THC Awards $900,000 Federal Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) Grants

By Holly Barnett

This Fall the Tennessee Historical Commission awarded nearly $900,000 for Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) grants for historic preservation and archaeological projects throughout the state. From funding preservation planners in all parts of the state-- to bricks and mortar restoration projects and surveys and planning grants-- this longstanding program is one of the primary ways that the State Historic Preservation Office directly facilitates historic preservation in our state. 

Federally funded matching grants provide 60% of project funds from the HPF with 40% of project funds from the grantee. Grants were competitive this year, with project funding requests totaling nearly $1.2 million, significantly more than the amount of funding available. This year’s selection included an archaeological conference, design guidelines for historic districts, rehabilitation of several historic buildings, a poster highlighting the state’s archaeology, and surveys of historic resources.

One of the grant priorities is for projects that are in Certified Local Governments (CLG), a program that allows communities to receive additional training and access to the federal historic preservation program. Five CLG communities were awarded grants this year. Additional priorities include those that meet the goals and objectives of the office’s plan for historic preservation. Properties that receive grants for restoration must be listed in the National Register.

The counties where the projects are located, grant recipients, funding, and descriptions are:

Bradley County

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Cleveland

$25,000 will fund masonry repairs at National Register-listed c. 1873 St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.

Clay County

Clay County, Celina

$6,000 to continue the restoration of windows on the National Register-listed c. 1873 Clay County Courthouse.

Davidson County

Buchanan Log House, Donelson

$9,076.00 has been awarded to the Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities (APTA) for the restoration of the National Register-listed c. 1807 Buchanan Log House.

Friends of Two Rivers Mansion, Donelson

$30,000 to fund woodwork restoration on the exterior of Two Rivers Mansion.  

Metro Historical Commission (CLG)

$38,895 in support will help fund phase 2 of the countywide cemetery survey project.

Dickson County

Promise Land Heritage Foundation

$12,600 has been awarded to fund the window and door restoration at the Promise Land School

Giles County

Land Trust for Tennessee, Elkton

$25,000 will help fund the stabilization of the National Register-listed Matt Gardner Homestead Museum.

Greene County

Blue Springs Historical Association, Inc., Mosheim

$22,740 to continue the restoration of the National Register-listed c. 1893 Blue Springs Lutheran Church.

Hamilton County

Christ Church Episcopal, Chattanooga

$25,000 to fund the exterior restoration of the National Register-listed c. 1906 Christ Church.

Hawkins County

Town of Rogersville (CLG)

$39,000 to fund the restoration of Rogersville’s c. 1806 National Register-listed Powell Law Office.

Haywood County

Haywood Heritage Foundation

$7,200 to fund the preparation of National Register nominations.

Lawrence County

City of Lawrenceburg (CLG)

$12,000 to update design guidelines, downtown survey, and National Register nomination.

Loudon County

Dunbar Rosenwald School, Loudon

$30,000 to for electrical work and gutter restoration of the National Register-listed Dunbar Rosenwald School.

Madison

Walter Brewer Bemis Community Center, Bemis

$15,000 to fund the window restoration of the former Bemis Rosenwald School

Maury County

City of Columbia (CLG)

$15,000 to fund the updating of design guidelines, downtown survey, and National Register nominations.

James K. Polk Memorial Association, Columbia

$7,344 will fund interior restoration projects at the James K. Polk Home.

Maury County, Columbia

$14,400 was awarded for the restoration of the c. 1904 Maury County Courthouse masonry

Monroe County

Monroe County, Madisonville

$25,000 to fund masonry restoration of the National Register-listed Monroe County Courthouse.

Shelby County

Davies Manor Association, Memphis

$22,800 will fund foundation restoration of the National Register-listed c. 1807 Davies Manor House Museum.

Sullivan County

Sullivan County (CLG) Blountville

$25,260 to fund restoration of the National Register-listed c. 1790s Anderson Townhouse.

Warren County

The Black House, McMinnville

$26,928 to fund foundation and window restoration of the National Register-listed c. 1825 Black House Museum

Wayne County

City of Collinwood

$21,090 to fund the restoration of the National Register-listed Collinwood Depot

T.S. Stribling House, Clifton

$20,000 to aid the restoration of the National Register-listed T.S. Stribling House Museum

Williamson County

Shorter Chapel AME Church, Franklin

$30,000 for the restoration of the National Register-listed Shorter Chapel.

Multi-County Grants

Tennessee Division of Archaeology

$1,440 to fund the Current Research in Tennessee Archaeology conference

Middle Tennessee State University, Department of Sociology and Anthropology

$3,541 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

$35,000 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. 

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

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

Southwest Tennessee Development District

$44,000 to fund a preservation specialist staff position for the Southwest Tennessee Development District.

Upper Cumberland Development District

$35,000 to fund a preservation specialist staff position for the Upper Cumberland Development District.