WASHINGTON— Deputy Secretary of the Interior Lynn Scarlett, along with Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Chairman John L Nau III, today announced the second round of Preserve America grants for 2008 that includes 44 projects in 24 states totaling over $4.3 million. (A list of all projects follows.) The application period for 2009 will open October 1.
Deputy Secretary Scarlett made the announcement on behalf of Mrs. Laura Bush, Honorary Chair of Preserve America. Preserve America is a White House initiative that encourages and supports community efforts to preserve and enjoy our nation’s heritage. Scarlett and Nau co-chair the Preserve America.
“Preserve America’s dedication to preservation, education, and heritage tourism demonstrates a commitment to honoring America’s past,” Mrs. Bush said. “These grants encourage efforts to preserve and interpret our national historic sites so that they remain relevant to the communities around them.”
In 2006, 2007 and round one of 2008, $12.7 million was awarded to 183 projects. In FY 2008, a total of $7.2 million was available. The most recent round of grants amounting to $4.3 million leaves the total amount awarded at $17 million for 227 projects.
The Preserve America grant program, which began in 2006, is administered by the Department of the Interior’s National Park Service in partnership with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. The competitive matching grants fund Preserve America Communities, State Historic Preservation Offices, and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices to support their preservation efforts through heritage tourism, education and historic preservation planning.
“These Preserve America grants help weave cultural and natural heritage into the economic, educational, and social fabric of communities by promoting heritage tourism,” said Scarlett.
“Preserve America grants help communities learn about their history and share it with visitors. These grants make the story of America come alive and create a better understanding of our diverse and rich cultures,” said Nau.
More information on Preserve America, including a complete list of grant recipients, criteria and application forms for various components of the initiative, can be found at www.PreserveAmerica.gov.
A list of the 44 projects follows:
2008 Preserve America Grants
Round 2
(By State)
Alaska State Park National Historic
Landmark Preservation Plan
Anchorage, Alaska
$52,912
This project will result in preservation plans for Baranof Castle Hill, Old
Sitka Site, Fort Abercrombie and Fort Rousseau National Historic Landmarks
to help provide each a road map for the management, rehabilitation, use and
interpretation of the site.
Rediscover Nogales
Nogales, Arizona
$157,000
With this grant award, the City of Nogales will produce effective interpretive
materials about events, individuals, organizations, and cultural and historical
sites that have shaped the heritage of Nogales and the Pimeria Alta region;
produce a school-based educational curricula and program to train educators
on how to teach local history; produce a docent-training program for the
Pimeria Alta Historical Society, and conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness
of these programs.
A Castle and Two Unnatural Historic Gardens
Phoenix, Arizona
$82,124
The City of Phoenix Office of Parks and Recreation Department will develop
interpretive materials to assist the public in better understanding the unique
and special qualities of Tovrea Castle and its two vastly different historic,
unnatural gardens. Tovrea Castle is a 44-acre Phoenix city historic
park created from an historic private estate built by Alessio Carraro in
1928. The property is listed in the National Register of Historic Places
and has been placed on the Phoenix Historic Register.
Cultural Heritage Tourism/Experience Plan
Scottsdale, Arizona
$50,000
Preserve America funding will go toward the development of a cultural heritage
plan for the City of Scottsdale, and its environs, in the Papago Salado region. It
will include an inventory of the cultural resources, strategic analysis of
the factors influencing cultural heritage tourism, recommendations for improving
local tourism and public understanding of cultural resources, and promotional
and educational efforts that take into account changes in travel trends and
technological tools available.
Arkansas Delta Gospel Institute Master Plan
Dumas, Arkansas
$60,590
Recognizing the significance of gospel music to the city’s history,
City of Dumas, in partnership with Dumas Main Street and the Desha County
Museum, and the Delta Area Community Foundation, will produce a Master Plan
to guide the City in the recognition of the importance of the city’s
gospel music foundations and the development of an Arkansas Delta Gospel
Institute in downtown Dumas.
Blytheville Greyhound Bus Station Interpretative
Project
Blytheville, Arkansas
$55,088
City of Blytheville and the Main Street Blytheville will partner to develop
a visitor information center in the city’s historic Greyhound Bus Station. It
will function as the first stop in Blytheville and the Arkansas Delta and
will tell stories based on the “experience” of the bus station
and will provide information about other cultural and historic sites in Blytheville
and beyond.
Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Markets Project
State Historic Preservation Office, Arkansas
$50,000
To meet a mandate of the Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission’s
(ACWSC) plan for the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, the Commission will
develop a historic marker program that will help tell the story of the Civil
War and increase recognition of the importance of these places in the history
of the state.
Promoting Historic Helena
Helena-West Helena, Arkansas
$203,500
Helena, Arkansas has a rich and unique heritage tied to the Mississippi River,
agriculture, music—specifically “the blues”—the African
American experience, the Civil War, and the Civil Rights movement. The
City of Helena, with its many partners, will use grant funds to develop creative
and unique ways to promote its heritage and improve the experience of its
visitors.
Mining Heritage of San Juan County Colorado
Silverton, Colorado
$27,838
Hard rock mining was the preeminent movement for Euro-American development
of Colorado. This project will help to preserve and interpret these
historic mining resources through the development of a Historic Structures
Report and Preservation Plan for the Animas Forks mining camp, development
of an interpretive tour of the Shenandoah-Dives Mill, and a full-length documentary
on the mining heritage and preservation partnerships in Silverton and San
Juan Counties.
Colorado Springs Heritage Tourism Pilot Project
City of Colorado Springs, Colorado
$33,720
A newly-designated Preserve America Community, the City of Colorado Springs
has chosen to highlight five of its historic landmarks to develop a comprehensive
strategy that advances awareness of these sites as closely connected heritage
tourism resources and destinations. The sites are the Colorado Springs
Museum, Monument Valley Park, the Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site, the Red
Rock Canyon Open Space, and the Garden of the Gods Park.
“Forged In Steel”: 121 Years of CF&I and Bessemer
Neighborhood
City of Pueblo, Colorado
$25,000
For over 121 years, the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company was the backbone of
the City of Pueblo, developing the diverse Bessemer neighborhood to house
its workers. The Bessemer Historical Society is now in possession of
the company’s extensive archives and maintains the Steelworks Museum. This
Preserve America grant will allow BHS to develop materials that will educate
community members and visitors about the city’s roots in the steel
industry.
Ledyard Historic Resources Digitization Project
Town of Ledyard, Connecticut
$59,000
The Town of Ledyard plans to increase the awareness of historic preservation
and to aid the identification of heritage tourism opportunities by updating
and digitizing its town-wide architectural survey and creating an online,
searchable database of the survey. It will also add planimetric data
to its GIS and create GIS maps that highlight Ledyard’s cultural resources.
Georgia’s Community Landmark Heritage Tourism
Initiative
Georgia State Historic Preservation Office
$128,560
With the help of this grant, the Georgia SHPO will conduct a statewide conference
and produce publications that educate communities across the state about
the preservation and interpretation of their landmarks. It will also
be used by the SHPO to assist Preserve America communities and Certified
Local Governments that are requesting designation for landmarks that are
being developed as heritage tourism assets.
Will County Rural Historic Structures Intensive Survey
County of Will, Illinois
$25,000
Will County, which is developing at a rapid pace, believes that through an
inventory of its historic places it can strategically plan for the preservation
of its historical and cultural assets. This intensive survey will identify
National Register-eligible landmarks and districts and will make recommendations
for the preservation of these places, updating the County’s Historic
and Cultural Preservation Plan. The results of the survey will also
be utilized for educational and interpretive purposes.
City of Blue Island’s Cultural Heritage Resources and Outreach
Strategy
City of Blue Island, Illinois
$102,250
The City of Blue Island will develop a heritage resources and outreach strategy
focusing on three National Register Historic Districts. The project
will incorporate the creation of a collective identity for Blue Island, unifying
the efforts and strengthening the partnerships of community members, local
businesses, and city government. It plans to implement the strategy
to produce materials that celebrate the City’s history and cultural
heritage in a contemporary context. Deliverables will include design
of historic markers, development of a promotional website, and the design
of a publication focusing on the under-represented immigrant populations
located in the city.
Renaissance Area Master Plan
City of Paducah, Kentucky
$75,000
Building on the recent success of Paducah’s Artist Relocation Project
in its Lowertown Historic District, the City will prepare a Renaissance Area
Master Plan that will link and manage the further growth and development
of its new art neighborhood, its Downtown, and its Riverfront. The
City eventually hopes to move cultural and natural heritage tourists seamlessly
throughout all three historical and economical areas, having united their
identities and visual characters.
