Restoration Continues at Louisiana Hall
MAY 20, 2026
Exterior repairs are now 75% complete at Louisiana Hall, the 1914 former Westminster College dormitory at the Preservation Texas Institute in Tehuacana. This phase of the project includes extensive repairs to the building’s historic wood siding and trim, followed by a fresh coat of paint that has already transformed the dorm’s appearance. PT is working with restoration carpenter Gerardo Gonzalez of Corsicana on the project, which is funded in part by a grant from the Still Water Foundation. The paint was generously donated by Sherwin-Williams of Corsicana.
East facade of Louisiana Hall before and after exterior envelope repairs and repainting.
On March 27-28, Preservation Texas hosted its inaugural historic window repair workshop at the PTI campus. Fifteen participants traveled from across the state to learn the fundamentals of wood window restoration through hands-on training. During the workshop, attendees restored three of Louisiana Hall’s original wood windows. We are grateful to Ron Siebler and Nicholas Bogosian for generously sharing their expertise as instructors.
Workshop participants on the front porch of Louisiana Hall.
POW Buildings Roof Replacement
The former POW buildings on the PTI campus, which were relocated from Camp Mexia in 1947, have been reroofed. The deteriorated roof system had been allowing significant water infiltration into the historic structure. Preservation Texas hired American Roofing of Corsicana to complete an in-kind roof replacement, remove unused equipment, and eliminate skylights over the workshop area to create a weather-tight building envelope. The project also included critical structural repairs to the roof framing, including the replacement of deteriorated rafters and reinforcement of water-damaged framing members.
POW buildings roof during and after replacement.
Regional Cultural Heritage Stakeholders Meeting
On April 30, Preservation Texas hosted a gathering at the PTI campus in Tehuacana, bringing together representatives from nearby cultural heritage organizations, parks, museums, and preservation groups. The collaborative meeting focused on developing future programs for the Institute and strengthening partnerships with regional stakeholders
