Preservation Texas 2023 Program Guide

PROGRAM GUIDE 2023

WE ARE SUPPORTED BY

Cover: Mount Zion United Methodist Church in Belton (Bell Co.). See pages 8-9.

December 20, 2022

Ms. Kate Johnson

The Luther Hotel is a coastal Texas icon which represents our shared history and collective memory. It has stood the test of time and endures as a symbol of Palacios and the resiliency of our state's historic architecture The loss of the Luther would be devastating to the future of heritage tourism in the city

4119 West FM 150

Kyle, TX 78640

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S LETTER

Dear Ms. Johnson:

Dear Friends,

Over the last several years, heritage tourism has grown increasingly popular In a rapidly globalizing world, competition among destinations to attract heritage tourists is fierce. These tourists want to visit unique places where they can experience local culture They are seeking places that are attractive, authentic, and have a developed sense of identity. Importantly, heritage tourists tend to stay longer at their destination and put more money into the local economy than other types of travelers

The Luther Hotel's listing on the National Register of Historic Places and as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark qualifies it for state and federal historic tax credits This means that 45% of the rehabilitation costs of the building would be eligible as a tax credit. Further, the voluntary donation of a permanent historic preservation easement on the building would offer significant income tax benefits to a private owner.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Preservation Texas, a 501(c)(3) taxexempt organization (EIN #75-2129913), thank you for your monthly donations totaling $20,598.70 between June and December of 2022.

The Luther Hotel is a tangible piece of history that gives us an understanding of the city’s past that no other document or evidence can provide. Its preservation will foster long-term heritage tourism in Palacios We urge you to protect the Luther Hotel for the future of Palacios and on behalf of Texans everywhere who for generations to come will be able to stay in one of the last surviving historic hotels anywhere along the Texas coast

In 2023, Preservation Texas will embark upon a new direction led by the establishment of two full time regional program offices in Central and Northeast Texas. With plans to open a third office in West Texas, we will begin to implement the vision of the Board of Directors to operate regionally, which will make it possible for Preservation Texas to meet the local needs of preservationists. Through renewed membership programs, a new website, a stronger social media presence, and robust advocacy, grant making, and stewardship initiatives, Preservation Texas will continue to deliver a full range of critically needed statewide programs.

Sincerely,

Evan Thompson Executive Director

EVAN R. THOMPSON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR San Marcos

Preservation Texas derives its strength and effectiveness from its members and we are proud to have your support.

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

I often tell people, ‘Yes, I’m a preservation architect, but first and foremost I’m a preservation advocate.’ As a lifelong preservationist and long-time member of Preservation Texas, I joined the Board of Directors five years ago because I believe in the critical role Preservation Texas plays as a membership based organization that provides a strong voice for all of us working not only in the field, but as advocates. I am proud of the work that our staff and fellow board members have and will accomplish in the year ahead, and continue to be inspired by the tireless efforts of local preservationists working to save our irreplaceable heritage. Preservation Texas exists to support these efforts, and I look forward to another year of preservation successes.

CHARLES JOHN, AIA

PRESIDENT

San Antonio

2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OFFICERS

CHARLES JOHN

PRESIDENT

San Antonio

WILLIS WINTERS

PRESIDENT-ELECT

Mineral Wells

SUE LAZARA

VICE PRESIDENT

Linden

RON SIEBLER TREASURER

Dallas

CHARLENE ORR SECRETARY Kaufman

DIRECTORS

WILLIAM BATSON

Prairie View

DERRICK BIRDSALL

Huntsville

SEHILA CASPER

Bastrop

MAX GROSSMAN

El Paso

AUGUST HARRIS

Austin

DIXIE HOOVER

Hawley

KATE JOHNSON

Kyle

SERENA PUTEGNAT

Brownsville

JOSE RODRIGUEZ

El Paso

DODIE JUAREZ SCOTT

Wimberley

ADVOCACY

Since our founding in 1985, Preservation Texas has played an important role as the voice for preservation in the Texas legislature. It is only through state legislation that it is possible to establish local historic preservation ordinances and incentive programs. Likewise, the valuable state historic tax credit was created by the state legislature.

The protection and strengthening of local preservation programs and the state historic tax credit have been and

will remain top advocacy priorities in 2023. Additional priorities will include generous funding for our state’s nationally renowned Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program and full funding for our State Historic Preservation Office (the Texas Historical Commission).

Our biennial Preservation Advocacy Day will be held at the Capitol in March this year. For updates and information, visit PreservationTexas.org.

