ISSN 0890-7595 Vol. 58, No. I thc.texas.gov [email protected] TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION John L. Nau, III Chair John W. Crain Vice Chair Gilbert E. “Pete” Peterson Secretary Earl Broussard, Jr. David A. Gravelle James “Jim” Bruseth Chief Justice Wallace B. Jefferson (ret.) Monica P. Burdette Laurie E. Limbacher Garrett Kieran Donnelly Catherine McKnight Renee Dutia Tom Perini Lilia Marisa Garcia Daisy Sloan White Mark Wolfe Executive Director Medallion STAFF Chris Florance Division Director Andy Rhodes Managing Editor Judy Jensen Sr. Graphic Design Coordinator thc.texas.gov Real places telling the real stories of Texas texastimetravel.com The Texas Heritage Trails Program’s travel resource texashistoricsites.com The THC’s 31 state historic properties thcfriends.org Friends of the Texas Historical Commission Our Mission To protect and preserve the state’s historic and prehistoric resources for the use, education, enjoyment, and economic benefit of present and future generations. The Medallion is published quarterly by the Texas Historical Commission. Address correspondence to: Managing Editor, The Medallion, P.O. Box 12276, Austin, TX 78711-2276. Portions of the newsletter that are not copyrighted or reprinted from other sources may be reprinted with permission. Contributions for the support of this publication are gratefully accepted. For information about alternate formats of this publication, contact the THC at 512-463-6255. The Medallion is financed in part by a grant from the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. All of the agency’s public programs and activities are operated free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, gender, or disability. Any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against should write to Office of Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C. 20240. The Medallion is available online at thc.texas.gov/medallion. If you would prefer to receive The Medallion electronically instead of through the mail, please send your name and address to [email protected]. You will be notified by email when each new issue is available on the THC website and will no longer receive a Now Open printed copy. visitfultonmansion.com TOP: The “Old Red” courthouse anchors the west end of Dallas’ historic Main Street (page 6). ON THE COVER: The striking Wilson Building on Dallas’ Main Street dates to 1903. Photos by Patrick Hughey. 2 THE MEDALLION WINTER 2020 TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION TEXAS REPRESENTATIVE CHRIS PADDIE LEADERSHIP LETTER Friends, The Texas Historical Commission (THC) recently Residents in my district have also been working with made history when it welcomed nine new sites to the the THC on another exciting project: restoring the agency’s family of State Historic Sites. historic Marion County Courthouse in Jefferson. Thanks to a $4.6 million grant from the agency’s Now numbering 31, the sites represent a wide breadth Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program, the of our state’s great history, from Native American exterior and interior public spaces of the building will grounds to the homes of 20th-century political be restored to their original 1913 appearance. legends. As author of the THC’s Sunset legislation, I look forward to seeing the new sites thrive under I look forward to seeing the continued success of the the THC’s management. Texas Historical Commission’s significant programs in my district and across the great state of Texas. The In fact, I’ve already witnessed the agency’s impressive agency is an important partner with the Legislature oversight of historic sites at the Starr Family Home in and a considerable force in preserving the iconic Marshall, my home. As a former Marshall mayor, I heritage of the Lone Star State. know how seriously East Texas takes its heritage and I’m confident these new sites will be in good hands. Sincerely, My district is also home to several cities in the THC’s Texas Main Street Program. If you’re going to Dallas for the Main Street Now national conference in May, Chris Paddie you should also head east and visit these Main Street Texas House District 9 cities in District 9: Carthage, Linden, and Marshall. THC.TEXAS.GOV WINTER 2020 THE MEDALLION 3 TRUST IN THE FUND THC GRANT PROGRAM HELPS PRESERVE HISTORIC PROPERTIES By Lisa Harvell and Pam Opiela work at the historically unique and nationally significant Rio THC Architecture Division Staff Vista Farm Historic District in Socorro, near the Rio Grande The two-story wood schoolhouse stands in a field of dry grass just east of El Paso. The THC awarded a TPTF grant to the at the end of a narrow dead-end road in rural Wheelock, with City of Socorro, which partnered with the National Trust for paint peeling from its century-old wood siding and windows Historic Preservation to produce a plan to gradually restore all boarded up to keep out the weather and critters. How did the buildings in the Rio Vista Farm complex, some of which are in