Historic Heritage Grant Highlights

Grants Highlight Oak Ridge’s Historic Heritage

June 6, 2022 - Oak Ridge, NC 

 

Oak Ridge’s Historic Preservation Commission approved its sixth round of Historic Heritage Grants, designed to strengthen and preserve Oak Ridge’s rich historic heritage by providing small scale, high impact grants. Benjamin Briggs of Preservation Greensboro stated, “This program is a way to leverage thousands of dollars in partnership with private citizens to invest in the town’s cultural treasures. This investment will be done the correct way, respecting historic preservation practices and it will result in an accurate presentation of the Oak Ridge story and will return value back to the town.” This year’s grants total $3,400. Together with required matching funds of $3,850 contributed by property owners, the grants will support $7,250 in exterior improvements to key historic properties in Oak Ridge. This year’s grants bring total grant funding to $26,200, supporting $132,685 in exterior improvements over 7 years.

• $1,400 awarded to the Donnell Stone House to remove a tree trunk and dead branches. The tree trunk has displaced a gabled roof on the 99-year-old home and the dead branches are a hazard to the structure. Built in 1923, the D. L. Donnell (Stone) House was originally a log house (ca 1900s). After it burned, D.L. Donnell re-built using locally gathered stone. 

• $2000 awarded to the Oak Ridge Foundation for the Front Porch restoration of Maple Glade. The home is among the show pieces of the campus as well as Oak Ridge. Built in 1905, the 117-year-old structure once served as the home of the school’s President.

 

One notable project receiving a 2021 grant was recently completed:

• $2,000 award to Ralph and Joyce Biggs to stabilize the foundation of the H. C. Gardner House. The house was built in 1918 by Harry and Mary Stack Gardner and in recent years has served as a commercial property. As we all know, maintaining and finding viable uses for historic structures is the surest way of ensuring their preservation and the towns history.

 

Historic Heritage Grants are awarded by the Oak Ridge Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) and funded by the Town of Oak Ridge. For more information, including grantee contact information and photographs, contact Oak Ridge Asst. Mgr/Town Clerk Sandra Smith at 336.644.7009 or HPC Chair Debbie Shoenfeld at 336.643.2504.