CHC Orientation—Part 2 CHC Structural Overview

Secretary Treasurer Executive Committee County Chair Markers Committee Publicity Committee Budget Committee Cemetery Committee County Judge & Commissioners Court Vice Chair The committees listed below are traditional examples; a CHC’s committees should reflect the work that it pursues.

County Historical Commission Projects Positive work performed by CHCs: Support THC programs and initiatives Respond to THC inquiries Partner locally and regionally Pursue preservation education opportunities Expend time, money and effort Leave a positive impression on those whom they serve The following slides highlight past projects to illustrate the type of work that CHCs across the state pursue.

CHC Programs and Projects  Brown CHC has written and sells a book on historic driving tours of the county. They have a program that offers genealogy services for a fee. They have 4 museum committees.  Comanche CHC published a county history book in They partner with county and city officials, as well as, local preservation and veteran groups.  Erath CHC partners well with local organizations and local historians. They keep inventories of historical markers, museums, and designated properties.

 Cameron CHC partners to provide community preservation education events  Galveston CHC partners with local organizations to encourage participation in marker and designation programs  Kerr CHC partners with Schreiner University to care for archives & artifacts  Palo Pinto CHC participate in a wide variety of projects even on a low budget. They have printed a number of county history books and help operate the county museum. CHC Programs and Projects

 Taylor CHC oversees county archives at the courthouse and provides research assistance to the public. They are active in the historical marker program and have provided tours using marker locations.  Tom Green CHC meets with other organizations to plan and organize preservation efforts; typically they plan 1 to 1-1/2 years out. They specialize in celebrating history in a way that promotes community identity. These projects and accomplishments were collected from past CHC annual reports. We use annual reporting information to help other CHCs learn what can be accomplished.

THC’s Vision for CHCs across Texas Acknowledged as an effective arm of county government Have positioned themselves as preservation resources and advocates Attend to preservation through identification, interpretation and protection of historical and cultural resources Use a cooperative communication network Use statewide preservation goals to guide their local planning

End of Part 2