1. (a) Any individual, group or county historical commission may apply to the commission for an Official Texas Historical Marker. The application shall include:

   1. (1) a completed current Official Texas Historical Marker application form;

   2. (2) a comprehensive research paper on the topic under consideration that contains a narrative history including:

      1. (A) an introduction with historical background and broad historical context of the topic under consideration;
      2. (B) a detailed chronological history that documents the complete history of the topic; and
      3. (C) a concluding section that summarizes the history and addresses the significance of the topic;
   3. (3) Reference notes. Facts contained in the research paper that cannot be assumed to be common knowledge shall be documented with reference notes, which can be footnotes, endnotes or parenthetical notes;

   4. (4) Bibliography of sources cited. A bibliography is a list of all the sources used in researching the topic.

      1. (A) for published sources, the bibliography shall include information on the author, title, publisher and date of publication.
      2. (B) for unpublished sources, the bibliography shall include a description and date of the document, and the location of the collection or record;
      3. (C) for oral history sources, the bibliography shall include the name of the interviewer and the interviewee; the date of the interview; the relevance of the interviewee to the topic under consideration; a statement regarding existence and location of any related notes, transcripts and/or recordings;
   5. (5) Map. A letter-size map indicating the proposed marker location;

   6. (6) Photographs.

      1. (A) For subject markers, the requirement is a current photograph of the proposed marker location.

      2. (B) For Recorded Texas Historic Landmark markers, the photographic requirements are:

         1. (i) at least one historic photograph of the structure under review;
         2. (ii) one current photograph of each elevation of the exterior of the structure; and
         3. (iii) additional photographs the commission staff may request to facilitate determination of a structure's eligibility for designation.

      3. (C) For Historic Texas Cemetery markers, the requirements are:

         1. (i) a current photograph of the proposed marker location;
         2. (ii) at least one current photograph showing an overall view of the cemetery; and
         3. (iii) photographs that document individual features referred to in the application's narrative history;
   7. (7) Authorization. Permission is required for placement of the marker, as indicated by the signature of the property owner;
   8. (8) County historical commission approval. The county historical commission (CHC) must approve the application history, content and documentation. If a county has no active CHC, the county judge's approval may be substituted; and

   9. (9) Additional documentation.

      1. (A) Recorded Texas Historic Landmark markers also require:

         1. (i) letter-size floor plans delineating any alterations or additions, with relevant dates, to the structure under consideration for designation and relevant dates;
         2. (ii) a letter-size site plan showing the building or structure under consideration, plus any outbuildings or other significant features, such as landscaping; and
         3. (iii) the legal description of the property (lot and block numbers; metes and bounds).
      2. (B) Historic Texas Cemetery markers also require proof of Historic Texas Cemetery designation.
2. (b) The Texas Historical Commission is the final arbiter on all matters related to marker eligibility, inscriptions, titles and placement.
3. (c) All materials submitted for an Official Texas Historical Marker become the property of the Texas Historical Commission and part of the permanent archival files of the agency, and are subject to the Texas Open Records Act.
4. (d) All Official Texas Historical Markers are the property of the State of Texas and may be recalled by the commission.

Source Note:The provisions of this §21.7 adopted to be effective August 28, 2003, 28 TexReg 6814.