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| HISTORY |
 In
1985, a group of preservationists in Abilene, Texas, met to
discuss the fate of the old Drake Hotel, a large, four-story
structure located prominently in Abilene's downtown district.
Once considered Abilene's grandest hotel, the dilapidated façade
and badly vandalized interior gave no clue to the building's
glorious past. Demolition seemed imminent. This small but determined
group of concerned citizens, however, had other ideas.
Originally known as the Hotel Grace, the mission revival style
building is one of the oldest in Abilene. Col. W.L. Beckham,
a hotel builder and operator from Greenville, Texas, built the
Hotel Grace in 1909 and named it for his daughter. At the time,
the Grace was the major hotel between Fort Worth and El Paso.
Located directly across the street from the Texas & Pacific
Railway depot, it provided a first class welcome to weary travelers.
As years passed, the building saw many changes. A fourth story
was added to the original three in the mid 30s and the building
renamed the Drake in the late 40s. Abilenians attended many
dances and parties on the roof top terrace and countless games
of pool and snooker transpired in the basement.
  The
building was always used as a hotel. The commercial tenants
of the building included a barbershop, a basement recreation
club (a pool hall), a bus station, and a Western Union office.
The Grace Coffee Shop was a favorite downtown restaurant where
locals met to discuss the events of the growing West Texas town.
Over the years, the Drake gained a reputation as a "less
than respectable establishment," changing ownership many
times, and suffering neglect. In the 1950s and 1960s the hotel's
decline paralleled that of the railroads. In 1973, the hotel
closed with the failure of its fifty-year-old boiler. The building
sat empty for almost fifteen years. Vandals and nature wreaked
havoc on the once exquisite structure.
Then members of the Abilene Preservation League joined together
with representatives of the Abilene Fine Arts Museum to plan
a new beginning for the old Hotel Grace. Together they envisioned
an alternative use for the building, something that would bring
new life to the city's virtually lifeless downtown area. In
a remarkable show of teamwork, the two community organizations
joined together to save the building and create an innovative
and remarkable cultural and historical gathering place. Following
a $4.8 million campaign, the building began undergoing an intensive
restoration and renovation project. Exterior and interior first
floor spaces were restored to their original grandeur using
colors and architectural details as they had been in 1909.
Throughout the original ballroom and lobby, capitals atop the
columns had crumbled until only one remained intact. A mold
was created and new capitals were cast. Today, stately columns,
lush colors, rich woods, and shining marble grace the lobby,
ballroom, and historic stairway.
The Loggia, or atrium, was added to the first floor of the original
structure. The Main Gallery on the first floor was restored
to become an exhibit gallery for art. Fourth floor hallways
were restored to resemble a hotel hallway in 1909. Space that
formerly housed overnight guests serves as offices for museum
staff.
An expanded art museum, a historical museum and a children's
hands-on museum were included in the design of the new Grace.
The Junior League of Abilene joined the project. Members committed
to designing and building the children's area. In 1988, the
Abilene Fine Arts Museum's name was changed to the Museums of
Abilene to better reflect its new educational structure. After
assuming full ownership of the organization, the new Museums
of Abilene moved in early 1992 into the newly completed Grace
Cultural Center. The beautifully restored and remodeled building
houses a variety of spaces for lectures, programs and social
gatherings, as well as three diverse yet interrelated museums.
In 1998 the Museums of Abilene name was changed once again to
The Grace Museum.
Collectively, the three museums, housed in one lovely, historical
building, greatly contribute to the cultural community of Texas.
With the opening of the new center, excitement in the educational
and economic communities increased. Abilene is at the core of
a predominantly rural 22-county area. No facilities similar
to The Grace Museum exist within a 150-mile radius. The museum
provides area schools a unique site for educational field trips.
The Grace gives visitors and travelers along I-20 a good reason
to extend their stay, and that transfers to new money for Abilene
hotels, restaurants and other businesses. 
The Grace Museum is a remarkable example of Abilene's fascination
with its past and its vision of the future. The resurrection
of The Grace benefits young and old alike, merging a concern
for preservation with a commitment to progress.
In February 1998, the bank loan for the restoration project
was completely paid off. The city of Abilene and its citizens
accomplished a minor miracle for the good of the entire community.
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