Ties That Bind: Marriage, Divorce and Women's Lives in 19th Century Texas

The City of Austin’s Susanna Dickinson Museum announces the opening of a new exhibit titled "Ties That Bind: Marriage, Divorce and Women's Lives in 19th Century Texas." The exhibit will be on view during regular open hours listed below at the Susanna Dickinson Museum beginning Friday, July 17th, 2026, through December 1, 2026. 

Susanna Dickinson lived an extraordinary life. Known as the "Messenger of the Alamo," her life has often been overshadowed by the legacy of her role in the Battle of the Alamo and the Texas Revolution. But what do we really know about Susanna Dickinson? And what was life like for women in nineteenth-century Texas?

This exhibit examines the roles and rights of women in Texas through the lens of their daily lives. From marriage and children to labor, property, and legal status, women responded to the demands of everyday life in nineteenth-century Texas. Their stories reveal how women navigated expectations, built lives for themselves and their families, and adapted over time.