DUANE
Texas Historical Markers by Theme
Texas Disaster and Tragedy Historical Markers
Hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires, and explosions have all left their mark on Texas, and the 1900 Galveston hurricane remains the deadliest natural disaster in United States history. These markers remember what happened and the people it happened to, each told out loud by Duane.
460 stories across 130 Texas counties, each with the official marker text alongside Duane's telling.
Start with these Tales of Tragedy stories
- Galveston Orphans HomeGalveston
The Island City Orphans Home of the 1870s and 1880s was created to provide refuge for Protestant and Jewish children in Galveston.
- Luther MemorialBelton
This memorial, an important symbol for the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, has historic ties to the earliest days of the school in Belton.
- St. Mary's Episcopal ChurchHillsboro
St. Mary's Mission was founded in the 1870s. On July 30, 1886, Bishop Alexander C. Garrett laid the cornerstone for the first church building, which…
- 1840 Houston City CemeteryHouston
On April 8, 1840, the City of Houston purchased five acres in the First Ward from brothers Henry R. And Samuel L. Allen for $750, in order to…
- 1919 StormCorpus Christi
On August 31, 1919, a tropical storm developed in the Caribbean Sea. For two weeks it grew in intensity, undetected, and moved into the Gulf of…
- Braniff International Flight 352Dawson
The tragic crash of Braniff International Flight 352 traveling from Houston's Hobby Airport to Dallas' Love Field in 1968 left a lasting influence on…
- Campsite of the Marcy ExpeditionIra
At a grove of mesquite and wild chinaberry trees by a creek near here, Capt. R. B. Marcy's expedition camped Oct. 7, 1849, while blazing the famous…
- Catherine McLaurenLeakey
A victim of the last Indian raid in Frio Canyon, April 19, 1881. Mother of three small children, "Kate" McLauren was home with them and a neighbor…
Where to find Tales of Tragedy markers
- Galveston44 stories
- Corpus Christi13 stories
- Port Lavaca11 stories
- Texas City11 stories
- Houston9 stories
- Cuero8 stories
- Rocksprings8 stories
- Rockport6 stories
- Waco6 stories
- Goliad5 stories
By county
Every Tales of Tragedy story, by region
Tales of Tragedy markers in Big Bend (3)
- Houchen Community CenterEl Paso
- Porvenir MassacreMarfa vicinity
- Sanderson Flash FloodSanderson
Tales of Tragedy markers in Central Texas (73)
- "The Waco Horror": The Lynching of Jesse WashingtonWaco
- Ann WhitneyHamilton
- Ann WhitneyHamilton
- Atoka CemeteryNovice
- Balch-Senterwood CemeteryAlvarado
- Ben Ficklin CemeterySan Angelo
- Birthsite of Beauford H. JesterCorsicana
- Brackenridge HospitalAustin
- Braniff International Flight 352Dawson
- Braniff International Flight 542Buffalo
- Carlton CemeteryCarlton
- Carroll LibraryWaco
- Central Texas Baptist SanitariumWaco
- Church of the VisitationWestphalia
- Community of ClydeClyde
- Concord Missionary Baptist ChurchRobbins
- Deep Eddy Bathing BeachAustin
- Dew CemeteryDew
- Fairy CemeteryFairy
- First Baptist Church of CiscoCisco
- First Baptist Church of Sutherland SpringsSutherland Springs
- First Baptist Church of ZephyrZephyr
- First Christian Church of Bryan/College StationBryan
