Eight Local Museums Among 20 Tri-County Grant Winners

HARRISBURG PA – Eight local museums and historic tourism attractions are among 20 institutions in Montgomery, Berks, and Chester counties that recently won Pennsylvania grants totaling more than $380,000.

The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission says it presented the grants as part of a $4 million statewide distribution to 173 organizations within 59 counties. The total amount represents an increase over earlier years of about $2 million, it adds. The announced list of grant recipients includes these local attractions:

in Montgomery County,

• National Audubon Society, Audubon, received $21,200;
• Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center, Pennsburg, $14,500;
• Historic Trappe, Trappe, $9,400; and
• Mennonite Historians of Eastern Pennsylvania, Harleysville, $8,500.

in Berks County,

• Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust, Boyertown, $32,500;
• Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles, Boyertown, $23,400; and
• General Carl Spaatz Regional USAAC Museum, Boyertown, $4,000.

and in Chester County,

• Historic Yellow Springs, Chester Springs, $27,000.

The commission is the official history agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

For museums not supported elsewhere

All funds were offered by its Cultural and Historical Support Grants program. The program covers general operations of eligible museums and official county historical societies not supported by other state agencies.

Eligible recipients must have an annual operating budget of $100,000 or more, excluding capital and in-kind services; and employ at least one full-time professional staff person. Grants are awarded on a formula based on a percentage of each organization’s annual budget. Grant awards range from a maximum of $62,000 to a minimum grant of $4,000.

Other Tri-County area grant winners

Also awarded with grants in Montgomery County were the Historical Society of Montgomery County, Norristown, $8,000; and the Morgan Log House Historical Society, Lansdale, $4,000.

Other recipients in Berks County were the Foundation for the Reading Public Museum, Reading, $62,000; Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Kempton, $62,000; Historical Society of Berks County, Reading, $12,600; and the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum, Reading, $14,200.

Additional recipients in Chester County were the American Helicopter Museum & Education Center, West Chester, $10,000; Chester County History Center, West Chester, $28,400; Graystone Society Inc., Coatesville, $13,100; Historic Sugartown Inc., Malvern, $7,500; Oxford Area Historical Association, Oxford, $4,000; and the Wharton Esherick Museum, Malvern, $14,000.

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