Our Mission
Austin stands at the crossroads of music, arts, technology, education, activism, government, and culture, with a rich and diverse history that has shaped its identity.
As the nonprofit partner of the Austin History Center, AHCA preserves and shares these stories, showcasing Austin’s impact on Texas, the nation, and the world since 1839.
Through fundraising, exhibits, and campus enhancements, AHCA ensures that Austin’s history is preserved, accessible, and celebrated for generations to come.
Our Mission
The Austin History Center Association (AHCA) is the friends group of the Austin History Center (AHC). AHCA’s mission is to ensure that the diverse stories of Austin and Travis County are discovered, collected, presented, and preserved through fundraising AHC operations and producing timely history-based programming.
Our History
The Austin History Center Association (AHCA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1980, is the citizen-led force behind preserving Austin’s history.
In 1954, Katherine Drake Hart began curating the city’s archives, laying the foundation for what would become the Austin History Center. Building upon this work, Sue Brandt McBee, a journalist and poet, was instrumental in establishing the Austin History Center Association in 1979. Her leadership led to the transformation of the old Central Library into the Austin History Center, which opened its doors in 1983.
Today, City Archivist and Center Manager Jennifer Chenoweth continues this legacy, overseeing the preservation of Austin’s diverse history. AHCA collaborates closely with the Austin History Center, advocating, fundraising, and expanding access to ensure that Austin’s rich heritage is preserved and brought to life for future generations.
Our History
The Austin History Center Association, a 501(c) 3 non-profit citizen based group founded in 1980, supports the vital history and records which have been curated by the Austin Public Library (APL) staff beginning with Katherine Drake Hart in 1954 and continuing with City Archivist and Center Manager Mike Miller today.
Read more about our history here.
Our Staff
Our History
The Austin History Center Association, a 501(c) 3 non-profit citizen based group founded in 1980, supports the vital history and records which have been curated by the Austin Public Library (APL) staff beginning with Katherine Drake Hart in 1954 and continuing with City Archivist and Center Manager Mike Miller today.
Read more about our history here.
Plans For The Future
The Austin Public Library continues work to bring the two original central library buildings—the current Austin History Center (AHC) and the John Henry Faulk Central Library—up to code and complete necessary repairs. These improvements, funded by voter-approved bond elections in 2012 and 2018, are critical to ensuring both buildings remain safe and functional.
With these upgrades nearing completion, the Austin History Center Association (AHCA) has entered into a new agreement with the City of Austin, solidifying its role in expanding the vision for the AHC. This partnership allows AHCA to collaborate on exhibits, programming, and fundraising to enhance the AHC’s impact. The long-term goal is to transform the AHC and the Faulk Building into a world-class Research and Archival History Campus, ensuring Austin’s diverse history is fully preserved and accessible for future generations.
AHCA is actively working with community leaders and supporters to secure funding and resources for this vision. Learn more about these efforts and AHCA’s ongoing work to support the History Center through exhibits, oral history initiatives, and advocacy for Austin’s historical preservation.
Learn more about Austin History Center Association
Our Board
Meet Our Board Members
Our History
The History of AHCA
