The Certified Local Government (CLG) Program is a preservation partnership between local, state and national governments focused on promoting historic preservation at the grass roots level. The program is jointly administered by the National Park Service (NPS) and the State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPO) in each state. Each community works through a certification process to become a CLG as well as providing a detailed annual report for those who are already active members. Once becoming a CLG, a government body can benefit from the informational and financial resources that are provided to members. In addition to the benefits, being a CLG shows a community’s commitment in preservation and readiness for projects that come their way.

Georgetown has been a CLG since June of 1986. The City has funded projects like updating the local 1984 Historic Resources Survey to ensure it has an updated inventory of historic properties, and updating the Downtown Design Guidelines.

For more information on the national CLG program, please visit the Texas Historical Commission website.

Tuesday Talks with Britin and Ann

The Planning Department and Georgetown Public Library join forces for Tuesday Talks with Britin Bostick and Ann Evans. The monthly webinars will break down different aspects of Georgetown’s history at noon on the first Tuesday of the month. Click here to get more information about the series.

December was a tour of Henderson’s, a staple on the Square for decades, which honored the Evans family, who served in WWII before serving Georgetown as Henderson’s business owners.  You can view the recording here!

November is National Native American Heritage Month! Do you know Georgetown’s history prior to European settlement?  Click here to watch the video!

October 5th’s presentation featured spooky stories of the Courthouse Square, as well as a short history of planning in Georgetown and a highlight of National Community Planning Month! Click here to watch the video.

September 15-October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month! We are celebrating by sharing some of the stories and people who are part of Hispanic Heritage and History in Georgetown! Click here to watch the video.

The July 6, 2021 presentation showed the de-construction and salvage of a historic farmhouse with a history mystery! Although the style of the house was an “I-House”, it’s condition in 2019 did not tell the full story of how that style of house was built at such a late estimated date, or what some of the most notable features were – inside and out! Britin and Ann cover the known history, what was revealed during the deconstruction and some small finds that might connect back to Sam Houston! Click here to watch the video.

The June 1, 2021 presentation rounded up some of our favorite stories and some stories you shared with us! Click here to watch the video.

The May 25, 2021 presentation celebrated the 125th birthday of the M. B. Lockett Building and the 120th birthday of the P. H. Dimmitt Building. Learn how old the Lockett Building really is and the concern caused by a 1920s ice cream freezer. Click here to watch the video.

The May 18, 2021 presentation celebrated the 130th birthday of the Mileham Building and the 135th birthday of 213 W. 8th Street! Learn about cast iron storefronts, and why they make our buildings on the Square so beautiful. Click here to watch the video.

The May 11, 2021 presentation celebrated the 90th birthday of the Historic Post Office at 113 E. 8th Street, constructed in 1931. Learn about postmasters, post office locations around the Square, hidden passages and how the building was celebrated for its 50th birthday. Click here to watch the video.

The May 4, 2021 presentation celebrated the 110th birthdays of the 5th Williamson County Courthouse and the Williamson Museum. Get a rooftop tour of the Courthouse and learn how expensive the bank interior was, and where to look for special elements of the historic interiors of these builds constructed at the same time. Click here to watch the video.

The April 6, 2021 presentation took a tour of Belford homes and showed the variety of styles and sizes constructed by the Belford Lumber Company during Charles Sanford Belford’s ownership. The Belford National Register Historic District is one of four National Register districts in Georgetown, although Belford is known to have constructed dozens of homes in Old Town. Click here to watch the video.

The March 2, 2021 presentation celebrated Women’s History Month and showed the properties of several women in Georgetown who had bought, sold and developed real estate early on in Georgetown’s history. Click here to watch the video.

The Feb. 1, 2021 presentation featured special guest Paulette Taylor in celebration of Black History Month. To tie into this year’s national theme of Black History Month “The Black Family: Representation, Identity, Diversity”, Britin and Ann were joined by special guest Paulette Taylor for “Representation, Identify and Diversity Celebrated in Georgetown’s Track-Ridge-Grasshopper Neighborhood”. Paulette Taylor is a longtime educator and lifetime Georgetown resident. Ms. Taylor is President of the Georgetown Citizens and Cultural Memorial Association (GCCMA), which exists to educate, preserve, and celebrate African American history and culture. GCCMA fulfills its mission by partnering with religious, educational, civic and other organizations to provide for the youth of all citizens in Georgetown, Texas. The Track-Ridge-Grasshopper Neighborhood has been home to members of Georgetown’s African-American community for more than 150 years, and we invite you to learn more about the neighborhood’s history as well as important community organizations and partners. Click here to watch the video.

The Dec. 1, 2020 presentation featured special guest Kim McAuliffe (Downtown Business Manager) for a discussion of the history of shopping in downtown and the impact shopping local has on our beloved Square. Click here to watch the video.

The Nov. 3, 2020 presentation featured special guests Dana Hendrix (Georgetown Public Library) and Liz Weaver (Preservation Georgetown Historian) for a discussion on how the Mystery of the Eubank-Daniels House was solved. Click here to watch the video.

The Oct. 6, 2020 presentation featured a discussion on parades, festivals and popular recreational spots of the past. Click here to watch the video.

The Sept. 1, 2020 presentation was about historic school buildings and the role school has played in our community. Click here to watch the video.

The Aug. 4, 2020 presentation included the history of I-35 and its effect on downtown Georgetown. Click here to watch the video.

May is National Historic Preservation Month!!!

We celebrate Preservation Month in May, and in 2020 our celebration moved online with a series of presentations on Georgetown’s history and historic resources.

Topic: Where to find the City of Georgetown’s online historic resources and a brief history of Downtown’s development. Click here to watch the video

Topic: What is a COA, why do we have them, and when did Downtown have a 100’ tall tower? Click here to watch the video

Topic:  Pro tips for historic property research and the 1st known female real estate developer in Georgetown. Click here to watch the video

Topic: How the railroad made the Downtown we enjoy today, and why Old Town has so many different building styles. Click here to watch the video