The public is invited to the dedication of a new historical marker in Kosse at 3PM on Friday, June 7, 2024. Read the press release below.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7, 2024
Media Contact: Samantha Hunick
[email protected]
CHINESE LABOR ON THE HOUSTON & TEXAS CENTRAL RAILWAY RECOGNIZED WITH OFFICIAL UNDERTOLD TEXAS HISTORICAL MARKER
KOSSE, TX – Preservation Texas is pleased to announce that a dedication ceremony for a new Undertold Texas Historical Marker will take place in Kosse on Friday, June 7th, 2024. The event will be held at 3:00 p.m. near the West Washington Street railroad crossing (behind Branded Market). Awarded by the Texas Historical Commission, the marker recognizes the use of Chinese labor in the construction of the Houston & Texas Central Railway in 1870. Preservation Texas welcomes the public to attend the ceremony and witness this historic event, which will coincide with Kosse’s Homecoming Weekend festivities.
Following the Civil War, several hundred men from southern China’s Guangdong Province were employed to expedite construction of the railroad between Bremond and Thornton. These skilled and experienced workers were the first known group of Chinese laborers to come to Texas. The marker will be placed adjacent to the railroad tracks in downtown Kosse, which is the midpoint of the 20-mile section that they built.
“We are proud to highlight the significance of this little-known part of our state’s history and recognize the workers whose imprint on the land laid the foundation for later generations of Asian Americans in Texas,” said Evan Thompson, Executive Director of Preservation Texas.
The Texas Historical Commission established the Undertold Marker Program to promote diversity within the Official Texas Historical Marker Program. Undertold Markers address historical gaps, promote diversity of topics, and proactively document significant underrepresented subjects or untold stories.
“By telling diverse stories that spotlight the accomplishments of early Texas Chinese pioneers, the richness of Kosse and the region’s history can be better understood and appreciated,” said Thompson. “Preservation Texas is committed to strengthening the potential of Kosse to harness heritage tourism as a long-term economic strategy.”
Preservation Texas is currently rehabilitating the circa 1915 former Kosse City Hall, which will become a visitor orientation building for their future Center for Rural Heritage at Bassett Farms Conservancy, a historic 2,400-acre farm and ranch located just outside Kosse city limits. In the coming years, this property will be developed as a statewide preservation training and education center. Visit preservationtexas.org/crh to learn more.
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About Preservation Texas
Founded in 1985, Preservation Texas empowers Texans to preserve their cultural heritage, and stewards significant buildings, collections, and cultural landscapes to ensure their permanent protection. Visit preservationtexas.org for more information.
May 7, 2024
Media Contact: Samantha Hunick
[email protected]
CHINESE LABOR ON THE HOUSTON & TEXAS CENTRAL RAILWAY RECOGNIZED WITH OFFICIAL UNDERTOLD TEXAS HISTORICAL MARKER
KOSSE, TX – Preservation Texas is pleased to announce that a dedication ceremony for a new Undertold Texas Historical Marker will take place in Kosse on Friday, June 7th, 2024. The event will be held at 3:00 p.m. near the West Washington Street railroad crossing (behind Branded Market). Awarded by the Texas Historical Commission, the marker recognizes the use of Chinese labor in the construction of the Houston & Texas Central Railway in 1870. Preservation Texas welcomes the public to attend the ceremony and witness this historic event, which will coincide with Kosse’s Homecoming Weekend festivities.
Following the Civil War, several hundred men from southern China’s Guangdong Province were employed to expedite construction of the railroad between Bremond and Thornton. These skilled and experienced workers were the first known group of Chinese laborers to come to Texas. The marker will be placed adjacent to the railroad tracks in downtown Kosse, which is the midpoint of the 20-mile section that they built.
“We are proud to highlight the significance of this little-known part of our state’s history and recognize the workers whose imprint on the land laid the foundation for later generations of Asian Americans in Texas,” said Evan Thompson, Executive Director of Preservation Texas.
The Texas Historical Commission established the Undertold Marker Program to promote diversity within the Official Texas Historical Marker Program. Undertold Markers address historical gaps, promote diversity of topics, and proactively document significant underrepresented subjects or untold stories.
“By telling diverse stories that spotlight the accomplishments of early Texas Chinese pioneers, the richness of Kosse and the region’s history can be better understood and appreciated,” said Thompson. “Preservation Texas is committed to strengthening the potential of Kosse to harness heritage tourism as a long-term economic strategy.”
Preservation Texas is currently rehabilitating the circa 1915 former Kosse City Hall, which will become a visitor orientation building for their future Center for Rural Heritage at Bassett Farms Conservancy, a historic 2,400-acre farm and ranch located just outside Kosse city limits. In the coming years, this property will be developed as a statewide preservation training and education center. Visit preservationtexas.org/crh to learn more.
###
About Preservation Texas
Founded in 1985, Preservation Texas empowers Texans to preserve their cultural heritage, and stewards significant buildings, collections, and cultural landscapes to ensure their permanent protection. Visit preservationtexas.org for more information.
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