Texas Historical Commission
The Texas Historical Commission is the Texas state agency for historic preservation, operating TexasTimeTravel.com and the Texas History Navigator mobile app to deliver free heritage tourism content across 10 regional trail areas and 18,000+ historic markers, serving travelers, educators, families, and Texas communities statewide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1957
- HeadquartersAustin, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Texas Historical Commission does
The Texas Historical Commission (THC) is the official state agency for historic preservation in Texas, established in 1957 and headquartered in Austin. THC operates the Texas Heritage Trails Program, which organizes the state into ten regional heritage trail regions (Brazos, Forest, Forts, Hill Country, Independence, Lakes, Mountain, Pecos, Plains, and Tropical), each with a dedicated executive director maintaining a regional office across cities such as Round Rock, Nacogdoches, Abilene, San Antonio, Granbury, Alpine, Midland, Lubbock, and McAllen.
The agency's core digital products are TexasTimeTravel.com — a curated heritage tourism portal covering region- and theme-based trip planning, events, mobile tours, and an event submission system — and the Texas History Navigator mobile application (available on Apple App Store and Google Play), which provides access to 18,000+ historic markers and sites with interactive maps, location-based storytelling, and social sharing. Content is organized both geographically by region and thematically across categories including state historic sites, archeology, courthouses, cowboy culture, scenic drives, sacred places, and multiple cultural-heritage programs (African American, American Indian, Asian, European, German, Hispanic).
THC is not a commercial enterprise; it is funded through Texas state legislative appropriations under the authority of the State of Texas as parent entity. All heritage tourism resources — the website, mobile app, mobile tours, events calendar, and quarterly Texas Heritage Traveler e-newsletter — are provided free of charge to the public. The customer base is diffuse: heritage tourists, road-trip travelers, educators, families, cultural-heritage seekers, and Texas communities/heritage sites seeking tourism promotion. Distribution combines direct-to-consumer digital channels with partnerships including the Smithsonian Institution (SITES), National Park Service (Route 66), the Texas Commission on the Arts, Texas.gov, and regional tourism partners such as Visit Amarillo and local chambers of commerce.
Texas Historical Commission firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Texas Historical Commission
- Legal name
- Texas Historical Commission
- Website
- https://texastimetravel.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1957
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- The Texas Historical Commission is the Texas state agency for historic preservation, operating TexasTimeTravel.com and the Texas History Navigator mobile app to deliver free heritage tourism content across 10 regional trail areas and 18,000+ historic markers, serving travelers, educators, families, and Texas communities statewide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Texas Historical Commission industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Heritage Tourism
- NAICS
- Historical Sites (712120), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Historic Sites, Heritage Landmarks & Archaeological Sites (THAJACAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Archaeological Sites & Heritage Interpretation Centers (THAJADAG), Cultural, Heritage & Arts Travel Agencies (THAKAFAK), Cultural Heritage & Historic District Tours (THAJAAAB)
Keywords
Where Texas Historical Commission is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Austin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices11 records
Markets served
Texas Historical Commission business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Government Appropriation: The Texas Historical Commission operates as a state government agency funded through Texas state appropriations and is not a commercial revenue-generating entity.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free public service - no user fees |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Texas Historical Commission product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Texas Historical Commission is a Texas state government agency that operates TexasTimeTravel.com and the Texas History Navigator mobile app as a free heritage tourism platform. It organizes the state's historical and cultural resources into 10 heritage trail regions and provides trip-planning tools, event calendars, mobile tours, and curated content covering 18,000+ historic markers and sites across Texas.
Product overview
The Texas Historical Commission operates TexasTimeTravel.com as its primary heritage tourism platform, offering trip-planning tools for exploring authentic Texas history across the state. The platform integrates the Texas History Navigator mobile app (available on Apple App Store and Google Play), curated mobile tours, and the Texas Heritage Trails Program spanning 10 geographic regions. The system provides access to 18,000+ historic markers and sites, an events calendar, travel guides, and a quarterly e-newsletter called Texas Heritage Traveler.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Texas History Navigator: Mobile application featuring 18,000+ historic markers and sites across Texas with interactive maps and stories.
Products and services
- TexasTimeTravel.com A curated heritage tourism website and trip-planning platform for exploring Texas history across 10 regional trail areas, featuring historic sites, events, maps, and mobile tours for travelers, educators, and families.
- Texas History Navigator Mobile App A mobile application available on Apple App Store and Google Play Store providing access to 18,000+ historic markers and sites with interactive maps, location-based storytelling, and social sharing capabilities for travelers exploring Texas history.
- Texas Heritage Trails Program A statewide heritage tourism initiative organizing Texas into 10 geographic regions (Brazos, Forest, Forts, Hill Country, Independence, Lakes, Mountain, Pecos, Plains, and Tropical Trail Regions) each with dedicated regional staff and local tourism partners supporting heritage tourism development and visitor services.