Rural Heritage Development Initiative Design Guidelines
City of Bardstown, Kentucky
$48,925
The City of Bardstown, along with eight other Preserve America Communities,
will work with the University of Kentucky Research Foundation to develop
design guidelines that will help the region maintain the character of its
rural landscapes and historic small communities. The resulting document
will review regional design characteristics, case study examples, and prescriptive
recommendations.
New Orleans Historic District Design Guidelines
City of New Orleans, Louisiana
$54,860
The New Orleans Historic District Landmarks Commission’s current design
guidelines are 150 pages long and difficult for the public to understand. With
this grant, the HDLC will rewrite and illustrate the guidelines to make them
more accessible, alert property owners to their publication, and incorporate
them into a website. Clear and consistent guidelines will strengthen
the HLDC’s relationship with community members and lead to greater
awareness of and compliance with appropriate preservation techniques.
Historic Downtown Redevelopment Initiative
City of Crowley, Louisiana
$70,705
The City will plan a year-long multimedia campaign to announce and celebrate
the completion of the redevelopment of Crowley’s historic downtown. The
downtown historic district, listed in the National Register of Historic Places,
contains 20 blocks of Victorian homes designed in the Queen Anne style. Commercial
buildings include the New City Hall, built in 1921 as a Model T assembly
facility, and the Grand Opera House of the South, built in 1901 and recently
renovated and reopened for performances. The district has been restored
to its turn-of-the-century appearance and designed to attract both businesses
and tourists. The initiative will comprise of electronic media spots,
print advertising, billboards, and several commemorative community events.
Massachusetts Historic Properties Inventory Digitizing
and GIS Project
Massachusetts State Historic Preservation Office
$150,000
The Massachusetts SHPO maintains a statewide Inventory of Historic and Archaeological
Assets of the Commonwealth, which includes hundreds of thousands of records
cataloguing buildings, objects, and other significant resources. This
grant will allow the SHPO to convert its paper inventory into electronic
images that can be accessed by users of the online database, broadening public
appreciation and awareness the state’s historic properties through
ready access to 40 years of research and documentation.
Heritage Farm at Biscoe Gray Property, Phase I: Master Plan
Calvert County, Maryland
$65,000
Calvert County will survey and document heritage resources on the Biscoe
Gray property and produce a Master Plan for the protection and interpretation
of its archaeological sites and structures that also incorporates the development
of a working Heritage Farm as a site for heritage tourism and education.
Heritage Campaign for Downtown Gardiner
City of Gardiner, Maine
$50,000
The City of Gardiner plans to develop a multi-faceted campaign designed to
enhance and promote the cultural heritage of its Downtown Historic District,
Kennebec River waterfront, and the surrounding historic neighborhoods. Included
will be the creation of wayfinding and interpretive signage that connects
these areas and increases visitation to their significant sites.
Michigan Modern
Michigan State Historic Preservation Office
$118,000
This grant will allow the Michigan SHPO to call attention to Michigan’s
important contributions to the development of Modernism in America. The
project will include creation of a website titled Michigan Modern, documentation
of its history through an architectural survey and the development of a narrative
that includes the oral histories of architects and designers, resulting in
a tourism-oriented site that provides historical and biographical information
as well as a series of walking and driving tours of significant sites.
Discover Cape Girardeau: Where the River Turns a Thousand Tales
City of Cape Girardeau, Missouri
$126,235
Cape Girardeau served as a vital commercial port between St. Louis and Memphis
with the development of steamboats in the early 1800s. The majority
of buildings in the city’s downtown were constructed between 1850 and
1920. Today the city has 23 buildings listed individually in the National
Register of Historic Places, and 5 National Register historic districts. The
historic Downtown has seen a recent influx of businesses due to its unique
historic setting. This project will further understanding of and appreciation
for the area’s historical and cultural resources by developing material
and conducing outreach to them in a way that establishes the City as a heritage
tourism destination. The projects will fund design and installation
of billboards advertising the community’s rich history, design of downtown
destination banners, and wayfinding signage throughout the historic downtown.
