AUSTIN — Today, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D. and the Texas General Land Office's (GLO) Save Texas History Program encourage Texans to "give the gift of Texas history" to any history buff or fan of the Lone Star State this holiday season.

"As a ninth-generation Texan, when the holiday season approaches, I am reminded of the sacrifices of my pioneer ancestors and the duty I share to preserve our state's rich history," said Commissioner Buckingham. "This year, all of us can have a hand in preserving Texas history and supporting conservation efforts by purchasing the GLO's 2024 Christmas Ornament. In addition, Texans can purchase any one of our 45,000 maps, sketches, and drawings from our treasured archival collection, helping to preserve our state's history for generations to come."

The GLO's 2024 ornament is based on the Texas Longhorn which appeared on an 1873 map that the Kansas Pacific Railway Co. produced during the height of the Texas cattle drive era. Since that time, the Longhorn has become an instantly recognizable Texana icon. Before expanding railroads and barbed wire fences partitioned the open range, ranchers conducted massive cattle drives to bring their stock to midwestern and northern rail depots. There, distributors purchased the herds and shipped them across the country. Although railroads, fences, and disease eventually ended the cattle drive era, romanticized frontier images of cowboys and the Texas Longhorn endure as quintessentially Texan.

Texans can also use the GLO's map database and store at HistoricTexasMaps.com to discover unique map collections, explore popular maps, and find the perfect piece of Texas history to give the most meaningful gift this holiday season and year round.

To order the 2024 GLO Christmas Ornament, click the button below:

2024 Texas Longhorn Ornament

To order the Great Texas Cattle Trail map, click the button below:

Great Texas Cattle Trail Map

Orders must be placed by December 15, 2024 to ensure on time delivery.

Created in 2004, the Save Texas History program is a statewide initiative to rally public support and private funding for preserving and promoting the historic maps and documents housed in the GLO Archives.