Seven Counties To Share $93,000 In Federal Historic Preservation Grants

RALEIGH, (SGRToday.com) - Historic preservation projects across North Carolina will get a boost from $93,000 in federal grants work designed to showcase the state's architectural history.

The seven projects range from a city-wide architectural survey and a neighborhood nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, to a Wooden Window Repair and Efficiency Workshop.

Each year, federal Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) grants are awarded by the N.C. State Historic Preservation Office (HPO) through the National Park Service’s Certified Local Government Program (CLG). This partnership between local, state, and national governments focuses on promoting historic preservation at the grassroots level.

“We are honored to participate in this highly effective program,” said Susan Kluttz, Secretary of the Department of Cultural Resources, in a statement announcing the grants. “Partnering with local governments to encourage preservation of local historic properties keeps communities thriving economically while maintaining ties to their pasts.”

The City of Washington will receive a federal Historic Preservation Fund grant of $11,000 to conduct a survey update for the Washington Historic District, which was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The district includes commercial and residential portions of the city. The grant funds will allow the city to hire a consultant who will evaluate the status and integrity of all buildings within the historic district and complete a photographic and written record of the surveyed properties. The City of Washington will provide $4,000 in matching funds for the project.

The Town of Black Mountain will receive a federal Historic Preservation Fund grant of $1,000 to host a workshop for homeowners, historic preservation commission members and contractors. The Town will provide a match of $200 for the project.

It is a common belief that wooden windows cannot be energy efficient. Properly repaired wooden windows can be as energy efficient as replacement windows, and last longer than the 10 to 20 year life span of replacements. A specialist in wooden window repair and restoration will address the benefits of repairing existing windows and demonstrate restoration methods and tools. The workshop also will cover the energy efficiency of traditional building materials and how to apply sustainability principals to historic buildings and comply with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

The City of Hickory will receive a federal Historic Preservation Fund grant of $15,000 to complete an architectural survey update. A match of $8,000 will be provided by the City.

As many of the Hickory’s historic resources have not been surveyed, the grant will assist the documentation of 100 to 125 non-residential buildings and 15 to 20 post-World War II subdivisions. The project will also update approximately 200 existing records for properties outside National Register historic districts. The City hopes the survey update will lead to identification and historic designation of traditionally under-represented populations.

The City of New Bern will receive a federal Historic Preservation Fund grant of $11,000 to undertake an architectural survey and subsequent nomination of the Dryborough neighborhood to the National Register of Historic Places. The City will provide $4,000 in matching funds for the project.

Founded in 1808 by North Carolina Governor Benjamin Smith, Dryborough was later annexed by New Bern and became the city’s first primarily African-American neighborhood. The area has served as a social and cultural center for the African-American community of New Bern for more than 200 years and has produced many successful business leaders, politicians, educators and entrepreneurs. Dryborough’s successful nomination to the National Register of Historic places will bring much deserved recognition to this important part of New Bern.

The City of Charlotte will receive a federal Historic Preservation Fund grant of $24,000 to hire a consultant to conduct the second phase of a comprehensive historic resource survey of the city. The survey will be used as a planning tool to update, verify, and identify historic resources within Charlotte, which will provide a match of $30,000 for the project.

The last architectural survey conducted by Charlotte in the mid-1980s was not comprehensive so many historic resources lack protection or even identification. A comprehensive survey will allow planners and decision makers to consider the effect of development proposals on historic resources. Phase II will concentrate on the area outside of Charlotte’s Route 4, beyond the central city.

Orange County will receive federal Historic Preservation Fund grant of $15,000 to hire a consultant to conduct an architectural survey update of rural portions of Orange County. The County will provide a match of $10,000. This project is the first of three phases with the end goal being to produce a publication that documents the county’s historic resources. Phase I will survey approximately 250 properties including mid-20th-century resources along with those associated with the county’s agricultural and African-American history.

Project: Wake County Architectural Survey of Six Towns (Apex, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Rolesville and Wendell)

Wake County will receive a federal Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) grant of $16,000 to hire a consultant to complete an architectural survey of historic properties in the towns of Apex, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Rolesville and Wendell. The County will provide matching funds of $9,000 to assist with the project.

According to US Census Data, Wake County’s population increased 43.5 percent between 2000 and 2010. With this high growth rate, historic properties are often lost to development pressures. The six towns were selected by the Wake County Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) in consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office as limited documentation exists on their historic resources and all of the communities face increased development. Identifying and documenting historic resources will give the towns the information necessary for considering their heritage as they plan for growth.