Save America's Treasures

Save America's Treasures is a United States federal government initiative to preserve and protect historic buildings, arts, and published works. It is a public–private partnership between the U.S. National Park Service and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and Institute of Museum and Library Services are also partners in the work. In the early years of the program, Heritage Preservation and the National Park Foundation were also involved.

History

Save America's Treasures (SAT) was established by Executive Order 13072 in February 1998, under President Bill Clinton and in conjunction with the White House Millennium Council's activities. Instrumental in its founding was then-First Lady of the United States Hillary Rodham Clinton.[1][2] Its Honorary Chair is traditionally the First Lady as designated by the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities[3] "Selection criteria require that each project be of national significance, demonstrate an urgent preservation need, have an educational or otherwise clear public benefit, and demonstrate the likely availability of non-federal matching funds. Each grant requires non-federal matching funds, which have stimulated contributions from states, localities, corporations, foundations, and individuals who value our shared heritage."[4]

On December 9, 2009, First Lady Michelle Obama said, "Save America's Treasures invests in our nation's irreplaceable legacy of buildings, documents, collections, and artistic works. These awards empower communities all over the country to rescue and restore this priceless heritage, and ensure that future generations continue to learn from the voices, ideas, events, and people represented by these projects." Despite this initial endorsement, both the Save America's Treasures and the Preserve America grant programs were later eliminated by the Obama Administration.[5] On January 30, 2010, President Barack Obama in his "Tough Choices" FY 2011 Budget proposed eliminating the Save America's Treasures and Preserve America grant programs, stating that "both programs lack rigorous performance metrics and evaluation efforts so the benefits are unclear."[6] The National Trust for Historic Preservation eliminated its Save America's Treasures office in 2011 during a reorganization.

From 1999 – 2010, over $318 million was awarded, matched by over $400 million from other sources, resulting in the preservation of over 1,200 significant historic structures and repositories of cultural heritage.[7] As of 2012, the program had been responsible for the creation of about 16,000 jobs. This corresponds to a cost of about $13,000 per job.[8] In 2010, according to the American Architectural Foundation, there were 175 ongoing SAT projects.[9]

Funding ceased after 2010 because of concerns about adequate "performance metrics and evaluation efforts", yet resumed in 2017.[10][11]

Funding for the program comes from the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), a source of revenue from federal oil leases that does not spend taxpayer dollars.[12]

List of official projects and awardees

The following list is sorted chronologically and by honorary chairman.[3][13] Early awards were organized under Honorary Chairs (traditionally the First Lady of the United States) but recent awards do not identify an Honorary Chair.

Hillary Clinton, Honorary Chair

1999 ($13 million awarded, 22 projects)

Source:[14]

2000 ($30 million awarded)

Source:[15][16]

2001 ($15 million awarded, 63 projects)

Source:[17]

2002 ($15.6 million awarded)

Source:[18]

Laura Bush, Honorary Chair

2003 ($14.4 million awarded)

Source:[19][20][21]

2004 ($14.5 million awarded)

Source:[23][24][25]

2005 ($29.5 million awarded)

Source:[23]

2006 ($7.6 million awarded, 42 projects)

Source:[26]

2007 ($7.6 million awarded)

2008 ($10.52 million awarded)

Source:[27]

Michelle Obama, Honorary Chair

2009 ($9.5 million awarded)

Source:[28][29]

2011 ( $14.3 million awarded)

Source:[30]

2012–2016 (funding suspended)

No Honorary Chair publicly designated

2017 ($4.8 million awarded)

Source:[31]

  • Conserving Photographic Media Documenting 13,000 Years of Indigenous Heritage in the Southwest, Arizona Board of Regents, AZ ($500,000)
  • Restoration of the Joseph Pleasants Stone Building at the Modjeska Historic House and Gardens, Orange County Parks, CA ($153,016)
  • Archival conservation of collections of the Women’s Building, J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, CA ($284,400)
  • Preservation of the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, City of Leadville, CO ($500,000)
  • Rehabilitation of the National Historic Landmark 1921 Fishing Schooner L.A. Dunton, Mystic Seaport Museum, CT ($491,750)
  • Conservation of Rosenfeld Collection of Maritime Photography Recovery Project, Mystic Seaport Museum, CT ($244,417)
  • Curating Angel Mounds Legacy Collection, Trustees of Indiana University, IN ($300,590)
  • Conserving the Decorative Paintings in Victoria Mansion’s parlor, Victoria Mansion, ME ($132,050)
  • Arlington Street Church Portico Preservation, Foundation for the Preservation of 20 Arlington Street, Inc., MA ($500,000)
  • Restoration of Grace Methodist Church in Virginia City, Montana Department of Commerce, MT ($200,000)
  • Rehabilitation of Saint Paul the Prospector Church in Virginia City, Western Missionary Museum Corporation, NV ($153,017)
  • Stabilization and Conservation of Great Camp Santanoni’s Main Lodge, Adirondack Architectural Heritage, NY ($370,000)
  • Revolutionary War and New York Loyalists Collection, New York State Archives Partnership Trust, NY ($125,760)
  • Restoration of Lake View Cemetery: James A. Garfield Memorial, Lake View Cemetery Foundation, OH ($500,000)
  • Conservation of Significant Works Progress Administration Art Collection of the Timberline Lodge, Friends of Timberline, OR ($25,000)
  • Taliesin-Hillside Theater Restoration, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, WI ($320,000)