Quantifiable outcome
- 18,000+ historic markers and sites accessible via mobile app
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Texas Historical Commission
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Texas Historical Commission technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Texas Historical Commission partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- National Park ServicecoreNational Park Service partnered with the Texas Historical Commission on Route 66 preservation efforts. NPS cost-share funds were used to restore historic structures including the Magnolia Gas Station in Vega. The NPS provides National Scenic Byway designation for portions of historic Route 66 in Texas.
- Smithsonian InstitutionmajorThe Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) partners with THC to bring traveling exhibitions to Texas communities. The Spark! Places of Innovation exhibition was displayed in Kerrville through June 2026, exploring innovation in rural America.
- Texas.govminorTexasTimeTravel.com is linked through Texas.gov as an official state resource for heritage tourism and historical exploration in Texas.
- Texas Commission on the ArtsminorState agency partnership supporting cultural tourism. Canadian, Texas was designated a state cultural district by the Texas Commission on the Arts, and Amarillo also maintains a state cultural district designation.
- Texas State RailroadminorThe Texas State Railroad, a state heritage attraction operated between Palestine and Rusk, is featured on TexasTimeTravel.com as part of the heritage tourism ecosystem.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Texas Historical Commission competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Visit California: Visit California is the state's destination marketing organization promoting California travel. It is a regional peer in state-level tourism marketing, but covers a different geography and does not specialize in heritage to the same depth as THC.
Emerging players
- History.com (A&E Networks): History.com is a media platform producing heritage and history content for general consumers. While it operates in media rather than tourism operations, it is a comparable consumer-facing heritage content brand that competes for the same user attention.
Direct peers
- New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation: NY State Parks is the state-level agency responsible for operating historic sites, parks, and heritage tourism programming in New York. It is a direct state-agency peer to THC, performing the same statutory role at a different state scale.
- Virginia Department of Historic Resources: Virginia DHR is Virginia's state agency for historic preservation, operating historic markers, preservation programs, and heritage tourism initiatives. It is a direct state-level peer performing the same statutory mission as THC.
- Atlas Obscura: Atlas Obscura is a digital-first heritage and experiential travel platform that curates unusual places, stories, and trip planning tools for travelers seeking authentic cultural experiences. It is the closest private-sector analog to TexasTimeTravel.com in terms of curated heritage content, regional discovery, and event/experience listings.
- National Trust for Historic Preservation: The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately funded nonprofit that operates heritage sites, runs preservation programs, and curates historic travel content at the national level. Like THC, it combines site operation, advocacy, and heritage tourism programming, but at a federal rather than state scope.
Broad incumbents
- Smithsonian Institution: The Smithsonian Institution is a federally chartered cultural and heritage institution that operates museums, traveling exhibitions (SITES), and educational programs. It is an active THC partner and a broader incumbent in curated cultural heritage content and public-facing heritage education.
- National Park Service: The National Park Service is the federal agency that operates national parks, monuments, and historic sites across the U.S. It is a broader incumbent in heritage site operation and heritage tourism (including Route 66 byway designation), overlapping with THC's mission at the federal level.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Texas Historical Commission social profiles
Digital presenceTexas Historical Commission financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Texas Historical Commission leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Texas Historical Commission funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Texas Historical Commission M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Texas Historical Commission
What does Texas Historical Commission do?
The Texas Historical Commission is a Texas state government agency that operates TexasTimeTravel.com and the Texas History Navigator mobile app as a free heritage tourism platform. It organizes the state's historical and cultural resources into 10 heritage trail regions and provides trip-planning tools, event calendars, mobile tours, and curated content covering 18,000+ historic markers and sites across Texas.
Is Texas Historical Commission a public or private company?
Texas Historical Commission is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Texas Historical Commission founded?
Texas Historical Commission was founded in 1957. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Texas Historical Commission based?
Texas Historical Commission is headquartered in Austin, United States, in the North America region.
How does Texas Historical Commission make money?
One revenue line is on record: government Appropriation.
Who are Texas Historical Commission's main competitors?
Visit California is listed as a regional player. History.com (A&E Networks) is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Virginia Department of Historic Resources, Atlas Obscura and National Trust for Historic Preservation. Broad incumbents are Smithsonian Institution and National Park Service.
Does Texas Historical Commission have an API?
No public API is recorded for Texas Historical Commission.
What industry is Texas Historical Commission in?
Texas Historical Commission's product category is Heritage Tourism. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJACAC, Historic Sites, Heritage Landmarks & Archaeological Sites, with a secondary code of THAJADAG, Archaeological Sites & Heritage Interpretation Centers. Its NAICS code is 712120 and its SIC code is 7900.