May is National Preservation Month, when local preservation and civic organizations spotlight their preservation programs and heritage tourism. This year’s theme is People Saving Places. Historic place-savers pour their time, energy, and resources into protecting places they care about, often without recognition. Preservation Month 2022 is for them—a national high-five to everyone doing the great work of saving places in hopes that it will inspire and empower others to do the same.
Below is a list of events and activities sponsored by the City of Round Rock Historic Preservation Program, Round Rock Preservation, The Williamson Museum, the Texas Historical Commission, and the National Trust for Historical Preservation. Also be sure to check out the City of Round Rock’s social media for more!
Events:
April 29: Chuckwagon Dinner. The Williamson Museum invites you to a Dutch oven dinner with beer, wine, and all the fixin’s. 6-9 p.m. at Old Settlers Park. $30 per person/ $25 for members/ $15 for children.
April 30: Pioneer Day at Old Settlers Park. The Williamson Museum presents a day of pioneer crafts, food and demonstrations for children at Old Settlers Park from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
May 7: Free Historic Sites Day. In celebration of National Preservation Month and National Travel and Tourism Week, the Texas Historical Commission (THC) will offer free admission to participating state historic sites.
May 17: Lunch and Learn: the Chisholm Trail. Noon-1:00 p.m. at the Baca Center.
May 22: Discovering Round Rock History: Kenney Fort. Sunday, May 22 from 1-2 p.m. at the Library. Refreshments provided by Estes Audiology to the first 40 attendees.
Exhibits:
Round Rock – This Place Matters by members of the Baca Center Art Club. Monthlong in the Baca Center Lobby.
Round Rock Landmarks by Round Rock Preservation. Monthlong in the Library’s first floor display case.
Digital resources:
New! Historic Landmarks App – Browse through descriptions of Round Rock’s historic structures, markers, and sites
New! Video series: Places in Time Short videos about the stories behind Round Rock landmarks
New! Video series: Texas Time Machine Short videos about Round Rock history
A History Buff’s Guide to Round Rock
Historic Downtown Round Rock, Texas Walking Guide (pdf)
A Kid’s Guide to the History of Round Rock (pdf)
Online events:
May 12: Exploring Undertold Stories of Texas. Friends of the Texas Historical Commission presents a webinar about the Undertold Marker Program. Learn how to apply for an undertold marker in your community! 6:00 p.m. over Zoom. Register here.
May 17: The Untold Story of Leona Tate, Gail Etienne, and Tessie Prevost: On the Frontline of School Desegregation in New Orleans. This webinar is the latest in a series expanding the narrative of Brown v. Board of Education and commemorates the legislation’s 68th anniversary. 6:00 p.m. Register here.
On demand: Podcasts for Preservation. Hear from podcast creators as they explore how this form of communication has helped foster conversations about the places we love most. https://savingplac.es/3rnFSeU
On-demand discussion: From Aspiration to Inspiration: Six Aspire Award Winners Reflect on the State of Preservation. https://savingplac.es/3rnFSeU
