This Fall, THF is proud to support a new round of projects that highlight the depth and diversity of Texas history in its latest round of grant funding. The following organizations carry on this work with creativity, dedication, and a shared commitment to protecting Texas’s past for future generations. Congratulations to the five grantees!
- Brackenridge Park Conservancy, San Antonio, will use grant funds for an archeological investigation of a Confederate Army tannery site on the grounds of the 400-acre urban park. With the help of UTSA’s Center for Archaeological Research, the investigation will share insights into yet another layer of the site’s multifaceted history with park visitors and researchers alike.
- Dr Pepper Museum, Waco, received support for their ongoing efforts to restore the historic structures housing the museum dedicated to the distinctly Texan soft drink. Focusing on the façade of the 1906 Artesian Manufacturing & Bottling Company building, the grant project represents the culmination of years of effort at the “Home of Dr Pepper”, a journey that has brought national attention to the Museum and set the tone for a revitalized historic downtown Waco.
- Rosenberg Railroad Museum, Rosenberg, was awarded grant funds to restore the recently acquired ATSF #3401, a rare example of a Pre-War Post Office Baggage Car built for the Santa Fe Railroad. Once refurbished, the 1930s-era car will become the seventh historic rail car open to the public at the Rosenberg Railroad Museum.
- The South Padre Island Historical Foundation, South Padre Island, received a boost for the soon-to-open Historical Museum of South Padre Island in the form of funding for the exhibit "Coastguard, Quarantine, Light Stations", telling the story of the 1878 Brazos Light Station. More than a decade in the making, the Historical Museum is scheduled to open its doors in Summer 2026 with a raft of exhibits dedicated to the Gulf Island’s history and culture.
- The Wittliff Collection, San Marcos, will begin production on the PBS documentary series “From the Wittliff to the World”, with the Texas State University-held permanent collection that includes luminaries such as Larry McMurtry and Sam Shepherd providing abundant source material. The premiere episode will center on the namesake and prolific booster of Texas language arts, Bill Wittliff, before delving into the authors, filmmakers, and artists that populate the Wittliff Collection.
Since 1954, the Texas Historical Foundation has funded historic preservation and education projects throughout the state, empowering communities to save their own pieces of the Lonestar past. For more information, visit texashistoricalfoundation.org.
