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Indiana Historical Society Provides More Than $45,000 to Local Historical Organizations through Latest Heritage Support Grants
Through its Heritage Support Grants program, the Indiana Historical Society (IHS) awarded more than $45,000 in October 2022 to 10 local historical societies and organizations representing nine Indiana counties.
The IHS’s Heritage Support Grants program supports local, county and regional historical societies, museums and sites. The grants fund projects that meet high-priority needs in the areas of Collections Stewardship, DEAI (Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion), Sustainability and Planning.
Heritage Support Grants are provided by the Indiana Historical Society and made possible by a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. The current iteration of the program will award $2.5 million to local historical organizations until 2024. Learn more at www.indianahistory.org/grants.
The most recent recipients include:
Heritage Support Grants 2.0 – Project Grant, Mini Cycle F Award Summaries
Clark’s Grant Historical Society, Clark County
The Clark’s Grant Historical Society received $4,999 to replace deteriorating modern doors with period-appropriate doors on the Thomas Downs House Museum. The new doors will provide a more secure entryway to the museum.
Evansville African American Museum, Vanderburgh County
The Evansville African American Museum received $4,999 to fund an exhibit, programming and archaeology workshop focused on Baptisttown and prohibition. The exhibit and programs will highlight this unique history and raise awareness of the importance of archaeology in learning more about Black history.
Friends of the 1818 Rome Courthouse, Inc., Perry County
The Friends of the 1818 Rome Courthouse, Inc. received $4,999 for a historic structures report to expand on current building assessments. The report will guide the organization as it continues restoration work on the historic courthouse and aid in planning future use as a place to tell Rome’s story.
Genealogical Society of Marion County, Marion County
The Genealogical Society of Marion County received $4,900 to replace an outdated microfilm viewer. The new system will ensure current microfilmed assets can continue to be used as the organization prepares for future digitization projects.
Historical Society of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Inc., Marion County
The Historical Society of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Inc. received $4,500 to install an exhibit in the Federal Court Learning Center. The interactive exhibit will raise awareness about the role of the federal court system and will feature key historic cases in Indiana.
Huntington County Historical Society, Huntington County
The Huntington County Historical Society received $4,750 to purchase a kiosk to show images from the museum’s collection and video presentations about county history. The kiosk will make a wider variety of information available to museum visitors and provide museum staff and volunteers with another interpretational tool.
Jackson County History Center, Jackson County
The Jackson County History Center received $4,875 to install a damper and cap on the chimney of the historic meeting house. The damper and cap will help maintain the interior environment and deter wildlife incursions into the building, providing a better interpretive and programming space.
Parke County Historical Society, Parke County
Parke County Historical Society received $4,999 to fund a historic structures report of the current museum. The historic building served as a seminary, a Civil War armory and a school for Black children. The report will allow the organization to prioritize building repairs and plan for future use and interpretation.
Ross Township Historical Society, Lake County
The Ross Township Historical Society received $2,900 to fund video production and transcription for Merrillville Memories, an oral history project. The project will capture community experiences and memories and present the local stories to a broad range of audiences.
Vigo County Historical Society, Vigo County
The Vigo County Historical Society received $4,000 to aid in the restoration work on the Paul Dresser home, located in Fairbanks Park. The funds will be used for fencing to help secure the property and set the building apart from other park structures.