The Texas State Capitol © Stan A. Williams.

The 1861 Cass County Courthouse in Linden was restored through the THC’s Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program. © Jeff Wilson.

MOST ENDANGERED PLACES 2022

The sites named to Preservation Texas’s 2022 Most Endangered Places list join a growing list that began in 2004, all of which merit the investment of the time and resources necessary to save them. Of the more than 150 individual sites that have been included on the list over the last 18 years, only 14, or 9%, have been lost.

The endangered places included on the 2022 list are of historic, architectural and cultural value, coming from a variety of urban and rural settings across the state. The list reflects the diversity of historic resources in Texas and the threats that they face.

BOLIVAR POINT LIGHTHOUSE Port Bolivar (Galveston Co.)

BOWIE-WATSON HOUSE Austin (Travis Co.)

CINDY WALKER HOUSE Mexia (Limestone Co.)

CULTURAL LANDSCAPE OF LUCKENBACH Luckenbach (Gillespie Co.)

EPPERSON’S FERRY Near Maud (Bowie & Cass Cos.)

FARRINGTON FIELD HISTORIC DISTRICT Fort Worth (Tarrant Co.)

HISTORIC RESOURCES OF TEHUACANA Tehuacana (Limestone Co.)

LUTHER HOTEL Palacios (Matagorda Co.)

WEST TEXAS UTILITIES POWER PLANT Abilene (Taylor Co.)

HISTORICALLY SEGREGATED MEXICAN-AMERICAN SCHOOLS Statewide Theme

“GHOST SIGNS” Statewide Theme

CARPENTER GOTHIC CHURCHES Statewide Theme

RURAL AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE SITES Statewide Theme

TEXAS RURAL AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE GRANTS PROGRAM

Preservation Texas’s new Texas Rural African-American Heritage Grants Program was created to provide direct funding to some of the most endangered historic places in our state. The program provides matching grants of up to $75,000 to support the stabilization, preservation, restoration, or rehabilitation of rural African-American historic buildings in Texas that had institutional or commercial uses. This program has been made possible by a $750,000 Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant from the National Park Service.

In 2022, Preservation Texas awarded grants to eleven sites through a competitive process. Over the next two years, these sites will benefit from important investments to ensure that they survive. Each site has been determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.

BRENHAM NORMAL & INDUSTRIAL COLLEGE Brenham (Washington Co.)

BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH Tennessee Colony (Anderson Co.)

CONCORD ROSENWALD SCHOOL Near Mount Enterprise (Rusk Co.)

FIRST INDEPENDENT BAPTIST CHURCH Corsicana (Navarro Co.)

MOUNT ZION UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Belton (Bell Co.)

JAMISON-THOMPSON-WEATHERFORD BUILDING Texarkana (Bowie Co.)

OLD MASONIC HALL Lufkin (Angelina Co.)

MACEDONIA ROCK SCHOOL Linden (Cass Co.)

PALACIOS COLORED SCHOOL Palacios (Matagorda Co.)

MOUNT VERNON A.M.E. CHURCH Palestine (Anderson Co.)

WESLEY CHAPEL Corsicana (Navarro Co.)

Bassett Farms Conservancy is the property of Preservation Texas, a gift of the late Willie Ford (Bassett) Sparkman. The historic 2,400-acre farm and ranch, located southeast of Waco, includes a range of historic, cultural, natural and archaeological resources.

In 2022, we made major progress on the exterior restoration of the 1875 Bassett House and completed restoration of two late 19th century outbuildings. We have also completed a comprehensive cultural landscape report for the core acreage of Bassett Farms Conservancy, which will guide the ongoing rehabilitation of the property as a statewide preservation training center.

HOPEWELL FREEDOM COLONY

The Bassett Farms Conservancy property includes Hopewell Freedom Colony, established in 1875. In 2023, we will complete a full documentation and conditions assessment project, funded by The Summerlee Foundation and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

KOSSE EDUCATION CENTER

In 2023, a former Kosse City Hall, built circa 1915, will be transformed into the Kosse Education Center. The Center will be the starting point for those who visit Bassett Farms, and will include exhibits and meeting spaces that will serve the educational program needs for the Conservancy.

To learn more about Bassett Farms Conservancy, visit BassettFarms.org

1875 BASSETT HOUSE Before

1875 BASSETT HOUSE After

c. 1895 COTTONSEED SHED Before

c. 1895 COTTONSEED SHED After

c. 1900 CURING SHED Before

c. 1900 CURING SHED After

CENTRAL TEXAS REGIONAL OFFICE

Our Central Texas office is based in San Marcos (Hays Co.)