Development of Interpretive Exhibits for L.Q.C. Lamar House Museum
City of Oxford, Mississippi
$75,000
Exhibits for interpreting the life of L.Q.C. Lamar, one of Mississippi’s
most celebrated statesmen, will be designed and installed in the house he
built and lived in from 1870 to 1888, which has been designated as a National
Historic Landmark. They will center around themes that include his
role during the Civil War and his service in all three branches of government.
Nevada State and National Register Geographic Information System
Nevada State Historic Preservation Office
$46,966
Although the sites listed on the State and National Register of Historic
Places are one of its most important assets, the State of Nevada does not
have a GIS completed for them. This grant will allow the SHPO to purchase
GIS information and to develop a map-based website, called “Past Places
Present”, which incorporates Historic Markers, museums, and interpreted
heritage tourism sites in addition to its State and National Register-listed
properties.
Sharing Medora’s Horizon
City of Medora, North Dakota
$250,000
Theodore Roosevelt National Park, located in Medora, is the number one destination
for visitors to North Dakota. Additionally, the City of Medora contains
eight sites listed in the National Register of Historic Places and the Chateau
de Mores State Historic Site. This project will market these local
and state historic resources to visitors traveling to the National Park,
through the implementation of interpretive and educational elements throughout
the city. Deliverables include print brochures, historic markers and
interpretive signage, and development of a promotional video.
Oklahoma Landmarks Inventory Locational Information
Digitization Project
Oklahoma State Historic Preservation Officer
$83,695
To facilitate a more efficient and effective use of the Oklahoma Landmarks
Inventory, the SHPO will complete the first phase of a multi-year effort
to modernize its records by digitizing the locational information contained
in OLI for properties within the Oklahoma City-to-Tulsa urban core.
Creating a Visitor Experience at the Bethlehem Steel Site
City of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
$125,768
Grant funds will be used for the planning, design, adaptive reuse assessment,
and related interpretation of the historic Stock House building located on
the former Bethlehem Steel Site. The Stock House is well situated to
welcome visitors. Its rehabilitation as a visitor’s center is therefore
a critical first step preserving the entire site.
Supporting and Strengthening Pennsylvania’s Preserve America
Communities
Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office
$250,000
This grant will allow the State to create a program that will be available
to Preserve America Communities in Pennsylvania for historic preservation
planning. It will also provide a Preserve America Community Coordinator
to administer this project and to deliver additional historic preservation
planning and heritage tourism development assistance to these communities. A
report will be developed detailing the economic benefits of historic preservation
in Pennsylvania.
Fairmount Park Houses Heritage
Tourism Study
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
$37,500
The Fairmount Park Commission seeks to increase the visibility of a premiere
collection of 18th and early 19th century historic house museums located
in East and West Fairmount Park. Funding will be used for a Fairmount
Park Houses Heritage Tourism Study to define the goals of these heritage
tourism assets, assess the Fairmount Park Historic Houses strengths and weaknesses;
conduct audience research and provide actionable recommendations for enhancing
understanding, conservation and visitation to these significant cultural
resources.
Historic Fort Adams Master Plan
Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission
$125,000
The Historic Fort Adams Master Plan project will conduct a detailed structural
assessment of the Fort with the goal of providing data needed to develop
stabilization, fundraising, and interpretation strategies for the long term
survival of the Fort and to enhance its role in the community. The
project will engage the community in a new visioning process based on a realistic
assessment of the Fort’s condition and the resources likely to be available
in the future for its preservation and use.
Preservation Is Local: Community Preservation Planning Summits and
Grants for Rhode Island
Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission
$150,000
Awarded funds will support three regional summits on community preservation
planning to identify local needs, and fund an estimated 15 innovative community
preservation planning projects. The Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage
Commission will connect local preservation organizations, enable dozens of
innovative projects around the state, and address Rhode Island preservation
needs from the ground up.
Horry County Cemetery Project
Horry County, South Carolina
$43,690
Horry County’s goal is to locate, inventory, and record GPS locations
of each gravesite in their historic cemeteries. The information obtained
will allow the County to create a record of where all gravesites in the County
are located to assure that they will not be destroyed or sold to developers;
and to provide a public resource through a searchable database of ancestors
for researchers.
