HISTORIC PRESERVATION NEWS AND NOTES
from the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)
S.C. Department of Archives and History
September 17, 2008
In this issue:
- S.C. Preserve America Initiative Grants Awarded
- A Teacher’s Guide to African American Historic Places in South Carolina
- Save the Date! 2009 Landmark and Preservation Conference
- Register Now for Seminar on Mid-20th Century Architecture
- State Tax Credit Workshops
- SHPO Staff Transition & Job Opening
- New Issue of Call and Response
- Survey About National Preservation Program
- Conway Recognized as a Preserve America Community
- Paris Mountain State Park Earns National Recognition
- New National Award for Historic Preservation Staff
- Update on Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington
- Advisory Council Policy Statement On Archaeology, Tourism and Education
- Managing Teardowns: Preserving Community Character and Livability
- Host an NPS Cultural Resources Diversity Intern
- South Carolina Archaeology Month, October 1-31, 2008
- October is Archives Month
- Conferences and Workshops
- Grant Application Deadlines
S.C. Preserve America Initiative Grants Awarded
Seven local preservation projects have received grants from the S.C. Preserve America Initiative.
- Abbeville Design Guidelines ($10,000)
- Garvin House Preservation and Interpretive Plan, Town of Bluffton ($20,000)
- Chester City Hall Preservation Planning ($5,000)
- Conway Design Guidelines ($7,500)
- Darlington Memorial Cemetery Master Plan ($10,000)
- Hampton County Museum Building Preservation Plan ($10,000)
- Pacolet Mill Village Design Guidelines ($2,500)
A second round of applications for grant funding will be due March 31, 2009. All communities will be eligible to apply for funding, with priority given to applications from designated Preserve America Communities. Applications will be made available on the website by mid-December and announced in News and Notes.
A Teacher’s Guide to African American Historic Places in South Carolina
This new publication matches SC curriculum standards with all of the historic places associated with African American history in South Carolina that are listed in the National Register or recognized with a historical marker. The guide is available online at http://www.state.sc.us/scdah/afamer/teacherguide.htm. Grants from the SC Department of Education, Humanities Council SC, Teaching American History in South Carolina, and the National Trust helped fund this publication.
Save the Date! 2009 Landmark and Preservation Conference
Please mark your calendars for the 2009 Landmark and Preservation Conference, March 26-27, 2009, in Columbia. Information about the conference will be posted on the workshops and conferences section of our website. /conf/.
Register Now for Seminar on Mid-20th Century Architecture
A two-day seminar “Identification and Evaluation of Mid-20th Century Buildings” will be held at the Archives and History Center in Columbia, November 18-19, 2008. Sponsored by the National Preservation Institute, participants will discuss how structures from the 1950s and 1960s fit into today's and tomorrow's historic preservation patterns, and examine era-specific factors that help to identify and evaluate post-war buildings in terms of their significance for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The instructors are James C. Massey, architectural historian and historic preservation consultant and Shirley Maxwell, historian and historic preservation consultant. Both are contributing editors to Old House Journal. AIA members will receive 6 learning units for each day. More information is available at http://www.npi.org/sem-20th.html. Advance registration rates are available through October 7.
State Tax Credit Workshops
Kim Robinson of the State Historic Preservation Office will be conducting two workshops for the State Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit program for owner-occupied residences:
Owners of historic homes across South Carolina are taking advantage of a state law that provides a tax credit for rehabilitating their historic properties. Taxpayers who rehabilitate their owner-occupied residence may be eligible to subtract 25% of the costs of many expensive repairs and renovations from their state income taxes. Kim will be giving an overview of the program and explaining the requirements for applications. For more information please call 803-896-6199 or email at krobinson@scdah.state.sc.us.
SHPO Staff Transition & Job Opening
Leah Brown, African American Programs Coordinator, will be leaving the SHPO on September 26. She has accepted a position with the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Southwest Office in Fort Worth, serving as a Program Officer. http://www.preservationnation.org/about-us/regional-offices/southwest/. We will miss Leah’s contributions greatly, but congratulate her on this opportunity to return to her native Texas.
