Milam County Invests in their Historic Resources

Submitted by Tracey Silverman on Tue, 11/20/2012 - 12:00am

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Congratulations to Milam County Historical Commission who started a countywide grant fund by initiating individual meetings with county decision-makers and asking for their help. The Milam CHC showed themselves to be trustworthy partners by providing continual updates on project progress and community benefit; as a result, the grant program continues as a preservation success story and a model for other counties.

Project Name: Milam CHC Preservation Grant Fund
Location: Milam County
Organization: Milam County Historical Commission
Region: Brazos Trail

Project Description:
The Milam County Historical Commission (CHC) has always considered preservation of historic resources a priority in our organization, which is illustrated through our Preservation Grant Fund (PGF). The PGF is funded with donations from Milam County, cities and communities in Milam County (Rockdale, Thorndale, Buckholts), and from citizens in Gause. Over the last five years, over $100,000 dollars of preservation work has been completed in Milam County. The PGF committee awards matching grants for preservation within Milam County according to the grant process guidelines we developed in 2008. Applications for the grant are available on the Milam CHC website, local chambers of commerce, and in local businesses. We build awareness and interest in the grant program through active promotion and communication of the projects to all entities involved. We promote the PGF through news releases to radio and newspaper outlets who report on the application process, the grant awards, and promote the completed work. We report all information about the PGF to the county commissioner’s court. We work with the government entities in each community sharing previous preservation successes, and reporting to city councils through letters and presentations requesting funds for the PGF. Citizens throughout Milam County can see the results of this program through the rehabilitation of a variety of historic building types in different areas of the county. The PGF illustrates how historic preservation is an important investment in our communities, even when money is scarce.