Austin, TX – The Texas Historical Commission (THC) has recognized Steph McDougal as the 2025 recipient of the George Christian Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award.
This award acknowledges an individual for outstanding volunteer service to historic preservation efforts in Texas. It is one of 10 annual THC Preservation Awards recognizing individuals and organizations involved in various aspects of historic preservation.
McDougal is a preservationist and tireless volunteer who has supported cultural and historic preservation, including Texas’ iconic dance halls. As one of the founders, the longest-serving member, and a driving force behind the nonprofit Texas Dance Hall Preservation, Inc. (TDHP), she has helped countless families and communities save their historic halls through marketing, repairs, and recognition.
By developing TDHP’s preservation grant program, McDougal brought much-needed financial resources to many halls. In 2020 alone, the program helped 32 halls survive forced closures. Her work continues to benefit the organization; she served as executive director from 2023-2025, while raising funds for a multitude of other projects, and working with other entities to ensure the preservation of many of this state’s dance halls.
About Preservation Awards
The THC Preservation Awards recognize and honor those who have committed themselves to saving the real places and real stories of Texas. The awards celebrate their accomplishments and exemplary leadership in the preservation of Texas’ heritage.
The awards will be presented at the THC’s Real Places 2026 conference, April 8-10, in Austin and online. Presented by the Friends of the Texas Historical Commission in partnership with Phoenix 1 Restoration and Construction, LLC, Real Places is the premier historic preservation and heritage tourism event in the Lone Star State. It offers world-class sessions, workshops, tours, special events, entertainment, and networking activities, while bringing together many different audiences under the banners of history, heritage, and preservation.
About the Texas Historical Commission
The THC manages 42 state historic sites, the Texas Heritage Trails Program, Texas Main Street Program, and many more heritage tourism and historic preservation initiatives across the state. For more information, visit thc.texas.gov.
