Preservation City Blog
Elks Arts Center
Swenson House
Collectible Replicas
Calendar 
Volunteer Opportunities
Real Estate For Sale
Top 10 Preservation Opportunities
Latest Newsletter
Related Sites

Latest News
about historic preservation nationwide

The next DVD in the series is here, "History in Plain Sight"
This popular series, produced by Jay Moore, has just premiered its latest installment, "Fair Park of Abilene." We have it for sale...
More information, including times shown on cable channel 7

Our latest newsletter available here...
The Winter 2010 APL newsletter is in the mail... download your copy here, and if you'd like to be on our mailing list, please email us, or sign up in the box to the left and put your mailing address as well as your email address.

A summer of Beautiful Houses
Check out this summer's winners of this monthly award for their great-looking homes!

Old Elmwood House is going, going...
A demolition permit has been obtained for the 1930 home at 1031 Elmwood. More

But another endangered home is saved
The home at 702 Meander has a new owner, demolition is no longer imminent.

Storefront Histories Project kicked off Before After 1920 view The front of the Hall Music-Optical Clinic building at 258 Pine St. has a new look from APL, the Abilene Downtown Association and Browning Eyssen & Logan, P.C. A photo mural was placed in the front window showing the interior of Hall Music Company in 1920, deteriorated plywood was covered and painted and informational graphics were placed in the window panels. We've just posted photos of the interior tour... click here to see them in your browser. If you have a building and would like to participate in the next Storefront Histories project, we'd like to hear from you, please email us

Take a tour of this 86 year old recently renovated school in Dallas Old Schools make Great New Schools. Booker T. Washington school in Dallas, the first Black high school, recently reopened as a Magnet School. The project includes significant new construction while preserving the historic building. Click on the photo at left to view a short video tour.
Historic WTU Power and Ice Plant The industrial plant that "put Abilene on the map" as a town serious about growth and business is up for sale, and a public discussion of ideas for its reuse is beginning. Here's the article from the Abilene Reporter-News site. Have a comment for us or an idea for the plant? Click to let us know. Here's an in-depth photo tour of the power plant.

Story of an Austin Home's Journey Toward Renewal
A home in Austin that had fallen on hard times gets a redo. Like many historic projects, not everyone agrees about every aspect of the restoration, but the home is saved. From the Austin American Statesman.

Is Vinyl Siding really all that great?
With all the marketing, you need an objective view of the plusses and minuses of putting vinyl siding on your house. Here's a link to a good article that goes into detail about the issue and has a good list of further resources. (Click on the Related Links link at the bottom for the PDF file.)

Historic Districts: around Texas
In San Antonio, "nearly all real estate professionals agree historic neighborhoods look better over time in comparison to nearby subdivisions that don't have historic designation," says Virginia Nicholas, board president of the San Antonio Conservation Society.
Download PDF file of article

An old neighborhood's new momentum is building
A historic neighborhood district in McKinney has been drawing newcomers to the city, increasing the tax base and attracting young people. Check out the article in the Dallas Morning News about the success McKinney's historic district has generated.
Download PDF file of article 

And Finally...(!)
University of Utah researchers found that people who live in older, more walkable neighborhoods are at lower risk for overweight and obesity. Newer neighborhoods, which are mostly designed for automobiles, are more likely to have residents who have a little trouble meeting their exercise goals, according to the study.