- First Methodist Church of OglesbyOglesby
- First Presbyterian Church of CiscoCisco
- First Presbyterian Church of LottLott
- First United Methodist Church of CiscoCisco
- Former Calvert CourthouseCalvert
- Friendship CommunityGranger
- FrostFrost
- Frost Methodist ChurchFrost
- Here Sleep the Victims of the "Webster Massacre"Leander
- Jacques Adoue BuildingCalvert
- Kate Crawford and Zachary Clay TaylorSalado
- La Recluta and La EscuelitaRockdale
- Luther MemorialBelton
- Main Street BridgesSalado
- Medina DamMico
- Moore's Crossing BridgeAustin
- Mullin United Methodist ChurchMullin
- Municipal Swimming PoolSan Angelo
- Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic CemeteryCestohowa
- Old MainWaco
- Panna Maria, TexasPanna Maria
- Primera Iglesia Bautista Mexicana de BryanBryan
- Randolph-Field PlaceCalvert
- Regency Suspension BridgeGoldthwaite
- Rio VistaRio Vista
- Saint Matthew's Episcopal ChurchKenedy
- San Gabriel ParkGeorgetown
- Site of Ben FicklinSan Angelo
- Site of Bismarck Farmnan
- Site of Harvey MassacreCalvert
- Site of Mundine HotelRockdale
- Site of Villa Maria Ursuline AcademyBryan
- St. Mary's Episcopal ChurchHillsboro
- St. Paul CemeteryBritton
- Stockton Family CemeteryBartlett
- Tehuacana CemeteryPearsall
- Texas Christian UniversityWaco
- The Crash at CrushWest
- The Kean HomeCisco
- The Powell Oil FieldPowell
- The Regency Suspension BridgeGoldthwaite
- The Waco TornadoWaco
- Town of GrandviewGrandview
- United Methodist Church of LottLott
- VandenburgHondo
- Webster MassacreLeander
- Windham CemeteryBrownwood
- Wootan WellsBremond
- Zephyr CemeteryZephyr
- Zephyr Gospel TabernacleZephyr
Tales of Tragedy markers in East Texas (28)
- "Slocum Massacre"Slocum
- Allphin CemeteryElwood
- Arthur C. Horton, M.D.Brownsboro
- Augusta CemeteryGrapeland
- Bell CemeteryPalestine
- Beulah SchoolLufkin vicinity
- Cedar Grove CemeteryTrinity
- Cedar Grove CommunityBurkeville
- Depot Explosion and MysteryLufkin
- Home of Congressman and Mrs. Alexander W. GreggPalestine
- Joaquin CemeteryJoaquin
- Mount Pleasant C.M.E. ChurchCrockett
- New London School ExplosionNew London
- Oakwood CemeteryHuntsville
- Pleasant Hill CemeteryRusk County
- Providence Church and CemeteryPalestine
- Reeves-McMillan CemeteryCarthage
- Sholar CemeteryTenaha
- Site of Andrew Female CollegeHuntsville
- Site of Cumberland Presbyterian ChurchHuntsville
- Site of TrinidadMidway
- St. Paul Industrial Training SchoolCaney City
- Stanton CemeteryHouston County
- The 1860 Henderson FireHenderson
- The Edens-Madden MassacreWeches
- The Huntsville Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1867Huntsville
- Waverly CemeteryNew Waverly
- Wesley Chapel Church and CemeteryHouston County
Tales of Tragedy markers in Gulf Coast (185)
- 1840 Houston City CemeteryHouston
- 1886 Hurricane at Sabine PassSabine Pass
- Albertson HomeGalveston
- Alief CemeteryHouston
- American Legion Hudgeons Post 230Hallettsville
- American Red Cross, Galveston County ChapterGalveston
- Andrew A. RasmussenPort O'Connor
- Ball High SchoolGalveston
- Bethel Baptist ChurchHouston
- Birchfield - McCown HouseAlvin
- Boddeker HouseGalveston
- Brazos River LeveeCooks Point
- Burleson County in World War IICaldwell