desperate need of repair. Texas Historical Commission (THC) discover and help fund rehabilitation of this remote historic building? The complex was used as part of the U.S. Bracero Program For starters, the Friends of the Wheelock School House in to bring Mexican agricultural workers into the U.S. to offset Robertson County knew where to look. The organization labor shortages after World War II. Now owned by the City applied for and twice received a THC Texas Preservation Trust of Socorro, the complex includes a senior center and will soon Fund (TPTF) grant to repair the building’s historic wood offer more community services. windows. Since TPTF funding is very limited, successful Further east, the City of Roma has worked with the Noah applicants often organize their rehabilitation work in several Cox family’s heirs for nearly a decade to secure TPTF funds phases, tackling the most critical work first, then moving to other pressing needs. Each successful completion of a phase helps spark new fundraising for the next. In fiscal year 2018, TPTF grants helped pay for repairing the school’s first-floor windows. With that work completed, the THC awarded an additional grant in fiscal year 2020 to repair its second-floor windows. “The THC is making such a difference in our community, and we’ll be forever grateful for their help in restoring the Wheelock School House,” said Kathy Hedrick of the Friends group. The nonprofit organization was started by local residents who partnered with Texas A&M University, the Robertson County Historical Commission, and other county historical and preservation groups to save the old school, located about 20 miles north of Bryan-College Station. Over the years, it has evolved into an important community meeting place. BENEFITTING THE BORDERLANDS Preservation partnerships similarly helped with restoration 4 THE MEDALLION WINTER 2020 TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION for the Noah Cox house, circa 1853. Cox was an early pioneer, attorney, and public servant in the area. The home’s fort-like architecture represents the perils of early border settlements and the blend of Mexican, Spanish, and Anglo- American architectural traditions. The home’s first TPTF grant in 2009 funded the installation of a new roof. A planning grant awarded in 2015 allowed for the completion of construction documents and specifications addressing the complete interior and exterior restoration. The most recent grant was used to stabilize the building’s exterior with limited interior stabilization of second-floor wood columns and beams. The Noah Cox house is now owned by the City of Roma. The city leveraged additional financial support from the Roma Economic Development Corporation, which provided matching funds for the recent TPTF grant. Successful applicants continue the process by submitting detailed project proposals and budgets. At both steps, “The Cox family heirs were instrumental in placing the Noah applications are scored in four areas: endangerment, Cox House into the ownership of the city for the best chance significance, project viability, and special considerations. of restoring this significant and unique building in the Rio The THC encourages applications that address issues of Grande Valley,” said Roma City Manager Crisanto Salinas. ethnic diversity and other historically underserved subjects, HOW TO APPLY groups, and property types. Grant awards are considered For those interested in applying to the TPTF grant program, annually by the THC, typically in October. an application guide is available each year (typically in December) to public or private entities for eligible historic For additional information about the TPTF grant program, properties, sites, or archeological projects. Awards are in the please visit thc.texas.gov/tptf or contact the THC’s $10,000–$30,000 range. Applicants eligible to receive grant Architecture Division at 512-463-6094. assistance must provide a minimum of one dollar in matching cash to each state dollar for approved project costs. TOP AND ABOVE: The Rio Vista Farm Historic District near El Paso received a TPTF grant to help produce a restoration plan. Photos: National Trust for There are two steps in the grant application process. First, Historic Preservation. applicants are required to submit brief forms for the THC OPPOSITE: The Noah Cox house in Roma benefitted from several TPTF- to review prior to each year’s deadline. The THC will select funded projects. the highest-priority projects from the initial applications and invite those applicants to move forward to the second step. THC.TEXAS.GOV WINTER 2020 THE MEDALLION 5 DALLAS MUNICIPAL BUILDING BUSCH-KIRBY BUILDING ORIGINAL NEIMAN MARCUS BUILDING THE ADOLPHUS By Andy Rhodes, Managing Editor The Medallion, Photos by Patrick Hughey METROPLEX MAIN STREETS DISCOVER COMMUNITY COMFORTS IN COLOSSAL CITIES AND TINY TOWNS When attendees gather in Dallas for the national Main Street Now conference May 18–20, they’ll be surrounded by Main Street success stories.