July Newsletter
JULY 7, 2026
MOST ENDANGERED PLACES UPDATES
Dallas City Hall Named to World Monuments Fund's Irreplaceable America List
Following its inclusion on our 2026 Most Endangered Places List, Dallas City Hall has been named to World Monuments Fund's new Irreplaceable America list, recognizing 10 historic places whose preservation is vital to the nation's history as the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary.
Designed by I.M. Pei and completed in 1978, Dallas City Hall is one of America's most significant examples of modern civic architecture. Today, the building faces redevelopment pressure and proposals for abandonment or demolition based on questionable estimates of the cost to maintain and upgrade it.
The Save Dallas City Hall coalition is leading efforts to protect the building through legal advocacy, public education, and community engagement. Supporters are encouraged to contact their Dallas City Council representatives and contribute to the coalition's campaign.
Learn more about the Irreplaceable America program at wmf.org/irreplaceable-america and the campaign to save Dallas City Hall at savedallascityhall.com.
Pictured: 1981 Historic American Buildings Survey photo of Dallas City Hall.
Historic Tiner-Hendrick House Moved to New Site, Saved from Demolition
After plans to demolish the 1887 Tiner-Hendrick House in Sutherland Springs became known last year, local preservation advocate Dr. Melinda Creech organized the Friends of the Tiner-Hendrick House and led efforts to save the historic structure. Following the building's inclusion on Preservation Texas's 2025 Most Endangered Places list, the group launched an advocacy and fundraising campaign that resulted in the home's successful relocation last month!
The Friends group hired Fowler House Movers to divide the structure into five sections and carefully transport it 3.5 miles north to its new site near the Polley Mansion, an 1847 sandstone house that was included on our 2016 MEP list and has since been restored. At its new location, the Tiner-Hendrick House will be restored, interpreted, and eventually serve as the home of a historian-in-residence program that complements the programs of Polley Mansion.
Preservation Texas staff provided technical assistance throughout the complex relocation process, helping identify an appropriate new site, documenting the building, and developing a comprehensive preservation plan for the house.
ADVOCACY ALERT
Houston Advocates Propose Alternative to Demolition of Holland Lodge No. 1
A group of Houston preservation advocates is calling for a pause to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston's plan to demolish the historic Holland Lodge No. 1 building at 4911 Montrose Boulevard to make way for a new public park. The group is urging the museum to consider alternatives, including a proposal that would preserve the building's distinctive front façade and its carved stone frieze by renowned sculptor William McVey while allowing the planned park to move forward.
Designed by noted Houston architect Milton McGinty and completed in 1954, the building is considered a significant example of mid-century architecture. Its sculptural frieze depicts the history of Freemasonry, including the founding of the first Masonic lodge in Texas in 1835, and reflects McVey's lasting artistic connections to Houston. Advocates argue that preserving the building's front façade and sculptural frieze would create a welcoming pavilion within the new park while safeguarding an important piece of Houston's architectural heritage.
PRESERVATION TEXAS INSTITUTE UPDATE
Book Donation Strengthens Future PTI Library Collection
The Johnson County Historical Commission has donated 212 books on Texas and Indigenous history to Preservation Texas that will become part of the future Preservation Texas Institute Library in Tehuacana, housed in the restored Texas Hall. We extend our thanks to CHC Chair Sandra Neeley for facilitating this generous donation!
If you have books or other materials you would like to donate to the library, please visit savetexashall.org/donations to learn more.
Pictured: Preservation Texas's executive director Evan Thompson receiving the books from Sandra Neeley.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Buildings on the Move: Case Studies in Relocating Historic Structures
Thursday, August 13, 2026 | New Braunfels
Join Preservation Texas in New Braunfels for a one-day Summit exploring the challenges, opportunities, and best practices in moving historic buildings. Through a series of recent Central Texas case studies, sessions will address the policy, advocacy, planning, and logistics involved in relocation projects.
The event will take place on August 13 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the New Braunfels Conservation Society’s Historic Old Town, a 3.5-acre heritage village featuring 18 relocated nineteenth-century German-Texan structures. During the lunch break, attendees will have the opportunity to tour several of the site’s historic buildings. Lunch is included with registration.
Pictured: The Palm House in Round Rock being relocated in 2024.