- Calhoun County HurricanesPort Lavaca
- Carl and Hilda Biehl HouseGalveston
- Carmelo "Charles" BertolinoGalveston
- Christ ChurchMatagorda County
- Christ Episcopal ChurchMatagorda County
- Clarke-Jockusch HomeGalveston
- Coletoville CemeteryVictoria
- Collegeport CemeteryCollegeport
- Colorado County CourthouseColumbus
- Columbus Odd Fellows Rest CemeteryColumbus
- Columbus' Old City CemeteryColumbus
- Concrete CollegeCuero
- Confederate CemeteryAlvin
- Conroe Fire of 1911Conroe
- Crenshaw Family CemeteryPort Bolivar
- Cummings-Smith HouseAlvin
- Daily Tribune and Matagorda County TribuneBay City
- Dairy (Alief)Houston
- Davison HomeTexas City
- Deer ParkDeer Park
- Dr. Frederick K. and Lucy Adelaide Fisher HouseGalveston
- DubinaDubina
- Elgin Christian ChurchElgin
- Emil Reiffert HouseCuero
- Evergreen CemeteryOrange
- Fannin Street United Methodist ChurchGoliad
- First Baptist Church of Bay CityBay City
- First Baptist Church of Port LavacaPort Lavaca
- First Baptist Church of RosenbergRosenberg
- First Baptist Church of Texas CityTexas City
- First Methodist Church of Texas CityTexas City
- First Presbyterian ChurchGalveston
- First Presbyterian Church of BrazoriaBrazoria
- First Shiloh Missionary Baptist ChurchHouston
- First Union Baptist ChurchGalveston
- First United Methodist Church of DickinsonDickinson
- First United Methodist Church of GoliadGoliad
- First United Methodist Church of Port LavacaPort Lavaca
- First United Methodist Church of WallerWaller
- Galveston County, 1901 - 1965Galveston
- Galveston IslandGalveston
- Galveston Office of the National Weather ServiceGalveston
- Galveston Orphans HomeGalveston
- Galveston Quarantine StationsGalveston
- George Fox HouseGalveston
- Goliad Tornado of 1902Goliad
- Grace Episcopal ChurchPort Lavaca
- Grand Opera House 1894Galveston
- Grave of Colonel J. W. Fannin and His MenGoliad
- GraydonAnahuac
- Guardian Angel Catholic ChurchWallis
- Hatch CemeteryPort Lavaca
- High IslandHigh Island
- Hillside CemeteryCuero
- Holy Cross Lutheran ChurchYoakum
- Holy Rosary Catholic ChurchGalveston
- Holy Trinity Episcopal ChurchDickinson
- Hotel GalvezGalveston
- Houston-Lea Family CemeteryIndependence
- IndianolaIndianola
- Indianola CemeteryPort Lavaca
- J. Levy & Bro.Galveston
- J.P. Richardson, Jr: The Big BopperBeaumont
- James N. Davis HouseGalveston
- John Smith HouseGalveston
- Kate DormanSabine Pass
- Kate DormanSabine Pass
- Keller-Grunder HouseCuero
- La PorteLa Porte
- Lakeside Sugar RefineryEagle Lake
- Landes-McDonough HouseGalveston
- Lone Star CanalAnahuac
- Lott CemeteryGoliad
- Luther HotelPalacios
- Mallalieu United Methodist ChurchConroe
- Matagorda Methodist ChurchMatagorda County
- Matagorda, C.S.A.Matagorda County
- Mathilda Wehmeyer German-American Kindergarten SchoolGalveston
- Missouri CityMissouri City
- Moody HallGalveston
- Moses Johnson, M.D.Port Lavaca
- Mother Zion Missionary Baptist ChurchBay City
- Mount Salem American Baptist ChurchVictoria
- Mt. Calvary CemeteryGay Hill
- Mt. Pleasant CemeteryMontgomery
- Mt. Sinai Baptist ChurchPort Lavaca
- Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist ChurchHouston
- New Hope Missionary Baptist ChurchPort Arthur
- Oaklawn CemeterySomerville
- Old H. B. Moore HomeTexas City
