On the one year anniversary of the destruction of the home of Dr. James Lee Dickey, a grant was awarded to ensure the legacy of Dickey lives on.
On Monday, July 10, the St. David's Foundation awarded Preservation Texas $500,000 to reconstruct a replica of the Dickey home, which will become a museum and multipurpose center.
"We are overjoyed that we are able to continue in the work of a building that is going to be very beneficial to the community as we carry on the legacy of Dr. Dickey," said Jennifer Harris, president of the Dickey Museum and Multipurpose Center.
She said the museum and multipurpose center will not only document the history of Dr. Dickey, but also the Taylor African American history.
Harris said the museum board is already working on plans for the building with the architect.
On July 10, 2022, the Dickey Museum and Multipurpose Center in the 500 block of Burkett Street caught fire and the building was destroyed. Two days later, James Paul Gogolewski, 47, of Taylor, was arrested and charged with arson, a second- degree felony.
"This time last year, it was a sad occasion, but this time this year, it's a joyful occasion," Harris said.
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.
After the fire, plans are to have the newly built replica complete for June 19, 2024, Juneteenth, and an opening is being planned for sometime between July and November of next year.
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.