2018 ($12.6 million awarded)

Source:[32]

2019 ($12.8 million awarded)

Source:[33]

2020 ($15.5 million awarded)

Source:[34]

2021 (24.25 million awarded)

Source:[35]

2022 ($25.7 million awarded)

Source:[36]

  • Noow Hit Tribal House Stabilization and Rehabilitation at Fort William H. Seward, Chilkoot Indian Association, Haines, AK ($744,507)
  • Preservation of Historic Douglas Municipal Airport Runway, City of Douglas, Douglas, AZ ($750,000)
  • Preservation of the Poston Elementary School Site I, Poston Community Alliance, Pleasant Hill, CA ($296,827)
  • Rehabilitation of the Zanetta House/Plaza Hall, California Department of Parks and Recreation, Sacramento, CA ($748,747)
  • Former Naval Training Center Building 178 Rehabilitation Project, NTC Foundation, San Diego, CA ($686,799)
  • Presidio Chapel Rehabilitation, Interfaith Center at the Presidio, San Francisco, CA ($750,000)
  • Mission San Juan Bautista Rehabilitation, California Missions Foundation, Santa Barbara, CA ($750,000)
  • Mare Island Officers' Quarters B Rehabilitation, City of Vallejo, Vallejo, CA ($750,000)
  • Conservation of African American Quilts Collection, The Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley, CA ($461,512)
  • Chris Strachwitz Collection: Processing and Digitization Planning Project, Arhoolie Foundation, Contra Costa, CA ($100,649)
  • Denver Civic Center Central Promenade Rehabilitation, City and County of Denver; Parks & Recreation Department, Denver, CO ($750,000)
  • Historic Wallpaper Rehabilitation at the Phelps-Hatheway House & Garden, The Antiquarian and Landmarks Society, Incorporated, Hartford, CT ($146,500)
  • Rehabilitation of First Presbyterian Church, Highland Green Foundation, Stamford, CT ($750,000)
  • The Rehabilitation of Monte Cristo Cottage, Eugene O'Neill Memorial Theater Center, Waterford, CT ($138,594)
  • Lyndhurst Swimming Pool Building Rehabilitation, National Trust for Historic Preservation in the US, Washington, D.C. ($750,000)
  • Preservation of the Gunboat Philadelphia, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. ($750,000)
  • Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library Historic Gatehouse Preservation Project, Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Inc., Winterthur, DE ($125,000)
  • Haitian Heritage Museum Collection: Roger L. Farnham's Photo Albums' Preservation, Haitian Heritage Museum Corp., Miami, FL ($39,500)
  • Rehabilitation of a Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Building, VanderCook College of Music, Chicago, IL ($750,000)
  • Restoration of Ragdale's Arts & Crafts Garden, Ragdale Foundation, Lake Forest, IL ($368,343)
  • Perseveration of Authentic Single Source Cultural Aviation Models for Collections Stewardship and Access, Academy of Model Aeronautics, Munice, IN ($66,000)
  • Project Archivist to Prepare Archival Assets for Online Dissemination at the William Inge Collection, Independence Community College, Independence, KS ($49,785)
  • Capital City Museum Collections Conservation and Rehousing, Capital City Museum, Frankfort, KY ($87,520)
  • Recovery, Restoration and Digitization of Appalshop's Audiovisual Collections, Appalshop, Whitesburg, KY ($750,000)
  • Preservation of Swigert-Taylor House, City of Frankfort, Frankfort, KY ($750,000)
  • Saving Benjamin Henry Latrobe’s Pope Villa, Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation, Lexington, KY ($748,467)
  • Preservation of Big House and Bindery at Melrose Plantation, Association for the Preservation of Historic Natchitoches, Natchitoches, LA ($200,000)
  • Preservation of the Brick Kitchen & Slave Quarters of the Jeremiah Lee Estate, Marblehead Museum & Historical Society, Inc., Marblehead, MA ($308,363)
  • Preserving American Orchestral Performance Practices of the late 19th/early 20th century, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston, MA ($257,377)