- Old QuintanaQuintana
- Old Town CemeteryIndianola
- Original Site of St. Mary's Orphan AsylumGalveston
- Palacios PavilionsPalacios
- Paul's Union ChurchLa Marque
- Pearland and The Santa Fe RailroadPearland
- Pilgrim Rest Baptist ChurchMarkham
- Port Lavaca CemeteryPort Lavaca
- Port O' Connor CemeteryPort O' Connor
- Port O'ConnorPort O'Connor
- Powhatan and Mattie Wren HouseGalveston
- Prairie Lea CemeteryBrenham
- Ranger CemeteryPort Lavaca
- Reconstruction to 1900, Galveston CountyGalveston
- Reedy Chapel A. M. E. ChurchGalveston
- Reedy Chapel A. M. E. ChurchGalveston
- Regan HouseVictoria
- Robert H. and Pauline Clark HouseVictoria
- Sacred Heart ChurchGalveston
- Saint John's Episcopal ChurchSealy
- Saint Joseph Baptist ChurchPort Lavaca
- Saint Mary's SeminaryLa Porte
- Saint Paul A. M. E. ChurchHouston
- Saints Cyril and Methodius Catholic ChurchShiner
- Salem Lutheran CemeteryTomball
- San LeonBacliff
- San Leon CemeterySan Leon
- Sargent CemeterySargent
- Shiloh A. M. E. ChurchGalveston
- Shoal Point and Half Moon Shoal LighthouseTexas City
- Site of Clifton-by-the-SeaBacliff
- Site of St. Mary's Catholic Church and CemeteryWaller County
- Site of the Town of IndianolaIndianola
- Site of Ursuline Convent and AcademyGalveston
- Sociedad Cementerio Union Mexicana CemeteryNordheim
- South Texas Baptist CollegeWaller
- St. Francis Catholic ChurchMatagorda County
- St. George's Episcopal ChurchTexas City
- St. John Lutheran CemeteryCypress
- St. John's Evangelical Lutheran ChurchWharton
- St. Joseph HospitalHouston
- St. Joseph's Catholic ChurchHouston
- St. Mark's Lutheran ChurchCuero
- St. Mary's CathedralGalveston
- St. Mary's HospitalGalveston
- St. Michael's Catholic ChurchCuero
- St. Paul Lutheran ChurchWallis
- St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran ChurchBrenham
- St. Philip the Apostle Catholic ParishEl Campo
- Stacye Ann Marlin MorganWaller County
- Sylvan Beach PavilionLa Porte
- Texas CityTexas City
- Texas City Memorial CemeteryTexas City
- Texas City Terminal Railway CompanyTexas City
- The Bates-Sheppard HouseCuero
- The City of KatyKaty
- The Giesel HouseNavasota
- The Original Galveston SeawallGalveston
- The Rt. Rev. Monsignor James Martin KirwinGalveston
- The Runaway ScrapeDayton
- The Stoneham CemeteryStoneham
- The Texas City DisasterTexas City
- The William Frobese HomeCuero
- The Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1862Matagorda
- Trinity Lutheran Church CemeteryKlein
- Trinity Protestant Episcopal ChurchGalveston
- U. S. Army Camp at Texas CityTexas City
- Union Army P.O.W. CemeteryHempstead
- United Evangelical Lutheran Dr. Martin Luther ChurchShiner
- Ursuline Nuns in GalvestonGalveston
- Velasco Lodge No. 757, A. F. & A. M.Freeport
- Velasco Methodist ChurchFreeport
- Victor Gustafson HomeGalveston
- Webster Presbyterian ChurchSeabrook
- Wegner HouseGalveston
- Welcome Lutheran ChurchWelcome
- Wesley Tabernacle United Methodist ChurchGalveston
- William and Lena Juneman SmithGalveston
- William G. "Bill" HallBeaumont
- William Lewis Moody, Jr.Galveston
- Wreck of the Don MiloHalletsville
- Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1867La Grange
Tales of Tragedy markers in Hill Country (27)
- Catherine McLaurenLeakey
