Enterprise wins award for efforts on courthouse preservation

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

The Clarendon Enterprise received the Texas Media Award – Honorable Mention during the Preservation Honor Awards banquet in San Antonio last Friday, May 5.

The award, given by Preservation Texas, was presented in conjunction with the annual State Preservation Conference.

The Enterprise was honored for its reporting on the Donley County Courthouse in the March 9, 2000, issue. The edition featured a summary of the master plan submitted to the Texas Historical Commission (THC), the financial impact of its restoration, and the significance of the 1890 courthouse.

Using digital photo imaging to super-impose the image of the original courthouse over the current courthouse, the paper showed how the building has changed over time.

The Enterprise also actively endorsed citizens’ commitment to the courthouse restoration plan and invited readers to share their views on the courthouse.

During the banquet, a slideshow presentation was made featuring Enterprise pictures of the courthouse.

“This was quite an honor for us,” said publisher Roger Estlack, who accepted the award for the Enterprise. “We were pleasantly surprised, and I would like to express my appreciation to architect John Volz and his company for nominating us.”

The Texas Media Award honors news media that support historic preservation efforts and provide outstanding reporting of preservation projects and issues and local history. The awards banquet is an annual program of Preservation Texas, honoring individuals and organizations across the state for their work in preservation.

“All preservation is grassroots,” said Elizabeth Ann Gates, Executive Director of Preservation Texas. “As the advocate and partner of local preservation organizations, we are pleased to celebrate the many notable accomplishments of these groups through the Preservation Honor Awards.”

Other award winners included The Marshall News Messenger, the reconstruction of the Hill County Courthouse in Hillsboro, the Houston Area Urban League, the San Antonio Conservation Society, and Judge John Garth of Bell County.

Preservation Texas, Inc., is a not-for-profit membership organization whose mission is to protect the historic resources of the Texas. Founded in 1985 and named a Statewide Partner of the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1998, Preservation Texas is a leader in advocacy for the preservation of historic courthouses.

Preservation Texas represents more than 16,000 Texans as their statewide voice for historic preservation.