Molinaro Announced $205,000 in Funding

POUGHKEEPSIE – Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro announced last Wednesday $205,000 in funding has been awarded for 16 local programs, as part of the County’s Historical Sites & Museums Infrastructure grant program, which provides funding opportunities for local nonprofit historical societies and museums. The program supports local historical institutions through vital capital and operating infrastructure investments, ensuring the continued preservation of Dutchess County’s unique heritage.

County Executive Molinaro said, “Dutchess County’s history tells our community’s unique story and continues to resonate with us today – providing perspective on our past as we build toward our future. That’s why it’s so important to support various local organizations throughout the county that preserve our history. With these grants, Dutchess County’s distinguished history will be safeguarded for future generations to glean knowledge and take inspiration from, as they inherit this great legacy.”

Announced in June 2022, Dutchess County’s Historical Sites & Museums Infrastructure grant program addressed critical capital and operating funding gaps that impact the preservation of local historic and cultural institutions.

One-time grants were available between $5,000 and $30,000 per institution, with capital infrastructure projects limited to facilities owned by a non-profit organization. To be eligible, facilities must be a separate structure, and funds cannot be used for improvements to a room used for or by historical societies within a facility owned by another entity.

Projects funded through the Historical Site & Museums Infrastructure Grant Program include:
Beacon Historical Society
Enhanced Research and Exhibition Technologies
Project Award: $5,000
Project Description: Purchase of technology upgrades to create a digital archive, enabling researchers to build a virtual network and provide improved interactive exhibition experiences for visitors.

Cider Mill Friends of Open Space and Historic Preservation, Inc
Kimlin Cider Mill Architectural Preservation
Project Award: $5,000
Project Description: Preserve, protect, enhance and weatherproof critical architectural elements on the Kimlin Cider Mill, including preservation of windows and the front facade.

Dutchess County Historical Society
Collections Access Enhancements and Dynamic Tools for Public Engagement
Project Award: $29,900
Project Description: Purchase of archival supplies, hardware and software necessary to provide enhanced collaborative programming, exhibitions and audience engagement.

East Fishkill Historical Society
Preservation and Accessibility Enhancements
Project Award: $30,000
Project Description: Preservation and accessibility enhancements to several East Fishkill Historical Society structures including chimney repairs, a new roof and an ADA-accessible ramp.

Fishkill Historical Society
Structural Improvements to Van Wyck Museum
Project Award: $10,000
Project Description: Critical structural repairs to preserve the Van Wyck Homestead Museum, one of the last surviving structures in Dutchess County from the Revolutionary War.

Historic Red Hook
Building Community by Expanding Public Access to Red Hook History
Project Award: $16,000
Project Description: Creation of a “StoryStudio” on Historic Red Hook’s Elmendorph Inn campus, which will include an accessible research room, oral history station and collections storage space for visitors to explore the history of their families, homes and neighborhoods.

Historical Society of Quaker Hill and Pawling
Kane House Rehabilitation
Project Award: $19,000
Project Description: Interior and exterior repairs and painting to preserve the structural and architectural integrity of the historic site.

Little Nine Partners Historical Society
Historic Site Preservation, Accessibility and Enhancement of Visitor Experience
Project Award: $13,000
Project Description: Preservation of the Graham Brush House including weatherization activities, removal of a diseased tree and other accessibility enhancements.

Mid-Hudson Antislavery History Project
Material and Technology Enhancements to Education Programming
Project Award: $5,300
Project Description: Website redesign and the purchase of equipment and supplies to enhance collections of oral histories, in-person presentations and online programming.

Millbrook Historical Society
Technology Upgrades to Facilitate Public Engagement
Project Award: $5,500
Project Description: Purchase of equipment to aid in digitizing archives, creating a database and enhancing public presentations.

North East Historical Society
Archival Modernization Project
Project Award: $5,400
Project Description: Purchase of archival equipment and supplies to properly preserve the current collection and provide improved access to the public.

Town of Clinton Historical Society
Selective Repointing of Creek Meeting House Historic Stonework
Project Award: $30,000
Project Description: Selective repointing of the masonry of the Creek Meeting House, securing vulnerable areas of stonework.

Town of Dover Historical Society
Equipment and Supplies for the 21st Century
Project Award: $5,000
Project Description: Purchase of updated equipment to create a centralized catalog of the Society’s records and to enhance public presentations.

Town of Hyde Park Historical Society
Equipment and Supply Updates to the Museum and the Little Red School House
Project Award: $5,000
Project Description: Purchase of updated equipment and supplies to label and display artifacts, enhance visibility and improve visitor experience.

Wappingers Historical Society
Mesier Homestead Archives and Accessibility Improvements
Project Award: $15,100
Project Description: Purchase of equipment and supplies to catalog, archive and display collection, and an ADA-accessible ramp.

Wilderstein Preservation
Improving Public Accessibility of Historic Materials and Information
Project Award: $5,800
Project Description: Purchase of computers for cataloguing the collection, making online access available and for a new interactive on-site exhibit.

Legislator Steve Caswell said, “Each of these organizations takes on the important role of preserving Dutchess County’s history, assuring it will long endure. This grant program is just as vital, providing these groups the important funding they need to accomplish their critical mission, to the benefit of Dutchess County residents and visitors.”

Legislator Joseph D. Cavaccini said, “A community’s appreciation of its history is vital to understanding its present and planning for its future, and Dutchess County has an amazingly rich history for its residents to cherish. Dutchess County is proud to support those who preserve our heritage and these grants will ensure our history remains preserved for years to come.”