By Juliette Coulter | Guest Contributor
Texas Woman’s University (TWU) will celebrate its 125th anniversary at the State Fair of Texas with “Blazing New Trails: 125 Years of Texas Woman’s University,” a special exhibition exploring more than a century of women’s leadership, achievement and expanding opportunity in Texas and beyond. The exhibit will run through the duration of the State Fair of Texas, from September 25 – October 18, and all ticketholders are welcome to attend.
Drawing from the remarkable TWU Special Collections and University Archives, the exhibit weaves together stories of women who challenged expectations, broke barriers and helped shape Texas and the nation. TWU’s own 125-year history provides a connecting thread, reflecting the university’s varied roles as educator, innovator and advocate for women, as well as a steward of women’s history.
“Blazing New Trails: 125 Years of Texas Woman’s University” will showcase rarely seen artifacts and stories of women who helped shape Texas and beyond.
During the State Fair, visitors can take a break from the heat and slip into the past at the Hall of State, exploring fascinating artifacts, unexpected connections, short documentaries and film clips. Visitors can also step behind the lectern used by Eleanor Roosevelt when she dedicated TWU’s historic Little Chapel-in-the-Woods for a photo opportunity, and take home a complimentary souvenir foldable fan, Texas wildflower seeds and the original Fritos® Chili Pie recipe to try at home.
“Blazing New Trails: 125 Years of Texas Woman’s University”
Sept. 25-Oct. 18, 2026
State Fair of Texas (included with admission)
Hall of State
EXHIBIT HIGHLIGHTS
What do Texas first ladies, a pair of high heels, a World War II flight jacket, Florence Nightingale and Frito Pie have in common? They’re among the unexpected stories and artifacts that come together in “Blazing New Trails,” each illuminating a different chapter in a larger story of women’s achievement — with TWU woven throughout, sometimes in unexpected ways.
Among the exhibit highlights:
● Texas First Ladies and Ann Richards: Historic inaugural gowns from TWU’s renowned Texas First Ladies Historic Gown Collection, plus the white mohair coat worn by Gov. Ann Richards during her 1991 Inauguration Day parade that was created by TWU fashion students under the guidance of celebrated Texas formal wear designer Les Wilk, the “king of the drop-dead dress.”
● Jane Nelson’s high heels: According to Texas legislative lore, the former state senator (and namesake of the university’s Institute for Women’s Leadership) famously brandished one her high heel shoes while presenting her first Senate bill in 1993, after Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock “joked” that a woman could get legislation passed by wearing a short skirt and high heels.
● The original Fritos® Chili Pie recipe: TWU Distinguished Alumna and former faculty member Nell Morris first published the recipe now legendary in comfort food history. Visitors can pick up a copy to try at home.
● World War II women aviators: preserves more than 1 million items documenting the legendary Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II, making it the world’s largest collection of WASP materials. The anniversary exhibit includes a bomber jacket worn by WASP Elizabeth “Betty” Gardner, whose iconic wartime photograph in the cockpit of a B-26 Marauder became one of the best-known images of the WASP. The jacket bears a patch depicting Fifinella, the Walt Disney-designed winged gremlin adopted as a WASP mascot.
● Florence Nightingale: A first edition of Nightingale’s landmark 1859 Notes on Nursing, the work that helped shape modern nursing practice, from TWU’s recently acquired Florence Nightingale Collection, one of seven major collections in the United States.
And that’s just a sampling. The exhibit also explores pioneering women in art, aviation and space exploration; adaptive fashion and wearable technology; women’s leadership and athletics; TWU’s connections to Amelia Earhart, Eleanor Roosevelt, Lady Bird Johnson and Wally Funk; and the university’s surprising ties to another State Fair icon, Fletcher’s Original Corny Dogs.
TWU HISTORY
In 1901, the Texas Legislature established the Girls Industrial College in Denton, creating a new educational opportunity for Texas women nearly two decades before they gained the right to vote. The little-known but ambitious institution opened its doors in 1903 with 186 students and 14 faculty members, with a curriculum aimed at preparing women for the “practical industries of the age.” It would become Texas Woman’s University in 1957.
Today, TWU is the nation’s first and only woman-focused public university system and a Carnegie-classified R2 research institution, enrolling more than 15,000 students pursuing state- and nationally recognized degree programs across campuses in Denton, Dallas and Houston. Its network of more than 121,000 alumni reflects how far the university’s original vision has traveled — and TWU’s continuing role in expanding opportunity and preparing students for a changing world.
ABOUT TWU:
Texas Woman’s University is the nation’s largest woman-focused university system with campuses in Denton, Dallas, and Houston. Founded in 1901, TWU has built a reputation on contributions in nursing, healthcare, education, the arts and sciences, and business. TWU’s inclusive culture prioritizes experiential learning, leadership, service, discovery, and health and well-being, and national media have recognized the university as a top college for student-parents, veterans, and social mobility. In 2024, TWU eclipsed a $125 million goal in its ongoing fundraising effort, DREAM BIG, which supports programming, equipment, scholarships, and faculty. To learn more about the campaign or the university, visit dreambig.twu.edu or twu.edu.
Photo Credit: Texas Woman’s University