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TOBIN
AND ANNE ARMSTRONG
The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame was added to the museum in 1976. In addition to the memorial and a gift shop the building included a small 15' x 18' library and a reading room. The Moody Foundation provided a startup grant thanks to the generosity of Mary Moody Northern. Over the years it grew to include the service records of Rangers, criminal case files, photographs, correspondence, books and documents going back to the 1830s.
In 1997, the Texas Legislature recognized its service and designated the renamed Texas Ranger Research Center as official repository for archives and memorabilia related to the Texas Rangers service. It is a "sister" instiution to the Texas State Records Center and Archives in Austin, collaborating and augmenting its collections.
Each year the Center staff assists thousands of students, teachers, genealogists, authors, and film producers on a myriad of projects. The historical research capabilities of the staff, and collections of case files, have have been employed by law enforcement agencies in researching decades-old "cold cases."
After three decades of service, the small Research Center was in need of renovation and space. Between 2003 and 2005 alone, more than 105,000 items were added to the archives.
Responding to this need, the family of the late Tobin and Anne Armstrong joined with the Texas Ranger Museum to lead a fund drive to improve and remodel the Research Center. In appreciation,the Center was renamed for the late Tobin and US Ambassador Anne Armstrong and their ancestor, Texas Ranger John B. Armstrong.
RESEARCHING A TEXAS RANGER ANCESTOR
The Armstrong Texas Ranger Research Center receives 3,000 to 4,000 research inquiries per year. The following procedures have been established to better serve our on-site guests and distant researchers.
Scheduling an On-Site VisitWe
are glad to work with researchers on-site in Waco. Please
call for an appointment so that we may discuss your needs and
schedule time. To Make an Appointment Please call 254-750-8631 between 9 am and 3 PM Monday - Friday CST. Or e-mail us at info@texasranger.org. Personal use and Non-profit Fees:
Nominal Charges apply for photocopies and photo duplication. |
Genealogy Search Service
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Further Information
How Many Rangers were there? The Staff adds a biographical file for every Texas Ranger as they are identified or join the service. We estimate that there have been 8,000 to 10,000 Texas Rangers since 1823. Due to gaps in the records, a negative result may not rule out service as a Texas Ranger. Many service records were lost over the past 180 years due to floods, fires and state administrative decisions not to keep certain records. "New" Rangers are found every year and added to our files.
When will an index of all Texas Rangers be available? There is no State or public funding for such a project, so work proceeds as time is available. Tax deductible donations may be made in support of our work to build biographical files on all known Rangers. Click here to contact the Staff about supporting the work of the Texas Ranger Research Center. Thank you.
Firearm
and Badge Research: For reasons of liability the staff
is not permitted to appraise or authenticate items. For firearms appraisals
we suggest reviewing Flayderman's Guide to Antique
American Firearms and Their Values as a general guide. Seek
the services of a qualified antique firearms appraiser (check references!)
for current market values. The majority of what appears on the
market with alleged Texas Ranger connections depend on hearsay or third-hand information. Unfortunately, most items on the market cannot be authenticated beyond a reasonable doubt. False or poorly substantiated
letters of authenticity abound. A written return guarantee should be obtained
before purchase. Please click here for
our page about fraudulent badges.
Contact Information:
Texas
Ranger Research Center
texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum
P.O.
Box 2570
Waco, TX 76702-2570
Phone: (254)750-8631
E-Mail: info@texasranger.org
