You may have seen news reports about yesterday's announcement of the Partners In Preservation program coming to Massachusetts. The program is a collaboration of American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation; Amex kicks in $1 million for preservation grants to some of 25 hopeful historic and cultural sites. The TV and radio people as usual got in a froth because there's an online contest where people vote for their favorite site, but despite how it sounded, those of you who vote are not picking the winner of a $1 million grant. The winner is the only one of the 25 guaranteed to get some cash, but the program will also donate to several other sites. How many? Well, although the size of the grant requests is "not available," I was told that none of the hopefuls asked for more than $100,000. So in theory, that means 10 of the 25 could get grants. And it's entirely possible that all 25 could get something.
A list of the hopefuls follows after the jump. I have my favorites, including the BCA Cyclorama (above), the underappreciated Museum of African American History on Beacon Hill, and the hardscrabble Lowell's Boat Shop (right), which is just a couple of miles up the river from HubArts World Headquarters. While the Paragon Carousel in Hull (below) seems an unlikely choice next to, say, the Old North Church, I spent many happy hours at Paragon Park as a lad - mostly playing skee-ball and mini-golf, but whatever - and would endorse it. Already some sites are rallying support - one email from a site I won't name
(*cough* Cyclorama *cough*) followed the PiP press release by less than
an hour.
"People can cast one vote per day online at www.PartnersinPreservation.com now through May 17," says the press release. "The winner of the popular vote is guaranteed funding. Additional grants will be awarded on June 16 to a number of the other sites after review by an Advisory Committee comprised of Greater Boston civic and preservation leaders, American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation."
"American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation used specific criteria to select the chosen 25 diverse historic sites, including their historic, architectural and cultural significance, demonstrated community support, ability to complete a preservation project by December 2010, and potential to contribute to tourism or community development. They range from cultural centers to maritime treasures. The 25 selected historic places in Greater Boston are:
* Crane Estate, Ipswich
* Cyclorama, Boston Center for the Arts, South End
* Edgell Memorial Library, Framingham
* Eliot Congregational Church of Roxbury
* Jose Matéo Ballet Theater, Cambridge
* Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House, Concord
* Lowell’s Boat Shop, Amesbury
* Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge
* Museum of African American History, Beacon Hill
* National Monument to the Forefathers, Plymouth
* Norfolk County Agricultural High School Dairy Barn, Walpole
* New England Aquarium, Boston
* Norfolk Grange Hall, Norfolk
* Old North Church, North End
* Old Ship Meeting House, Hingham
* Paragon Carousel, Hull
* Paul Revere House, North End
* Perkins School for the Blind, Watertown
* Salem Old Town Hall, Salem
* Schooner Adventure, Gloucester
* St. Joseph’s High School, Coalition for a Better Acre, Lowell
* St. Peter’s Church, Dorchester
* United First Parish Church, Quincy
* VillaVictoria Center for the Arts, South End
* Vilna Shul, Beacon Hill"
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