Two big wins for underrepresented history in RI!
The ILZRO House project in Foster centers on Disability Design
Two organizations receive a total of $93,692 to document properties related to LGBTQ+ history and disability history in Rhode Island
Providence, RI) Two significant research projects in Rhode Island received federal funding last week. The Providence Preservation Society (PPS) will receive $74,692 to survey and nominate LGBTQ+ resources in Providence for the National Register; the Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission (RIHPHC) will receive $19,000 to prepare a National Register nomination for the ILZRO House in Foster.
Late last week, the National Park Service announced $1,250,000 for 20 projects in 17 states and the District of Columbia for the survey and nomination of places and properties associated with groups that are underrepresented on the National Register of Historic Places. Only California and Rhode Island received more than one grant.
In Providence, this funding will support the research and documentation of places associated with queer history. This work will be led by PPS over the coming year, and builds on community histories and archival documentation already underway, such as the Rhode Island LGBTQ+ Community Archives.
The ILZRO House project in Foster centers on Disability Design, an important and under-documented narrative within architectural history. This National Register nomination will help preserve a modernist building, document a bold experiment, and share how design has changed to meet the needs of disabled individuals. The RIHPHC will manage this effort.
These grants are part of a broader aimed at expanding the National Register through surveys and nominations. Since 2014, the National Park Service has provided $8.25 million to various organizations through the Underrepresented Communities Grant Program has provided to grow the National Register of Historic Places. These grants come from the Historic Preservation Fund, which uses money from federal offshore oil and gas leases to fund preservation projects without tapping into tax dollars.
In addition to honoring a property or landscape for its story or significance, listing on the National Register of Historic Places provides additional benefits. It results in special consideration during the planning of Federal or federally assisted projects and makes properties eligible for Federal and Rhode Island financial incentives for historic rehabilitation projects.
About Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission
The Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission is the state agency that identifies and protects historic buildings, districts, structures, landscapes, and archaeological sites. As the state office for historic preservation, the RIHPHC is responsible for reviewing and submitting Rhode Island nominations to the National Register. The Commission also develops and carries out programs to document and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Rhode Island’s people.