  • Preserving Mayflower II: A Project to Ensure the Longevity of a National Icon, Plimoth Patuxet Museums, Plymouth, MA ($163,680)
  • Adaptive Reuse of the Ellicott City Jail, Society for the Preservation of Maryland Antiquities, Inc., Baltimore, MD ($743,924)
  • Women's Work: Saving Kvinden og Hjemmet and other Norwegian-American Immigrant Serial Publications, St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN ($52,109)
  • Rehabilitation of Raymond Hall, Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson, MS ($106,237)
  • Johnny Carson Collection Preservation Improvements, Elkhorn Valley Historical Society, Norfolk, NE ($31,700)
  • Montgomery Place Exterior Building Envelope Rehabilitation, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY ($750,000)
  • Caramoor's Window Rehabilitation Project, Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, Inc., Katonah, NY ($183,213)
  • 1737 Sylvester Manor House Preservation and Rehabilitation, Sylvester Manor Educational Farm, Inc., Shelter Island, NY ($750,000)
  • Jewish Labor and Political Archives, YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, New York, NY ($224,007)
  • The Panorama of the City of New York, Queens Museum of Art, New York, NY ($315,000)
  • Southern Appalachian and Western North Carolina Artworks Conservation/Preservation, Asheville Art Museum, Asheville, NC ($151,933)
  • Preservation of Stone Barracks at Fort Gibson, Oklahoma Historical Society, Oklahoma City, OK ($750,000)
  • Braddock Carnegie Library Association Music Hall Rehabilitation, Braddock Carnegie Library Association, Braddock, PA ($500,000)
  • Johnstown Flood Museum Rehabilitation, Johnstown Area Heritage Association, Johnstown, PA ($750,000)
  • Moisture Remediation and Rehabilitation at Grumblethorpe and Grumblethorpe Tenant House, Philadelphia Society for the Preservation of Landmarks, Philadelphia, PA ($561,692)
  • 48" Universal Plate Mill Collection, Rivers of Steel Heritage Corporation, Homestead, PA ($750,000)
  • The Penn Family Papers at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA ($82,280)
  • Preserving and Providing Access to the Texas Map Research Center, Sul Ross State University (Museum of the Big Bend), Alpine, TX ($200,000)
  • Christiansted Old Barracks Property Project, Virgin Islands Architecture Center for Built Heritage and Crafts, Christiansted, USVI ($750,000)
  • Mariners Access Initiative: Uncovering Hidden Maritime Cultural Heritage, Mariners Museum, Newport News, VA ($392,487)
  • Addressing Immediate Threats to the Non-Living Collection at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Richmond, VA ($170,250)
  • Increased Conservation of BIPOC Artifacts from Kingsmill, Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Historic Resources, Richmond, VA ($176,176)
  • The Executive Papers of Virginia Governor Thomas Nelson Jr. Conservation Project, Library of Virginia Foundation, Richmond, VA ($299,217)
  • Henry Art Gallery: Collections Storage and Access Upgrade Project, Henry Gallery Association, Seattle, WA ($204,415)
  • Preservation of Armory Dwelling House #24 from the 2nd US National Armory, People Tree Ministerial Services, Inc., Harpers Ferry, WV ($402,440)
  • Preservation and digitization of 26 critical collections documenting those at the forefront of the civil rights struggle in the United States, State Historical Society, Madison, WI ($750,000)
  • Drydocking of the tug John Purves, Door County Maritime Museum and Lighthouse, Sturgeon Bay, WI ($196,250)
  • Fort Caspar Historical Log Building Rehabilitation, City of Casper, Casper, WY ($723,500)
  • Improving and remodeling collections storage spaces at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Buffalo Bill Memorial Association, Cody, WY ($750,000)

2023 ($25.7 million awarded)

Source:[37][38]

2024 (program delayed)