Bluffton Old Town Wayfinding Signage
Project
Bluffton, South Carolina
$105,250
This project provides the Town of Bluffton with the necessary resources to
implement the recommended sign design from the Bluffton Old Town Master Plan
and to proceed with placement of signs, install directional and informational
signs, and utilize recommended improvements to the main gateway from the
interstate to the historic area.
Historic Survey for the City of Aiken, South Carolina
Aiken, South Carolina
$20,000
The City of Aiken will conduct a survey in efforts to promote growth, preserve
historic structures, pinpoint areas of concern, aid in future planning for
new historic districts and designations, and for public education.
Fair Park Interpretation Program
Dallas, Texas
$250,000
Fair Park is one of the last remaining Worlds Fair sites in the United States
and the City of Dallas intends to provide an interpretation and educational
program to commemorate this site and event. Funding will supply the
program with a visitor information booth, a permanent outdoor exhibit, interpretive
signage, and printed materials.
Marshall History Museum and Memorial
Hall Planning Project
Marshall, Texas
$65,000
The City of Marshall will develop a comprehensive architectural design plan
which will enable the City to plan for the adaptive reuse of the former “Marshall
Memorial City Hall”. The City also plans to design and develop
new exhibits for Harrison County Historical Museum’s new installation
in Memorial Hall and re-installation in the Harrison County Courthouse.
Community-Based Cemetery Interpretation: Linking Heritage, Preservation,
GIS, Curriculum, and Web Services
Nacogdoches, Texas
$250,000
Preserve America funds will enable the City of Nacogdoches to develop a pilot
project that showcases interpretive, educational and digital products for
Oak Grove and Zion Hill Cemeteries. The City also plan to assist participating
communities within Nacogdoches and the Crossroads Region of El Camino Real
de los Tejas National Historic Trail with their cemetery interpretation efforts
through workshops, technical assistance, and web-based services.
Willkommen to Fredericksburg ~ Welcoming and Guiding Signage Enhancements
Fredericksburg, Texas
$90,000
In partnership with public and private partnerships, the City of Fredericksburg
plans to enhance their welcoming and guiding signage to help navigate visitors
and seeks to devise a specific plan of action to implement signage design
and placement.
Preserve America and Texas Main Street: Partners in Community Development
Texas Historical Commission
$218,615
The State Historic Preservation Office of Texas seeks to dramatically expand
and enhance technical preservation assistance provided to communities across
the state through the Texas Main Street Program. The initiative will
also involve preservation training and education for the public through a
series of seminars. Grants will target projects that enhance local
inventories of historic properties, promote cultural diversity, measure the
economic benefits of historic preservation to small cities and towns, and
that provide detailed technical assistance to local communities in the promotion
their historic resources and heritage tourism. Funds will be targeted at
Texas Main Street Communities that are also Preserve America designated communities.
Route 15 Corridor Front-Line Hospitality Training/Professional Development
Virginia Department of Historic Resources
$236,165
The Virginia Department of Historic Resources (VA SHPO) is partnering with
the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership to encourage economic development
within the context of historic preservation and active participation in promoting
the scenic, recreational, and cultural characteristics of Gettysburg, PA;
Harpers Ferry, WV; Frederick, Thurmount, Mt. Airy and Brunswick, MD; Leesburg,
Middleburg, Berryville, Purcellville, Warrenton, Culpepper, Orange and Charlottesville,
VA. Each of these areas has the greatest concentration of Civil War
battle sites, 9 Presidential homes and over 1.5 million acres which are listed
in the National Register of Historic Places. Funds will be used to
develop and launch an extensive front line hospitality training and professional
development program in anticipation of the Sesquicentennial of the Civil
War, which begins in 2009.
Historic Hinton- Wayfinding and Promoting the Downtown District
Hinton, West Virginia
$20,000
The City of Hinton’s primary goal is to enhance residents’ and
visitors’ experiences in the downtown historic district by providing
attractive wayfinding and interpretive signage and brochures. The objectives
include bolstering activity within the historic district, increasing awareness
of the historic district’s significance, and deepening the appreciation
of the historic places within the district.
Finding Fairmont’s History
Fairmont, West Virginia
$20,000
As a city with rich history, Fairmont is an area that has great potential
to showcase its historic treasures to both visitors and residents. The
City of Fairmont’s goal is to capture the collective chronicles through
oral histories from the city’s elders and share these stories through
podcasts and downtown walking tours.