Six Michigan cities & Washtenaw County receive historic preservation grants

Communities across Michigan will make repairs, digitalize documents for easy access, shore up a barn in the community’s historic park, all possible with a total of $250,000 in grants from the State Historic Preservation Office.

Detroit, Charlevoix, Livonia, Flat Rock, Holland, Coldwater and Washtenaw County received funds from the program, the Michigan Strategic Fund said last week.

Several will use the awards for projects to repair and improve historic buildings. The grant money comes from the federal government’s Historic Preservation Fund Certified Local Government program, which is administered by the state’s preservation office.

“For more than 40 years, the CLG program has helped create partnerships that support communities in their efforts to plan for, invest in and tell the story of their irreplaceable heritage assets,” said Ryan Schumaker, State Historic Preservation officer.

Detroit will use the funds to hire a contractor for digitizing historic building survey documents, which the news release said will help the Historic Designation Advisory Board’s provide information to other city entities such as the Historic District Commission, and help property owners participate in city planning efforts.

Charlevoix will use money to replace the roof of City Hall. The building dates back to 1939 and is located in Charlevoix’s Center Historic District, which is eligible for the National Register of Historic places. The city also has other preservation work planned for the building.

Livonia will use the grant to hire a contractor to develop plans and designs for stabilizing the South Barn, a former dairy barn, at Greenmead Historical Park. The barn is part of the original Simmons Farm, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Livonia bought the park, which is nearly 200 years old and covers 95 acres, in 1976 according to the city’s website.

Washtenaw County will use its funding to hire a contractor for repairs and structural improvements to the basement and foundation of Gordon Hall in Dexter, and has partnered with the Dexter Area Historical Society for the project. The improvements will allow the historical society to rehabilitate the hall’s upper levels. Built in the 1840s, Gordon Hall was the home of Judge Samuel Dexter, who was involved in the development of Washtenaw County in its early days, according to the county.

Holland plans to hire a contractor to replace the roof at the Holland Museum. The museum includes history from Holland’s founding by Dutch immigrants through the present day, according to its website. The city and museum also have been rehabilitating the former post office built in 1914.

Coldwater plans to use the funds — $18,000, according to the city’s website — for a structural engineering analysis on the Beech House, now used as a community center. The city has partnered with Coldwater Community Center for the rehabilitation project. The house was built by John Beech, a Civil War surgeon, according to the city’s website. It was later used as a funeral home, but sat vacant for years until a nonprofit formed to convert the building into a cultural center in 2022.

Flat Rock will use its award to host Commission Assistance and Mentoring Program training for staff and commissioners of the city’s historic district, and people interested from communities Downriver. The program’s goal is to increase local expertise in preservation.