- Cypress Creek CemeteryLeakey
- Edwards CountyRocksprings
- Edwards County CourthouseRocksprings
- First Baptist Church of RockspringsRocksprings
- First Methodist Church of RockspringsRocksprings
- Flood, The 1957Lampasas
- Gilmer HotelRocksprings
- John F. Torrey, Site of Early Mill and FactoryNew Braunfels
- Mary Ann Kent Byas Chambers MorrissKerrville
- Mason House Hotel & Stage StationMason
- Mission San Juan CapistranoSan Antonio
- New Braunfels CemeteryNew Braunfels
- Old Carson StoreRocksprings
- Pape Log CabinFredericksburg
- Rocksprings CemeteryRocksprings
- Rocksprings Telephone CompanyRocksprings
- Saint Mary's, Old, Site OfSan Antonio
- Site of Mission Santa Cruz de San SabaMenard
- Site of Old St. Mary'sSan Antonio
- Site of the McDonald MassacreHarper
- Soldier's WaterholeBrady vicinity
- The Community of BriggsBriggs
- The Dowdy Tragedy of 1878Mountain Home
- The Grotto, Saints Peter and Paul Catholic ChurchNew Braunfels
- Vance CemeteryBarksdale
- Waisenhaus (Orphanage)New Braunfels
Tales of Tragedy markers in North Texas (74)
- Aubrey First United Methodist ChurchAubrey
- Aurora CemeteryAurora
- Bridges Chapel CemeteryMount Pleasant vicinity
- Broadway Baptist Church of Ft. WorthFort Worth
- Buckner CemeteryMcKinney
- Central Presbyterian ChurchParis
- City of Cedar HillCedar Hill
- Cumberland Presbyterian CemeteryMansfield
- Emory United Methodist ChurchEmory
- Empire Masonic LodgeNevada
- Fairview CemeteryGainesville
- First Baptist Church of ParisParis
- First Christian Church of AubreyAubrey
- First Methodist Church of GarlandGarland
- First Methodist Church of HutchinsHutchins
- First United Methodist ChurchTom Bean
- First United Methodist Church of Cedar HillCedar Hill
- First United Methodist Church of WeatherfordWeatherford
- Gainesville Community CircusGainesville
- Gray Rock CemeteryMount Vernon
- Grayson Bible Baptist ChurchSherman
- Hall CemeteryHowe
- Harris Chapel CemeteryHughes Springs
- Huff Family MassacreAlvord
- Humboldt CemeteryGreenville
- King County CourthouseGuthrie
- Kiowa Raid of 1868 (SW Part of County)Valley View
- Lake Bridgeport WWII Training SiteRunaway Bay (Bridgeport)
- Marshall Powder MillMarshall
- Martin, EmmettPaducah
- Medicine Mound Depot, 1910Quanah
- Melissa Christian ChurchMelissa
- Melissa SchoolMelissa
- Mobilization Site of Lost BattalionJacksboro
- Montague County CourthouseMontague
- Morris Sheppard Dam and Possum Kingdom LakeGraford
- Mount Marion CemeteryStrawn
- Mount Olivet CemeteryFort Worth
- Mt. Pleasant CemeteryLamar County
- MuensterMuenster
- Mulberry CemeteryRavenna
- Muncey MassacrePlano
- Nelson CemeterySpringtown
- NevadaNevada
- Nevada Baptist ChurchNevada
- Newsome Dougherty Memorial High SchoolGainesville
- Origin of the Paris Fire of 1916Paris
- Paris Fire DepartmentParis
- PeacockPeacock
- Pioneer CemeteryGarland
- Plainview CemeteryKrum
- Prairie Grove CemeteryFarmersville
- Proffitt CemeteryNewcastle
- Rose Hill CemeteryTexarkana
- Santo East CemeterySanto
- Savoy Methodist ChurchSavoy
- Site of Thornton's StoreAbilene
- Site of U. S. Army Air Corps Plane CrashSweetwater
- Site of: The Antlers Hotel Fire of 1929Wichita Falls
- Skinner CemeteryPilot Point
- Swanson's LandingJonesville
