The Austin History Center Association (AHCA) was founded in 1979 by a dedicated group of Austinites—Sue McBee, Katherine Drake Hart, Martha Hartzog, Bob Coffee, and Audrey Bateman—who recognized the urgent need to preserve Austin’s history. Concerned that the city’s archives were at risk, they established AHCA to support the Austin History Center (AHC) and ensure that Austin’s stories would be safeguarded for future generations.

Since its founding, AHCA has played a vital role in securing funding, expanding collections, and increasing public access to Austin’s history. Our efforts have helped preserve historic photographs, personal papers, city records, and oral histories while supporting building renovations, digitization projects, and educational initiatives.


Beyond preservation, AHCA actively promotes Austin’s history through public events, educational programs, and Waterloo Press publications, ensuring that the city’s past is not only archived but actively shared. We are committed to amplifying historically underrepresented voices, broadening the narrative of Austin’s evolving story.

Through memberships, donations, and advocacy, we continue the work started by our founders, sustaining one of Texas’s most important historical institutions. Join us in protecting the past and shaping the future of Austin’s history.