ROLLING FORWARD - HONORING THE PAST
May 9 Lunch & Learn
Preservation
Preservation promotes respect & understanding of our shared past. Richard Moe, President of the National Trust said "Preservation is making opportunities for contact with our shared heritage; it's the glue that holds us together."
When it comes to getting to know one's city, there is nothing more educational than walking through our streets & experiencing living monuments to the city's past.
After WW II, our country wanted to renew itself with newer buildings. It was out with the old and in with the new. The result was a huge loss of signifcant historic buildings across our nation and within our own city.
The National Preservation Act of 1966 was created to slow/stop the loss of significant historic structures.
Every generation defines what it considers historic in terms of what it deems as valuable from the past. Demolition is the ultimate deadline & the utlimate failure of historic preservation. Once a structure is demolished, that visual part of our history is lost forever.
Over the years Round Rock has lost too many irreplaceable historic structures. We are working to save the historic places that matter in Round Rock, Texas.
Purchase a RR History Throw
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How can you help?
Support Historic Preservation efforts within the City of Round Rock:.
Become a member of Round Rock Preservation to support historic preservation within the City of Round Rock on an annual basis, every day of the year.
Make a donation(s) to support the preservation project that Round Rock Preservation undertakes each year.
Become a sponsor of Round Rock Preservation, or sponsor a preservation project to ensure organization's ability for success in preserving & saving important historic buildings & sites.
Help create public awareness about endangered historic buildings & sites within the City of Round Rock & how Round Rock Preservation works to save these important historic assets.
Invite your friends & families to join Round Rock Preservation.
Contact Us:
Round Rock Preservation
PO Box 391
Round Rock, TX 78680-0391
roundrockpreservation50@yahoo.com
1-512-568-5875
What makes a landmark?
"A building does not have to be an important work of architecture to become a first-rate landmark. Landmarks are not created by architects. They are fashioned by those who encounter them after they are built. The essential feature of a landmark is not its design, but the place it holds in a city's memory. Compared to the place it occupies in social history, a landmark's artistic qualities are incidental."
-Herbert Muschamp
The City of Round Rock approved the 2022 Budget in September 2021 and included in the budget a one-time allocation of $300,000.00 for Historic Preservation Projects and an annual budget of 3% of the Hotel Occupancy Taxes for the same purpose. Round Rock Preservation will advocate that the first funds from the 2022 be used for the Restoration of the Round Rock Old Stagecoach Inn. The engraved history bricks for a display near the Inn have been ordered and delivered to City of Round Rock Parks & Recreation Department. The bricks are waiting to be installed as a part of the City's Heritage Trail West Project. A new contractor was hired in late 2022. The project is exspected to be completed in 2024.
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During 2019, Round Rock Preservation (RRP) formed a partnership with the City of Round Rock Historic Preservation Program and with the Williamson Museum on the Chisholm Trail to conduct a quarterly Brown Bag Lunch and Learn Education Program to share the history the City of Round Rock Preservation Story. The 2019 program was conducted at the museum in Round Rock with great success.
During 2018/2019 RRP (through memberships, fundraising and donations) has raised $37,000 to begin the renovation project for the RR Stagecoach Inn. The end goal is $250,000; so our fundraising has a ways to go. So keep those donations coming our way We will reach our goal one donation at a time.
RRP ended the year of 2019 by establishing bi-monthly meetings with the City of Round Rock leaders to help ensure progress is made in restoring the Old Stagecoach Inn. Two meetings took place during 2019 and RR Preservation asked the city to develop plans for the renovation, so the community could have progress on that renovation. The next meeting with city leaders was held at the city on February 6th, RRP is optimistic that part or all of the renovation will be accomplished during 2020/2021 timeframe.
The Bathing Beach Park Project has finished the design stage, and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has approved the permitting for the park project. It is expected that in early 2020 the construction contractor will be selected for the park (where the RR Stagecoach Inn resides) and that the park construction will be completed in approximately 18 months.
On 31 December 2019, RRP ended its Engraved Brick Campaign, which will help fund the renovation of the RR Stagecoach Inn. During 2018-2019 timeframe, donations were made for 142 engraved bricks. The brick display will be placed on display near the Inn. RRP has arranged for the delivery of the bricks to the park site after park construction has begun. The engraved brick campaign raised $19,134.95. The brick vendor was paid $3,555.00 from these funds. The campaign ended with a balance of $15,585.52 which will go toward the restoration of the Inn.
For RR Preservation to be successful in 2020, RRP needs individuals and businesses to support the goal of preserving the City of Round Rock's history and most significant historic structures, and sites by becoming members of our organization.
ANNOUNCEMENT
Round Rock City Council approves resolution to appoint Architexas as Project Manager for the RR Stagecoach Inn Project and approves Phases 1, 2, & 3 of the project to relocate the RR Stagecoach Inn to the City's future Bathing Beach Park along Chisholm Trail Road (just northwest of the round rock of Round Rock along Chisholm Trail Road.
The City also stated they will complete Phase 4 (the interior and exterior restoration of the Inn) at a later date. Their vote on Jul 13, 2017, was made to ensure the RM 620 project could proceed as scheduled. The City choose to save one of the two oldest historic structures within the City of Round Rock and they choose not to demolish the Inn. This is a truly historic decision.
RR Preservation presented the City of Round Rock a check in the amount of $2,500 designated for the RR Stagecoach Inn Project. In turn RR Preservation will renew its efforts, asking everyone to become a RR History Maker and help fund Phase 4 of the Project.
Thank you City of Round Rock for making the relocation of the Stagecoach Inn a reality with the city's decision to fund phases 1,2,3, in the amount of $567,251 (which includes $98,300 in Project Manager fees).
150th Anniversary
Chisholm Trail
FUNDRAISING
(As of Jan 1, 2023)
Relocation Funds:
$2,500 paid to City of Round Rock (2017)-Relocation Costs
Restoration Funds:
$ 3,555.00 (Paid for Engraved Bricks Display)
$58,870.70 (As of Apr 30, 2023 (Preservation Projects)