The Linden Heritage Foundation, Linden Main Street, Pleasant Hill Quilting Group, and Linden Macedonia Church were well represented on August 8 and 9 at the recent Preservation Texas Summer Summit in Nacogdoches.  Founded in 1985, Preservation Texas is Texas’ principal member-supported advocate for historic resources in Texas.

Linden resident Sue Lazara is currently secretary of the state organization.  Other participants were JoAnna Duncan, Judy Simons Gunn, Allie Anderson, Flo Stevenson, Ether Blaylock, Bennie Rodgers, Suzanne Richey Morehead, and Sandra Westbrook Skoog.  The event brought people from as far as Brownsville and San Angelo for three days of historic preservation education and touring of special historic sites in East Texas.

Day 1 a tour of historic sites included the Halfway Inn in Chireno; in San Augustine – 1885 William Lewis Railroad Hotel: 1927 San Augustine County Court House; 1919 Jail; 1930’s Knight Parker Building, and 1839 Matthew Cartwright House; in Center the 1885 Shelby County Court House, and “Big Momma’s Dogtrot,” a restored early 1920’s farm house in Arcadia.

Preservation Education was the focus of Day 2 with many speakers presenting topics such as Preservation Planning, National Register of Historic Places, National Trust’s HOPE Crew, and grant funding for local projects.  Presentations also included Most Endangered Building Case Studies, including Endangered School Houses of Texas.  The day ended with a networking reception in the 1859 Old Nacogdoches University Building.

Day 3 consisted of a walking tour of the Zion Historic District, including the historic Oak Grove Cemetery and two African American local heritage restoration projects in Nacogdoches — Zion Hill Baptist Church and the Clay House.

Each year, Preservation Texas announces the Most Endangered Places list that includes a range of historic structures that merit the attention of Texas statewide.  At the local level, grassroots organizations (such as the Linden Heritage Foundation) are working to save specific resources that, if lost, would diminish their communities.  Preservation Texas believes that the protection of at-risk historic places, large and small, ensures that architectural, historic, and cultural landmarks endure amidst an ever-changing landscape, enriching our quality of life.  The historic 1939 Linden Fire House was named the Most Endangered List in 2016.

For more information, please reference the Linden Heritage Foundation and Preservation Texas Facebook page or their websites:  lindenheritage.org and preservationtexas.org.