It is an incredible experience to live in the same house where other Texas Governors - including my hero, Sam Houston - have raised their families and prepared themselves for the challenges of running this great state. There is something very special about walking the same hallway, sitting on the same furniture and viewing the same paintings enjoyed by our predecessors.

Since Governor Pease moved his family into the newly built Governor's Mansion in 1856, thirty-eight families have lived in this gracious home. Our daughters, Barbara and Jenna, do their homework, entertain their friends and play with our pets just as generations of children have done in the Governor's Mansion

The Mansion has changed quite a bit since the days when First Lady Lucadia Pease slaughtered hogs in the backyard for dinner. The kitchen no longer has a dirt floor. The bathrooms have been moved indoors. And we now have running water, electricity and MTV.

Despite all the changes, the items on display in the Mansion such as Sam Houston's snuff box, Stephen F. Austin's desk, or Governor Davis' Civil War battle sword, are a constant reminder of Texas' rich and colorful history. They help us realize that the decisions we make today, just like the decisions made by past residents of the Governor's Mansion, will impact future generations of Texans and help keep Texas a great and mighty state.

Sincerely,

George W. Bush
Governor of Texas