Keeping the Hardwood Polished: Announcing Our 2026 Preservation Grant Recipients

Keeping authentic Texas dance halls welcoming dancers takes dedication, community pride, and steady upkeep. In our 2026 grant cycle, ten historic halls across the state requested $87,842 against our $50,000 budget. Thanks to generous supporters, our board funded every selected project in full, distributing over $46,163 in dollar-for-dollar matching grants to five treasured venues:

• La Bahia Turn Verein Hall (Burton, Washington County) – $10,000: Founded in 1879, this 1903 octagonal hall hosts the popular La Bahia Antique Show and the fall Big Star Texas Night. The grant remodels the women’s restroom as part of improvements leading toward its 150-year anniversary in 2029.
• El Maton National Hall (El Maton, Matagorda County) – $9,150: Built in 1919 as a school and turned Czech National Hall in 1941, this coastal hall hosts summer Friday dances, Sunday afternoon live music, and local gatherings. Funds will completely rebuild a 1950s addition housing the men’s restroom.

Images Below: La Bahia Turn Verein by Dave Norris, El Maton National Hall

• Luckenbach Dance Hall (Luckenbach, Gillespie County) – $7,013: Steeped in Hill Country lore from Jerry Jeff Walker’s ¡Viva Terlingua! to Willie Nelson's Fourth of July Picnics, Luckenbach hosts dances every month. TDHP funds will fully refinish its historic 3,000-square-foot maple dance floor.

• SPJST Lodge 25 (Ennis, Ellis County) – $10,000: An anchor host for the statewide National Czech Polka Festival every Memorial Day weekend, Lodge 25 dealt with significant plumbing issues. This grant overhauls the women’s restroom with new lines, flooring, stalls, grab rails, and vanities.

       Images below: Luckenbach Dance Hall and SPJST Lodge 25

• SPJST Lodge 92 / National Hall (Fort Worth, Tarrant County) – $10,000: Built in 1938, Lodge 92 hosts the Cowtown Birthplace of Western Swing Festival, Czech polkas, monthly country-and-western dances, and Latin music nights with Latin Express. Matching funds will completely refinish its original 5,000-square-foot hardwood floor.

       Images below: SPJST Lodge 92 National Hall 

Help Keep Texas Dancing

A $10,000 grant provides vital seed money that helps historic halls rally their communities, tackle urgent repairs, and keep their doors open. These preservation awards—along with our bus tours, educational programs, and statewide research—are possible only because of our members and donors.

Mark Your Calendars

• Saturday, November 14: Historic Dance Hall Bus Tour to DeWitt County, leaving from Austin (Full details and ticket info coming soon)
• November 12-15: Cowtown Birthplace of Western Swing Festival at National Hall (SPJST 92). Tickets and Info.
• Friday, November 27: TDHP Celebration at Sagebrush in Austin

Stay tuned to our website and social channels for ticketing, band announcements, and complete schedules.