Tennessee Historical Commission Awards Grants to Preserve Historic Sites

  • Friday, July 15, 2016

The Tennessee Historical Commission has awarded 31 grants from the federal Historic Preservation Fund to community and civic organizations for projects that support the preservation of historic and archaeological resources.

“Tennessee’s treasured historic places make our state unique and contribute to our quality of life,” said Patrick McIntyre, state historic preservation officer and executive director of the Tennessee Historical Commission. “These grants will help protect the sites for future generations to study and enjoy.”

Awarded annually, 60 percent of the project funds are from the federal Historic Preservation Fund and 40 percent of project funds come from the grantee. The Tennessee Historical Commission reviewed 55 applications, with funding requests totaling approximately $1.2 million, nearly double the amount of funding available.

This year’s selection includes building and archaeological surveys, design guidelines for historic districts, rehabilitation of historic buildings, posters highlighting the state’s archaeology, and training for historic zoning staff or commissioners.

One of the Commission’s grant priorities is for projects that are in Certified Local Governments, a program that allows communities to participate closely in the federal historic preservation program. Seven Certified Local Government communities were awarded grants this year. Additional priorities include those that meet the goals and objectives of the Tennessee Historical Commission’s plan for historic preservation. Properties that use the restoration grants must be listed in the National Register.

The grant recipients and/or sites of the projects include:

Bradley County

City of Cleveland

$19,191 to restore plaster and wood in the historic Craigmiles House, the city library

Carter County

East Tennessee State University

$10,000 to fund a geophysical survey at the Carter Mansion 

Davidson County

Traveller’s Rest

$5,320 to update the National Register nomination to include archaeology

Hardeman County

City of Bolivar and Hardeman County

$28,020 to fund the restoration of the historic Hardeman County Courthouse

Henry County

City of Paris

$21,000 to fund the restoration of the historic Paris Henry County Heritage Center

Jefferson County

Town of Dandridge

$6,300 to fund the restoration of the Hickman Tavern, city hall

Knox County

Historic Ramsey House

$20,000 to fund the restoration of the historic Ramsey House in Knoxville

Maury County

City of Columbia

$30,000 to fund the restoration of the historic Jack and Jill building, used by the city police department

McMinn County

First United Presbyterian Church of Athens

$36,000 to fund the restoration of the historic First United Presbyterian Church

Montgomery County

City of Clarksville

$24,600 to fund the restoration of the historic Smith-Trahern Mansion

Obion County

Obion County

$9,078 to fund the restoration of the historic Obion County Courthouse

Westover Center for the Arts

$15,507 for the restoration of the historic Westover Center building in Union City

Overton County

American Legion Post 4

$27,000 to fund the restoration of the historic American legion Building in Livingston

Shelby County

Victorian Village, Inc.

$12,590 for design guidelines for the Victorian Village Historic District

Sumner County

City of Portland

$15,000 to fund the restoration of the historic Moye-Green Boarding house

Washington County

City of Johnson City

Funds to conduct a Commission Assistance and Mentoring Program

Williamson County

City of Franklin

$6,000 to update the Franklin Historic District

$8,460 to restore grave markers in the historic Franklin City Cemetery

Unicoi County

Tennessee Division of Archaeology

$9,000 to fund a continuation of a survey of the Flint Creek Battle site

Multi-County Grants

Tennessee Preservation Trust

$12,000 to fund the Statewide Historic Preservation Conference

Middle Tennessee State University, Department of Sociology and Anthropology

Funds for posters for Tennessee Archaeology Week

Middle Tennessee State University, Fullerton Laboratory for Spatial Technology

$48,785 to digitize data for historic / architectural survey files and for survey data entry for computerization of survey files

East Tennessee Development District

$36,000 to fund a preservation specialist staff position for the East Tennessee Development District

First Tennessee Development District

$30,000 to fund a preservation specialist staff position for the First Tennessee Development District

Greater Nashville Regional Council

$25,000 to fund a preservation specialist staff position for the Greater Nashville Regional Council

Memphis Area Association of Governments

$25,000 to fund a preservation specialist staff position for the Memphis Area Association of Governments

Northwest Tennessee Development District

$36,000 to fund a preservation specialist staff position for the Northwest Tennessee Development District

South Central Tennessee Development District

$50,000 to fund a preservation specialist staff position for the South Central Tennessee Development District

Southeast Tennessee Development District

$54,000 to fund a preservation specialist staff position for the Southeast Tennessee Development District

Southwest Tennessee Development District

$50,000 to fund a preservation specialist staff position for the Southwest Tennessee Development District

Upper Cumberland Development District

$40,000 to fund a preservation specialist staff position for the Upper Cumberland Development District

For more information about the Tennessee Historical Commission, please visit its website at: http://www.tn.gov/environment/section/thc-tennessee-historical-commission.

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