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Special News Announcement
The PTV Board of Directors is pleased to announce...
 Smart Growth Vermont to Honor 2008 Arthur Gibb Award RecipientSmart Growth Vermont is pleased to announce that this year's Arthur Gibb Award for Individual Leadership goes to Paul Bruhn, founder and Executive Director of Preservation Trust of Vermont. The award will be presented at a special event on December 10 at the Vergennes Opera House. Paul is being honored for his significant contribution to preserving Vermont's landscapes, village centers, and historic landmarks. Since 1980, Preservation Trust has touched the lives of Vermonters in almost every city and town in the state, from the Latchis Hotel & Theater in Brattleboro to the Opera House at Enosburg Falls.
Smart Growth Vermont invites you to join us in celebrating the legacy of Arthur Gibb as exemplified by Paul Bruhn and Preservation Trust of Vermont. You can purchase tickets or become an event sponsor by registering online. Register soon, as we expect an overwhelming response for this event! 802-864-6310.
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Preservation Grants Awarded
Since 1994 the Freeman Foundation and the Preservation Trust of Vermont have had a partnership to support preservation projects. Over $10 million in grants have been awarded to help more than 394 projects in communities throughout the state. These grants have played a key role in over $119 million in total rehabilitation work. The last round of grants includes:
 Fairbanks Museum, St. Johnsbury: $50,000. The Fairbanks Museum was designed by Lambert Packard, one of Vermont's best know architects. It is a reflection of the Fairbanks family's interest in natural history, and their interest in providing the workers at the Fairbanks Scale factory and the people of St. Johnsbury with cultural opportunities usually found only in big cities. The Museum remains the largest natural history museum in northern New England with a wide variety of programs for children and adults. The Museum is now facing some critical needs including installing a new furnace, adding a sprinkler system, and associated repairs. This grant coupled with funds already raised will allow them to begin the work this fall.  Cobleigh Public Library, Lyndonville: $30,000. In 1905, Eber W. Cobleigh donated $15,000 to erect a public library in Lyndonville. Plans were drawn by William J. Sayward, an architect employed by McKim, Mead and White of New York City. Over the years, the library has grown and adapted to new uses while safeguarding significant interior features. The basement was renovated in 1976 to create a children's room, and in 1995 the attic was renovated to house an adult learning center and computer lab, an elevator was installed in a new rear addition that is noteworthy because its sensitivity to the design of the original building. In 2002 generous grants from the Freeman Foundation, the Gates Foundation, and the Mobile Library Literacy Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services helped with improvements to the building and furnishings, an automated catalog, web access, and a new Bookmobile. This grant will help to repair eaves and woodwork trim, reset the front granite steps, rehabilitate 13 basement windows, and repair plaster cracks in the reading rooms.
 United Methodist Church, Greensboro Bend: $50,000. Built in 1881 in the Queen Anne style, this local landmark serves the community as a church, community meeting space, summer lunch program site, Global campus, Boy and Girl Scouts' meeting space, and is the site of the well-know "wild game suppers". Overall the building has been well maintained, but it now suffers a significant problem related to water and snow runoff. Over the years, the road has risen in height and that change has created the problem. Water flowing into the church has deflected the foundation, rotted sills and floor joists, and has rendered the basement almost unusable. The church has raised $1,000 through suppers and appeals and $2,500 from the Pleasant Fund. The Town has committed in-kind support to correct the elevation of the road and to use its equipment to help add drainage around the building. This grant will allow them to add drainage, jack the north wall, and replace portions of the north and south sills. Once the building is stabilized, the church has lined up volunteers to install new footings, floor joists, and a new basement floor.  1867 Building, St. Johnsbury: $45,000. The 1867 Building is one of the few remaining wood framed buildings surviving in downtown St. Johnsbury. It was nearly destroyed by the January 2000 fire that took out the neighboring Daniel's Block (now Passumpsic View Apartments). A local contractor renovated it in 2003 for street level commercial/retail space and student housing in the upper level, which is no longer needed now that Lyndon State College completed a new on campus dormitory. Gilman Housing and Umbrella, a local non-profit, have partnered and for the past year have raised funds to acquire the building, add an elevator and code improvements to convert the property to eight new transitional housing units and a shelter for women and children who are victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence. The two commercial tenants occupying the first floor will remain in place. This grant will be used to will help them rehabilitate the front porch and restore the front façade. |
PTV News
 Silent Auction Deadline: Monday December 8th at 6 pm.The deadline is approaching for our annual Silent Auction. We have an impressive collection of donated goods and services -- a week in Prince Edward Island, an overnight at the Old Tavern at Grafton, a character in an Archer Mayor novel, gift certificates for restaurants, massages, books and more, to name a few. The complete catalogue and directions for bidding are posted on our website.
