Gibson-Grant Cabin selected as grant recipient

Senator Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound) announced Thursday that the Gibson-Grant Log Cabin and Homestead was awarded a $15,000 grant from the Texas Preservation Trust Fund (TPTF), a program of the Texas Historical Commission (THC).

“This is great news for our Flower Mound community. We have been closely monitoring preservation efforts once the log cabin was unearthed from within a home,” said Senator Nelson. “The financial support the TPTF grant provides will be the first step of many to save the history of this important piece of our heritage for generations to come.”

The log cabin was discovered by a North Texas developer. During the demolition process for the house located in west Flower Mound, the log cabin was unearthed. The house was built around the walls of the historic log cabin.

Once realized, the developer halted construction and mobilized local historians in an effort to determine the historical significance of the structure. Historians have determined the log cabin property was part of a Republic of Texas Land Grant  patented in 1854 by William Gibson, and built circa 1860. The original survey was for 360 acres and the cabin is a one-room structure measuring approximately 16’ x 16’ feet.

The grant will assist the Town of Flower Mound and Denton County in their joint effort to preserve this important historic resource. The THC selected 23 preservation projects from 36 project proposal applicants to be recipients of the 2016–2017 TPTF grant awards totaling $530,000.

The 71st Texas Legislature created the TPTF in 1989 to allow a stable source of funding to be developed to assist preservation efforts throughout the state. The fund is currently managed by the Texas Treasury Safekeeping Trust Company.

The TPTF investment earnings are distributed as matching grants to qualified applicants for the acquisition, survey, restoration, preservation, planning, and heritage education activities leading to the preservation of historic properties and archaeological sites/collections. Competitive grants are awarded on a one-to-one match basis and are paid as reimbursement of eligible expenses incurred.