See also

References

  1. ^ Patricia Leigh Brown (14 July 1998). "Hillary Clinton Inaugurates Preservation Campaign". The New York Times. Retrieved 2017-05-20.
  2. ^ "'Saving America's Treasures'". C-SPAN. Retrieved 2017-05-20.
  3. ^ a b "IMLS Announces Save America's Treasures Grant Awards" (PDF). NEH. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 27, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
  4. ^ "National Park Service and National Endowment for the Arts Announce $13.7 Million in Grants to 'Save America's Treasures'". National Park Service. September 11, 2001. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  5. ^ "Save America's Treasures Grants". Nps.gov. Archived from the original on June 26, 2007. Retrieved 2012-02-10.
  6. ^ "Tough Choices | The White House". whitehouse.gov. 30 January 2010. Retrieved 2012-02-10 – via National Archives.
  7. ^ "Save America's Treasures Awards 1999-2010 By State" (PDF). President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-08-19. Retrieved 2017-05-17.
  8. ^ "Save America's Treasures Update « PlaceEconomics". Placeeconomics.com. Retrieved 2012-02-10.
  9. ^ "Save America's Treasures – Overview". American Architectural Foundation. 21 February 2021. Archived from the original on April 29, 2014.
  10. ^ Deanna Marcum. "Save America's Treasures: Impact and Lessons". Ithaka S + R. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  11. ^ "Preservationists lament loss of Save America's Treasures grant program". Kentucky: Madison Courier.com. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  12. ^ "National Park Service and Partners Announce $12.6 Million in Save America's Treasures Grants". Red lake Nation News. September 23, 2019. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  13. ^ "'Save America's Treasures in the News". American Architectural Foundation. Archived from the original on October 6, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
  14. ^ Rebecca A. Shiffer (Summer 1999). "Federal Grants to Save America's Treasures" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  15. ^ "President Clinton Announces FY2000 Save America's Treasures Grants". whitehouse.gov. Retrieved January 19, 2020 – via National Archives.
  16. ^ "White House Millennium Council Announces Recipients of "Save America's Treasures" Grants". National Endowment for the Humanities. July 19, 2000. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  17. ^ "Congressional Record - House" (PDF). US Congress. October 11, 2001. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  18. ^ "President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, National Park Service, National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and Institute of Museum and Library Services Announce $15.6 Million in Grants to Save America's Treasures". National Endowment for the Humanities. September 25, 2002. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
  19. ^ "Secretary Norton Announces More than $1 Million for American Indian Historical Preservation Projects". National Park Service. November 19, 2003. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  20. ^ "Secretary Norton Announces Grants to Rhode Island's Touro Foundation, N.Y.'s Eldridge Street Project and Texas' Mission Concepcion". National Park Service. November 13, 2003. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
  21. ^ "Old North Foundation Awarded $317,000 Grant Under Save America's Treasures Program". National Park Service. May 27, 2003. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
  22. ^ "Preservationists lament loss of Save America's Treasures grant program". Madison Courier.com. March 10, 2010. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  23. ^ a b "Save America's Treasures: Preserving the Legacy of Our National Experience" (PDF). President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. 2005. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
  24. ^ "$14.5 Million Awarded in Federal "Save America's Treasures" Grants". National Endowment for the Arts. October 11, 2004. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  25. ^ "2004 Federal "Save America's Treasures" Grants". National Endowment for the Humanities. October 11, 2004. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  26. ^ "Interior Department and Partners Announce $7.6 Million in Save America's Treasures Grants". US Department of the Interior. December 12, 2006. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  27. ^ "$10.52 Million Awarded in Federal "Save America's Treasures" Grants". National Endowment for the Arts. December 17, 2008. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  28. ^ "$9.5 Million Awarded in Federal "Save America's Treasures" Grants". National Endowment for the Arts. September 12, 2009. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  29. ^ "2009 Save America's Treasures Grants" (PDF). National Endowment for the Arts. 2009. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  30. ^ "Save America's Treasures Grant Program Announces $14.3 Million in Awards". National Endowment for the Arts. February 1, 2011. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  31. ^ "National Park Service Providing $4.8 Million in Grants to "Save America's Treasures"". National Park Service. September 21, 2018. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  32. ^ "National Park Service, Institute of Museum and Library Services, National Endowment for the Arts, and National Endowment for the Humanities Announce $12.6 Million in Save America's Treasures Grants". National Park Service. September 20, 2019. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  33. ^ "Trump Administration Announces $12.8 Million in Save America's Treasures Grants". National Park Service. August 20, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
  34. ^ "National Park Service and partner agencies announce $15.5 million in Save America's Treasures grants". National Park Service. September 10, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
  35. ^ "National Park Service and partner agencies announce $24.25 million in Save America's Treasures Grants". National Park Service. September 9, 2022. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  36. ^ "National Park Service and partner agencies announce $25.7 million in Save America's Treasures grants". National Park Service. September 12, 2023. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  37. ^ "FY2023 Funded Save America's Treasures Grant Projects". National Park Service. August 20, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  38. ^ "National Park Service and Partner Agencies Award $25.7 Million to Preserve Significant Historic Sites and Collections". National Park Service. August 20, 2024. Retrieved May 27, 2026.

Sources

  • Rypkema, Donovan (March 2005). The Economics of Historic Preservation: A Community Leader's Guide. National Trust for Historic Preservation. ISBN 9780891333883. OCLC 60858261.

Further reading

  • "The economic benefits of preserving community character: a practical methodology". Joni Liethe, National Trust for Historic Preservation (1991).