On June 27, 2023, the Texas Historical Foundation announced a $50,000 grant to the Orange Show Foundation. The money will be directed toward restoring the 3,000‑sq‑ft complex that Jeff McKissack assembled from salvaged materials beginning in 1968.
McKissack, a former postal worker turned folk‑artist, began piecing together roof tiles, a fire‑escape railing, and antique buggy wheels in his Houston backyard. He opened the Orange Show to the public in 1979, and it has since become a pilgrimage site for folk‑art enthusiasts worldwide.
The grant is sourced from the William Jack Sibley Arts Endowment, a trust that has historically funded preservation projects in Texas. The foundation’s board emphasized that the piecemeal nature of the original construction makes maintenance both technically demanding and financially significant.
Restoration plans call for stabilizing the salvaged roof tiles, refurbishing the miniature obelisk, and re‑installing the cast‑iron tractor seats that now serve as seating for visitors. The project will also document the site’s history through a digital archive and host a series of guided tours.
The Orange Show Foundation will oversee the work, coordinating with structural engineers and art conservators. The first phase of repairs is scheduled to start in September, with a projected completion date of September 2024.
Community members, including members of the local arts council and former visitors like Willem de Kooning, have expressed enthusiasm for the restoration. The foundation plans a public unveiling event in late 2024 to celebrate the renewed site.