LCRA awards $25,000 grant to Palacios Preservation Association for outdoor historical exhibit

New Caboose Corner display in Railroad Park will share Palacios history, support downtown revitalization

Nov. 21, 2025

LCRA representatives present a $25,000 grant to the Palacios Preservation Association for a new exhibit on Palacios history. The grant is part of LCRA’s Community Grants program. Pictured, from left to right, are: Margaret Doughty, association co-chair; Kendall Spriggs, J.P. Bryan Luther Hotel property manager; Karmen Schuster, J.P. Bryan Luther Hotel historical collection assistant; Cynthia Garrett, association board member; Chuck Madeley, Jan Pierce, Lee Raymond and Robert Turner, association volunteers; Gloria Millsap, district director for state Senator Joan Huffman; Richard “Rick” DeLeon III, Matagorda County sheriff; Anna Sac Dao, association volunteer; Rick Cink, City of Palacios mayor; Stephen F. Cooper, LCRA Board chair; Margaret D. “Meg” Voelter and Joseph M. “Joe” Crane, LCRA Board members; Pam Oliver, Palacios Chamber of Commerce executive director; Tim Hornback, association executive director; Peggy Georgi, Sanford Community Center board member; Tammy Lewis, Sanford Community Center executive director; Troy Lewis, City of Palacios city council, Position 2 and Sanford Community Center president; Robin Reynolds, association volunteer; Edith Gower, association co-chair; Kate Ramzinski, LCRA Regional Affairs representative; and Mike Dotson, association volunteer.
PALACIOS, Texas – The Palacios Preservation Association soon will construct an open-air exhibit on Palacios history in Caboose Corner in Railroad Park, thanks to a $25,000 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority.

The community grant, along with $25,829 in matching funds from the association, will help create a canopy-covered display area downtown with interpretive panels that tell Palacios’ story. The first theme will focus on the city’s railroad era, with future topics expected to highlight local architecture and cultural heritage. The free, year-round exhibit on Main Street will provide a walkable learning experience for anyone who stops by.

“This is a visible project in a park people see as they come into town,” said Tim Hornback, executive director of the Palacios Preservation Association. “Caboose Corner will become an inviting place to stroll, read and learn. Starting with the story of the railroad in Palacios, we’ll use outdoor displays and plaques so families, students and visitors can explore our history in the open air.”

Hornback said the project reflects broad community support for preservation efforts.

“The community is excited and ready to make this project a reality,” Hornback said. “We are grateful to LCRA for this grant and for past support of preservation in Palacios, and we appreciate the City of Palacios for working alongside us to strengthen our community. This project brings neighbors and volunteers together to share the stories that shaped our town and to welcome residents and visitors to discover them.”

This is one of 41 grants awarded recently through LCRA Community Grants. These grants are awarded twice a year as part of LCRA’s effort to give back to communities in its wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas.

Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in January. More information is available at lcra.org/cdpp.

About LCRA

The Lower Colorado River Authority serves customers and communities throughout Texas by managing the lower Colorado River; generating and transmitting electric power; providing a clean, reliable water supply; and offering outdoor adventures at more than 40 parks along the Colorado River from the Texas Hill Country to the Gulf Coast. LCRA and its employees are committed to fulfilling our mission to enhance the quality of life of the Texans we serve through water stewardship, energy and community service. LCRA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1934 and receives no state appropriations.

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