Thank you for the interview, Preservation Magazine! And thank you to Preservation Texas and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. These groups work extremely hard to raise awareness and celebrate the places that have shaped America.

Interview excerpt here:

The Sycamore Grove filling station, also known as Outlaw Station, is a striking roadside remnant of the petrified wood–infused architecture that defined Glen Rose, Texas, during the first half of the 20th century. Built around 1929, the ruin once served as a gas station and, later, a speakeasy. According to local legend, various outlaws such as John Dillinger passed through the building, says Ann Carver, the chair of Glen Rose’s Historic Preservation Commission.

But Carver and Jeff Garnett, a Glen Rose–based architect, say it’s the station’s architecture that stands out—because of its beauty and the fact that only a few buildings constructed of petrified wood remain in the city. Sycamore Grove is not in immediate danger, but a letter from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) sent to the property owners in May sparked concern.

TxDOT has proposed a state highway realignment that could entail construction alongside the site. The department tells Preservation that the preliminary design will not affect the station directly, and that it will keep studying any potential impact as the project’s environmental review continues.

Additionally, the department says plans to protect the building during construction will be finalized later. Garnett says he believes TxDOT will do what it can to safeguard the station, but he notes that even if it’s untouched by the construction, increased traffic and vibrations from noise could threaten its long-term stability. “We feel like it’s still in jeopardy,” Carver says.

Read full article here: Places Restored, Threatened, Saved, and Lost in Preservation Magazine's Fall 2023 Issue | National Trust for Historic Preservation (savingplaces.org)