1936 3¢ Texas Centennial, Purple, Perf. 11x10.5

U.S. #776
1936 3¢ Texas Centennial
Issue Date: March 2, 1936
First City: Gonzales, TX
Quantity Issued: 124,324,500

Nicknamed the "Lone Star State," Texas is the second-largest state in the Union. Settled by the Spanish in the late 1600s, Texas won its independence in 1836. In 1845, Texas became the 28th state to join the Union.

Sam Houston was born in Virginia in 1793 and grew up to become one of the most important figures in American frontier history. He served as a soldier under Andrew Jackson and later represented Tennessee in Congress before moving to Texas in 1832. Once there, he took command of the Texan army and led the famous victory at the Battle of San Jacinto in April 1836, defeating Mexican General Santa Anna and winning Texas its independence in a battle that lasted just eighteen minutes. Houston went on to serve as the first and third President of the Republic of Texas, and later as both a US Senator and Governor after Texas joined the United States. When Texas seceded from the Union in 1861, Houston refused to swear loyalty to the Confederacy and was removed from office — a decision that showed just how deeply he believed in keeping the country together. He died in 1863.

Stephen F. Austin is known as the Father of Texas, and for good reason. Born in Virginia in 1793 — the same year as Houston — Austin took over his father's land grant from the Mexican government and spent his life building American settlements in Texas. He recruited thousands of settlers, negotiated with Mexican officials, and worked hard to keep the peace between colonists and the Mexican government for more than a decade. When those efforts finally failed and war became unavoidable, Austin supported the Texas Revolution and traveled to the United States to rally support for the Texan cause. He died in December 1836 at just 43 years old, only months after seeing Texas finally win its independence.

Though the two men had very different personalities — Austin was a careful diplomat while Houston was a bold military leader — both played essential roles in creating an independent Texas. The 1936 centennial stamp honors that shared legacy by placing their portraits on either side of the Alamo, the most iconic symbol of the Texas Revolution. Together, Austin and Houston represent the two forces that shaped the Lone Star Republic — one who built it from the ground up, and one who fought to set it free.