Lampasas Heritage Foundation, Inc

05/07/2026

As you probably know by now, the Lampasas Depot Foundation is celebrating the return of the Santa Fe Depot and railyard as a railroad museum and destination on Sunday, July 12, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

BUT...the reason for this post is that we are interested in locating current or former railroad employees who might be living in or around Lampasas. As we look forward, there are a number of opportunities to be a part of this huge project. For example, we will need volunteers who would be interested in working in the museum. We will need people who have worked on railroad equipment and can help with the historic rolling stock. They might be interested in helping develop a trades opportunity for high school kids who would be interested in a career with the railroads.

We also would like to document interesting stories of people who remember trains coming and going from the depot. One story in particular was from Dorothy Derwin. She met her future husband before the start of WWII and were engaged before he shipped off to Europe. When the war ended, he arrived at the depot to see her waiting for him. As she tells it, they went straight to the church and were married. Their honeymoon night was spent in the Keystone Hotel and the following morning, they ate breakfast in the original post office building that had been converted into a restaurant and bus depot. When they finished, they walked across the street and boarded the train for Lometa which is where her family lived. Imagine how many other stories like this involve people whose lives were impacted by the presence of the Santa Fe Railroad depot in Lampasas. If you have such a story, please email it to us at [email protected].

We look forward to having you come celebrate with us on July 12!

04/27/2026

We are thrilled that the Lampasas Depot Foundation has received an extensive collection of over 250 HO gauge model railroad pieces to put on permanent display in the Santa Fe Depot. Beverly Jones from Georgetown gifted the collection to the foundation which was the lifetime passion of her brother. 

The collection will be on display at the July 12 All Aboard Event at the depot from 11:00am to 3:00pm.  There’s no cost to attend with the exception of food or beverages. There will be plenty to do for kids of all ages. we look forward to seeing you there!

04/18/2026

The windows for the 4th Street Church have arrived in Lampasas! Special thanks to Eddie Bowden of Coming Home Furniture for driving to Weimer, Texas to pick them up!! As usual, Gary Cernoch did a beautiful job replicating the period correct windows. Thomas Crawford has provided the building where the windows will be stained and varnished by Leslie Sanchez with ASJ.

There are still windows available for you to sponsor and have a permanent brass plaque with your name, or the name of a person you wish to honor or memorialize. Please click the link below for more information about this worthy tax deductible opportunity.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/adopt-a-window-campaign

04/09/2026

Ok Lampasas, here's how you want to spend your Spring Ho Sunday with your kids! Start with a tour inside the historic 1904 Santa Fe Depot. Enjoy an adult beverage while listening to the band from the porch of the Loading Dock Saloon. Grab lunch at one of the dining options and watch your kids ride around in a miniature Thomas the Tank Engine or jump around in a bounce house. And kids of all ages enjoy cooling off with a snow cone.

While you are here, look over the plans for the development of the depot property which include our efforts to bring in a locomotive like the one in the photo which provided passenger service to Lampasas in the late 1940s and 1950s along with dining cars so you can enjoy a special meal in a historic dining car.

Best of all, other than food and beverages, the event is FREE!

Put the date on your calendar today! Sunday, July 12, from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. ALL ABOARD!

04/01/2026

Let's just say it was a logistical nightmare but the thousand pound,1900s, granite topped bar, safely made its way from a store on South Congress Avenue in Austin to the freight portion of 1904 Santa Fe Depot. Why? Let's just say for now that the Lampasas Depot Foundation has a surprise for you as the evolution of the old Santa Fe depot and rail yard is moving forward. Mark your calendar now for Sunday, July 12, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. That's the Sunday after Spring Ho. Details to follow soon.

Special thanks to Blue Ribbon Moving out of Austin, Cathy, Hub, Eddie, Troy, Joe, Cindy and Andy for making it happen! Believe me, it took all of them. And thanks to Martha for photographing the move.

03/29/2026

Another exciting day at the 4th Street Church as Derrick Dewald, Jose, and his crew rebuilt the roof over the small room on the North East corner. This is the last step before Mike Irvin installs the new metal roof.

We are blessed to find a new rosary yesterday that has been placed on the fence. Thank you so much!

Want to remind everyone that you can sponsor one of the 20 windows which will have a brass plaque with your name or the name of someone you wish to honor. Of course you can contribute any amount to help finish the church. Contributions are tax deductible. Your support is immeasurable to save this structure that is an important part of the rich history of Lampasas.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/adopt-a-window-campaign

03/21/2026

Thank you for the gift and prayer. Peace be with you.

03/19/2026

Talk about gorgeous! The windows for the church are finished and ready for stain and varnish! So to help everyone visualize what the inside of the finished church will look like with the windows in place, we asked AI to use an actual photo of the sanctuary and finish it out according to the specifications for the windows, ceiling, trusses, pews,... It's not exact, but it's close.

This creates a unique opportunity for you or your family to become a permanent part of the restored church by sponsoring one of the twenty windows and having a brass plaque attached in your honor. Your purchase is a tax deductible donation. If you are interested, please click on the link below for details.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/adopt-a-window-campaign

03/13/2026

Needless to say, we are honored with the recognition by Preservation Texas, who previously designated the Fourth Street Church as one of the "Most Endangered Places in Texas”, as being SAVED! We hope they will come back and see it in November when we hope to have it completed. Thanks to all of you who have contributed time and money to the restoration! We couldn't do it without your support!

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1363636379135705&set=pb.100064680671455.-2207520000

We are now accepting nominations for the 2026 Most Endangered Places (MEP) list! This year’s list will be announced in May. We are seeking nominations for significant historic sites threatened by demolition, neglect, inappropriate development, or other similar issues.

Since 2004, the MEP program has highlighted hundreds of threatened sites across Texas, bringing statewide attention to these places and helping mobilize support for their protection. While PT provides publicity for listed sites, each property nominated to the 2026 list must already have an organized group of advocates working toward its preservation.

Nominations are due Friday, April 17, 2026. To learn more and submit a nomination, visit preservationtexas.org/mep2026

Pictured📸 The Fourth Street Church in Lampasas, included on the 2023 MEP list, is being restored by the Lampasas Heritage Foundation, Inc!

03/01/2026

Thanks to Emerich Hopkins and the Scouts for moving the pews out of storage to prepare them for restoration. There are 10 of the original primitive pews that are generally in restorable shape plus six others that are different styles and lengths. Ryan Mowell, a professional cabinet maker, worked with the group to inspect the pews and discuss the work needed. Thanks to Mike Gill for orchestrating the work day.

02/28/2026

It’s a workday as we continue to progress on the 4th Street Church project! Join the Boy Scouts as we move the pews from the Gillen warehouse on third Street to the building next-door where they will prepare the pews for restoration. The festivities begin at 12 o’clock noon so eat lunch early and come join us! Then Gillen Warehouse is located on Third Street just before you cross the Cemetery Creek bridge heading East out of downtown.