Texas' Historical Milestones On This Day June 7th

On June 7th, multiple events throughout the state have made their mark on history.

In 1842, the Republic of Texas approved the Fisher-Miller Grant. This grant allowed for the acquisition of three million acres between the Llano and Colorado rivers. Unfortunately, the grant largely failed to meet expectations.

In San Antonio, construction began on Fort Sam Houston in 1876. Fort Sam Houston quickly became crucial in the military operations of the United States.

In 1987, the Menil Collection opened to the public in Houston. The collection of 10,000 works had been amassed by John and Dominique de Menil and featured a wide range of art from around the world.

1998 saw a more tragic event in Texas history. James Byrd Jr., at age 49, was murdered in Jasper, TX. Byrd was dragged to death behind a pickup truck in a racially motivated crime. One of the men charged, William King, was sentenced to the death penalty while two others awaited trial.

On June 7, 2014, about 105,000 people attended George Strait's final concert at AT&T stadium in Arlington, TX. The show set a record for the largest crowd for an indoor concert in North American history.

The spirit of Texas is embodied by Sam Houston's quote, "Texas has yet to learn submission to any oppression, come from what source it may."