SAN ANTONIO - Helping to preserve the city's rich history is the main goal for the San Antonio Conservation Society.
- San Antonio Conservation Society devoted to preserving city's rich history
- Preserves architecture, natural resources and cultural heritage
- Group hosting neighborhood workshops
"We were established in 1924 so we've been around for close to 100 years," said Susan Beavin.
For nearly a century the San Antonio Conservation Society has worked to preserve the architecture, natural resources, and the cultural heritage that makes the Alamo City unique.
You can feel the influence all over the city.
"There's hardly anything downtown - whether it's the Rand Building, the Majestic, the Aztec - that we haven't had something to do with," said Beavin.
Conservation Society President Susan Beavin says celebrating the city's 300th anniversary gave the organization a unique platform.
"The Tricentennial opened up a lot of opportunities for us at the same time. We were presented with the San Antonio stories that we were able to put on TV, and those messages and logos and sayings in the newspaper as well," she said.
One of the major initiatives was to give Brackenridge Park's Pumphouse a makeover.
"So we, through the former presidents, wanted to donate $300,000 over the course of three years to the restoration and rehabilitation of the pump house," she said.
The restoration of the Pumphouse wasn't the only time the group focused on the park.
"We conjured up a Hunt for History. So we were going to spotlight all of the major features and buildings and structures in the park and we had a scavenger hunt," said Beavin.
The organization has done a lot over the years to protect and preserve the rich history, and they say there's more to do.
"Getting our name out there, I think that's been a major focus for the last couple of years. Just to be sure people know who we are and what we do because we have so many people coming to San Antonio and because we treasure our rich history," she said.
Night in Old San Antonio isn't just a big party, it's a major fundraiser, and the homes surrounding the city aren't just buildings, they're standing pieces of history.
The group has started hosting neighborhood workshops.
"They learn how to talk the language of developers and how to work with everyone on projects so they're appropriate for their neighborhood," Beavin said.
Beavin says it's important to understand the language of preservation as the city heads into the next 300 years.
"So we feel very strongly that our voice has been very important since 1924. It's a long history and we plan to continue that," Beavin said.