I suppose I can now add “award winner” to my list of accomplishments.

I recently received the Debbie Reynolds-Hazen Memorial Award at the Tarrant County Historical Commission Annual Summit. It’s presented in honor of historic preservationist Debbie Reynolds-Hazen (1953-2010) and given to recognize an individual under 50 years of age who has shown leadership in collecting and preserving the history of Tarrant County.

I had no idea such an award existed and never thought I would get something like this. I was nominated for the award—I think I know by whom—and truly honored and humbled to accept it.

The Tarrant County Historical Commission Annual Summit was held at the historic Fort Worth Club in Downtown Fort Worth. The event featured opportunities to network and socialize, a catered lunch, a presentation about the history of the Fort Worth Club, and the presentation of several awards. Not only was it a pretty spiffy locale and auspicious occasion, but it was also close to where my interest in local history actually began.

A few years ago, I was in Downtown Fort Worth to photograph buildings, which is one of my hobbies. I even photographed the Fort Worth Club’s building that day, which was ironic. In my exploration, I stumbled upon a Texas Historical Marker near the Fort Worth Water Gardens for “Hell’s Half Acre.” It wasn’t the first one I ever read, but it was the first to make me stop and take notice. It opened up a world that I never knew existed. Since then, I have developed a strong interest in local history and Texas Historical Markers. Whether it becomes a new career or simply remains a passion is yet to be determined, but it’s something that I think will be a significant part of my future.

Receiving the award about a mile from where it started felt like a full-circle moment. It was also an opportunity to take stock of how far I had gone on my journey, and how much further I wanted to go. And while I have accomplished a great deal—becoming a board member, newsletter editor, and social media coordinator for the Arlington Historical Society—there is more that I want to do. Not only that but there’s much more that I can do. One of my mentors was at the event and received a lifetime achievement award. Who knows, maybe 30 years from now, I’ll be receiving the same award.

Being one of the youngest people at the event gave me a feeling of responsibility. One day, my generation will inherit historic buildings and structures, local history museums, artifacts, stories, and more related to local history. It will be up to us to preserve these for future generations, which will not be easy. As such, the award has motivated me to do as much as possible for historic preservation while further developing my interests and talents. Indeed, I’ve learned that historic preservationists must keep one eye on the past and the other on the future.

After the event, I walked around Downtown Fort Worth, taking photographs of buildings, just like I had done a few years ago on that fateful day. I saw some of the same sites, and of course, had to return to Hell’s Half Acre. The area looked much the same, but I felt different this time. Something had changed—I was more experienced and had a deeper appreciation for the local history around me. But it was satisfying to know that it was still there, right where I left it, and hopefully continuing to influence others as it did me.

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Blog post and photos by Jason S. Sullivan, 10-19-23