“Historic preservation creates jobs, fuels local economies, and builds sustainable and strong communities, all while preserving Colorado’s rich architectural, archaeological and agricultural past,” said Steve Turner, AIA, Vice President of Preservation Programs at History Colorado and Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer. “Moreover, preservation grants help communities rebuild after natural disasters. Last fall, History Colorado awarded several emergency grants to historic properties that were severely damaged during the catastrophic September 2013 floods.”

This year, the History Colorado State Historical Fund awarded grants to midcentury schools, Carnegie libraries, historic mining sites, archaeological research centers, and other important places and organizations that serve their communities in order to create the future while honoring the past. While many organizations are forced to use funding for building restoration or rehabilitation, State Historical Fund grants allow organizations to direct their funding toward their mission instead of building preservation.

Projects in 40 Colorado counties were awarded grants: Alamosa, Bent, Boulder, Broomfield, Chaffee, Clear Creek, Conejos, Costilla, Custer, Delta, Denver, Douglas, El Paso, Fremont, Garfield, Gilpin, Grand, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Jefferson, Kit Carson, Lake, Larimer, Las Animas, Logan, Mesa, Montezuma, Montrose, Otero, Ouray, Park, Phillips, Prowers, Pueblo, Routt, Saguache, San Juan, Sedgwick, Summit and Teller.

Examples of projects that received an SHF grant include:

Revere Junior-Senior High School / Ovid High School
Ovid, Sedgwick County
Award: $200,000 to Platte Valley School District RE-3

The 1928 Revere Junior-Senior High School houses the only high school within the town of Ovid and has been an essential center for education and community for 85 years. The brainchild of famed Colorado architect Temple Buell, the building showcases a unique blend of Art Deco architecture with rural landscape-based design. As part of a large-scale restoration and rehabilitation project, the grant award from the History Colorado State Historical Fund will fund installation of historically appropriate windows to restore the building to its 1920s glory.

San Juan County Hospital / Miner’s Union Hospital
Silverton, San Juan County
Award: $200,000 to San Juan County

Nestled in the Silverton National Historic Landmark, the 1908 Italianate-style Miner’s Hospital in San Juan County has been the only public health facility in Silverton for more than a century. The grant award from the History Colorado State Historical Fund, will allow San Juan County to comprehensively rehabilitate and restore the building, which includes installing an elevator and restoring door and window sashes and the roof.

Pierce T. Smith House / The Old Smith Mansion
Denver, Denver County
Award: $139,460 to the Denver Center for Crime Victims

Originally built as a private residence for Pierce T. Smith, a dentist who moved to Denver in the 1880s, today the Old Smith Mansion houses the Denver Center for Crime Victims (DCCV), which has provided free services in 41 languages and dialects to more than 165,000 crime victims over the last 25 years. The award from the History Colorado State Historical Fund will allow DCCV to repair the masonry foundation, which will prevent further structural damage to the building and permit DCCV to continue its vital role in the community.

Read more about these amazing preservation projects, as well as others around the state at http://bit.ly/GrantStories. Visit History Colorado’s Pinterest page at http://bit.ly/HConPin to see images of State Historical Fund projects.

Interested in applying for a SHF grant? The application deadline for the next competitive grant round is April 1, 2014. SHF offers guidance to all potential grant applicants. Contact Cynthia Nieb, Deputy Director of the State Historical Fund, 303/866-2809, cynthia.nieb@ state.co.us with questions.

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History Colorado's mission is to inspire generations to find wonder and meaning in our past and to engage in creating a better Colorado. We serve as the state's memory, preserving the places, stories, and material culture of Colorado through our museums, educational programs, historic preservation grants, research library, collections, and outreach to Colorado communities. Find History Colorado on all major social media platforms. Visit HistoryColorado.org or call (303) HISTORY for more information.

Media Contact:
Shannon Haltiwanger
Preservation Communications Manager
(303) 866-2043
shannon.haltiwanger@state.co.us