Please support our work by placing a bid today! Your participation in events such as this one will help us continue to support the work of community organizations in more than 175 Vermont communities. Remember the deadline is Monday the 8th at 6 pm.
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Vermont News
 State Historic Preservation Office Jane Lendway to Retire
Vermont's State Historic Preservation Officer has announced she is retiring from her post after 33 years of serving state government. Jane Lendway, who has led the Division for Historic Preservation since 2003, will step down on December 31.
"Jane has been a dedicated public servant and the results of her efforts can be seen in preserved barns in our fields and historic buildings in our downtowns and villages," said Governor Jim Douglas. "On behalf of the people of Vermont, I extend my gratitude for more than three decades of excellent work."
Lendway, 57, of Montpelier, joined the Division for Historic Preservation, part of the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development, in 1975.
She served as a National Register and survey programs supervisor; federal and state preservation grants administrator; tax credit project reviewer; Certified Local Government coordinator, and preservation planner.
Lendway helped develop the Certified Local Government, state grants and Vermont Downtown programs, and served as coordinator of the Downtown Program, which designates downtowns and village centers and administers benefits to them, from 1995 to 2003.
In 2003 she became Acting State Historic Preservation Officer and was formally appointed to the office several months later.
"Historic preservation is a development strategy that has stood the test of time," Lendway said. "Reusing historic buildings saves energy, keeps debris out of our landfills, and maintains walkable neighborhoods and downtowns where people meet and greet one another. "Vermont has a world class sense of place and we will continue to distinguish ourselves by taking care of it."
National Register Specialist Sue Jamale Moves On
On October 10, 2008, the Division for Historic Preservation said goodbye to Sue Jamele, the Division for Historic Preservation's National Register Specialist. Sue was a staff member of the Division for Historic Preservation for nearly 19 years, first as environmental review coordinator and more recently as the National Register Specialist. Her job was eliminated from state government due to budget cuts.
Hundreds of people have learned from Sue what makes an old building "historic" and what National Register designation means (and doesn't mean). She is responsible for a record of National Register nominations that reflects the deep and broad contributions Vermonters have made to our history and prehistory.
The Division will continue the National Register program, but changes will be made and communicated via website and more directly to Certified Local Governments and preservation consultants. Nancy Boone, State Architectural Historian and Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer will be managing the National Register program.
Sue Jamele will be greatly missed at the Division and throughout the state. Fortunately, she is now available as a preservation consultant and can be reached: 1 High Street, Plainfield, VT 05667, 802-454-7825, 802-454-7780, email: scjamele@gmail.com
$300,000 in Transportation Grants Awarded to Five Vermont Communities
Five Vermont communities will be sharing more than $300,000 in state grants to pay for transportation infrastructure improvements in their downtowns, officials announced today.
The Vermont Downtown Development Board also approved Village Center Designation for East Montpelier at its meeting Monday.
The awards include:
- Bennington - $5,157 for street signs, planters, and trees.
- Bristol - - $74,772 for Prince Lane improvements to the back side of Main Street buildings to include undergrounding utilities, and a new sidewalk that will open up access to the rear of the buildings, clean up a neglected area, and improve pedestrian safety.
- Burlington - $75,000 to contribute to a complete replacement of street lights at the Church Street Marketplace.
- Montpelier - $74,961 for restoring an historic railroad turntable and creating a new public park, Turntable Park, on Stone Cutters Way.
- Rutland - $75,000 for replacing streetlights on Strong's Avenue and Washington Street, the fifth phase of the downtown streetlight project in Rutland.
The transportation grant program was created specifically to support downtown capital transportation projects through the Vermont Downtown Program, which is part of the Agency of Commerce and Community Development.
The Downtown Board also approved designation of East Montpelier's village center, which runs along Route 2 roughly from the East Montpelier Home Center and just north of Mekkelsen's RV, to the town offices and fire station at the junction of Routes 2 and 14.
