeous and peaceful plot since 1871 and sits right near the Buffalo Bayou. Learn about notable people of Texas’ past, including B.A. Shepherd, the first professional banker in Texas, or Henry Henke, who started a grocery store that transformed into an enormous chain. Bring your walking shoes — the tour lasts about two hours total.
Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students, $10 for Preservation Houston members, and free for children under 11.
First Saturday at The Alamo, Aug. 3, San Antonio
Experience The Alamo just like it existed in the 1830s. This family-focused living-history event will include special demonstrations and crafts that teach about life in frontier Texas. You can also take one of several tours throughout the property. Remember the Alamo … and sunscreen and water — it can get mighty hot.
East Texas
Harborside Express Train Rides, Aug. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, Galveston
All aboard for a fascinating train ride made possible by the Galveston Railroad Museum! This vintage-style, open-air caboose runs for approximately 1 mile down and back Harborside Drive. There are no chairs, so riders need to be at least 3 years of age and be able to stand throughout the ride.
Train tickets are $5 per person, in addition to museum admission. Museum admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $5 for children under 12.
East Texas Sacred Harp Singing Convention, Aug. 10–11, Henderson
Get swept away with the magnificent sound of historic folk singing a cappella. Despite its name, the Sacred Harp you’ll hear in these performances is actually the four-part harmony of human voices. Sacred Harp singing was invented in the early 1800s and this convention to celebrate its unique sound is the second-oldest in the nation.
West Texas
A Frontier History Program!, Aug. 3, Fort Davis
Calling all history buffs! Report to the Davis Mountains State Park’s amphitheater at 7 p.m. for a retelling of Texas history. Park rangers will bring Fort Davis to life in story and spirit, sharing stories of the Indian Wars. The amphitheater is behind campsites 12–27.
Park entrance fee is $6 for adults and free for children 12 and under.
Fort Griffin Guided Fort Tour, Aug. 31, Albany
Fort Griffin is rich with history. It’s been a fort, a well-populated city, and a ghost town. Today, you can go on 90-minute tour of the fort and listen to dramatic retellings of the happenings there, such as raids and battles between pioneers, Quanah Parker, and the Comanche. You’ll learn about gamblers and outlaws too! Electric golf carts are available for those with limited mobility at no extra cost.
Tickets are $4 for adults, $3 for seniors and children, and free for children under 5. Families with two adults and one child or one adult and two children can get a family package for $8.
Find more Texas history on the historic Texas Forts Trail or the East Texas music highway.
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