AUSTIN, Texas—The Texas Historical Foundation, a 64-year old preservation organization, has announced a grant to the Linden Heritage Foundation.  THF board member Hank Seale recently presented the check to LHF President Joe Lovelace.

Established 2015, the Linden Heritage Foundation is the only nonprofit organization in Cass County for the protection and promotion of cultural resources and the adaptive use of local historic sites as tools for cultural enrichment and economic development. The donation will provide funds to assist in professional preservation planning services to restore the 1939 Linden Firehouse in a way that retains the structure’s National Register of Historic Places eligibility.

The Linden Heritage Foundation is working with Mark Thacker, AIA, who is preparing Plans & Specifications (P&S) for rehabilitation of the Old Linden Firehouse to a Period of Significance 1939-1961.

Lovelace said, “A unique fact about the Old Linden Firehouse is that it did the most of any other structure during its life of service to protect the other heritage assets of the town of Linden – and to answer calls to other cities in our region.”

Final P&S must conform to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and be approved by the Texas Historical Commission, a primary grant funder.

THF President Bruce Elsom said, “The Texas Historical Foundation is committed to preserving and protecting Texas history, and we understand that resources are particularly scarce in small communities. That makes THF especially proud to partner with this town of only 2,000 inhabitants to help save this important icon.”  

Since 1954, the Texas Historical Foundation has supported preservation and education projects around the state. The group’s main efforts include its award-winning Texas HERITAGE magazine and a preservation grants program. For more information, or to join the Foundation, use the on-line membership form found on the organization’s website, www.texashistoricalfoundation.org.