 Vermont Public Television Premieres Documentary on Champlain's Legacy
In 1609, Frenchman Samuel de Champlain was the first European to travel the lake that now bears his name. The region had already been home to Native cultures for thousands of years. In re-enactments set against the lake's natural beauty, and in interviews with historians and culture bearers, the new documentary "Champlain: The Lake Between" commemorates the Champlain Quadricentennial. It premiered Wednesday, Dec. 3, at 8 p.m. on Vermont Public Television and will repeat Dec. 13 at 7:30 a.m. and Dec. 14 at noon.
Caro Thompson's film tells little-known stories about Lake Champlain's critical role in the struggle for economic and military dominance during the early years of the United States and Canada. Trade alliances created both conflict and connections among Abenaki, Mohawk, French, English and Dutch people. Thompson said, "I was surprised to learn in making the film how much peaceful and practical activity there was among the cultures -- how they changed one another."
"One of the primary goals of the 2009 Lake Champlain Quadricentennial is to encourage learning and discovery of our region's past and present," said Bruce Hyde, chair of the Vermont Lake Champlain Quadricentennial Commission and Commissioner of Tourism & Marketing. 'The Lake Between' explores a fascinating period of Lake Champlain's history in a scholarly and engaging way. As we approach this landmark commemoration, Caro's film will serve as a wonderful educational resource and provide us all with a deeper understanding and appreciation of our region's complex history."
 December 13: Coolidge Christmas Open House
Enjoy an old-fashioned Christmas in one of Vermont's most picturesque villages. Visit the Coolidge Birthplace, traditionally decorated for the season, and winter exhibits at the Aldrich House, Plymouth Cheese Factory, and 1924 Summer White House office. Old-time music, craft demonstrations, wagon/sleigh rides, lunch at the Wilder House Restaurant, special cancellation at the historic Plymouth post office, and children's holiday activities. 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM, President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site, Plymouth Notch, VT. For more information, contact Coolidge@HistoricVermont.org
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National News
 Change Starts Here: Preservation Priorities for President-Elect ObamaAs The National Trust for Historic Preservation prepares to release its official platform for the new administration, they want to hear from you. Tell them what action items would have the biggest effect on your community, and post comments with your own unique preservation stories and ideas.
 Preservation and the Green Building Council ConferenceRichard Moe, President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, recently addressed the US Green Buildings Council's Green Build Conference.
Dick has been speaking for over a year on the importance of historic preservation as a key component of any effort to promote sustainable development and combat climate change. He talked to preservationists, environmentalist, architects, developers and others about six preservation-based guiding principles to sustain our built environment:
- Promote a Culture of Reuse
- Reinvest at a Community Scale
- Value the Lessons of Heritage Buildings and Communities
- Make Use of the Economic Advantages of Reuse,Reinvestment and Retrofits
- Re-imagine Historic Preservation Policies and Practices as they Relate to Sustainability
- Take Immediate and Decisive Action
Take a moment to read the full speech and find out more about the National Trust's Sustainability Program. Read on... |
| Dates & Deadlines
January 1
The 1772 Foundation funds historic preservation projects with a particular interest in farming, industrial development, transportation and unusual historical buildings. More details can be found at www.1772foundation.org
January 28Deadline for four types of Implementation Grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Interpreting America's Historic Places, Libraries and Archives, Museums and Historical Organizations and Special Projects. Details on each grant can be found at www.neh.gov/grants. January 16Deadline to submit a proposal for the 2009 National Preservation Conference. You can do so at: www.eshow2000.com/nthp/2009/. February 1
The deadline for several National Trust grants: the Johanna Favrot Fund, the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Fund for Historic Interiors, the Hart Family Fund for Small Towns, the next round of the National Preservation Fund (formerly known as the Preservation Services Fund), and the Battlefield Preservation Fund. Grants are designed to provide money to a variety of preservation projects including planning, education and outreach. The grants do not cover construction costs, nor are they to be used for the acquisition of property or objects. All require a dollar-for-dollar match. For full details, email nero@nthp.org, or visit http://www.preservationnation.org/resources/find-funding/
February 3
Deadline for applications to the National Endowment for the Humanities' We the People Challenge Grants in U.S. History, Institutions and Culture, which are designed to help organizations secure long-term improvements in and support for humanities activities that explore significant themes and events in American history. For more information, visit www.neh.gov/grants. |
In the Media
Vigilance Urged in Historic Preservation
Burlington Free Press, December 5, 2008
Latch Ditch Try to Keep Historic Vermont Barns Alive
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