JOHN W. STORMONT LECTURE SERIES
La Salle’s Legacy: The Making of the U.S./Mexican Border
Presented by Gene Rhea Tucker
Thursday, Mar. 5, 2026; 5:30 p.m.
Museum of the Coastal Bend, Victoria College
Before Texas was Texas, French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, made his ill-fated mark on the continent. Dr. Gene Rhea Tucker (Professor of History, Temple College) reveals the fascinating story of La Salle's cartographic legacy. Learn how early French maps, born of La Salle’s exploration and tragedy, became essential—and controversial—tools in establishing the U.S./Mexican border, demonstrating the lasting power of a line drawn on paper.