Five Communities Receive Preserve America Grants

Butte, Great Falls, Havre, Jefferson County, and Missoula will receive a total of $37,638 in Preserve America grant funds from the State Historic Preservation Office to fund education and training programs in historic preservation. 

Butte will receive a total of $12,270 for two projects.  Butte Citizens for Preservation and Revitalization was awarded $4,270 for three hands-on preservation workshops, from historic window and brick masonry repairs to maintaining and repairing hot water heater systems. Also, Butte was awarded $8,000 to edit a special Butte-Anaconda issue of Drumlummon Views, an online arts and culture journal. The innovative journal will feature essays, portfolios, reprints, as well as new research on the landscape and architecture of Butte and Anaconda by leading Butte-Anaconda scholars and artists.

Great Falls was awarded $3,000 to produce 10,000 Missouri River Corridor walking tour brochures. This effort will highlight the Great Falls Railroad Historic District and will follow the very successful Central Business Historic District walking tour brochure created in 2006.

Havre also plans a walking tour brochure for the community’s railroad and downtown areas, and will develop online information and a public preservation education lecture.  Havre will receive $7,100 for these activities. 

Jefferson County will receive $2,500 forfive scholarships to attend the Museums Association of Montana conference in Livingston, the American Association of Museums conference in Denver, and the Montana Governor’s Conference on Tourism conference in West Yellowstone.

Missoula will receive the largest Preserve America grant, $12,768, for an Experience Missoula Heritage initiative. The community will host community education and historic district events, offer Heritage Trade and Tourism Workshops, a Missoula Regional Heritage Trades and Tourism Festival, and public education and training to update the Missoula Historic Preservation Plan. Congrats to all and keep up the good work!