PANHANDLE/ PLAINS

NORTH CENTRAL NORTHEAST SOUTHEAST

Made possible by the support of

PRESERVATION TEXAS

In 2022, Preservation Texas’s Board of Directors agreed to move to a regional office model for the delivery of preservation education and technical assistance programs. Historic preservation is intensely local and site-specific, and regional offices will enable PT to have a more direct and sustained impact across the state.

In September of 2022, Samantha Hunick was hired to serve as Preservation Texas’s statewide Communications Manager and Central Texas Program Officer. Sam grew up in Marble Falls and is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a degree in Environmental Design. She received her master’s degree in Preservation Design from the Savannah College of Art and Design.

With a background in graphic design, Sam will help to develop print and online communications, manage our social media channels, and coordinate our membership programs. Importantly, Sam will serve as a first point of contact for members and stakeholders within

a 28-county region of Central Texas. This position has been made possible by the generous support of The Burdine Johnson Foundation.

Jackson Chapel, San Marcos (Hays Co.)

Dabney Hill Lodge Hall (Burleson Co.)

St. John Colony Cemetery (Caldwell Co.)

Samantha Hunick

NORTHEAST TEXAS REGIONAL OFFICE

Our Northeast Texas office is based in Tyler (Smith Co.)

PANHANDLE/ PLAINS NORTH CENTRAL

Made possible by the support of

Conor Herterich was hired in January of 2023 as Preservation Texas’s Endangered Properties Manager and Northeast Texas Program Officer. Conor holds a masters degree in public history from Stephen F. Austin State University. He has a passion for hands-on preservation and learning about vernacular buildings and construction methods.

From 2018-2021, Conor worked for the city of Bloomington, Indiana as the Historic Preservation Program Manager where he facilitated local preservation ordinances and applied design review to hundreds of projects impacting historic buildings throughout twelve local historic districts. He worked in cultural resource management from 2021-2022 as an architectural historian, where he made numerous NRHP eligibility assessments and participated in drafting and implementing Programmatic and

Memorandum Agreements for projects involving adverse effects to culturallysignificant properties.

Based in Tyler, Conor will serve as a first point of contact for members and stakeholders in the Northeast Texas region, and will also oversee our Rural African-American Heritage Grants Program and future Northeast Texas revolving fund projects.

Mount Vernon A.M.E. Church, Palestine (Anderson Co.)

Concord Rosenwald School, near Mount Enterprise (Rusk Co.)

Linden Fire Station, Linden (Cass Co.)

Conor Herterich

FUTURE REGIONAL GOALS

To date, Preservation Texas has established a Central Texas office based in San Marcos, as well as a Northeast Texas office based in Tyler. Existing offices have been made possible by the support of the Burdine Johnson Foundation (Central Texas), the Dealy Family Foundation and the Summerlee Foundation (Northeast Texas). Additional regional offices will open as funding becomes available.

PLAINS

A West Texas office, to be based in El Paso, is expected to open later in 2023.

PRESERVATION TEXAS MEMBERSHIP

Preservation Texas is a private, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to protecting the historic and cultural resources of Texas. Through our membership network, we:

• Engage at the local level in support of endangered historic places;

• Deliver timely advocacy on critical preservation issues;

• Provide educational programming that empowers members to be stewards and protectors of our state’s cultural heritage; and

• Identify and recognize outstanding preservation projects and initiatives through our biennial Honor Awards

MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES

• Student Membership: $25

• Individual Membership: $40

• Household Membership: $75

• Local Government/ Nonprofit Membership: $100

• Friend Membership: $250

• Small Business Membership: $250

• Patron Membership: $500

• Benefactor Membership: $1,000

SUSTAINING MEMBERSHIPS

An easy way to support Preservation Texas through monthly donations

• $250 Monthly Giving

• $100 Monthly Giving

• $50 Monthly Giving

• $25 Monthly Giving

To join or renew your membership online visit PreservationTexas.org/Membership

BUSINESS SPONSORSHIPS

The exposure that Preservation Texas can bring to your business will strengthen our shared interest in providing the highest level of support for preservation projects in Texas.

• $500 Level

• $1,000 Level

• $2,500 Level

• $5,000 Level

• $7,500 Level

• 10,000 Level

To become a Business Sponsor visit PreservationTexas.org/Sponsor