Wheeling Heritage received a boost from Washington D.C. on Thursday that will help foster economic development and preserve historic buildings in the area.
U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., announced that Wheeling Heritage would receive a $750,000 Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant. It was one of two such grants awarded to West Virginia groups. The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia received $550,000.
The Bruhn grant funds preservation projects for historic sites, including architectural and engineering services and physical building preservation through subgrants to communities determined rural by the US Bureau of the Census.
Eligible properties must be listed in the National Register of Historic Places or determined eligible for listing at the national, state, or local level of significance and located within rural communities with populations fewer than 50,000 people.
“These awards are great news for West Virginia and will give more West Virginians and visitors the opportunity to enjoy our rich cultural traditions across the Mountain State,” Manchin said. “Supporting the preservation of our historic buildings and other properties allows us to continue to recognize their significant contributions while providing an economic boost to our communities.”
“West Virginia has a heritage that we are incredibly proud of,” Capito said. “That’s why it’s important that we do all we can to preserve and maintain the places that make up our heritage, history, and traditions so future generations can cherish them.”