The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 63, July 1959 - April, 1960 Page: 182

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182 Southwestern Historical Quarterly
It must be made clear that it is not as an antiquarian that one
should consider his town's past in planning for its future. To
most Texans, the question of what kind of town their grand-
parents lived in is not as important as what kind of city their grand-
children will find when they grow up. In the year 1959, almost all
Texas towns are undergoing drastic changes because of the in-
creased pressure of multiplying populations, both human and
vehicular, and rapid commercial expansion. The desire of all
thoughtful citizens is that these necessary changes will enable
Texas cities to grow bigger and better in accord with their rich
historical tradition, with their own long-cherished individualities.
For it is a fact, indeed, that the American cities that are most
loved by all Americans, not just by their own citizens, are those
that have a distinct personality-New Orleans, Boston, San Fran-
cisco, San Antonio, for instance. The state of Texas has over the
years developed a personality so marked that it stands apart and
distinct from its sister states. It would be a shame if twentieth
century progress should cause Texas towns to lose their original,
nineteenth century individuality, to become uninteresting replicas
of each other, indistinguishable, except by name.
The history, past and present, of a town, its natural setting, the
way it is laid out, all these are factors in the make-up of a town's
individuality. But the surest indication of the original and en-
during personality of a city is found in the homes and public
buildings that survive from the earliest decades of the communi-
ty's existence. This is true because it is in the creating of these
buildings that the first citizens, the men who made the city to
start with, left the imprint of their lives and spirits on the natural
environment. They took the raw materials that were at hand and
shaped them to their uses, to conform to their ideals as well as to
their necessities.
Texas citizens all over the state share the realization of the value
of this architectural heritage to present-day community life, and
much is being done to try to control the needless destruction of
irreplaceable old houses and buildings. Unfortunately, many of
the persons who appreciate the importance of the past, and should
be of help in its preservation, are apt to say: "It is too late to do
anything about saving what we had; everything old has already

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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 63, July 1959 - April, 1960, periodical, 1960; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101186/m1/244/ocr/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.

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