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February 20, 2013
For more information, contact: Anna Glover Hudson, 512-472-0102 (O)/931-260-1240(C)
anna@preservationtexas.org
Shirley Wills, 210-822-2378 (O)/210-365-4488 (C)
Shirley.Wills@att.net
Photos and individual news releases on all sites are available at www.preservationtexas.org; and www.facebook.com/PreservationTexas
Local spokespersons: Janet Gregg, 903-683-2086
John Garbutt, 903-683-3089
PRESERVATION TEXAS NAMES TEXAS STATE RAILROAD
A SAVED SITE ON ITS TENTH ANNIVERSARY RETROSPECTIVE LIST OF
TEXAS’ MOST ENDANGERED HISTORIC PLACES
Sites in Bexar, Dallas, Duval, El Paso, Harris, Kaufman, Motley, Nueces, Refugio, Rusk,
Terrell and Travis Counties Named to 2013 List
AUSTIN, TEXAS…The Texas State Railroad have been named by Preservation Texas, Inc. to its tenth anniversary retrospective list of Texas’ Most Endangered Historic Places.
Originally named to the 2007 list of Texas’Most Endangered Historic Places, the railroad is designated as saved on the 2013 list.
Preservation Texas officials announced the selections on the steps of the Texas State Capitol on Preservation Day, February 20. The annual announcement is part of Preservation Day activities organized by Preservation Texas. Advocates from all over the state come to participate in informational sessions, meet with legislators at the Capitol and get an in depth look at lessons to be learned from the sites named to the list.
“The 2013 list provides a retrospective for us,” said Charlene Orr, president of Preservation Texas, Inc., a statewide partner of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “We decided to focus on lessons learned during the last 10 years by highlighting success stories as well as losses and threatened sites that continue to need urgent attention.” The 2013 list includes six saved sites, three threatened sites and three lost sites.
“Our six saved sites reflect the importance of collaboration between committed grassroots leadership and elected officials and city officials who realize the importance of historic preservation.” she continued. “It’s this powerful combination of resources that can make the difference in preserving a site or losing it.”
“Inclusion of lost sites is important because it illustrates some of the very real obstacles communities face in their efforts to preserve the historic resources of Texas,” said Orr. “And by including threatened sites, we hope to generate additional support that will take them to the next level in their preservation process.”
The Texas State Railroad (TSRR), designated the “official railroad of Texas” by the Texas Legislature, is recognized as one of the nation’s largest and most unique steam train operations The Railroad began in the 1880s as a way to deliver pig iron produced by the prison located in Rusk. It was converted to a heritage railroad attraction in 1976 by the Legislature and became a major tourist attraction. However, it was scheduled to become a static display when the Legislature refused to fund its operation, and the local community had almost exhausted its financial resources.
In 2007 management of the TSRR was privatized with a contract with American Heritage Railways. In conjunction with this, the state formed the Texas State Railroad Authority, to oversee the railroad and to ensure that this Texas treasure continues to function as it always has.
The TSRR Authority board is comprised of members from both Rusk and Palestine, where the two depots are located. The members of this board are passionate about the railroad, and not only its continued existence, but that it also evolve with the times and grow and flourish. In August of 2012 American Heritage Railways sold the Texas State Railroad to Iowa Pacific Holdings. In addition to continuing passenger operations, Iowa Pacific Holdings re-opened the track to the main line in Palestine in November 2012 and is now able to offer freight services.
In 2012, the Texas State Railroad hosted more than 52,000 riders, with more than 43,000 of them riding during the The Polar Express™ Train Ride special event, which occurs in November and December. Riders came from 35 states and three countries. The state’s decision to privatize the railroad and to create a quasi-governmental governing body in the form of the Texas State Railroad Authority Board was the turning point in preserving the site.
Named to the Preservation Texas tenth anniversary retrospective list of Texas’ Most EndangeredHistoric Places were:
SAVED SITES
John S. Harrison House, 1852
14997 Evans Rd. Selma, Bexar County
2006 Most Endangered List
Grota Homestead Neighborhood, 1890s
Houston, Harris County
2006 Most Endangered List
Statler Hilton Hotel, 1956
1914 Commerce Street, Dallas, Dallas County
2008 Most Endangered List
Albert Fall Mansion, 1907
1725 Arizona Avenue, El Paso, El Paso County
2004 Most Endangered List
Texas Capitol View Corridors
Austin, Travis County
2007 Most Endangered List
Texas State Railroad, 1896
Palestine and Rusk
Rusk, Anderson and Cherokee Counties
2007 Most Endangered List
LOST SITES
Corpus Christi Memorial Coliseum, 1954
402 South Shoreline Boulevard, Corpus Christi, Nueces County
2004 Most Endangered List
Sanderson Railroad Depot, 1883
Sanderson, Terrell County
2005 Most Endangered List
Port of El Copano, 1722
Near Bayside, Refugio County
2008 Most Endangered List
THREATENED
Bob’s Oil Well, c. 1930
Junction of Highway 70 and State Highway 70, Matador, Motley County
2004 Most Endangered List
Kaufman County Poor Farm, 1883
Texas Highway 34 and FM 1388, Kaufman, Kaufman County
2012 Most Endangered List
Duval County Courthouse. 1916
400 E. Gravis Ave., San Diego, Duval County
2011 Most Endangered List
Sites receiving the Texas’ Most Endangered Places designation receive consultation in such areas as technical assistance to identify preservation needs and set priorities, fund raising expertise, and advocacy assistance by fostering partnerships and building community support. Preservation Texas also helps to raise awareness with social media.
Preservation Texas, Inc. is a statewide nonprofit organization that advocates for preserving the historic resources in Texas. Preservation Texas named its first list of endangered historic sites in 2004. Preservation Texas’ Most Endangered Historic Places program is funded by generous grants from the Burdine Johnson Foundation, Texas Historical Commission, and the Partners in the Field Challenge grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and our sponsors.
For more information on Texas’ Most Endangered Historic Places, visit our Web site at www.preservationtexas.org, or phone Preservation Texas, Inc. at 512-472-0102.
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