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The French Legation in Austin

Whitney Milam's documentary on Austin's French Legation and "The Pig War" to premiere Feb. 23

January 2008—When France sent its first representative to the Republic of Texas after the Texas Revolution, the diplomatic mission ended in an incident called “The Pig War” and with the diplomat’s recall to France. The mission, however, also produced the beautiful and historic French Legation, Austin’s oldest framed structure and a favorite tourist attraction. A documentary on the French Legation, by an award-winning Texas State graduate student in Public History, will premiere during an evening celebration at the Legation, 802 San Marcos Street in Austin, Saturday, Feb. 23.

The 20-minute documentary, titled “A Glorious Opportunity: The French Legation in Texas,” will begin at 7:15 p.m. Written, produced, and directed by Whitney Milam, the documentary relates the story of Jean Pierre Alphonse Dubois de Saligny, who was sent by France to establish relations with the new Republic of Texas in 1839. De Saligny commissioned the building of the French Legation in 1840—a grand mansion designed for lavish dinners and entertainments—but he never lived in it. His incompetence in international relations culminated in what became known as “The Pig War” (see http://www.frenchlegationmuseum.org/history.htm) and his recall to France. Following de Saligny’s departure, Austin Mayor Dr. Joseph Robertson purchased the Legation, where his family lived until it was sold to the State of Texas in 1949. “A Glorious Opportunity: The French Legation in Texas” documents this formative and sometimes comic period in the early history of the Texas Republic.

Filmmaker Whitney Milam, a student in Texas State’s graduate program in Public History, also directs special projects for KTBC-Fox 7 in Austin. His recent documentary on the 1964 Whitman shootings at The University of Texas won a Telly Award and a Lone Star Emmy Award.

Following the documentary screening, moonlight tours of the French Legation Mansion, French-style kitchen, and Legation grounds will be given 7:45 - 9:15 p.m. Live music and reenactments of early Texas life will also be provided. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Proceeds from ticket sales—$4 at the door—will support the education and preservation efforts of the French Legation Museum, operated by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, Inc. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and picnic baskets.

More information is available from the French Legation, (512) 472-8180, programs@frenchlegationmuseum.org.