December Newsletter
PROJECT UPDATES
Stabilization of the 1939 Linden Fire Station
Preservation Texas will begin the exterior stabilization of the 1939 Linden Fire Station in Northeast Texas early next year. This rendering shows how the building will look when rehabilitation is complete. We plan to adaptively use the building as a rental property for overnight guests to Linden and Cass County.
The Fire Station was included on our 2016 Most Endangered Places List, and was purchased by PT from the City of Linden in 2022. The initial stabilization is expected to cost approximately $40,000. Contributions to this project can be made online at preservationtexas.org/linden.
Rehabilitation of the Former Kosse City Hall
The rehabilitation of the former Kosse City Hall, built about 1915 as a store, will begin in early 2024. Preservation Texas purchased the building from the City of Kosse to use as an orientation building for the Center for Rural Heritage, formerly known as Bassett Farms Conservancy. The building will house temporary exhibits, collections storage, office and meeting space, a library, and small retail area. Contributions to this project can be made online at preservationtexas.org/kosse.
Dr. James Lee Dickey House Reconstruction
Preservation Texas is the fiscal Sponsor for a $500,000 grant awarded by the St. David’s Foundation to the Dickey Museum & Multipurpose Center (DMMC) for the reconstruction of the Dr. James Lee Dickey House in Taylor that was burned by an arsonist last year. We are committed to ensuring the successful completion of the project. Over the past year, Endangered Properties Manager Conor Herterich has been working with architect Fred Robinson and the DMMC board to develop plans for the building that maintains the character-defining features and finishes of the original building and facilitates future programming needs at the site. PT Texas is also actively working with the DMMC to secure the additional funding necessary to construct the building which is estimated to cost approximately $1,000,000. Contributions to this project can be made online at preservationtexas.org/dickeyhouse.
PT Awards Dabney Hill Lodge Hall $75,000 Grant
The Dabney Hill Lodge Hall in Snook, near College Station, which was included on our 2021 Most Endangered Places list, will be awarded a $75,000 grant through PT's Rural African-American Heritage Grants Program. The award is being made to the building's owner, the Dabney Mill Missionary Baptist Church, that will fund critical stabilization and weatherproofing measures necessary to save the imperiled historic building. PT has already been providing technical assistance to help them meet program requirements which include preliminary documentation and planning work and listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Preservation planning by architect Donna Carter will be made possible by a grant from the National Trust administered by PT and funds provided by the Summerlee Foundation.
GENERAL UPDATES
Southeast Texas Regional Preservation Summit Report
Preservation Texas held its fourth Regional Preservation Summit of the year in the Southeast region at the McFaddin-Ward House Visitor Center in Beaumont on November 16th. The event was attended by people from across the Southeast Texas region and beyond, providing opportunities to learn about local preservation issues and network with regional preservation professionals. The program featured Southeast Texas-focused presentations on topics such as disaster preparedness and response for historic buildings and neighborhoods, as well as ongoing coastal preservation projects including the Wood Mansion in Bayside and the Bolivar Point Lighthouse in Port Bolivar.
The Summit concluded with the presentation of two 2023 Preservation Texas Honor Awards for the Turnverein Pavilion in Bellville (Austin County) and the A.T. and Addie Odom Homestead in Shankleville (Newton County).
Preservation Texas President Charles John (right) presents an Honor Award to David Bucek (left) and Steph McDougal (middle) on behalf of the Bellville Turnverein restoration project.
Preservation Texas President Charles John (right) presents an Honor Award to Lareatha Clay (left) and Harold Odom (middle) on behalf of the Odom Homestead restoration project.
Stephen Fox Lecture and Tour of Beaumont
Preservation Texas hosted a lecture by renowned architectural historian Stephen Fox on the architectural heritage of Beaumont at Lamar University's Dishman Art Museum on the evening of November 16th. The following day, Fox led PT's board of directors on an architectural tour of historic Beaumont sites reflecting a range of eras and styles. Stops included the 1959 Plummer Administration Building at Lamar University, 1960 St. James United Methodist Church, 1903 Tyrrell Historical Library, 1932 Jefferson County Courthouse, 1929 Phelan House, and more!
PT board and staff with Stephen Fox at Lamar University's Plummer Administration Building
New Central Texas Physical Office
PT's Central Texas Regional Office now has a physical location on the courthouse square in San Marcos at 100 E. San Antonio Street, Suite 202. This office was made possible by the support of The Burdine Johnson Foundation, the Still Water Foundation, and Hays County board members Kate Johnson and Dodie Juarez Scott.
