The Dickey Museum & Multipurpose Center, a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization dedicated to improving community well-being through promotion of the living legacy of Dr. James Lee Dickey, announced today that St. David’s Foundation has awarded a grant of $500,000 toward the reconstruction of a replica of Dr. Dickey’s former home in Taylor, which was destroyed by fire last year on July 10.
“The Dickey House will serve as a community resource wellness center,” said Jennifer Harris, board president of the Dickey Museum & Multipurpose Center. “The Dickey House will impact community well-being by connecting underserved and under-represented residents to needed referrals and follow-ups for medical care and social services that improve health outcomes.”
The Dickey House honors the legacy of Dr. James Lee Dickey, who, in 1921, began his practice as the only Black physician in Williamson County. Dr. Dickey practiced medicine in a place and time when freedom was granted, but equality was denied. Dickey House is in the heart of Taylor’s Health Equity Zone – census tracts identified as having higher-than-average health risks and socioeconomic burdens. Through collaborations with the Williamson County and Cities Health District and other nonprofits, Dickey House will provide community members with equitable access to trusted systems of care.
“Our plan is to complete the reconstruction of Dickey House in time for a community celebration coinciding with Juneteenth of 2024,” said Harris.
Preservation Texas, a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization committed to supporting historic preservation activities statewide, was invited by SDF to serve as the fiscal sponsor for the grant award. PT brings decades of experience facilitating grant programs to the project and is actively working to secure new sources of funding whilst overseeing design and construction of the new building.
“As a community focused and equity-driven funder, St. David’s Foundation is guided by the belief and commitment that individuals and communities should have opportunities to achieve optimal health. In many areas, including rural and under-resourced communities, this is simply out of reach due to complex, structural, and systemic barriers,” said Abena Asante, Senior Program Officer, St. David’s Foundation. “We are honored to support the Dickey Museum & Multipurpose Center and are deeply aligned with its agenda to address health disparities while providing opportunities to amplify the voices of underserved and under-represented communities in Taylor.”
Dickey House tragedy
Last year, in the early morning hours of July 10, the future site of the Dickey Museum and Multipurpose Center in the 500 block of Burkett Street caught fire and the building was destroyed.
The museum broke ground in January 2016 and has been in ongoing phases of renovation. The museum was to be housed inside Dickey’s original home. According to Harris, the home was in the final stages of renovation and was targeted to open in July 2023.
Two days later, James Paul Gogolewski, 47, of Taylor, was arrested and charged with arson, a second-degree felony. On Sept. 29, a grand jury returned a “no bill” for Gogolewski according to court records.
Following the decision not to pursue a criminal case, Gogolewski was released from the Williamson County Jail, where he’d been held since his arrest.
