On September, 9, 2022 The Harris County District Clerk's Office honored Judge Mark Davidson by dedicating a brand new Historical Research Room located at the District Clerk’s Office Records Center in his name. Judge Davidson currently presides over the Multi District Litigation Civil Court of Harris County. Since 1995, his work preserving historical records and documents has been instrumental for our region.

We were happy to have so many Elected Officials and Judges in attendance, including Justice Ken Wise, District Attorney Kim Ogg, Judge Latosha LewisPayne, Judge Kristen Hawkins. Former Harris County District Clerks Charles Bacarisse, Loren Jackson, and Chris Daniel also attended the ceremony. A very special thanks is also in order for our Historical Documents Curator, Francisco Heredia.

The Research Room is open to the public by appointment and visitors are given the opportunity to study historical documents dating back to the days of the Republic of Texas. This room is the perfect place for historians and researchers to review original court records and documents. Judge Davidson’s passionate work, along with the impressive fundraising efforts of former District Clerk Charles Bacarissse.

The goal of the Historical Records Preservation Project is to restore and preserve court records from the 1800s to 1951. To date, the DCO has preserved around 100,000 civil and criminal cases. Throughout the years, many volunteers have collaborated with the DCO, from members of the Daughters of the American Revolution to Eagle Scout candidates, and many more.

In 2019, District Clerk Marilyn Burgess secured funding from the Harris County Commissioners Court in the amount of $250,000 per year for a period of five years to continue this preservation work.

The DCO Records Center is located in Houston’s East End, at 5900 Canal St. Houston TX 77011. Their phone number is (832) 9275860 and the email address for the Historical Research Room is [email protected].
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