West Texas A&M University Timeline of Actions
Related to Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum
Background: August 6, 1987, during the second-called session of the 70 th Legislature, Governor Clements vetoes the second year of funding for the museums at Texas Tech University, Sam Houston State University, and West Texas A&M University (Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum). The 71 st Legislature then places funding for these museums in the special item listing at the respective institutions.
2015
Texas State Fire Marshal Inspection [December 8, 2015] – The Texas State Fire Marshal inspects the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum. The inspection resulted in 10 violations. Notable findings were lack of sprinkling of facility and vertical penetrations of stairwells.
[ Document 1: Texas State Fire Marshal Inspection Report 12.08.15]
2016
President Wendler Arrival – Wendler starts as President of WTAMU.
WTAMU Engages Architectural Firms – WTAMU engages two local architectural firms to produce plans to address the December 8, 2015, Texas State Fire Marshal Inspection.
2017
Architectural Firm Produces Plan – Lavin Architects produces the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum plans to address fire marshal violations in February 2017.
[ Document 2: PPHM Fire Life Safety Study with Lavin Architects]
2018
WTAMU Explores Museum Funding – WTAMU, TAMUS, and TAMUS Government Relations explore a potential $40M Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR) request for the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum for the 2020-2021 biennium. The LAR was not forwarded to the 86 th legislature because it was deemed not fundable.
[ Document 3: LAR Request $40M]
WTAMU Submits Tuition Revenue Bond – WTAMU submits a $28.5M Tuition Revenue Bond (TRB) Request for the 2020-2021 biennium to the 86 th legislature for life and fire safety and fire marshal issues. The TRB was not funded.
[ Document 4: TRB Request $28.5M]
WTAMU Engages Architectural Firm – WTAMU engages architectural firm to create a campus master plan, inclusive of the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum.
Architectural Firm Produces Plan – Perkins+Will Architects produces the West Texas A&M University Campus Master Plan, inclusive of the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum.
2019
WTAMU Assesses Campus Master Plan – WTAMU assesses the future of the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum and its importance to the future of the West Texas A&M University Campus Master Plan.
2020
WTAMU Submits Tuition Revenue Bonds – WTAMU submits a $33.4M Tuition Revenue Bond (TRB) request for the 2022-2023 biennium to the 87 th legislature for campus-wide life and fire safety and fire marshal issues. WTAMU submits a $33.4M Tuition Revenue Bond (TRB) request for the 2022-2023 biennium to the 87th legislature to renovate the Old Education Building. Both of these TRB requests were combined into one TRB request for $65.75M. $44.9M was funded to cover the Old Education Building renovations and the residual for life and fire safety and fire marshal issues. Since the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum is not an E&G facility, life and fire safety funding could not be used for the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum. The funding was used for the life and fire safety of the Sybil B. Harrington Fine Arts Complex and Cornette Library.
[ Document 5: TRB Request $65.75M]
2021
Cultural Foundation of the Texas Panhandle Formed – WTAMU establishes the Cultural Foundation of the Texas Panhandle (CFTP) to draw attention from across the state to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum and TEXAS Outdoor Musical.
https://www.wtamu.edu/about/administration/cftp/index.html
Museum Space Renovation – The Education Credit Union History Studio space in the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum is renovated to expand opportunities for various community events.
2022
Museum Space Opening – The STEAM Lab space in the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum is opened in partnership with the WTAMU College of Engineering to expand the impact of the museum in the region.
Texas Historical Commission Site Visit – Conversations about the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum begin with the Texas Historical Commission (THC), and the Texas Historical Commission completes a site visit to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in July 2022.
2023
Distribution of Museum Informational Booklet: The Future of the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum informational booklet was distributed to various boards interested in the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum to learn how to move the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum forward.
[ Document 6: The Future of the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum]
Texas Historical Commission Site Visit – The Texas Historical Commission completes a site visit to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in May 2023.
Texas Historical Commission Meetings – TAMUS, WTAMU, and the Texas Historical Commission complete a meeting about the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in October 2023 and again in December 2023.
2024
Museum Feasibility Study Funding – WTAMU secures $2M from TAMUS in January 2024 to conduct a feasibility study for a new Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum facility.
Museum Feasibility Study – WTAMU contracted with DLR Group in January 2024 to conduct a feasibility study for a new Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum facility.
[ Document 8: PPHM Feasibility Study]
Museum Webpage – A webpage was created in October 2024 to communicate a new vision for the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum.
https://www.wtamu.edu/webres/wt-pphm.html
Texas Historical Commission Site Visit – TAMUS, WTAMU, and the Texas Historical Commission completes a site visit to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in October 2024.
WTAMU Explores Museum Funding – WTAMU explored with state officials the projected cost of $240M for a new Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum.
2025
Texas State Fire Marshal Inspection [January 14, 2025] – The Texas State Fire Marshal inspects the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum. The inspection resulted in 149 violations of the fire code: 49 resolved violations were managerial and 100 unresolved violations require new equipment, design, and/or construction for remedy. Notable findings included dead-end exit corridors, distance to fire exits, stair enclosures, and sprinkler systems.
[ Document 9: Texas State Fire Marshal Inspection Report 01.14.25]
Museum Revised Feasibility Study – A revised feasibility study was conducted with DLR Group in February 2025 for a $152M Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum facility.
[ Document 10: PPHM Revised Feasibility Study]
Texas Historical Commission Site Visit – The Texas Historical Commission (THC) completes a site visit to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in February 2025.
Museum Engineering Study – An engineering study was completed with Alpha Facilities Solutions in March 2025 (inclusive of the input from the January 14, 2025 Texas State Fire Marshal Inspection) to determine an estimate of repairs for the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum. A Facility Condition Assessment Report with a Cost Analysis was completed and determined that $40M was required to correct violations and $60M was needed to bring the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum facility up to current standards (i.e., roof, windows, HVAC, etc.).
[ Document 11: Facility Condition Assessment Report with Alpha Facilities Solutions]
[ Document 12: Cost Analysis with Alpha Facilities Solutions]
Museum Closing – In March 2025 [March 24, 2025], WTAMU closes the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum to the public for life and safety concerns. A press release about the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum closing was distributed to the public.
[ Document 13: PPHM Closing Press Release]
Texas House Bill 5554 Introduced – The Texas House Bill 5554 was introduced to the 89 th Legislature by Texas House Representative John Smithee relating to the operation and management of the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum by the Texas Historical Commission.
PPHM Timeline Documents
- Document 1: Texas State Fire Marshal Inspection Report 12.08.15.pdf
- Document 2: PPHM Fire Life Safety Study with Lavin Architects.pdf
- Document 3: LAR Request $40M.pdf
- Document 4: TRB Request $28.5M.pdf
- Document 5: TRB Request $65.75M.pdf
- Document 6: The Future of the PPHM.pdf
- Document 7: PPHM Brochure.pdf
- Document 8: PPHM Feasibility Study_v3.pdf
- Document 9: Texas State Fire Marshal Inspection Report 01.14.25.pdf
- Document 10: PPHM Revised Feasibility Study.pdf
- Document 11: Facility Condition Assessment Report with Alpha Facilities.pdf
- Document 12: Cost Analysis with Alpha Facilities.pdf
- Document 13: PPHM Closing Press Release.pdf
- Document 14: Texas House Bill 5554.pdf