By Nicole Cross, Historical Records Archivist
The City of College Station’s online historical archive, Project HOLD, is more than just a database—it’s a living time capsule. Featuring a vast digital collection of photographs, rare documents, and firsthand oral histories, it preserves the defining moments and diverse voices that shaped our community.
Since April is Records and Information Management Month, there’s no better time to dive into these digital treasures. Launched in 2003 as a cross-departmental City initiative, Project HOLD was designed to bring history out of the filing cabinets and into the hands of the public.
All materials are free for public use. Whether you’re a student researching a project, a creator looking for vintage visuals, or a history buff curious about your neighborhood, these records are yours to explore.
Navigating the Archive
Getting started is simple. Visit Project HOLD and use these tools to find what you need:
- Quick Search: Use the search bar to search by keywords and titles.
- Advanced Filters: Click “Advanced” to narrow your results by date or document type to find specific records faster.
- Browse by Category: Navigate folders organized by topic, from Military history to Photography Collections.
- View and Download: Open items directly in your browser. Use the toolbar to save high-resolution copies or print documents for your own records.
- Enhanced Reading: Some records include annotations, and many allow you to switch between the original scanned image and a text version for easier reading.
Help Preserve Our History
History is still being written, and we need your help to capture it. We invite residents to contribute photos, documents, and personal anecdotes to the archive.
Want to share your story? You can participate in an oral history interview to ensure your experiences become a permanent part of the College Station narrative. To get involved, send an email to heritageprogram@cstx.gov.
College Station Pictorial History Book
If you love the photos in Project HOLD, you’ll want to own “And They Called It College Station,” a premium coffee-table book published in 2025 that uses many of the images from the Project HOLD database. It offers a stunning pictorial journey through the city’s journey from a tiny college train stop to the bustling powerhouse we enjoy today.
The beautiful book is available for purchase at the College Station Visitor’s Center. Stop by Monday- Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. to pick up a copy. They make excellent gifts!
About the Blogger
Historical Records Archivist Nicole Cross transitioned to the City last fall after a successful two-year stint as the lead educator at the Museum of the American G.I. Her resume reflects a deep commitment to preservation and public learning, featuring positions at The Innovation Station and the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History. She also chairs the Brazos Valley Museum Collective. Nicole earned a master’s degree in museum studies from Johns Hopkins University and a degree in anthropology from Texas A&M, where she also worked in the university’s Anthropology Research Collections.
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