July has been a month of turning points in Texas history. From the days of the Republic and the path to statehood, to pivotal moments in civil rights, culture, and space exploration, this summer month carries stories that shaped both Texas and the nation. Each date offers a window into the state’s resilience, innovation, and influence—from battles and railroads to music festivals and missions to the Moon.

July 1

• 1850 — Soldiers burn a Fredericksburg store and county records [Frontier & Local Gov’t]
  After a dispute over stolen goods, U.S. troops stationed near Fredericksburg set fire to a local store; the blaze spread, destroying Gillespie County’s earliest records, a major loss for genealogists and local historians. Contemporary accounts and TSHA note the incident sharpened tensions in the Hill Country during early statehood.

• 1921 — William Beaumont General Hospital opens at Fort Bliss [Health/Defense]
  The Army formalized medical care for the El Paso region by opening William Beaumont General Hospital (the forerunner to today’s William Beaumont Army Medical Center), integrating surgery, recovery, and training functions for the Southwest.

July 2

• 1862 — Morrill Act becomes law; Texas’s future land-grant footprint [Education/Policy]
  President Lincoln signs the Morrill Act, creating the land-grant system that would later shape Texas higher ed (notably Texas A&M) once Texas fully aligned with post-war federal programs. It tied agricultural and mechanical training to statewide economic development.

• 1964 — LBJ signs the Civil Rights Act [Civil Rights/Policy]
  Texas native President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act, prohibiting segregation in public places and discrimination in employment—driving desegregation of Texas facilities, schools, and businesses over the next decade.

July 3

• 1884 — Brackenridge Hospital opens in Austin [Health/Infrastructure]
  The city’s first public hospital begins service as City Hospital (later Brackenridge), providing indigent care and becoming a teaching site that anchored Austin’s public-health safety net for more than a century.

July 4

• 1845 — Convention of 1845 votes for U.S. annexation [Statehood/Politics]
  Delegates meeting in Austin approve the Ordinance of Annexation, 55–1, and set in motion the drafting of a state constitution; Texas voters later ratify it in October and the U.S. admits Texas on December 29, 1845.

• 1973 — Willie Nelson’s first Fourth of July Picnic [Culture/Music]
  In Dripping Springs, Nelson’s day-long, open-air show pioneers the outlaw-country festival model—blending Austin’s progressive country scene with rural Texas crowds and cementing a new music identity for the state.

• 1980 — Nolan Ryan records his 3,000th strikeout [Sports/Baseball]
  Pitching for the Houston Astros, Ryan fans César Gerónimo of the Reds on Independence Day—adding a milestone to a career that would eventually include a record 5,714 strikeouts.

• 2025 — Guadalupe River flood catastrophe (Kerr County) [Disaster/Weather]
  Holiday storms trigger extreme flash flooding along the Guadalupe, sweeping through campgrounds near Ingram/Hunt. The confirmed death toll climbs into triple digits, with Camp Mystic and nearby resorts among the hardest hit; it becomes one of the deadliest Hill Country floods on record.

July 5

• 1873 — Trail boss Margaret Borland dies in Kansas [Ranching/Women’s History]
  After driving hundreds of cattle from Texas to Wichita with her children and hired hands—one of the only documented cases of a woman leading a major trail drive—Margaret Heffernan Borland dies of illness shortly after arrival. Her story highlights women’s roles in the cattle industry.

July 7

• 2016 — Dallas ambush: five officers killed [Public Safety]
  During a downtown protest, a gunman kills five law-enforcement officers and wounds others—the deadliest single day for U.S. police since 9/11—prompting new training, gear, and interagency protocols across Texas.

July 9

• 1716 — Mission Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de los Nacogdoches founded [Colonial/Religion]
  As part of Spain’s East Texas mission chain, Franciscan friars establish a mission to the Caddo (Nacogdoche) people near today’s Nacogdoches. Though later abandoned and reestablished, it anchored Spanish claims and trade in the Piney Woods.

July 10

• 1931 — “Red River Bridge War” begins [Infrastructure/Law & Order]
  A toll-free bridge opening between Denison, TX, and Durant, OK sparks an interstate dispute over contracts and road access. Texas Governor Ross Sterling deploys Rangers and barricades; cooler heads (and court orders) eventually prevail, and the crossing opens.

July 11

• 1838 — James Collinsworth drowns in Galveston Bay [Politics/Legal]
  The Republic of Texas’s first chief justice and a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence dies in a boating accident; his death removes a prominent legal and political voice in the young republic.

July 16

• 1969 — Apollo 11 launches; Houston’s Mission Control takes the loop [Space/Science]
  While the Saturn V lifts off from Florida, flight control shifts to Houston’s Mission Control (Manned Spacecraft Center, later JSC) minutes after tower-clear. The team will guide every critical phase through splashdown.

July 18

• 1917 — Camp Bowie construction begins (Fort Worth) [Military/WWI]
  The War Department authorizes a sprawling training complex west of downtown to mobilize the 36th Infantry Division (TX-OK National Guard); within weeks, a tent city, trench systems, and ranges transform Arlington Heights.

July 19

• 1876 — Texas & Pacific finally reaches Fort Worth [Transportation/Economy]
  The completion of T&P’s track into Fort Worth triggers celebrations and accelerates the city’s rise as a regional cattle, rail, and commercial hub.

• 1878 — Outlaw Sam Bass mortally wounded at Round Rock [Law & Order]
  Tipped off by an informant, Texas Rangers and local lawmen confront Bass’s gang near the bank; Bass is shot on July 19 and dies two days later, becoming a lasting figure in Texas outlaw lore. 

July 20

• 1969 — “Houston, Tranquility Base…” Apollo 11 lands on the Moon [Space/Science]
  Mission Control in Houston receives Neil Armstrong’s famous call as Eagle touches down. The landing—and the hours of surface EVA that follow—are managed minute-by-minute from Building 30.

July 21

• 1878 — Sam Bass dies of his wounds [Law & Order]
  After the Round Rock shootout, Bass succumbs on his 27th birthday; the episode shapes Ranger legend and local commemorations in Williamson County.

July 26

• 1990 — Americans with Disabilities Act signed by President George H. W. Bush [Policy/Civil Rights]
  The ADA outlaws discrimination in employment, public accommodations, transportation, and government services. The law—championed by a Texas president—drives accessibility retrofits and design standards across the state.

• 1971 — Apollo 15 launches (first mission with Lunar Roving Vehicle) [Space/Science]
  The J-mission architecture enables longer surface stays and the debut of the LRV—key hardware supported by engineering teams at Houston’s center throughout the mission.

July 29

• 1958 — NASA established by the National Aeronautics and Space Act [Space/Institution]
  President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs the Act, creating NASA—the agency that will soon place its crewed spaceflight hub in Houston, shaping the city’s identity for decades.

July 31

• 1971 — First drive of the Lunar Roving Vehicle on the Moon (Apollo 15) [Space/Science]
  Dave Scott and Jim Irwin take the LRV out on Hadley–Apennine, extending traverse range to sample more geology; flight control, planning, and troubleshooting run through Houston.

July’s timeline of events shows how deeply Texas is woven into the broader American story. From early struggles for independence and settlement to groundbreaking achievements in space and culture, the month reflects the state’s spirit of resilience and progress. Each milestone—whether in politics, law, transportation, or exploration—adds another layer to the legacy of the Lone Star State. Looking back at these moments not only honors the past but also reminds us of Texas’s lasting role in shaping the nation’s history and identity.