4 4 A I I -.. Y a To protect and preserve the state'5s historic and prehistoric resources for the use, education, enjoyment, and economic benefit of present and future generations. Front cover: A statue at the THC's new San Felipe de Austin Museum. LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Dear Friends, Texans are fortunate to have a dynamic cultural history-the envy of anyone who doesn't call the Lone Star State home. At the Texas Historical Commission (THC), we're excited about preserving the places that embody this heritage. It's our job, but it's also our passion as proud Texans. For the last two years the THC has translated this passion into successful projects and initiatives that preserve our unique history while generating measurable economic impact on communities across Texas,. This report showcases the agency's activities during the past biennium and demonstrates that we truly embrace our responsibility of preserving the real places that tell the real stories of Texas. Our most exciting accomplishment was opening the state-of-the art San Felipe de Austin Museum near Sealy. Planned for decades, Texas' newest history museum tells the story of the founding of the Republic of Texas with highly interactive and dynamic exhibits. We also celebrated the rededication of the Karnes County Courthouse in Karnes City, where hundreds of local residents gathered to commemorate the impressively restored 1894 building. We were humbled to see so many people appreciating the hard work of local and state restoration efforts through our Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program. Our agency experienced challenges, as did much of the state. The historic natural events precipitated by Hurricane Harvey impacted six THC State Historic Sites, particularly Rockport's Fulton Mansion. The stately mansion, located almost precisely at the storm's landfall, lost its roof and was damaged by a deluge of water. But like Texas, the Fulton Mansion was built to last. Mitigation work on the mansion has proceeded efficiently and effectively. The mansion is a symbol of the Coastal Bend's strength and determination in the face of a terrible natural disaster. Thank you for your interest in our accomplishments outlined in this report for your review. At the THC, we're looking forward to the coming biennium and the opportunities it brings for us to protect and preserve the Lone Star State's unique heritage for the cultural and economic benefit of future generations. We have even greater things planned as we work with the Legislature and our many stakeholders in 2019-20. Sincerely, Mark Wolfe, Execu e Director Texas Historical Commission . _ ;. > __ ; fi _. - P " } t :; :,y , . ' .,. i ii _c'> I ,: INTRODUCTION Texans have immense pride in their heritage. No other state can claim our larger-than-life history and epic cultural landscapes. The Texas Historical Commission (THC) preserves and upholds these special stories and places that make Texans proud to call the Lone Star State home. During the past biennium, agency staff devoted their expertise to the mission of preservation and promoting economic development. They've accomplished this in many ways, but some of our most significant efforts include: * Nearly half a million people visited the THC's 22 State Historic Sites. The THC's stewardship of these sites culminated in the opening of a state-of-the-art museum at San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site and the addition of the French Legation State Historic Site in Austin, as well as to enhancements and improvements across the entire family of sites. " The Preservation Tax Credit Program is one of the nation's most successful and cost-effective community revitalization programs. Due to the value of the combined credits, the number of applications the THC received for the federal program has consistently increased. Ninety-six state tax credit projects were certified during the current biennium, with $907,212,910 in qualified expenses, compared to 28 projects certified in the previous biennium. " The Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program has invested more than $290 million in 99 counties for the preservation of their courthouses. Construction activity related to the program has or will have created over 10,898 jobs and generated more than $44 million in local taxes, and more than $612 million in wages in Texas. * The Texas Main Street Program reinvested more than $330 million of private funds in communities during the biennium. Local programs also reported more than 1,000 rehabilitation projects worth over $138 million; more than $150 million in new downtown construction; the sale and purchase of $41 million of downtown real estate; net gains of 567 business starts; and nearly 3,600 new jobs in Main Street districts. * Celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the Texas Travel Trails took place in 2018, with a statewide travel promotion that resulted in 8,287 unique page views for the sweepstakes page on TexasTimeTravel.com and 2,446 new email subscribers. The trail regions have raised $3.2 million in regional cash contributions, $4.8 million in in-kind contributions to fund operations, and logged more than 110,000 volunteer hours. Looking to the future, the THC is excited about implementing new programs and continuing successful initiatives that bolster our economic development efforts across Texas. The THC has a significant responsibility to the people of Texas. We protect the resources that define the Lone Star State's proud history. Our biennial accomplishments toward achieving this goal are documented on these pages. 