WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION FROM AN EAST TEXAS PERSPECTIVE: NACOGDOCHES COUNTY FROM 1861-1876

Initially founded in 1826 as a municipality of Mexico and organized as a county in 1837—and sharing its name with the oldest town in Texas—Nacogdoches County flourishes with a rich history and has been a factor in nearly every major event in early Texas history. The Civil War is no exception. Men from the county contributed to the war effort but also felt the war’s sting at home. Citizens did what they could to survive. The county continued under the yoke of Reconstruction after the war before booming again in the 1880s thanks largely to the town the county shares its name with. While Nacogdoches County has a long history with racism and white supremacy as well, this public history project summarizes a fifteen-year period of that history from 1861 to 1876 with a focus on the presence of slavery and, ultimately, white supremacy, arguably when such peaked and guided many of the actions of white citizens. Most importantly, this project features the creation of a digital museum exhibition, utilizing interpretation theory and relevant literature to explain the creation of an online exhibit. The exhibit first provides an overview of the actions of the many Confederate units raised in the county and then notable units from neighboring counties that also included Nacogdocheans. The exhibit then features the years of Reconstruction with a focus on Federal soldier presence in the county as well as the activities of the Freedmen’s Bureau and their relationship with the citizens (both black and white).