PT Strategic Planning Process to Conclude in January
PT's Board of Directors will conclude its strategic planning process in January at its winter board meeting in Laredo. PT engaged Candace Tangorra Matelic, of CTM Professional Services, to facilitate the plan, and she has been working with the board and staff for most of the year. The plan will sharpen PT's mission and provide strategic direction to increase organizational capacity, develop sustainable revenue, build-out regional networks and training programs, strategically acquire historic sites and collections statewide, and to provide enhanced public policy leadership.
STATEWIDE & NATIONAL PRESERVATION NEWS
AUSTIN: Parks and Recreation Department receives Preservation Texas Honor Award
The City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department received a Preservation Texas Honor Award at the Central Texas Regional Preservation Summit ceremony held at Dunbar Recreation Center in San Marcos for the restoration of the historic grandstands at Downs Field.
AUSTIN: Choosing to relocate an old house rather than demolishing just got easier in Austin
Austin City Council passed a resolution to minimize barriers to house relocation within Austin city limits and build awareness around these sustainable strategies. Changing the conversation around demolitions will have a great impact on Austin's climate, housing, and preservation outcomes.
DALLAS: Tired of Teardowns?
Here’s How You Can Save Architecturally Significant Homes From The Wrecking Ball.
EL PASO: City votes to remove final obstacle to downtown National Register District
El Paso City Council has voted to remove the final obstacle which was preventing the creation of a Downtown National Register Historic District. Now the city can support the county's plan to establish the district, making historic tax credits available to rehabilitate many historic downtown properties including those within the former "Arena Footprint" in Duranguito.
FORT DAVIS: Preservation Texas recognizes rehabilitation of Fort Davis Masonic Lodge with Honor Award
Preservation Texas is proud to announce the rehabilitation of the Fort Davis Masonic Lodge and Scobee Adobe House in Fort Davis as one of 12 projects being recognized with its 2023 Preservation Texas Honor Award.
LAMPASAS: Group rallies to preserve Lampasas landmarks
A nonprofit group called Lampasas Conservancy has been formed by local grassroots advocates with the goal of saving four imperiled historic landmarks in east Lampasas: The Lampasas Colored School, New Hope Baptist Church, the Moses Hughes Mill ruins, and St. Paul's A.M.E. Church. These four historic resources were included on Preservation Texas's 2023 Most Endangered Places List.
PALACIOS: Historic Luther Hotel saved from demolition
Preservationists working to save an early 1900s hotel on the Texas coast have declared victory, saying it has survived an immediate threat of demolition! But there’s still work to be done to raise money and coordinate restoration of the Luther Hotel.
TOMLINSON HILL: Old Settlers group restores historical structures, breathes new life into Falls County reunion grounds
The Old Settlers and Veterans Association of Falls County, a group dedicated to preserving early Falls County and Texas history, spent several years bringing the structures back from the brink of destruction. The structures, a tabernacle built in 1914 and a log cabin built in the 1840s, were previously included on Preservation Texas' Most Endangered Places list.
TYLER: Historic Tyler church undergoes preservation work
Efforts continue to preserve and repair the steeple of Marvin Methodist Church, which has stood since the early 1890s. Designated a Texas Historic Landmark in 1968, a storm knocked many shingles off of the steeple several years ago, calling for extensive repairs.
SHANKLEVILLE: Michael Strahan learns deep-rooted family history of Shankleville, an East Texas freedom colony
"Good Morning America" co-anchor Michael Strahan was able to return to the East Texas community of Shankleville, where his ancestry could be traced to people born into slavery and set free at the end of the Civil War, who went on to build a self-sufficient Black community.
STATEWIDE: Texas Preservation Trust Fund grant applications are now open
The Texas Historical Commission is accepting Texas Preservation Trust Fund grant applications for fiscal year 2025. This program offers matching, reimbursable grants for historic preservation projects affecting archeological, architectural, and heritage education resources. Applications are due by February 5, 2024.
NATIONAL: Urge Your Representative to Support National Historic Trail Designation for Route 66
Legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives to designate Route 66 as a National Historic Trail, a designation that would enhance the preservation and protection of historic Route 66. The National Trust for Historic Preservation invites you to send a letter to your House Rep asking that they cosponsor and support H.R. 4338.