3 * VOICES OF TEXAS HISTORY Jeff Williams 4. President, Friends of the Caddo Mounds "The THC, through Caddo Mounds State Historic Site, has created a real connection between the public and the Caddo Nation. The building of a traditional Caddo grass house- developed organically by volunteers representing local landowners, community volunteers, and County Historical Commission members spanning generations, religions, and ethnicities-created a tangible link between Caddo past and present. The grass house serves as a functional space for educational and interpretive programs that provide rich and unique opportunities for collaborative hands-on learning between Texas teachers and Caddo tribal members. This creates a strong foundation for cultural exchange about the history of Texas. Interest in the Caddo people and the historic site as a travel destination has resulted in a noticeable increase in heritage tourism throughout the region.55 2017-18 THC ACCOMPLISHMENTS HISTORIC SITES DIVISION The THC's 22 State Historic Sites-stretching from El Paso to Marshall to Rockport to Denison-help define local character and sense of place. Visitation continues to grow throughout the network, with the completion of major capital improvements, new programming, and strengthening the sites' brand identity. The THC's Historic Sites Division (HSD) provides stewardship to 160 buildings with approximately 384,000 square feet, and 1,887 acres of land. Since its construction on the Rockport beach in 1877, Fulton Mansion has survived many Gulf Coast hurricanes. And despite being at ground zero for Hurricane Harvey's landfall in August 2017, it survived again. But like the rest of the Fulton-Rockport community, the site experienced great damage. The mansion's roof was ripped off by the storm, allowing water to pour inside. The exterior also was damaged due to airborne debris strikes. Extensive water damage meant the mansion needed to be closed temporarily, yet another economic impact to the devastated area. It was quickly reopened with a temporary tour highlighting the ongoing preser- vation efforts and scheduled community events on the lawn. However, HSD's mitigation work on the mansion has proceeded efficiently and effectively. Damage from moisture infiltration has been assessed, and all upholstered furniture, textiles, and other vulnerable items have been moved to secure curatorial facilities. The mansion is now open for hard hat tours. Staff continues to work with FEMA to get federal funds to complete the restoration work and ready the mansion for the return of its collection. The THC sees Fulton Mansion as a symbol of Texas determination, and it will be restored and returned to full service as quickly as possible. Hurricane Harvey's largest impact on agency property was to the seawall at Sabine Pass Battleground, reported to be under a foot of water during the storm. The site experienced soil erosion and washout adjacent to the seawall. The damage has been assessed and engineering of the repairs is in progress. Two other sites were impacted by the hurricane. At Fannin Battleground, the storm significantly impacted the landscape. The caretaker's house lost a portion of its roof, and there was damage to the bandstand. All repairs have been completed. At Varner-Hogg Planation, the site manager cleared hurricane drains and helped residents of the adjacent Columbia Lakes subdivision. Site staff also assisted emergency personnel with access to the site and worked with local officials to protect the community from catastrophic flooding. Ongoing assessments are underway to assess the impact of floodwater on foundations of the plantation's structures. 5 -0 Texas' Newest History Museum Another significant HSD event during the past biennium was the opening of the San Felipe de Austin museum. Hundreds gathered on a bright, sunny April afternoon to hear state and local officials dedicate the state-of-the-art facility, planned for nearly a decade. The new museum tells the story of the founding of the Republic of Texas, with highly interactive exhibits featuring dynamic graphic elements designed by selected artists. Period and site-specific artifacts from San Felipe are on display. Curatorial staff accepted new collections for San Felipe de Austin, including 37 historic and site-associated objects from the Friends of San Felipe. Staff also accepted 17 boxes of archeological collections donated by several families.