Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham announced Monday that a book showcasing the state’s historic map collection has earned second place for the prestigious Presidio La Bahía Award.
The Sons of the Republic of Texas honored Texas Takes Shape: A History in Maps from the General Land Office for its contributions to preserving Texas history. The recognition highlights growing interest in Texas’s cartographic heritage at a time when the state’s identity and borders remain central to political debates. The book represents the first comprehensive collection of manuscript and printed maps from the General Land Office’s archives.
“I am honored that the Sons of the Republic of Texas — valued partners in preserving and celebrating Texas history — have recognized Texas Takes Shape: A History in Maps from the General Land Office with second place for the 2025 Presidio La Bahía Award,” Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D., said in a news release.
As a ninth-generation Texan and Daughters of the Republic of Texas member, Buckingham praised GLO staff for their dedication to documenting the state’s evolution through maps.
The General Land Office maintains over 45,000 historic maps in its collection. Published by the University of Texas Press in 2025, the book traces Texas from its colonial frontiers to statehood.
Each map in the collection includes explanatory essays providing historical context. The authors argue that maps serve as both products and agents of history, shaping perceptions while recording geographic knowledge.
The Sons of the Republic of Texas presents the Presidio La Bahía Award annually. The organization recognizes materials that preserve and study Texas history, particularly the Spanish Colonial Period.
Buckingham made history in 2022 as Texas’s first female Land Commissioner. Her office oversees disaster recovery, energy resources, public education funding, veterans’ services, and border security initiatives.
The first-place winner of the 2025 Presidio La Bahia Award was Bridles & Biscuits: The Contraband Culture of Spanish East Texas by Gary L. Pinkerton and Tom H. Gann. The book “explores the complex economies and shifting structures of a borderland environment,” according to the publisher’s description.
