The Anton Wulff House, built in 1870, will be restored by the San Antonio Conservation Society Foundation

The Texas Historical Foundation is proud to announce eight new grantees in our Summer 2025 grant cycle. Each recipient is leading important projects that preserve, protect, and share Texas’s rich history. 

THF is committed to funding projects that protect the state’s historic resources and celebrate the diverse stories that shape Texas. To learn more about our grant programs or apply for future cycles, visit our website.

The Friends of the Mercedes Library received funding for a permanent photo exhibit that will tell the story of Colegio Jacinto Trevino, the first Chicano college in the U.S., founded in South Texas in 1970. The exhibit’s unveiling will be held on Oct. 18th at the Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library and will include a day-long public history event. More info

Archer County Museum and Arts Center, owner of the historic 1910 county jail, received a grant that will be used for the second phase of the building’s restoration, which includes repairing the roof, windows, and doors to weatherproof the structure. You can see additional photos from the museum and Archer City on our Flickr page. 

"The Stones Are Speaking" documentary film, with the help of the Williamson Museum, received funding to bring the film to a broader audience, including college anthropology and archeology students, professional and avocational groups, and museums. The film documents the discoveries of archeologist Mike Collins, who found evidence of human life in Central Texas dating back 20,000 years. Learn more

The Comal County Courthouse in New Braunfels

Save the date for the 3rd annual Duda Forum on Historic Preservation and Sustainability, November 20-21. This year’s forum will focus on historic courthouses in Texas, addressing their rehabilitation challenges and highlighting the important role they play in communities across the state.

Courthouses are among the most recognized structures, yet their maintenance has often been minimal for decades, resulting in challenges for their continued use. In 1999, the Texas legislature created the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program to help protect and preserve these landmarks through grants, review, and stewardship. The program, administered by the Texas Historical Commission, has assisted 107 historic county courthouses with over $400 million in grants. 

The Forum will open with an evening keynote event at the Travis County Courthouse in Austin on November 20. The following day, activities will take place at the Comal County Courthouse in New Braunfels, featuring sessions on the Courthouse Preservation Program, documenting and restoring courthouses, adapting courthouses for modern use, the impact of courthouses on community revitalization, and more.

Information regarding registration and sessions will be available soon.

The Duda Forum III is coordinated by the Texas Historical Foundation, the Michael Christopher Duda Center for Preservation, Resilience, and Sustainability at the University of Notre Dame, and the Texas Historical Commission Courthouse Preservation Program.

It is with deep sadness that we share the news that THF board member and writer Norma Schmelling passed away on August 7, 2025. Norma joined the THF board in 2023 and brought with her a spirit of dedication and a passion for Texas history and preservation. We are grateful for her service and the perspective she brought to our work. 

We invite you to read Norma's obituary, which she wrote herself, and to visit her blog on Medium. Our thoughts are with her partner, Harold, and her loved ones during this difficult time. 

Join Preservation Texas on September 25th in Plano for a day of discussion and networking focused on preservation planning for historic churches and cemeteries in Texas. As suburban growth transforms once-rural landscapes and population shifts leave other areas in decline, these enduring landmarks face both challenges and opportunities. Together, we’ll explore strategies for adaptation, interpretation, and renewal.  Learn more

Celebrate the power of place in Milwaukee! Join your colleagues and peers who are passionate about saving places and building communities, September 16-18, for PastForward 2025.
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Jerry Beaty
Marianne Jones
Troy Smith

Julie Fineman

Margi Duncan
William Robertson

Abilene Preservation League
Brenham Heritage Museum
Forest Forward, Dallas
Museum of the West Texas Frontier, Stamford
Preservation Houston
Rockport Cultural Arts District
Shumla Archaeological Research & Education Center, Comstock
Stanzel Model Aircraft Museum, Schulenburg
Starr County Historical Foundation, Rio Grande City
The Dickinson Music Enrichment Center
The Sherman Museum
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