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Slaton’s ‘Little Red Caboose’ awarded grant from Community Foundation of West Texas

LUBBOCK – On Tuesday (Oct. 17) the Community Foundation of West Texas will announce grants of over $20,000 to four agencies, including the Slaton Railroad Heritage Association for the restoration of the Slaton Harvey House’s 1900’s era caboose.

These grants are gifts made possible through the E. Jay Matsler Trust. The E. Jay Matsler Trust was established with a bequest of $348,000 for supporting historic preservation projects in Lubbock and Hale counties. Mr. Matsler’s gift to the Community Foundation of West Texas reflects his roots as the child of a Hale County pioneer family and avid supporter of historic preservation.  “Because of Mr. Matsler’s generosity, funding will be available from the E. Jay Matsler Trust every year for generations to come for a variety of important local historic preservation projects,” a foundation spokesperson said.  Since the inception of this fund in 2014, the Matsler Endowment has granted out $59,250 for historic preservation projects.

Those receiving grants are:

Plainview Downtown Restoration – exterior lighting

Slaton Railroad Heritage Association – Early 1900’s caboose restoration

Lubbock County Historical Commission – cannon restoration

Lubbock Heritage Society – Underwood Pullman Car preservation project

When:  Tuesday (Oct. 17) at 10 a.m.

Where:  Bayer Museum of Agriculture, 1121 Canyon Lake Drive, Lubbock

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