- Terrell State Hospital CemeteryTerrell
- Texas Spring PalaceFort Worth
- The Great Hanging at Gainesville, 1862Gainesville
- The Great Sherman Storm of 1896Sherman
- The Paris Fire, 1916Paris
- ThriftBurkburnett vicinity
- Trinity Portland Cement Company CemeteryDallas
- Tyra Graveyard-Murray Community CemeteryMurray
- United Methodist Church of MontagueMontague
- Warren Wagon Train MassacreGraham
- Whittaker Memorial CemeteryKildare
- Wichita General HospitalWichita Falls
- WRR RadioDallas
Tales of Tragedy markers in Panhandle (13)
- Drift FenceStinnett
- Drift FenceStinnett
- First Methodist Church of TurkeyTurkey
- Glazier CemeteryGlazier
- HigginsHiggins
- Higgins CemeteryHiggins
- MobeetieMobeetie
- Mobeetie CemeteryMobeetie
- Mobeetie United Methodist ChurchMobeetie
- Olivet CemeteryFarwell
- Shamrock Methodist ChurchShamrock
- St. Stephen's Baptist ChurchClarendon
- The Former Canadian HospitalCanadian
Tales of Tragedy markers in South Texas (44)
- 1919 StormCorpus Christi
- 1940 Train-Truck CollisionAlamo
- 1941 Corpus Christi SeawallCorpus Christi
- Baldwin-Brundrett HouseRockport
- Camp BelknapBrownsville
- Cementerio San Antonio de PaduaAransas Pass
- Church of the AdventBrownsville
- City CemeteryLaredo
- Convent of the Incarnate Word and Blessed SacramentCameron County
- Explosion of the Steamship DaytonCorpus Christi
- First Baptist Church of RockportRockport
- First Presbyterian Church of San BenitoSan Benito
- Frandolig IslandRockport
- Hebrew CemeteryBrownsville
- Hebrew Rest CemeteryCorpus Christi
- Hilltop Tuberculosis SanitoriumCorpus Christi
- Holding Institute (Laredo Seminary)Laredo
- Irish Immigrants in RefugioRefugio
- Joe A. and Bertha Harper HouseRockport
- Joe Callandret SchoolSan Benito
- Louis de PlanqueCorpus Christi
- McCampell HouseCorpus Christi
- Nellie Leo Schunior SchoolLa Joya
- Old Bayview CemeteryCorpus Christi
- Old St. Mary's CemeteryBayside
- Queen Isabel InnPort Isabel
- Richard and Minerva King HouseCorpus Christi
- Rockport CemeteryRockport
- Rogers MassacreRio Hondo
- RunDonna
- Sacred Heart Catholic ChurchRockport
- Saint Patrick's Catholic ChurchSan Patricio
- Site of Indian Point Mass Grave of 1919 Hurricane VictimsPortland
- Site of the Nueces HotelCorpus Christi
- Site of White Point Mass Graves of 1919 Hurricane VictimsPortland
- St. John Baptist ChurchCorpus Christi
- St. John the Baptist Catholic ChurchSan Juan
- Stringfield MassacreMcMullen County
- Tarpon InnPort Aransas
- Town of HidalgoHidalgo
- U.S. Coast Guard on Mustang IslandPort Aransas
- William DeRyeeCorpus Christi
- William Henderson MaltbyCorpus Christi
- Yucatan Soldiers' Burial SiteRefugio
Tales of Tragedy markers in West Texas (13)
- Bailey County CemeteryMuleshoe vicinity
- Buffalo Soldier Tragedy of 1877Morton
- Buffalo Soldier Tragedy of 1877 in Lynn CountyTahoka
- Campsite of the Marcy ExpeditionIra
- Dr. James Henry WaylandPlainview
- First Baptist Church of Colorado CityColorado City
- Moore SchoolBig Spring
- Pecos River High BridgeDel Rio
- Site of St. Joseph's ChurchStanton
- Spade Community CemeteryColorado City
- The 1970 Lubbock TornadoLubbock
- The CaprockOdessa
- Three Miles Northeast to Site of Seth Ward CollegePlainview
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