From the PPA Facebook Group: Welcome to the Palacios Preservation Association’s official group. We’re a community of locals and supporters who believe historic preservation isn’t just about saving old buildings, it’s about shaping Palacios’s future.
This group is here to share updates, ideas, and opportunities for involvement as we work to strengthen our local economy and deepen community pride through historic preservation and heritage tourism. From the Luther Hotel to future landmarks, your voice and vision matter.
Let’s build something lasting—together.
How This Came About: Saving The Luther Hotel
Texas Historical Foundation Grants Award
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: November 12, 2025
Contact: Tim Hornback, Executive Director
Palacios Preservation Association (PPA)
tmhornback@gmail.com | www.palaciospreservationassociation.org
454 Main Street, Palacios, Texas 77645
Texas Historical Foundation Awards Grant to Palacios Preservation Association
Palacios, Texas — The Texas Historical Foundation (THF) has awarded a quarterly grant to the Palacios Preservation Association (PPA) to help launch the Local Historic Marker Program, an initiative designed to recognize and celebrate historic structures and community landmarks throughout Palacios.
The grant from THF is matched by H-E-B, reflecting strong local and statewide support for preserving Palacios’s architectural and cultural heritage. The Local Historic Marker Program will identify historic buildings, map their locations, and invite community participation while drawing attention to the role these structures have played in telling the story of Palacios over time. “
This partnership with the Texas Historical Foundation and H-E-B gives Palacios the opportunity to celebrate our history in a visible and lasting way,” said Tim Hornback, Executive Director of the Palacios Preservation Association. “Each marker tells a story — not just of a building, but of the people and moments that shaped our community.”
The presentation took place at the Palacios Preservation Association offices, where THF representatives formally awarded the grant to PPA leadership and volunteers.
Photo Caption: The Texas Historical Foundation presented a quarterly grant to fund the Palacios Preservation Association’s Local Historic Marker Program.
Front Left to Right
Margaret Doughty, PPA Co-Chair, Cynthia Garrett, PPA Transition Board Member; Elizabeth Susser, Texas Historical Foundation Director; Edith Gower, PPA Co-Chair; Aleigha Galvan, Palacios Interim-City Manager; Sandra Davidson, PPA Transition Board Member
Rear Left to Right
Dave Miller, HEB General Manager Bay City, Texas; Rick Cink, Mayor of Palacios; Bob Turner, PPA Member; David Preziosi, President & CEO of Texas Historical Foundation; Cynthia Toles, Texas Historical Foundation Director; Tim Hornback, PPA E.D.; Louise Odogwu, PPA Member
The Foundation and the Association
About the Palacios Preservation Association
The Palacios Preservation Association (PPA) promotes historic preservation, heritage tourism, and community engagement in Palacios, Texas. Through partnerships, education, and public events, PPA works to safeguard the stories, structures, and landscapes that define Palacios’s coastal heritage.
About the Texas Historical Foundation
Established in 1954, the Texas Historical Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports preservation projects across the state through grants, education, and advocacy to protect Texas’s diverse cultural heritage.
The Presentation Luncheon
Texas Historical Foundation Visit & Grant Presentation 2025-11-14
Tim Hornback, Executive Director
On a bright fall morning, representatives from the Texas Historical Foundation joined members of the Palacios Preservation Association (PPA) for a day celebrating local history and community partnerships.
The visit began with a walk along the Luther Hotel fence wrap, where volunteers and guests viewed the timeline display tracing Palacios’s rich past and the hotel’s role as a coastal landmark.
The group then gathered at the PPA offices for the official presentation of the Texas Historical Foundation grant, which will fund PPA’s new Local Historic Marker Program. The program, matched by support from H-E-B, will identify and share the stories behind historic buildings and sites across Palacios—helping residents and visitors alike connect with the town’s heritage. The local H-E-B General Manager joined the group for the presentation, underscoring the company’s ongoing commitment to community partnerships.
Following the presentation, guests and volunteers shared a casual lunch hosted by the PPA team. The gathering offered a chance to exchange stories, reflect on the progress made through local preservation efforts, and look ahead to the work still to come.
It was a good day for Palacios—one that captured both the pride and the partnerships that keep its history alive.
Photos by Fran Denoncourt.
Meet and Greet at the Luther Hotel
