2022 Summer Sizzlers Series

Preservation Dallas is pleased to present the 2022  season of Summer Sizzlers – our popular series of educational lectures offering insights into preservation topics, architecture, and history! We are finally back in person this year and can't wait to welcome you back to the Wilson House.

The weekly sessions will be held at 6 pm on Thursday nights starting July 14th through August 18th. 

Individual sessions are $10 each for current members of Preservation Dallas and $20 each session for non-members. Save money by purchasing all six sessions as a bundle!*

*Attendees who purchase the non-member series bundle will receive a complimentary one year Individual membership to Preservation Dallas.

Parking for the Wilson Carriage House is in the rear parking lot accessed from Liberty Street.

Thursday, July 14 | Wilson Carriage House | 6 pm

Who were the local activists that fought for the right of women to vote? During the late 19th and early 20th century, women’s clubs became a center of social life and activism. By March 1918, Dallas women won the right to vote in Texas primaries, and also radically changed one prominent politician’s views on suffrage. Local scholar Melissa Prycer tells us about these Dallas legends—and who we should thank each time we cast a ballot!

Thursday, July 21 | Wilson Carriage House | 6 pm

In 1873, train service came to Dallas. Along with it came a British photographer named Alfred Freeman, who introduced the wet plate collodion photographic process to a town bustling with the spirit of progress. Join local photographer John Hall of Rodeo Tintype as he discusses Freeman, the history and methods of the wet plate process, and the current “wet plate revival” including a demonstration of the 19th Century magic before your very eyes!

Thursday, July 28 | Wilson Carriage House | 6 pm

Cemetery enthusiasts, historians, and tomb hunters are drawn to cemeteries for many reasons - including their beauty, serenity, and architecture. But what can we learn from them? What stories lay forgotten or untold? Throughout her career in historic preservation and archeology, Victoria Clow has been intrigued by the secrets graveyards tell. Join her as she discusses the artifacts, epitaphs, symbols, and stories found in our historic cemeteries.

Thursday, Aug 4 | Wilson Carriage House | 6 pm

Indulge in a culinary and architectural feast exploring some of Dallas’ most distinctive restaurants with unique architecture and interior décor with Texas Historical Foundation Director David Preziosi. Featured in this adventure will be beloved places including the Old Mill Inn, Polar Bear Ice Cream Shop, Red Bryan’s Smokehouse, La Tunisia, and the Brinks Coffee Shop. The intersection of Dallas’ culinary and architectural history will be explored for each, so bring your appetite!

Thursday, Aug 11| Wilson Carriage House | 6 pm

Many of us have experienced the type of personal growth and career changes that have caused us to pack up our own homes and move. The Dr Pepper Company is no different! During its history, the company has headquartered in SEVEN different locations in Texas. Since the 1920s its home has been in the Dallas metroplex. Join Dr Pepper Museum’s Associate Director Joy Summar-Smith as she takes us on a virtual journey to visit the company’s many locations.

Thursday, Aug 18 | Wilson Carriage House | 6 pm

The restoration of the entryway ceiling mural at the circa 1899 Queen Anne-style Wilson House on Swiss Avenue was completed in 2021. In the process, new evidence was uncovered that addressed some long-standing mysteries about the mural. Join Brown Mountain Art Restoration’s owner Laura Pate as she discusses issues she and her team confronted during this intricate restoration and explores theories of origin based on the new evidence.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Wilson Carriage House, 2924 Swiss Avenue, Dallas, United States