Texas Main Street program gets Preserve America grant

AUSTIN — The Texas Historical Commission's Texas Main Street Program was honored yesterday by receiving a $218,615 grant from Preserve America to enable strategic reassessments of Main Street cities throughout the state.

The grant will be utilized over the next two years to conduct site visits to participating communities to enhance their existing preservation ethic that has developed under the national Main Street model.

Twenty-nine Texas Main Street/Preserve America communities are eligible for funding. Preserve America is a White House initiative that encourages and supports community efforts to preserve and enjoy priceless cultural and natural heritage

"Preserve America Grants help communities learn about their history and share it with visitors. These grants make the story of America come alive and create a better understanding of our diverse and rich cultures," said John L. Nau, III, chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

The reassessment visits will be condensed versions of the original resource teams that are provided to all new Texas Main Street cities. The assessments will include direct recommendations and suggestions for specific historic resources in local Main Street districts.

The grant will also fund regional training and education for the public through a series of informational presentations in Texas Main Street Program/Preserve America communities on crucial preservation topics including historic building maintenance, heritage tourism initiatives, tax incentives and design guidelines.