SEPTEMBER LUNCH & LEARN WEBINAR: The Architecture of Wesley Clark Dodson
With Mark Helen Dodson, author of The Architecture of Wesley Clark Dodson: Legacy of a Good Name
Wednesday, September 17, 2025 at 12:00 PM CST
Join Preservation Texas for our September Lunch & Learn Webinar with author Mary Helen Dodson as she introduces her forthcoming book, The Architecture of Wesley Clark Dodson. Wesley Clark Dodson (1829–1914) was a leading Texas architect during the Reconstruction era, best known for designing county courthouses and jails during the state’s “golden age of courthouse construction.”
During this webinar, Helen will share the story of her great-grandfather’s remarkable career — from rebuilding his life after the Civil War to designing courthouses, jails, churches, and schools that shaped civic life across Texas. Featuring highlights of his most notable works, including the Parker, Hill, and Lampasas County Courthouses still in use today, this book offers fresh insights into Dodson’s lasting architectural legacy.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER
Mary Helen Dodson is a retired program administrator from Educational Testing Service, where she helped develop numerous American History examinations. After retiring, she pursued research into her family history and discovered a trove of materials about her great-grandfather, Wesley Clark Dodson. What began as a personal project to create a family memoir grew into a larger story: Dodson’s pivotal role as a post–Civil War architect and a leading figure in Texas’s “golden age of courthouse construction.” Her book, The Architecture of Wesley Clark Dodson: Legacy of a Good Name, is being published by Texas A&M Press and is available for preorder. She resides in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.
HOW TO REGISTER
Preservation Texas members can register in their online Preservation Texas account portal. Once logged in, click “Webinar Registration” in the left sidebar menu. If you are not a current member, we’d love to have you join or renew!
If you are unable to attend, don't worry! Lunch & Learn webinars will be recorded and uploaded to your online Preservation Texas account portal where you can watch or re-watch them later.