Twenty eight historic sites receive funding from the National Park Service for restoration and renovation work

The National Park Service (NPS) announced $25.7 million in funding for the cultural and historic preservation of 59 nationally significant sites and collections. Among the buildings and sites receiving money for renovation and restoration projects are a Spanish colonial residence in Santa Barbara, a church by Frank Lloyd Wright, and a project to repair the steps at a Christopher Wren–designed building at the College of William and Mary.

For 25 years, the Save America’s Treasures program has provided over $405 million from the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) to the preservation and conservation of notable sites, collections, artifacts, and structures. National Park Service Director Chuck Sams noted in a statement, “It’s fitting to celebrate this milestone anniversary through a wide range of projects that help to pass the full history of America and its people down to future generations.”

The swimming pool grotto at the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens (Elisa.rolle/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 4.0)

The funding will be distributed to 28 historical sites in need of preservation or repair work. Money will also be allocated for over two dozen cultural institutions seeking to safeguard or digitize their collections and archives. Among the list of buildings and landscapes with prominent historical legacies, are the Longue Vue House and Gardens in New Orleans. The residence will receive funds to further recognize the work of Ellen Biddle Shipman, a landscape designer. Through the restoration and conservation of Shipman’s design, these funds carve the path for education and public awareness of Shipman’s influence and her emergence within the male-dominated field.

Other notable sites on the list include the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens’ swimming pool grotto. The Mediterranean-style villa was once a center of entertainment. The house oft-referred to as the “Hearst Castle” of the East houses a collection of decorative furnishings and objects from Europe. Also notable is the Louisiana State University (LSU) Campus Mounds Preservation Project. The mounds, now part of the LSU Campus, were once sacred structures, constructed at least 6,000 years ago by Indigenous people. The grant will aid in preserving the stability of the mounds’ surface and stop ongoing damage to the site.

The full list of historic sites receiving funding for preservation projects is reproduced below. A brief description of the scope for each project can be found here.

California Missions Foundation | California
Telluride Council for the Arts and Humanities | Colorado
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens Trust | Florida
Foundation for Homan Square | Illinois