Lisa Jackson, West Texas A&M University alumni, found out about the closure of the museum and decided to take action. Jackson took to Facebook, calling for a protest and found herself the leader of an advocacy group to keep the Museum where it is. 

“When the information came out in the newspaper that the A&M System had decided to break completely from the museum… that’s when I thought ‘OK this is important, there’s been a lot of life service, but somebody’s gonna have to do something,” Jackson said. “There are a lot of people who understand how important this is and how important it is to them.”

Jackson has an associate degree in commercial art from Amarillo College and returned to WT after years as a graphic designer, earning her bachelor’s in general studies and master’s in history. She was encouraged to volunteer at PPHM during her time at WT. Jackson then became a full-time curatorial assistant in the Archaeology department from 2004-2013. 

“For me, being at the museum, because it was something near and dear to my heart, even since I was a child. I felt like it was such a privilege to be able to work there, and I got to see so many things that people will never get to see,” Jackson said. 

Jackson explained her initial thoughts about how to raise awareness and support for their cause. 

“I knew it was going to have to be in your face stuff, optics, that’s why we have the call to action where ‘ok today we’re gonna do this email dump and send all these emails to Dr. Wendler or the Chancellor,” Jackson said. “And that was the idea behind the signs and the rally too, just flooding the internet with information, and people were constantly sharing, and that’s how we ended up with so many people.”

Created Dec. 21, 2025, the page has garnered 8,800 members and counting, with 300 joining in the past week. The page has members representing at least 31 states.

Scotland native and long time Canadian resident, Stuart Carmichael is a part of the group as well. Carmichael is an old friend of Lisa Jackson’s and came to visit her when he got to experience the museum. 

“It is an impressive museum and a jewel within Canyon,” Carmichael said. “I can only hope that it remains a cultural gem which continues to enrich its visitors young and old. The people of Canyon deserve no less than its preservation and for it to be refurbished to meet up to date safety standards.”

Tina Lusby, another supporter of the group and former journalist, commented, “People from all over the country are responding because they grew up here or went to school here or Grandma took them there.”

Lusby’s husband is a descendant of M.S. Lusby, a first-generation American from England, who established the first photography studio in Canyon. She said the following about Lusby’s photographic work in a statement to the Canyon City Council, Jan 6, 2026. 

“…recording historic milestones and everyday life in beautifully composed, instantly recognizable photographs: the town square, the courthouse, farm crops, cattle ranches, railroad construction, immigrant trains and train wrecks, blizzards, the establishment of West Texas Normal College and the fire that destroyed its admin building [Old Main], countless portraits,” Lusby said. “His photos are in PPHM’s Archival collections and should stay in Canyon. His photos are also all around Canyon in businesses, offices, and restaurants, all around.” 

Lusby also has her own childhood connection to PPHM. 

“As a schoolgirl from a tiny town 100 miles north of here, I rode a yellow school bus to take in the vast wonders of PPHM,” Lusby said. “Countless thousands in the panhandle have no doubt shared similar eye-opening experiences and have visited numerous times.”

Lusby went on to elaborate on her family’s connections to the panhandle and what the museum means to their legacy. 

“My family lines came to the Texas Panhandle in about 1907, setting up farm and stock operations in Hutchinson county,” Lusby said. “My grandmothers both attended West Texas Normal College in its formative years and became rural schoolteachers. These are the kind of historical, cultural, anthropological and sociological records and treasures preserved in the PPHM collection and archives.” 

Owner of Burrowing Owl Books, Dallas Bell, has also shown her support, offering her businesses as a location to pick up yard signs.

“It’s a mainstay, the museum is what brings people into Canyon, along with Palo Duro,” Bell said. It’s like this perfect combination, this perfect collaboration of a draw, a magnet to this part of the world. Being a business here and working in the panhandle, having those extra people coming in specifically to do research, to go hike the Canyon… To lose that we are losing our tourism, we are losing a portion of our touring, we are losing credibility to the school even, in my mind. If it is moved from Canyon, I don’t believe Canyon will be the same.” 

Bell continued, explaining the impact of this decision on WT. 

“To take that identity away from WT, really diminishes WT’s essence of being the panhandle, of being Texas,” Bell Said. “I was so disappointed in the A&M System, in the decision being made, that there is no accountability for those decisions.”

Jackson and Lusby said the following about the group’s goals. 

“That is to keep the museum where it is, we didn’t want anything to be considered derogatory,” Jackson said. Lusby added, “no, or inflammatory, we’re devoted to keeping that museum where it is, if it can absolutely stay there, it’s such a historic building.”

At last night’s meeting hosted by The Panhandle-Plains Historical Society, many people from the group showed up to hear what they had to say and ask questions. 

When asked about how the group suggests the public to respond and interact with Dr. Wendler moving forward, Suzanne Wheeller, president elect, had this to say. 

“We do feel like we need to give him a chance, give him the space. It’s not like we have another place to go right now, but we do want to keep the presence in Canyon,” Wheeler said “There’s no need for negative conversations, let’s work together and get this done,”

Ellen Jones, current Board of Trustees president and Joel Hogue, former board president commented as well.

“Well I think I can assure you that Save the Museum has had a good effect on Wendler’s direction,” Jones said. 

“It does seem as though there has been a shift and sort of a ground swell of community support,” Hogue said. “So I don’t think you can underestimate the important work you’ve done here to get things headed in a positive direction.”

Help support the board in saving the museum by becoming a PPHM member. You can join the Facebook group, ‘Save OUR Panhandle-plains Museum’ here. Additionally, you may find out more information at the Amarillo Tribune’s event, Behind the Headline. To see a summary of the PPHS meeting from Feb. 12, click here to view an article from the Amarillo Globe News.