Uvalde and Southwest Texas are located at a unique cultural, environmental, and geographical crossroads. With a mixture of cultures, Uvaldeans have carved out a Western-settling history in harshly beautiful, isolated landscapes.
Faced with the mounting need to find a larger and more modern space for El Progreso Memorial Library and to secure storage and exhibition space for the priceless artifacts, photos and papers that document the history of Uvalde and Southwest Texas. The Uvalde Historical Commission, Inc. and El Progreso Memorial Library formed an ad hoc committee to acquire land, raise funds and build an architecturally significant building to house a state of the art library, museum and archives. Components of the West Main Center will include a 4,575 Square Foot Exhibit Space-Museum, a 25,000 Square Foot library, a 1,420 square foot meeting room an additional study and meeting rooms and 1,000 square foot local history room, and this "life-long learner" will sit on 6.10 acres of oak covered grounds on the historic West Main School site.
The West Main Project is estimated to cost $5.6 million. Local fundraising projects such as AEIOU and generous donations are making this project come to life. To date over $4.15 million dollars has been raised. It is estimated that the monies, necessary to do the West Main Project, will be raised by the end of 2002. Headliners for this project included countless profit and non-profit organizations, individuals, former Governor Dolph Briscoe, Jr., Congressman Henry Bonilla United States House of Representatives 23 District, city and county officials, Senator Judith Zaffirini Texas Senate District 21, and state representative Tracy King Texas House of Representatives District 43.
