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Projects
Round Rock Preservation selects one historic preservation project each year & schedules programs and events to achieve the preservation goals of the project. We seek to reach an increasingly diverse audience through longtime favorites such as our special events & tours. Where possible, we will partner with local, state, and national preservation organizations and their events throughout the year. We always have an on-going historic preservation project, so keep an eye on our website posts, our blog, our Facebook pages, our e-newsletters and e-blasts to stay in the know.
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Our 2023 Preservation Project is to partner with the City of Round and members of the Community to Restore/Reconstruct the Round Rock Statecoach Inn by helping fund the restoration of the Inn, so the City can reopen the door of the Inn to the public. The purpose and use of the Inn will be determined by the City of Round Rock since the RR Stagecoach Inn now resides in the city's future Bathing Beach Park.
Round Rock Stagecoach Inn
2023 Project: Round Rock Stagecoach Inn (Harris Stagecoach Inn)
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Location: 750 Chisholm Trail Road, Round Rock Avenue, Round Rock, Texas. The inn sits on the top of a hill just northwest of Brushy Creek and the Round Rock. The Inn was relocated on April 27-29, 2018, from 901 Round Rock Avenue, Suite D, to save the Inn from demolition due to the RM 620 Road Safety Project. The Inn was built by John James (JJ) Harris from rocks quarried from the hill on which the Inn is located.
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Built: C1848-1853
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Owner: City of Round Rock
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Threat: The Round Rock Stagecoach Inn is no longer in threat of demolition. The City of Round Rock hired Architexas to conduct a cost feasibility study to relocate the Inn and to serve as advisers during the relocation project. The final report was sent to the City on December 5, 2016. The report found two firms that said the Inn could be relocated safely. The Inn is in threat of non-use until funds are raised from the community to restore the inn. The future use of the Inn is to be determined. A suggested use of the inn is as a Round Rock Living History Events Center.
Relocation: The City of Round Rock hired Phoenix 1 Restoration and Construction to relocate the RR Stagecoach Inn using Hotel Occupancy Taxes at approximately $800,000. The Subcontractor, H. D. Snow and Son House Moving, Inc , from Fort Worth, relocated the Inn on April 27-29, 2018. The relocation project is scheduled to be completed by September 1, 2018. The new additions to the Inn were demolished prior to the relocation.
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Restoration/Reconstruction. Round Rock Preservation is helping the City of Round Rock raise funds to restore the Inn so the Inn can be placed back into use and be opened to the public. No formal decision has been made about the future repurpose/use of the Inn. The City requested the public help fund the restoration project. Round Rock Preservation is serving as the official fundraiser and is accepting donations and conducted an engraved brick campaign to raise funds. The bricks were delivered to the City of Round Rock and will be installed by the City of Round Rock near the RR Stagecoach Inn once the Bathing Beach Project is constructed. The Bathing Beach Project is part of the Heritage Trail West Project, which is now underway and is expected to be completed in 2024.
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In September 2021, City Council approved in the RR City FY 2022 Budget an allocation annually of 3% from Hotel Occupancy Taxes and another $300,000.00 one time allocation for Historic Preservation Project purposes. RR Preservation advocated for the restoration of the RR Stagecoach Inn as the first project from these funds.
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The City of Round Rock hired Architexas, a historic preservation consultant firm, on 24 Mar 2022, to develop designs and provide consulting services during the restoration of the RR Stagecoach Inn. The designs are now complete. The city selected a construction contractor for the Stagecoach Inn Project on 13 April 2023, and the contractor is expected to start work on the project in July 2023, with the project being completed in early 2024.
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Before COVID RR Preservation met with the City of Round Rock Historic Preservation Office, Parks Department, Plans Department, and Assist City Manager every other month to develop a plan for moving the Stagecoach Inn Restoration Project forward. The last meeting was held on Nov 5, 2022. On July 20, 2023, the City Manager agreed to continue the bi-monthly meetings with RRP and City Leaders once construction on the RR Stagecoach Inn restoration starts.
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The Heritage Trail West Project construction contractor was approved by the RR City Council on June 25, 2020, and did not include funding for the RR Stagecoach Inn. The project does include the Bathing Beach Project (downsized), landscaping around the Inn and the installation of the Engraved Brick Display. The construction on the Heritage Trail West Project began on October 1, 2020, and was expected to take an estimated 18 months to complete. In the meantime, fund raising continued for the restoration of the Inn. The contractor went bankrupt, and the Heritage Trail West stopped in the summer of 2022. After the city worked with the insurance company to recoup monies for the Heritage Trail West Project, a new contractor was hired, who is now working to complete the Heritage Trail West Project and that project is expected to be completed in March 2024. The contractor started on the east side of Mays Street and in the Memorial Park area and is continuing to work the project westward. On July 17, 2023, Chisholm Trail Road was closed near Brushy Creek to allow work on that area of the project.
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On 30 June 2023, RR Preservation had in savings $58,950.27, which was donated by supporters for RR Preservation Projects. The Global Pandemic (Covid-19) hampered ability to conduct group-type fundraisers in 2020-2022. Fundraising has continued through this website, telephone calls, e-mails, and special Round Rock product offers (such as RR History Afghans and RR Adventure Kits).