The Cantey Lecture is an annual event featuring a prominent speaker who addresses historic preservation and architectural history. The Cantey Awards are presented at the same event and recognize outstanding achievements in preservation projects, stewardship, and leadership in the field of historic preservation.
This event is an important part of Historic Fort Worth, Inc.’s mission to preserve Fort Worth’s distinct historic identity through stewardship, education, and leadership. It also recognizes the contributions of Samuel Benton Cantey III, who engaged studio artists to paint buildings threatened with demolition. Sam Cantey III’s vision for saving historic buildings through the work of studio artists helped galvanize relationships among the artists in the Fort Worth Circle.

This year’s lecture also celebrates the life of Samuel Benton Cantey IV, the son of the namesake of this event. Sam IV died this May after a courageous fight with a series of medical challenges. He attended Culver Military Academy, did undergraduate work at Washington & Lee and TCU, served in the U.S. Army, and attended the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center in Monterey, California. He also earned a Bachelor of Foreign Trade from the Thunderbird School of Global Management and was a proud graduate of TCU’s Ranch Management Program.

He was fluent in Spanish and German and retired from the military with the rank of captain. Both Sams moved through life collecting friends, and both respected history. They left Fort Worth a better place.

Tonight, we also celebrate those who remembered Sam by honoring his life with a memorial gift to Historic Fort Worth. Rest well, Sam. Your time on Earth made all of us better.

The following people have made donations in memory of Samuel Benton Cantey, IV.: Francie and Bryan Allen, Suzy and Dan Coleman, Ann and Bill Greenhill, Linda Beckworth, Gretchen Denny, Marguerite Gordon, Carol Graybeal, Ann & John Holloway, Mr. and Mrs. Lee Johnston, Caroline Lee, Jerre and David Tracy.

2026 Cantey Lecture & Preservation Awards

Wednesday,
October 21, 5:30 PM

The Woman’s Club of Fort Worth
1316 Pennsylvania Ave.

Bradford C. Patterson

is a historic preservation and community development leader with more than 25 years of experience at the Texas Historical Commission. He currently serves as Director of the Community Heritage Development Division, where he oversees statewide programs supporting downtown revitalization, heritage tourism, and local preservation efforts across Texas. His work focuses on using historic preservation as a tool for economic development, community identity, and quality of life. He has led major statewide initiatives, managed grant and preservation programs, and collaborated with hundreds of communities on projects ranging from small historic structures to large-scale planning and revitalization efforts.

The preservation awards follow the lecture.

Members Attend for FREE

SAM CANTEY

As a Fort Worth visionary, businessman, collector of art and leader of the Fort Worth Art Association, (now the Modern Art Museum), Samuel Benton Cantey III (1914-1973) understood that great architecture is irreplaceable. In the 1950’s Mr. Cantey invited Bror Utter (1913-1993) to paint architecturally significant buildings in downtown Fort Worth as they were being prepared for demolition. Mr. Utter, a talented studio artist and teacher, was a member of the Fort Worth Circle, the legendary group of artists who traveled abroad and painted together. His paintings document both demolished and standing downtown buildings and are part of the permanent collection of the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. The annual Cantey Lecture is paired with HFW’s preservation awards.