Registration is now open for Preservation Texas’s East Texas Regional Meeting. The day-long gathering on August 11, 2016 in downtown Marshall will include discussions and networking opportunities organized around the theme of “On the Right Track: Preserving Historic Railroad Depots and Related Resources.”
Lunch, tours of the historic Harrison County Courthouse and Ginocchio Hotel (currently under restoration) and a closing reception are included in the day’s events.
“Marshall is a city with a very significant railroading heritage,” said Preservation Texas board member and Marshall resident Tony Crosby. “This is the ideal city in which to bring together preservationists to discuss initiatives to ensure that the railroad heritage of Texas is protected.”
Registration is $50 for current members of Preservation Texas and $75 for non-members (a complimentary one-year membership is included). Founded in 1985 and based in Austin, Preservation Texas is the only statewide, full-service nonprofit historic preservation organization in the state. It is best known for its annual Most Endangered Places lists, which has included Harrison County’s historic airport terminal and the depression-era Sabine Farms.
“We are gathering preservationists and seeking new ideas and input to expand our Most Endangered Places program around endangered building typologies,” said executive director Evan R. Thompson. “Railroad depots have been imperiled nationwide since the 1960s, and yet too many depots remain at-risk from neglect. A comprehensive strategy to protect these threatened resources is long overdue.”
Architects, historians, and advocates will present case studies in depot preservation from across the state including structures that have been saved in Dallas, Kyle, Marshall, Mineola, Orange and Wharton. Topics will include how to deal with architectural challenges, master planning, adaptive use, historical interpretation and research, and community fundraising.
A discussion of endangered railroad resources on Preservation Texas’s Most Endangered Places will include the Texas State Railroad (from Rusk to Palestine) and the Lewis Railroad Hotel in San Augustine, as well as updates from the Texas Historical Commission and Texas Forest Trail Region.
Marshall is one of five cities in Texas with an Amtrak passenger depot listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Texas & Pacific Depot is also a museum, where a closing reception will be held.
All those with an interest in historic preservation are encouraged to attend.
– See more at: http://prmediarelease.com/preservationists-to-meet-in-east-texas-august-11/#sthash.4iuFYS1D.dpuf
