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Celebrate the Swenson's Centennial - Save the Date!
The second Saturday in September (September 11, 2010) will be one to remember. A festive evening both in the restored Swenson House, outside on the lawn and under the stars, featuring a delicious epicurian dinner, dancing to the 18-piece West Texas Jazz Orchestra and more. Make sure you're on the invitation list, please email us now with your address. Proceeds of this benefit historic preservation in Abilene and the Swenson House. The dress will be Gatsbyesque, or cool and casual, according to your preference. We'll also be dedicating the new marker from the state of Texas that designates the Swenson House as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark. Tables and sponsorships for An Evening at the Swenson are available on the first or second floor, and in the lawn tent outside. Drop by and check out the newly reconstructed Grape Arbor on the south lawn.

Heritage Stewarship Awards

Thank you to everyone who attended and especially our sponsors for the third annual Heritage Stewardship Awards Luncheon on May 4th. We had nearly 200 in attendance, and handed out $1,000 in prize money. Click to see the winning entries. Our sponsors:

See the great table decorations provided by Abilene's finest antique dealers!

Tomorrow's economics of Preservation
Noted economist Donovan D. Rypkema has written a thought provoking piece for the National Trust's Forum. He identifies twenty trends, from more of an emphasis on neighborhood schools to the misuse of historic overlay zoning, that will impact the future of communities, neighborhoods and real estate development. To view, click here.

Swenson House Monthly Tours
Helping celebrate the 100th Birthday of the Swenson House by extending its educational mission is an activity of the Preservation League this year. Through September, the last Sunday in each month at 3:00 pm will be set aside for public top-to-bottom tours of the grand home from 1910. Members of APL free; non-members $5. Reservations are required. Click to make a reservation.

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, as well as the other two, "Bankhead Highway" and "Who is that Street?"... More information

Nearly a whole year of Beautiful Houses
We nearly have a whole year of homes ready for voting on the top Beautiful Home of Abilene! Check out the monthly winners of this award for their great-looking homes! They'll be recognized on May 4 at our Heritage Stewardship Awards.

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.