The Center for History and Culture Events will host John P. Evans, Jr., professional land surveyor, as he presents two lectures over the evolution of the Texas-Louisiana boundary, Oct. 22, at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., in Landes Auditorium in the Galloway Business Building.
“Our mission, at the Center for History and Culture, is to encourage students at Lamar to engage with elements of what makes our region unique and meaningful in the history of the United States,” Brendan Gillis, assistant professor of history, said.
Evans will present a broad overview of his book, “Evolution of The Texas-Louisiana Boundary: In Search of The Elusive Corner,” which he co-wrote with Jim Tiller, professor of geography at Sam Houston State University.
“The book focuses on the evolution of the Texas-Louisiana border, and the complex history behind how the states’ border lines came to be on the map today,” Gillis said.
In order to gain a better understanding of the specific elements of the Texas-Louisiana boundary, we need to learn the reasoning behind the evolution of this unique boundary, Evans said in an email interview.
“The location of this boundary was marked on the ground over 170 years ago, and it is important to learn as much as we can about this type of historical boundary so that we cannot only preserve the physical markings of the boundary, we can use developing technology to solve the unanswered questions about the boundary,” he said.
Tiller, in an email interview, said knowledge of the boundary affects many people.
“It may also give local landowners a better appreciation for any boundary-related artifacts that may exist or be found on their property,” he said.
Tiller said he came across the general ambiguity of the boundary several times in his work which led him to do additional research on the topic.
The book contains 21 appendix items providing information on survey equipment of the 1800s, Red River County border area records, public land surveys in Louisiana, journals and correspondence from the Commissioners to their governments, payroll records, Commission expenditures, Commission maps from the Republic of Texas and the United States, monument recovery information from 1941 and many other subjects, Evans said.
Gillis said that when people drive on I-10 and cut across into Louisiana, there’s a reason why the states have the shapes they do.
“Dr. Evans shows us the actual history is a little bit more complicated,” he said. “There’s more to know about how this region shaped the interaction between the states of Texas and Louisiana over the years.”
Gillis said he often finds that students think Beaumont and/or Southeast Texas do not matter much.
“One of the things we do is highlight places and time in ways in which our region has shaped people’s lives, and the history of the United States,” he said. “That can be a revelation for people who are used to not giving Southeast Texas much credit.”
Gillis said the lectures are a good opportunity for students to engage with an expert in a field of research that they might not be familiar with.
“They’ll learn something about the history of our region,” he said. “But also ask questions or speak with a historian who’s done a lot of the hard work that is involved in writing a book, by going out and finding documents that other people aren’t aware of or haven’t received much attention from scholars of history.”
Evans said writing the book increased his appreciation for historical events.
“Hopefully, we have accomplished our goal of providing information to the audience with a general knowledge of the Texas-Louisiana border, as well as (providing) the audience with a research-oriented and/or technical focus on the subject,” he said. “It is important to preserve our history before it vanishes completely with the passage of time.”
Tiller said this is the kind of research that encourages people not only to read it, but also to go out and look at some of the ground features, as well.
“Our intention was to provide as much information as possible and, hopefully, provide the spark that may encourage students, faculty and interested readers to further our research and answer their own questions about the topic,” he said. “A one-stop beginning point for the history of the boundary. Not the be all, end all — but a beginning point for others to expand upon our work.”
For more information, call CHCE at 880-8518.
Story by Vy Nguyen, UP staff writer