One way to understand the centuries-long sweep of Texas history is through the evolution of the state's mapped boundaries. The colonial, republic and early statehood periods in the 18th and 19th centuries yielded maps that, put in chronological order, show the Lone Star State we know today being born.
Detailed property and land-use records of Texas towns and cities from 1867 to 1970
Native Americans were a potent force during Texas' colonial period. Among the various tribes was a mutually beneficial alliance aimed at keeping the peace and providing protection: the Caddo confederacies (noted in map) centered on the Red River in East Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma. The English word “Texas” stems from the Caddo word “thecas” (meaning “allies” or “friends”) by way of the Spanish spelling “tejas.” Image: Texas State Archives Map Number 2966.
The Spanish dominated Texas' colonial period by building numerous missions, institutions aimed at incorporating Native Americans into the Spanish empire. The Spanish founded the San Antonio mission (the Alamo) in 1718. At the time Texas was part of Mexico, a Spanish province until declaring independence in 1821. Independent Mexico gave American Stephen F. Austin a land grant to colonize in 1822, which by 1832 had about 8,000 inhabitants along the Brazos and Colorado Rivers (noted in map). Image: Texas State Archives Map Number 0421.
Antonio López de Santa Anna assumed power over Mexico in 1833. The Mexican Texas colonies established by Stephen F. Austin and other empresarios were populated largely by American immigrants. Antagonized by Santa Anna's dictatorship, the colonists rebelled in the Texas Revolution of 1835-1836 and ultimately declared independence on March 2, 1836. They established a constitutional republic just like the U.S. they had left behind. This map appeared the year the Republic of Texas was born. Image: Texas State Archives Map Number 0040.
Modeled after the U.S. government, the Republic of Texas was governed by a constitution that established three co-equal branches of government, including a bicameral congress. The national capital was temporarily near the Gulf Coast (first in Columbia then Houston) and moved further inland upon Austin's founding in 1839. This 1840 map might be one of the first to show Austin as the capital of Texas. Image: Texas State Archives Map Number 1404.
The Republic of Texas' claimed boundaries covered an enormous territory, including portions of present-day New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming. But the nation was poor, sparsely populated and eager to join the United States. Mexico disputed not only Texas' independence but its claimed southern boundary at the Rio Grande River. Mexico countered that the southern boundary was further north at the Nueces River. This dispute would not be settled until after Texas became a U.S. state. Image: Texas State Archives Map Number 0905.
Texas was admitted to the United States on December 29, 1845, and the formal transfer of power from the Republic to the State of Texas happened on February 19, 1846 in Austin. The Mexican-American War of 1846-1848 settled Texas' southern boundary at the Rio Grande River. Image: Texas State Archives Map Number 0398.
The Compromise of 1850 enacted by the U.S. Congress shrunk the former republic's northwestern boundaries to the Panhandle proportions we know today. This 1850 sketch by the U.S. General Land Office mapped the proposed northwestern boundary lines then being debated in Congress. Image: Texas State Archives Map Number 0380.
The Lone Star State in the shape we know it today. The lower right corner of this 1858 map contains an engraving of the then-current State Capitol in Austin. This building housed state government from 1853 to 1881. Image: Texas State Archives Map Number 1201.
Austin History Center, Austin Public Library
Texas State Library and Archives Commission
"The Texas State Archives preserves and documents the heritage and culture of Texas"
Bullock Texas State History Museum
"We steward the display of Texas artifacts from around the world." 
LBJ Presidential Library & Museum
"The Library houses 45 million pages of historical documents, 650,000 photos and 5,000 hours of recordings from President Johnson's political career."
Austin's first science museum. (Closed Until Fall of 2023)
Texas Military Forces Museum
"The museum maintains a library of military history publications consisting of over 10,000 books and periodicals."
Texas Music Museum
"The Texas Music Museum collects and preserves artifacts, documents and reference material surrounding the diverse traditions of Texas music."
Briscoe Center for American History, UT Austin
"The Briscoe Center for American History is the major repository at The University for historical documents of Texas, the South, and Southwest."
Harry Ransom Center, UT Austin
"Ransom Center collections [...] contain items relating to Texas history and letters" 
Texas General Land Office
"Established in 1837, the Archives consist of land grant records and maps dating to
the 16th century that detail the passage of Texas public lands to private ownership."
Texas State Capitol
"Capitol History, Historic Photographs," 
Texas Archival Resources Online (TARO)
A collection of descriptions or "finding aids" for archives, libraries, and museums across Texas.
