Preservation: Last Ditch
Categories: Preservation: You Can Help
By: Mark Boardman 03/01/2008
New Life for Texas Sites
Government can be the solution, not the problem.
On January 1, 16 historic sites were transferred from the control of Texas’ Parks & Wildlife Department to the Texas Historical Commission. A simple switch means new life for the sites.
Take Fort McKavett, a 19th-century military facility located about 80 miles southeast of San Angelo. Its new operating budget of $350,000 is double what it was last year. Four new staff members have been hired, and the fort will be open seven days a week, up from just four days in 2007. The other historic sites are seeing similar improvements.
The man behind the switch: State representative Harvey Hilderbran of Kerrville, who’s been a fundraising champion for historic sites and parks. He tells us that the Historical Commission is the logical agency to oversee these sites, as it has more time and resources to devote to them.
DIGG | del.icio.us | REDDIT