The Herrera sisters, Consuelo and Mary Grace, left an indelible mark on Austin’s educational landscape. As pioneering Mexican American educators, they contributed to bilingual education in the city and advocated tirelessly for their students. Their work not only transformed the learning experience for countless children; it also demonstrated the profound impact that dedicated educators can have on their communities.

Preservation Austin is thrilled to receive an Honor Award from Preservation Texas recognizing the rehabilitation of the McFarland-McBee House, our non-profit’s headquarters. Preservation Texas’s Honor Awards is a biennial program that recognizes exceptional individuals and projects that advance historic preservation across the state.

Preservation Austin’s mission is to empower Austinites to shape a more inclusive, resilient, and meaningful community culture through preservation. As stewards of this mission, and as the only citywide nonprofit for historic preservation, we seek to educate Austinites about Proposition Q’s impact on the City of Austin’s preservation program ahead of the November 4 election. 

Preservation Austin is delighted to recognize the ambitious, innovative, and community-minded winners of our 65th Annual Preservation Merit Awards. Our ten winners for 2025 represent the wide-ranging efforts to build community and enhance historic spaces across Austin.

We dedicate these celebratory headlines to our members, whose support powers everything we do. If you value the spirit of our city and hope it continues to thrive, support our 2025 Membership Drive and invest in the future of historic places in Austin, Texas.

Preservation Austin’s 65th Annual Preservation Merit Awards honor visionary approaches to preserving our city’s unique architectural, cultural, and environmental heritage. By recognizing outstanding individuals, businesses, organizations, and institutions, we hope to inspire others to carry on this important work.

In Austin’s West Campus area — characterized today by towering apartment buildings, huge window panes, bright signs, and a boisterous population of 15,000 students — a medium-sized house known as Whitehall Cooperative sits as a haven of affordable housing for its residents.

SB 2639 threatens the future of historic preservation in Texas by rewriting the rules for how cities protect significant historic sites. The bill will be heard in the House Committee on Land and Resource Management on Thursday, May 22 at 8 AM. Please reach out to the members of the Committee members and urge them to vote NO on SB 2639. Read on for more.