His contributions, and the contributions of his family, formed the nucleus for the campaign to raise funds, and provided Texans with a proper depository for their forefather's history. The Hill family has contributed to the Museum's success through generous gifts of vast and priceless collections of documents, books, and relics relating to the exploration and settlement of Mexico and the greater Texas region. Descendants of Mirabeau B. Lamar, Thomas Jefferson Chambers, Sidney Sherman, and many other prominent Texans have contributed generously to the Museum's holdings. Mrs. Madge Hearne, granddaughter of Sam Houston, selected the San Jacinto Museum of History as an appropriate place for the preservation of her grandfather's personal possessions. The Museum's collection spans more than four hundred years of regional history, from the Spanish conquest through Texas in the 19th century.
Emphasis is on colonial Texas as a part of Mexico, and the Republic of Texas.