December Newsletter
Today, on Giving Tuesday, Preservation Texas invites you to support our 2024 Annual Fund. Thanks to the generosity of our members, donors, and sponsors, 2024 has been a year of significant progress for our organization. From advancing the Texas Rural African American Heritage Grants Program to furthering community outreach, developing educational events and hands-on workshops, and establishing several new programs, we have made strides. But we can't do this important work without your continued support. Your fully tax-deductible contribution will help us close out 2024 strong and set a solid foundation for 2025.
NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
New Preservation Texas Online Store
Just in time for the holidays, Preservation Texas has launched a new online storefront where you can shop for branded merch and other goods. The best part is, all proceeds support our work to protect Texas’s historic places! Visit preservationtexas.org/shop to shop now.
Preservation Texas Awarded $5,000 Grant from Calvert K. Collins Family Foundation
We are grateful to the Dallas-based Calvert K. Collins Family Foundation for a grant in the amount of $5,000 in support of our Northeast Texas programs. This funding will allow us to continue serving the region by offering historic preservation education and public outreach, providing technical assistance to historic property owners, overseeing the rehabilitation of the 1939 Linden Fire Station, and managing the Texas Rural African-American Heritage Grants Program.
MONTHLY SPOTLIGHTS
Most Endangered Places List Spotlight
The Scott-Barker House in Melissa (Collin County) was built circa 1880. This important house is a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark and is the oldest remaining building in the rapidly developing city.
It was included on our Most Endangered Places list earlier this year, as its future is uncertain. Local advocates seek a creative adaptive reuse solution that would enable the one-of-a-kind house to remain on its original site as a tangible link to Melissa's 19th-century origins.
Social Media Spotlight
Popular November Facebook Post: Circa 1880 adobe officers quarters at the site of Old Fort Bliss in El Paso, photographed by our West Texas Program Officer, Victor Hurtado, on a recent visit. The site was included on our Most Endangered Places List in 2014.
Popular November Instagram Post: Our Lady of Visitation Catholic Church in Santa Maria (Cameron County) was built in 1880-1882. The Gothic-Revival style edifice was constructed of bricks made at nearby El Rancho de Santa Maria. It was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1977.
SAVE THE DATE
Preservation Texas Annual Report / Virtual Membership Meeting January 15th
Current Preservation Texas members will be invited to tune in to our virtual annual report and membership meeting on Wednesday, January 15th at noon. Participants will hear from our board president and staff, who will provide an overview of our accomplishments in 2024 and also share our plans for 2025. This will be a great opportunity for members to ask us any questions and offer their input!
Preservation Advocacy Day at the Capitol February 19th
Stay tuned for further details coming soon!
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY
The Outsider Preservation Initiative has announced that grant funding is now available for descendant-led projects in Texas that bring historic Black communities to life through storytelling, arts, and preservation.
Visit outsiderpreservation.com/grants to learn more! Applications are due by January 17, 2025.