College Hill Festival at the Preservation Texas Institute
October 10, 2026 | 103 College Avenue, Tehuacana, Texas
Join Preservation Texas in Tehuacana on Saturday, October 10, for the first annual College Hill Festival! Spend the day exploring our historic campus, originally established in 1869 as the home of Trinity University, and learn about our one-of-a-kind vision for the future Preservation Texas Institute.
The festival will feature activities for all ages throughout the day, including exhibits, live heritage trades demonstrations, a rummage sale, displays by local cultural heritage organizations, live music, raffle prizes, and more!
This event is free and open to the public. Visitors will be asked to sign a liability waiver before entering the campus grounds.
Festival Schedule:
8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Rummage Sale & Raffle Ticket Sales
Browse a selection of furniture, dishes, artwork, and other bargains inside the 1933 Westminster College Gymnasium, and purchase raffle tickets. All sales are tax free!
10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. | College Hill History & Handmade Texana Exhibits
Explore artifacts that tell the story of Tehuacana and view handmade Texas furniture from the Preservation Texas collection inside Louisiana Hall, the former Westminster College women’s dormitory built in 1914.
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. | Exhibitor Booths & Displays
Visit outdoor booths featuring local history, cultural, and heritage organizations, and check out a display of vintage tractors and trucks.
Exhibitors Include: B-RI Railroad Museum, Camp Hearne Historical Site & Exhibit, Fort Parker State Park, Freestone County Historical Commission & Museum, Limestone County Historical Commission & Museum, Preservation Texas, Tehuacana Heritage Society, and the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes
11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. | Live Heritage Trades Demonstrations
Watch traditional building crafts in action, with live demonstrations of timber hewing by Timber Framers Guild member Roy Clay and limestone working by craftsman Rick Wood.
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. | Texas Hall Guided Tours
Sign up for a guided walking tour around the perimeter of Texas Hall for an up-close look at the historic building and reconstructed cupola.
11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. | Lunch
Pack a picnic or purchase lunch from limited on-site food vendors. Enjoy cobbler and coffee served from an authentic chuck wagon from the legendary 6666 Ranch.
11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. | Live Music
Enjoy live bluegrass music by Wilson and Wilson Music while you eat. Pack a lawn chair or blanket!
1:30–2:00 pm: Wichita and Affiliated Tribes Presentation
Learn about Wichita history and language during a presentation by the Wichita Tribe, affiliated with the Tawakoni tribe, for which the city of Tehuacana is named.
2:00 p.m. | Raffle Drawing
Purchase raffle tickets in the gym before noon for your chance to win donated prizes supporting the College Hill rehabilitation project!
SPONSORED BY:
Bill & Kate Johnson
Stephen & Danelle Smith
Freestone County Historical Commission
Freestone County Historical Museum
Teague Historical Preservation Society
Mike Wolfe
Karen & Tim Partin
Daniel Burkeen
Dr. M.J. McReynolds
Margaret Cogdell
Become a Sponsor
We are seeking monetary sponsorships and raffle prize donations to help make this year’s festival a success. Sponsorship opportunities start at $100. Your tax-deductible sponsorship contribution will help offset the costs of event operations, promotional and printed materials, and live music while supporting the continued development of the Preservation Texas Institute.
SPONSOR BENEFITS:
Sponsor name or logo prominently displayed on festival signage
Sponsor name or logo featured on the festival webpage
Recognition in the Preservation Texas e-newsletter, reaching more than 6,000 subscribers statewide
Recognition on Preservation Texas’s Facebook and Instagram platforms
Opportunity to host an exhibitor booth at the festival
Verbal acknowledgment on stage before the festival concert
Donate a Raffle Prize
We are also seeking donated items for a raffle at the festival. Raffle proceeds will directly support the rehabilitation of the Preservation Texas Institute campus and the development of future preservation education programs in Tehuacana.
Businesses might consider donating merchandise, locally made products, gift certificates, experiences, or other items that would appeal to festival attendees. Businesses that donate an item valued at $100 or more will receive all of the benefits of a festival sponsorship listed above!
If your business would like to donate an item for the raffle, please contact the Preservation Texas office at 512-667-6500, ext. 1, or email hunick@preservationtexas.orgto coordinate the donation.
