State Preservation Grants awarded to Rhode Island museums, cultural art centers, and public historic sites  Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Roberts announced the 2007 slate of State Preservation Grant awards, worth a total of $1.94 million, for capital preservation work at 20 museums, cultural art centers, and public historic sites in 13 communities around the state. The Museum of Natural History and Planetarium in Providence's historic Roger Williams Park provided the setting for the event, organized by the Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission, which operates the State Preservation Grants program.
Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts discussed how important historic preservation is to the quality of life here in the Ocean State. In addition to congratulating 20 recipients of the State Preservation Grant Awards, Roberts touched on the great economic stimulus in Rhode Island that has resulted from the preservation grants, including the creation of a skilled workforce of historic preservation professionals. The audience also received greetings from Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline who reminded them that the Park Museum has always served a statewide audience; it has been known as the "People's University" for nearly a century. He pointed out that over the past five years twenty Providence projects have received nearly $1.2 million in State Preservation Grants. Recipients include downtown arts destinations like AS220/Perishable Theatre, Trinity Repertory Theatre, and the Providence Performing Arts Center as well as neighborhood arts and education centers like City Arts/CVS Highlander School in South Providence and Cottage C on Rhode Island College's campus in Mount Pleasant. The latest round of State Preservation Grants will support work at the Museum of Natural History, John Brown House, and Ladd Observatory.  Renee Gamba, Director of the Museum of Natural History and Planetarium and Alix Ogden, Superintendent of the Providence Parks Department invited everyone to tour the museum and Roger Williams Park. Founded in 1896, the Museum of Natural History stewards and interprets natural and cultural collections through exhibits, education, and research. It is Rhode Island's only natural history museum and only planetarium. One of the most significant items in the collection is its Châteauesque building, erected in two stages in 1894-95 and 1915-16 to designs by architects Martin & Hall. This building will receive a $9,166 grant to restore a prominent decorative plaster finish.
RIHPHC Executive Director Edward F. Sanderson spoke about the two recent preservation bond issues: one that created the State Preservation Grant program in 2002 and one that extended the program in 2004. Over the past five years, the State Preservation Grants program has awarded $6 million towards $74.9 million worth of projects in 27 cities and towns. Sanderson reminded the audience that every city and town in Rhode Island has historic buildings that are opened to the public as museums, cultural arts centers, or civic meeting places, and many of these buildings need restoration work. Of the 36 sites that applied for funds in 2007, 20 were awarded State Preservation Grants. The list of grant recipients represents 13 Rhode Island communities, from Foster to Newport, Cumberland to Block Island. It includes an array of Rhode Island communities and venues, with local treasures like Smith's Castle in North Kingstown, state icons like Pawtucket's Looff Carousel and Jamestown's Beavertail Light, and internationally significant landmarks like the Great Friends Meeting House in Newport. The grants will preserve such diverse structures as a windmill, an observatory, an armory, and a barn-not to mention seven historic house museums. The twenty projects have a combined total value of $4,559,308.  Providence wasn't the only town with elected officials present to congratulate its hometown heroes. State Representative John Patrick Shanley, Jr. was on hand to announce the grants for two South Kingstown projects: $70,801 for the restoration of the piazzas at the Edward Everett Hale House in Matunuck and $11,748 for the repairs at Reynolds House (also known as Tavern Hall) in Kingston Village.
Grants were awarded to the following: Bristol Naval Reserve Armory Bristol, $100,000 towards a $200,475 project Blithewold Bristol, $100,000 towards a $1,078,500 project Franklin Farm Barn Cumberland, $69,000 towards a $138,000 project Foster Town House Foster, $11,880 towards a $22,860 project Beavertail Light Jamestown, $50,000 towards a $709,055 project Wilbor House Museum Little Compton, $29,773 towards a $44,660 project Sherman Windmill Middletown, $15,950 towards a $23,925 project Witherbee School Middletown, $22,330 towards a $33,495 project Block Island Historical Society New Shoreham, $50,000 towards a $230,450 project Kingscote Newport, $95,011 towards a $331,727 project Cushing Memorial Gallery Newport, $100,000 towards a $485,516 project Great Friends Meeting House Newport, $50,000 towards a $265,430 project Smith's Castle North Kingstown, $30,000 towards a $45,000 project Looff Carousel Pawtucket, $93,317 towards a $203,317 project John Brown House Providence, $60,000 towards a $248,750 project Museum of Natural History and Planetarium Providence, $9,166 towards a $13,750 project Ladd Observatory Providence, $46,970 towards a $101,290 project Hale House South Kingstown, $70,801 towards a $323,134 project Reynolds House South Kingstown, $11,748 towards a $17,622 project Maxwell House Warren, $28,235 towards a $42,352 project
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