Historical society wins grant for house

The Bay View Historical Society announced Sept. 16 it has been awarded a $3,000 grant by the National Trust for Historic Preservation from the Charles Evans Fund. This seed money is a matching grant to help support the costs of the historic structures report for the society’s headquarters, the Beulah Brinton House, 2590 S. Superior St.

The National Trust’s program for dispensing small grants for local projects is administered through its Preservation Services Fund (PSF). Grants range in amount from $500 to $5,000. They are awarded to nonprofit groups, educational institutions, and public agencies, and must be matched at least dollar for dollar with public or private funds. PSF grants are used nationally for such wide-ranging activities as consultant services for rehabilitating buildings, technical assistance for tourism that promotes historic resources, and educating children about their heritage. These grants are often the deciding factor on whether historic buildings or sites can be saved for future generations.

The National Trust’s programs are funded from a variety of sources including state and federal grants, foundation support, and private contributions. The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a 60-year-old nonprofit membership organization chartered by Congress to encourage public participation in all aspects of historic preservation.

The Bay View Historical Society, established in 1979, has almost 500 members, making it one of the largest local historical societies. The society maintains headquarters at one of the most prominent historical sites in Bay View, the Beulah Brinton House. Built in 1872, it is considered to be among the best remaining Gothic Revival residences in the city and was formerly home to Beulah Brinton, a community leader who turned her house into an informal social center and Bay View’s first library. The proceeds of this and last year’s Bay View Bash street festival will benefit the society.