We will be recruiting to fill the African American Programs Coordinator position left vacant by Leah’s departure. The Coordinator promotes awareness and preservation of African American historic properties and assists individuals and organizations with identifying, recognizing, and preserving these places in South Carolina. The job opening will be posted on the state jobs website by the end of September. http://www.ohr.sc.gov/OHR/OHR-jobs-portal-index.phtm. For more information contact Brad Sauls at 803-896-6172, sauls@scdah.state.sc.us.
New Issue of Call and Response
The Spring/Summer issue of Call and Response, the email newsletter of the SC African American Heritage Commission is now available online at http://www.state.sc.us/scdah/afamer/CallResponsefall08.pdf.
Survey About National Preservation Program
In October 2006, representatives from federal agencies, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and businesses came together to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act and discuss successes and challenges of national historic preservation programs. One recommendation called for an independent review panel to evaluate the structure of the historic preservation program. This independent panel has been organized and has begun its deliberations, and would like input from the historic preservation community. Please go to http://survey.preserveamerica.gov/ to fill out a very brief survey. Please respond by Friday, October 3.
Conway Recognized as a Preserve America Community
Congratulations to Conway on being named a Preserve America community! A letter from First Lady Laura Bush dated August 29, 2008 announced the designation. Designation provides national recognition that a community protects and celebrates its heritage; uses its historic assets for economic development and community revitalization; and encourages people to experience and appreciate local historic resources through education and heritage tourism programs. Preserve America communities are also eligible to apply for grants under the Preserve America Grant Program. Information about how your town can become a Preserve America Community is available at www.preserveamerica.gov.
Paris Mountain State Park Earns National Recognition
The rehabilitation of the 1930s historic bathhouse at Paris Mountain State Park received the 2008 President’s Award from the National Association of State Park Directors. According to The State newspaper, “The Friends of the Paris Mountain State Park helped raise money for the renovation, including a $100,000 grant from BMW.” Constructed during the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Park is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. See http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/greenville/S10817723049/index.htm
For more information about the Park go to http://www.southcarolinaparks.com/park-finder/state-park/722.aspx.
New National Award for Historic Preservation Staff
The Secretary of the Interior, Dirk Kempthorne, announced a new awards program to recognize outstanding contributions to historic preservation by individuals working for federal, state and tribal historic preservation offices, and Certified Local Governments. For more information go to http://www.doi.gov/initiatives/preservation.html
Deadline for nominations is October 20, 2008.
Update on Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington
As reported in an earlier newsletter, officials at Arlington were proposing to replace the monument at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. After much public outcry, on August 11, 2008, they reversed course by proposing in a report to Congress to make repairs to the monument. To learn more see the National Trust website at http://www.preservationnation.org/travel-and-sites/sites/southern-region/tomb-of-the-unknown-soldier.html.
Advisory Council Policy Statement On Archaeology, Tourism and Education
The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation adopted a policy statement, "Archaeology, Heritage Tourism, and Education", on August 15, 2008 that calls for the council to foster public understanding and appreciation of archaeological resources while encouraging conservation of them. The policy statement can be read at www.achp.gov. For additional information contact Tom McCulloch, 202.606.8554 or archaeology@achp.gov.
Managing Teardowns: Preserving Community Character and Livability
The National Trust's new "Teardown Tools on the Web (pdf)" highlights approximately 30 tools that are being used by communities around the country in response to teardowns, with direct links to more than 300 examples in 32 states. http://www.preservationnation.org/issues/teardowns/additional-resources/Teardown-Tools-on-the-Web-1.pdf .
Host an NPS Cultural Resources Diversity Intern
The National Park Service is accepting proposals for Cultural Resources Diversity Internships for the summer of 2009. The program provides career exploration opportunities to diverse undergraduate and graduate students in historic preservation and cultural resources work, and gives National Park Service offices, national park units, government agencies, and private nonprofit organizations an opportunity to meet promising young people who might choose a career in this field. For more information visit http://www.nps.gov/history/crdi/internships/hostsponsor.htm. The contact is Turkiya L. Lowe, Diversity Internship Coordinator, Cultural Resources, 202-354-2266 or turkiya_lowe@contractor.nps.gov.
South Carolina Archaeology Month, October 1-31, 2008
The focus of this year’s event is Native American Archaeology: Working Backward, Moving Forward. The poster is available online http://coscapa.org/SC_2008_Poster.pdf.
