NEWS ROOM

July 2006 Newsletter

Cass County Conservancy
Volume 3, Issue 2 July 2006

Courthouse Restoration Funding Process Continues Under Review
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), and the Texas Historical Commission (THC) continue to discuss eligibility standards for courthouse restoration projects. The FHWA does not agree with THC that all county courthouses have a substantial, not incidental, link to surface transportation (FHWA), so THC is attempting to identify courthouses case by case that meet this eligibility standard. What this means for Cass County is that no restoration funds for the Cass County Courthouse will be available during 2006 round 5 funding. Under previous funding standards, Cass County was near the top of the list to receive funding. While it is disappointing that FHWA and TxDOT have now imposed more stringent standards, THC is hopeful that funding not only for Cass County but also for other counties restoration projects will be forthcoming in the future. Please see http://www.thc.state.tx.us/courthouses/chround5.html for additional information.

Family Land Heritage Program

The Texas Department of Agriculture's Family Land Heritage Program is seeking farms and ranches that have been in continuous agricultural production by the same family for 100, 150 and 200 years or more. Applications for farms and ranches established in 1906 or earlier are being accepted until Sept. 15, 2006. The Family Land Heritage Program does not put any restrictions on the farm or ranch, and it is free to apply for this historic recognition program. Since the program started in 1974, more than 4,120 farms and ranches in 229 counties have been honored. For an application or more information, visit the Texas Department of Agriculture's web site at www.agr.state.tx.us and click on Family Land Heritage link at the bottom of the page. You can also contact Melissa Blair, Family Land Heritage Coordinator, at melissa.blair@agr.state.tx.us or at (512) 463-2631 for more information and for an application.

Anita Perry to Visit Atlanta July 13, 2006

Anita Perry, First Lady of Texas, will be in Atlanta on July 13, 2006, for a fundraising event for the Miller Grade School restoration project. She will also unveil the official THC historical marker recognizing Miller Grade School, built in 1936, as a significant WPA structure. The dedication ceremony begins at 6 p.m. Members of the Cass County Conservancy as well as other citizens are invited to attend this event. For additional information about the Miller Grade School project, contact Jane Barnhill, president of Atlanta Grade School Friends, the non-profit organization that is spearheading the restoration effort. For more information on Texas Most Endangered Historic Places, call Preservation Texas, Inc., at 512-472-0102 or visit www.preservationtexas.org.

Consider Volunteering
Cass County offers several opportunities for volunteers including the Cass County Conservancys courthouse fundraising, Atlanta Grade School Friends project, and the Pleasant Hill School restoration effort. Consider joining one of these groups to assist in historic preservation in Cass County.
History Lessons
The Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program was established in 1999 by the Texas Legislature and Governor George W. Bush. Since that time, the program has provided partial matching grants to Texas counties for restoration of historic county courthouses. Beginning with a $50 million appropriation, the program has provided funding for numerous courthouses including a planning and specifications grant to Cass County. Their web site is www.thc.state.tx.us.
The first East Texas Historical Association was begun in 1927 by W.F. Garner, chairman of the Department of History at Stephen F. Austin State Teachers College, now Stephen F. Austin State University. In 1932, the Depression caused the original group to disband, but in 1962 a successor organization came into being. Since that time, the organization has held annual meetings in Nacogdoches and spring meetings elsewhere in the region and maintains a collection of archival material in the library at Stephen F. Austin State. The associations web site is www.easttexashistorical.org.

Join Now
Membership dues for the Cass County Conservancy are $20.00 per year, and individuals may join at any time by mailing dues to The Cass County Conservancy, P.O. Box 682, Atlanta, Texas 75551. Phone: 903.796.8811.

ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO JOIN THE CONSERVANCYTOGETHER WE CAN DO GREAT THINGS FOR PRESERVATION IN CASS COUNTY

About Our Organization
The Conservancys mission is
to preserve and to encourage the preservation of local heritage resources, historic structures, archeological sites, objects, and customs relating to the history and natural beauty of Cass County, and all that is admirable and distinctive in our county area;
to educate the public with a celebratory knowledge of the inherited regional values; to keep the unique history, folklore, charm, and natural beauty of Cass County legible, intact, and usefully employed, that they may continue to enrich the community life.

The Cass County Conservancy is a section 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization
(Posted: 2007-02-12)

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