Texas Historical Foundation

Set your DVR! Next week, you can see "The Stones Are Speaking" on PBS. The premiere schedule is below. Once it shows in your area, it will repeat several times until March 24th. "The Stones Are Speaking" is about Texas archeologist Michael Collins' years-long effort to save the Gault Site in Central Texas, a site that proved to be so significant that it changed the timeline for when archaeologists believe people first arrived on our continent. It is a well-crafted, moving film partly funded by THF, and we are thrilled to see filmmaker Olive Talley's vision realized so successfully. More info at https://lnkd.in/getRQAQC

THF President & CEO David Preziosi, visited the Hall of State in Dallas Fair Park to present a grant to the Dallas Historical Society this week. The organization will use the funding to pilot their Republic of Texas Card Game, distributing 500 decks of this educational tool to Texas classrooms at no cost. DHS has been located in the Hall of State since 1938. Built for the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition, the building is considered one of the best examples of Art Deco style in Texas. Phoenix 1 Restoration and Construction, the 2025 Star of Texas Honoree, completed a full restoration of the structure in late 2020. #preservationgrants #texashistory #fairparkdallas

The Tales N' Trails Museum in Nocona recently received a grant from the Texas Historical Foundation to help fund an archaeological study of locally sourced lithic artifacts that have been stored in the museum for the past twenty years. The findings and artifacts will be incorporated into an exhibit at the museum.

THF President & CEO David Preziosi participated in National Preservation Lobby Day in Washington, D.C., alongside preservationists from across the country. They visited legislative offices to discuss the Historic Preservation Fund, State Historic Preservation Offices (known as the Texas Historical Commission in our state), and the impact that Historic Tax Credits have in rehabilitating historic buildings. A large Texas delegation met with lawmakers from our state to highlight how these initiatives help preserve historic sites across Texas.

THF directors visited Fredericksburg for their quarterly board meeting and retreat in Fall 2023. Since our main camera died, we thought all the photos had been lost. Luckily, we recently discovered a handful! Enjoy photos from our visit to the Pioneer Museum , the Admiral Nimitz Foundation - National Museum of the Pacific War, and gorgeous St. Mary's Catholic Church. Nothing beats Texas Hill Country in the Fall, does it? #TexasHistory #HeritageTravel #FredericksburgTX #TexasHillCountry

THF President & CEO David Preziosi, joined Preservation Austin and other advocates in Washington D.C. this week to advocate for historic preservation programs at the federal level.

Yesterday THF board members Frank de la Teja and Clark Wernecke presented Rancho Alegre with a grant that will support their efforts to record hundreds of hours of oral histories with Tejano and Conjunto musicians for public release. These beloved music movements have distinctly Texan roots, and since its founding in 2008, Rancho Alegre has worked to bring national attention to them. Tejano and Conjunto music originated in the late 19th century along the southern Texas and northern Mexico border as Mexican, German, and Czech farmers combined accordions and polkas with traditional Mexican folk music. Tejano developed a more modern and diverse style, while Conjunto maintains a more traditional sound centered around the accordion. #TexasHistory #PreservationGrants

THF presented a grant to the Texas State Historical Association during their 2025 Annual Meeting this past weekend. The funding was used for the meeting, which gathers Texas history enthusiasts from all over the state.

Nine organizations were approved for funding in our Winter 2025 grant cycle. We can't wait to share future progress on these important projects! Read about them on our blog: https://lnkd.in/ggXGGYsy Pictured: The Tales N' Trails Museum in Nocona will evaluate its collection of locally sourced lithic artifacts, preparing them for display in a permanent prehistory exhibit at the museum. #preservationgrants #TexasHistory

THF director Dr. Clark Wernecke and grants director Ryann Griffin presented the Shumla Archaeological Research & Education Center with a grant this past week in San Marcos. The funding will support Shumla’s ongoing archive and curation projects, which include the creation of a dedicated storage space for their archives. Shumla focuses on documenting and preserving the pictographs of the Lower Pecos Canyonlands, among the oldest in America, while also educating the public about these ancient paintings.