The Annual Archaeology Field Day will be at Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site near Summerville, South Carolina. For more information see http://www.assc.net/default.aspx?pid=1§ion=Home.
October is Archives Month
Sponsored by the South Carolina State Historical Records Advisory Board, Archives Month recognizes the documentary riches in our more than one hundred repositories, from historical societies, museums, and local governments to public libraries and colleges and universities. See http://scarchivesmonth.palmettohistory.org/ to learn more about our documentary heritage, to help in developing an event, and to find out what is being planned by institutions and organizations for SC Archives Month. For further information, contact Heather South at 803-896-6112 or southh@scdah.state.sc.us.
Conferences and Workshops
ArchSite Training Classes, Free one-day workshops on ArchSite, the online cultural resources Geographic Information System (GIS) for South Carolina, will be held on September 29, October 13, and November 7 in Columbia. See http://archsite.cas.sc.edu/sciaainfo/ArchSiteTrainingAnnouncement.pdf. For more information contact Carmen Beard at SCIAA at cbeard@sc.edu or 803-777-8170.
Appraising Historic Preservation Easements, October 1-3, 2008, Chicago; November 12-14, 2008, New York; and December 10-12, Alexandria, VA. This debut certificate program covers the valuation of historic preservation easements donated as charitable gifts under the IRS Code. For more information go to www.appraisalinstitute.org/historic.
2008 National Preservation Conference: Preservation in Progress, Tulsa, Oklahoma, October 21-25, 2008. Conference information is available online at www.eshow2000.com/nthp.
Construction History Society of America Inaugural Meeting, Atlanta, GA, November 6-8, 2008. For more information see http://www.constructionhistorysociety.org/.
65th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Archaeology Conference, Charlotte, NC, November 12-15. For more information see
http://www.southeasternarchaeology.org/2008SEAC/seac2008.html.
Preservation Leadership Training (PLT), Birmingham, AL, January 10-17, 2009 and Deadwood, SD, June 20-27, 2009. PLT is an intensive one-week program that provides participatory learning experiences in leadership and organizational development. PLT is for board members and staff of preservation organizations and agencies, Main Street communities, and others who are in a position to influence preservation efforts in their communities. For information on tuition and other program details, go to http://www.PreservationNation.org/plt or contact Alison Hinchman at 202-588-6067 or plt@nthp.org The deadline for receiving applications is October 3, 2008 for Birmingham and March 31, 2009 for Deadwood. A limited number of scholarships are available.
SC African American Heritage Commission Annual Meeting and Awards, West Columbia, SC, January 22-23, 2009. For more information contact Jannie Harriot at professionaljmh@aol.com or 843-332-3589.
Savannah Symposium: World Heritage and National Registers in Perspective, Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, February 19-21, 2009. See http://www.scad.edu/architectural-history/dept/events/symposiums.cfm.
Grant Application Deadlines
October 1, 2008: Preservation Services Fund Grants: Administered by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, these grants are awarded to nonprofit organizations and public agencies for preservation planning and education efforts. Grant awards range from $500 to $5,000. For more information, contact the Southern Office of the National Trust for Historic Preservation at 843-722-8552 or soro@nthp.org or visit the National Trust website at http://www.preservationnation.org/resources/find-funding/grants/.
January 30, 2009: Federal Historic Preservation Grants: Administered by the State Historic Preservation Office, these grants can assist two types of projects: (1) Survey and Planning Projects—any government entity, non-profit organization, or institution may apply for these projects. Eligible projects include surveys of historic properties, National Register nominations, preservation education, and preservation planning. (2) Stabilization Projects--these projects must be located within cities, towns, and counties that are Certified Local Governments (CLGs). (A list of South Carolina CLGs is available at http://www.state.sc.us/scdah/hpclglist.htm.) A CLG may apply, or any non-profit organization or institution within the incorporated limits of a CLG may apply as long as the chief elected official signs the application. Eligible projects include stabilizing historic buildings or protecting historic buildings from the adverse effects of the weather. Grant awards generally range from $1,500 to $25,000. The 2009 application will be available online in October at /grants/preservationgrants/.
Information about other grants is available on the Archives and History website at http://www.shpo.sc.gov/grants/otherincentives/.
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