The Tennessee Historical Commission has announced 35 Federal Historic Preservation Fund grants totaling over $839,000 awarded for various historic preservation and archaeological projects throughout the state. Two of the projects are in Carroll County and Gibson County.
In Carroll County, the city of McKenzie was awarded $6,000 for preservation updates and Gibson County was awarded $24,000 for continued restoration of the Mt. Zion Worship Center.
The grants are awarded annually for projects that support the preservation of historic and archaeological resources. “This program is one of the main ways in which our office helps protect historic places and contribute to the preservation of Tennessee’s heritage,” said Patrick McIntyre, Executive Director and State Historic Preservation Officer.
The federally funded matching grants provide 60% of project funds from the HPF and 40% of project funds come from the grantee. Grants are competitive and this year the Tennessee Historical Commission staff reviewed 50 applications with funding requests totaling approximately $1.7 million, significantly more than the amount of funding available.
This year’s selection included an archaeological survey, design guidelines for historic districts, rehabilitation of historic buildings, a poster highlighting the state’s archaeology, and surveys of historic resources.
The next round of grants is expected to be opened in December 2020 with applications due in January 2021. Check www.tnhistoricalcommission.org for updates.
The counties where the projects are located, grant recipients, funding and descriptions are:
Carroll County
City of McKenzie (Certified Local Government)
$6,000 to fund the updating of design guidelines.
Clay County
Clay County
$6,000 to fund the restoration of windows on the National Register-listed Clay County Courthouse.
Coffee County
Tennessee Division of Archaeology
$6,000 to fund the continuation of an archaeological survey of Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park.
Davidson County
Andrew Jackson Foundation
$30,000 to fund the laser cleaning of the Jackson tomb at The Hermitage.
City of Belle Meade
$14,000 to fund a survey of historic resources.
Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art
$40,000 to fund the restoration of historic stone steps at the National Register-listed property.
Metro Historical Commission (CLG)
$17,400 to fund the restoration of historic resources in the National Register-listed Centennial Park.
Gibson
Mt. Zion Worship Center
$24,000 to fund the restoration of the Mt. Zion School.
Greene County
Blue Springs Historical Association, Inc.
$28,548 to fund the restoration of the foundation of the National Register-listed Blue Springs Church.
Hardeman County
City of Bolivar (CLG)
$21,000 to fund the restoration of the National Register-listed United Sons and Daughters of Charity Lodge Hall.
Hawkins County
Town of Rogersville (CLG)
$26,250 to fund the restoration of the National Register-listed Powell Law Office.
Jefferson County
Glenmore Preservation Society, Inc.
$25,000 to fund masonry work on the National Register-listed Glenmore Mansion.
Lawrence County
City of Lawrenceburg (CLG)
$30,000 to fund the continuation of restoration of the National Register-listed Crockett Theater.
Maury County
Columbia Academy
$2,850 to fund the restoration of the historic iron fence at the National Register-listed Columbia Academy.
Monroe County
Monroe County
$25,200 to fund masonry restoration on the National Register-listed Monroe County Courthouse.
Moore County
Metropolitan Lynchburg/Moore County (CLG)
$10,200 to fund design guidelines and update the survey in Lynchburg.
Morgan County
Morgan County Tourism Alliance
$14,000 to fund the restoration of the National Register-listed Tanner Store.
Putnam County
City of Algood
$22,500 to fund the restoration of the National Register-listed White Plains museum.
Shelby County
Central Gardens Association
$15,000 to fund a revised survey and National Register nomination for the Central Gardens Historic District.
Town of Collierville (CLG)
$15,000 to fund a survey of the town.
Sumner County
City of Gallatin (CLG)
$14,000 to fund a survey of the city.
Williamson County
African American Heritage Society of Williamson County
$25,000 to fund the restoration of the National Register-listed McLemore House.
City of Franklin (CLG)
$6,000 to fund the restoration of ironwork in the National Register-listed City Cemetery.
City of Franklin (CLG)
$14,700 to continue restoration of windows on the National Register-listed Harlinsdale Farmhouse.
Multi-County Grants
Middle Tennessee State University, Department of Sociology and Anthropology
$3,539 for posters for Tennessee Archaeology Week.
Middle Tennessee State University, Fullerton Laboratory for Spatial Technology
$50,000 to digitize data for historic / architectural survey files and for survey data entry for computerization of survey files.
East Tennessee Development District
$42,000 to fund a preservation specialist staff position for the East Tennessee Development District.
First Tennessee Development District
$35,000 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
$40,000 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 the Web site at: http://www.tnhistoricalcommission.org. For information on grants contact Claudette Stager at claudette.stager@tn.gov
Photo: Mt. Zion Church in Medina.