November Newsletter
NOVEMBER 4, 2025
EVENTS & PROGRAMS
Preservation Training Workshop at Bonham State Park
November 14 & 15, 2025
Join Preservation Texas and the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) for an exclusive hands-on preservation training workshop at historic Bonham State Park. Led by heritage trades experts Ron Siebler, Rick Wood, and Joseph Janota, participants will learn traditional methods of historic stone and timber construction, explore best practices for repair and restoration of historic materials, and gain hands-on experience repairing and replacing damaged materials on the park’s 1936 CCC-built Pump House.
This two-day workshop will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Friday, November 14, and Saturday, November 15, with optional free lodging available at the park. Visit preservationtexas.org/bonham for more information and a detailed workshop itinerary.
Registration is $125 for Preservation Texas members or $150 for non-members. Space is limited to 15 public participants, who will train alongside 15 TPWD staff members during the workshop. Register now while spots remain!
Pictured above: The CCC Pump House at Bonham State Park.
2025 Honor Awards Recap
The 2025 Preservation Texas Honor Awards Ceremony took place on October 30th at the historic Scottish Rite Hall in downtown San Antonio. This year, we celebrated eight remarkable individuals whose work has advanced preservation across Texas, along with thirteen outstanding preservation, restoration, and rehabilitation projects from across the state.
We are grateful to the San Antonio Philharmonic for hosting us in their beautiful venue, to Melissa Doussard for her volunteer photography, and to our generous event sponsors—Matthews, Bill & Kate Johnson, O’Connell Architecture, Katherine Seale, the Mexican American Civil Rights Institute, and Joanna & John Hampton—for making the evening possible.
SAVE THE DATE: West Texas Borderlands Preservation Summit in El Paso January 29 & 30, 2026
Join Preservation Texas in downtown El Paso for a two-day event exploring historic preservation in Far West Texas.
The program begins Thursday afternoon with a hard-hat tour of the historic Kress Building followed by a reception at our West Texas Heritage Center. On Friday, participants will gather at the El Paso Convention Center for a full day of presentations and discussions.
Sessions will explore preservation planning, cultural landscape preservation, tax credit incentive case studies, and other topics offering valuable insights for professionals, advocates, volunteers, and the general public alike. Selected sessions will qualify for AIA continuing education credits. Further event details and registration information coming soon!
NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Preservation Texas Awarded $45,000 Grant from Harry L. Willett Foundation
We are grateful to the Harry L. Willett Foundation for a grant in the amount of $45,000 in support of our San Marcos-based Central Texas programs. This funding will allow us to continue serving the region by offering historic preservation education, public outreach, and technical assistance to historic property owners, led by our Central Texas Program Officer Jesús Najar.
Preservation Texas Has Purchased Historic College Hill in Tehuacana
As of October 15, 2025, Preservation Texas has officially taken title to College Hill in Tehuacana, completing the purchase from the Trinity Institute. The 10-acre site, where Trinity University was founded in 1869, will become the home of the Preservation Texas Institute, a statewide center for preservation education, training, and research.
The campus includes several historic buildings, among which is Texas Hall (pictured above), one of the state’s most endangered landmarks. Its restoration will be the cornerstone of Preservation Texas’s work leading up to the Texas Bicentennial in 2036.
Join us in bringing the Preservation Texas Institute to life—through a donation, volunteering, or helping shape future programs by taking our survey. Learn more at SaveTexasHall.org.
Join the Preservation Texas Board of Directors!
Preservation Texas invites you to apply to serve on our Board of Directors. Board members serve three-year terms and play a key role in ensuring our programs and initiatives thrive. Our board is made up of volunteers from across Texas, with up to 27 members allowed—no more than three from each of our nine regions. Our Northeast Texas region is full at this time.
BOARD MEMBER REQUIREMENTS:
Must be a current member of Preservation Texas
Attend quarterly in-person board meetings held in various locations across the state
Contribute a minimum of $2,000 annually in addition to providing other fundraising assistance
If you’re interested in applying, please complete the Google Form linked below. If you’d like to recommend someone or have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.
STATEWIDE UPDATES
Stakeholder Meeting Hosted in Tehuacana
Preservation Texas recently convened local stakeholders at the Tehuacana Methodist Church to discuss and gather feedback on the future Preservation Texas Institute. The session, led by strategic planning consultant Candace Matelic, PhD, is part of a larger business plan supported by grants from the Texas Historical Foundation and the Summerlee Foundation.
PT to Prepare Preservation Plan for Hudspeth County Buildings
On September 5, 2025, the Hudspeth County Commissioners Court approved a motion to hire Preservation Texas to prepare a preservation plan for two circa 1880s county-owned buildings in Sierra Blanca: the Southern Pacific Railroad Depot and the adobe Palace Hotel. Victor Hurtado, PT’s West Texas Program Officer, attended the meeting and delivered a presentation.
This plan will offer Hudspeth County actionable recommendations and a clear roadmap for maintaining and protecting both buildings.
Pictured above: The Southern Pacific Railroad Depot (left) and Palace Hotel (Right) in Sierra Blanca.
PT to Prepare National Register DOE for 1929 Lufkin Central Fire Station
The City of Lufkin has retained Preservation Texas to prepare a Determination of Eligibility (DOE) for the historic Lufkin Central Fire Station, designed by Shirley Simons and completed in 1929. The DOE is the first step in applying for a National Register of Historic Places designation and is also a prerequisite for PT to accept a preservation easement on the property. The City intends to donate an easement to PT to help ensure the building’s architectural integrity is maintained.
Preservation Texas Brings Adobe at the Pass Exhibit to Los Portales Museum in San Elizario
Preservation Texas’s bilingual exhibit, Adobe at the Pass: Documenting the Mission Valley in 1936, is now on display at the Los Portales Museum in San Elizario through February 14, 2026. The museum, located at 1521 San Elizario Road, is open from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursday through Tuesday.
An opening reception was held last month, attended by our West Texas Program Officer, Victor Hurtado. We extend our thanks to County Commissioner Iliana Holguin and Alderman Thomas Black of the San Elizario City Council for joining us and delivering remarks at the event.
