AUSTIN, Texas— Today, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D., is proud to announce the donation of the Frank and Carol Holcomb Map Collection to the Texas General Land Office (GLO). Valued at more than $3.5 million, the generous donation includes 76 historic maps dating from 1513 to 1904 and will help fund the Frank and Carol Holcomb Map Gallery at the GLO.
“The Frank and Carol Holcomb Map Collection represents a historic milestone for the Texas General Land Office and for the people of Texas,” said Commissioner Buckingham. "This remarkable map donation—spanning nearly four centuries of Texas history—further strengthens the GLO’s collection as one of the premier resources for understanding the history, exploration, and development of Texas. It is with gratitude to Mrs. Holcomb, in memory of her husband, Frank, that the GLO accepts this donation for the people of Texas.”
Frank and Carol Holcomb Map Collection at the GLO
Donated by Carol Holcomb of Houston in memory of her husband, Frank Holcomb, the collection is widely recognized as one of the most significant private collections of Texas and Western Hemisphere maps in the country. The Frank and Carol Holcomb Map Gallery at the GLO is currently in the early planning stages as a dedicated space to highlight the agency’s archival treasures, including these important maps.
“Frank was a Texan, a Son of the Republic, and had ancestors who settled in East Texas in the early 1830s, including a relative who served in Sam Houston’s army at San Jacinto,” said Carol Holcomb. “Maps were his passion, and as our collection grew, we hoped it would one day find a home in a public institution. Our long-standing relationship with the GLO made it the obvious choice. Thank you to the GLO staff and to Commissioner Buckingham for making Frank’s dream come true.”
The collection spans nearly 400 years of history—from early depictions of the Western Hemisphere to maps of Texas produced during the Spanish colonial era, the Mexican national period, the Republic of Texas, and statehood. By donating these maps to the GLO, Mrs. Holcomb has helped ensure that one of the most significant private collections of Texas and maps of the Western Hemisphere in the country will be available to Texans for generations to come.
Frank and Carol Holcomb at Stephen F. Austin State Park in San Felipe, Texas
About Frank and Carol Holcomb:
Frank Harvey Holcomb was defined by his optimism, love of life, his family, his many friends and colleagues, and his Texas Map Collection. Carol and Frank were married on February 19, 1977. They were ardent supporters of the historic Moravian village of Old Salem, North Carolina, and the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA), where Frank served on the MESDA Advisory Board. His wife, Carol, is a docent at the Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, and Frank felt honored to serve on the Bayou Bend Collection Subcommittee. Frank, a map collector at heart, believed that their maps should be shared with the people of Texas and beyond.
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Dr. Dawn Buckingham made history in 2022, winning a statewide election to become Texas' first female Land Commissioner. As Land Commissioner, Dr. Dawn Buckingham is committed to helping Texans after a disaster, supporting Texas energy, ensuring that every child in Texas receives a high-quality public education, serving Texas Veterans, and securing the border to keep our communities safe.
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