WASHINGTON - The National Park Service (NPS) awarded $10 million today in the second round of funding from the Semiquincentennial Grant Program commemorating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. Created by Congress in 2020 and funded through the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), this round of grants will support 20 cultural resource preservation projects across 14 states.
“The Semiquincentennial is an opportunity for the nation to recognize and reflect on the diverse cultures, events, and places that have helped shape our country," said NPS Director Chuck Sams. “Through the Semiquincentennial Grant Program, the National Park Service is supporting projects that showcase the many places and stories that contributed to the evolution of the American experience."
This year’s grants will support projects like:
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Rehabilitation of Viets’ Tavern in East Granby, Connecticut. Captain John Viets, appointed warden of the Old Newgate Prison in 1773, built the tavern in 1755 less than ten yards from the front gate of the prison. Much like other taverns of the time, it was an important place for political exchange in the community. Preserving Viet’s Tavern will tell a more complete history of the United States by focusing on the role of incarceration in the founding of our nation and the incarcerated population before 1800.
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Rehabilitation of Ephrata Cloister in Ephrata, Pennsylvania. German immigrants fleeing religious persecution in Europe founded the community of Ephrata Cloister in 1732 where they practiced a lifestyle of discipline and self-deprivation. Grant funds will support the preservation of this architecture through the rehabilitation of exterior components on six of the 18th century buildings including the repair, replacement and protective finish of hand-hewn wood siding and side-lap shingle roofs. Grant funds will also support updates to the National Historic Landmark documentation for the property.
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Pre-preservation planning for Pictograph Cave State Park in Billings, Montana. Recent radiocarbon dating suggests the oldest deposits within the caves date to approximately 4,000 years ago, and that they were frequently occupied by Native people into the late 1700s. Within Pictograph Cave are more than 100 elaborate painted figures, one of which was dated to 2,145 years B.C., making it one of the oldest motifs recorded on the Northern Plains. This grant will support pre-preservation work, including a condition assessment, mitigation planning, and creation of a site plan.
Below is a full list of the projects and grant recipients for the second round of funding for the Semiquincentennial Grant Program.
Awards
Established in 1977 and authorized at $150 million per year through 2023, the HPF has provided more than $2 billion in historic preservation grants to states, Tribes, local governments, and nonprofit organizations. Administered by the NPS, Congress may appropriate HPF funds to support a variety of historic preservation projects to help preserve the nation’s cultural resources.
For more information about NPS historic preservation programs and grants, please visit nps.gov/stlpg/.
www.nps.gov
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 424 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Tags: historic preservation historic preservation grants historic preservation fund semiquincentennial america250
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service