2025 HUNTSVILLE – Texas Independence Day / Sam Houston’s Birthday (QUALIFIER)
Join the Walker County Historical Commission, Sam Houston Memorial Museum & Republic of Texas Presidential Library, and the City of Huntsville Tourism Department for the annual General Sam Houston’s Birthday Celebration on March 1,2025!
Every year, the day kicks off with a coffee reception at the Walker County Museum: Gibbs-Powell House at 9:15am. From there, guests meet at Oakwood Cemetery to honor the life of Sam Houston for his birthday at 11:00am. Members of the student body, faculty, staff and administration of Sam Houston State University follow the university’s ROTC members in the traditional march to Sam Houston’s grave from the Old Main Pit, located near Austin Hall on the campus grounds.
The gravesite ceremony will also include the SHSU ROTC Color Guard and Rifle Team, special musical selections and speakers, the laying of the wreaths by decedents of Sam Houston, and the much anticipated “Baptized a Texan” ceremony. Participants of the “Baptized a Texan” event kneel in front of Sam Houston’s memorial and receive pond water across their forehead and receive a commemorative gift bag from the City of Huntsville Tourism Department.
Immediately following the gravesite ceremony is a luncheon hosted by the Walker County Historical Commission and a “Toast to Texas” and birthday cake sponsored by the City of Huntsville Tourism Department. The speaker for this year’s luncheon will be Mac Woodward.
To receive a letter or email from about how to participate in these events, please contact the staff at the Sam Houston Statue Visitor Center: (936) 291-9726 or vcenter@huntsvilletx.gov.
Walker County Museum Gibbs – Powell House, 1228 11th Street, Huntsville, TX
Texians only
Information:
Colonel Michael Sproat, (832) 465-8879, sproat@SHSU.edu