In-person registration is $40 for current Preservation Texas members, or $50 for non-members. A virtual attendance option is also available. In-person registration is limited to 50 attendees.
Visit PreservationTexas.org/CTXSummit26 to learn more and register while spots remain. Sponsorship opportunities are available!
Historic Log Building Symposium 2.0
Thursday, September 3 & Friday, September 4, 2026 | Huntsville
Join Preservation Texas in Huntsville on September 3–4 for the 2026 Historic Log Building Symposium on the grounds of the Sam Houston Memorial Museum and Republic of Texas Presidential Library! The Symposium begins Thursday evening with an opening reception and keynote presentation by museum director Derrick Birdsall, followed on Friday by a full day of presentations from preservation professionals, craftspeople, and scholars on a variety of topics related to the preservation of historic log buildings. Registration includes lunch and an optional tour of the museum grounds following Friday’s program.
For those looking for a more immersive experience, a Pre-Symposium Field Seminar will be offered on Thursday, led by timber framing and log building preservation specialist Jean Becnel. Participants will receive hands-on instruction in traditional hewing and notching techniques while exploring the museum’s collection of log structures. This session is limited to 25 participants. First-come, first-served!
Registration:
Symposium + Field Seminar: $225
Symposium Only: $150
Field Seminar Only: $75
Grounds of the Sam Houston Memorial Museum and Republic of Texas Presidential Library.
This event is part of Preservation Texas's broader effort to support the preservation of Texas's historic log buildings, including our new $750,000 National Park Service-funded Historic Rural Log Building Grant Program. The symposium's discussions and presentations will help inform the development of a Texas Log Building Preservation Manual.
Learn more and register today at preservationtexas.org/symposium.
SPONSORED BY: Bill & Kate Johnson
Historic Black Churches of East Corsicana Walking Tour
Saturday, September 12, 2026 | Corsicana
Join Preservation Texas on September 12 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. for a free guided walking tour of East Corsicana's historic Black churches. Led by church leaders, local historians, and preservationists, this special tour will take participants inside each church to learn about its history, architecture, and enduring significance.
The tour will begin at GW Jackson Legacy Park (700 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd), where coffee and breakfast refreshments will be available. Stops on the tour include:
6th Avenue Baptist Church (125 S 5th Street)
First Independent Baptist Church (701 GW Jackson Avenue)
Wesley Chapel CME Church (915 GW Jackson Avenue)
Bethel AME Church (105 N 4th Street)
This event is free and open to the public! The walking route covers approximately three-quarters of a mile and is suitable for most participants. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
Pictured: First Independent Baptist Church (left) and Wesley Chapel CME Church (right) were subgrantees in Preservation Texas’s Rural African American Heritage Grants Program, which was funded by at $750,000 grant from the National Park Service.
College Hill Festival at the Preservation Texas Institute
Saturday, October 10, 2026 | Tehuacana
Mark your calendar for the first annual College Hill Festival at the Preservation Texas Institute in Tehuacana! This free event will feature activities for all ages, including live heritage trades demonstrations, a rummage sale, exhibits, food trucks, raffle prizes, an outdoor concert, and more.
Spend the day exploring our historic campus, originally established in 1869 as the home of Trinity University, and learn about our one-of-a-kind vision for the future Preservation Texas Institute. Visit savetexashall.org/festival to learn more.
Northeast Texas History Cycle: Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge Bike Tour
Saturday, December 5, 2026 | Karnack
Join Preservation Texas for a unique guided bicycle tour exploring the history, landscapes, and surviving resources of the former Longhorn Army Ammunition Plant (now the Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge) in Karnack, Texas.
This leisurely, 14.5-mile guided ride will take participants through one of the most significant Cold War-era industrial and military landscapes in Texas. Along the route, participants will visit historic production areas, military infrastructure, nineteenth century cemeteries, and other notable sites while learning about the plant's role in supporting the nation's defense efforts during World War II and the Cold War. The tour will include multiple interpretive stops led by historians and preservation professionals, as well as lunch at the Star Ranch Pavilion overlooking Caddo Lake.
Just a 15 minute drive from Karnack, Jefferson’s annual Candlelight Tour of Homes will take place the same weekend, offering an excellent opportunity to expand your visit into a full East Texas historical excursion.
Additional details and registration information will be announced soon.
