Middletown approved for Civil War preservation grants

Friday, July 14, 2006

Middletown is now eligible to receive state grants and loans to preserve its Civil War sites, following a vote Thursday by the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority.

Middletown’s location on the Historic National Road, and its relatively unaltered downtown historic buildings, made it ideal to become eligible for the grants, according to the authority.

The authority is an independent government organization that oversees the state’s ‘‘heritage areas,” regions that have a distinct sense of place embodied in their historic buildings, neighborhoods, traditions, and natural features, according to the Maryland Historical Trust.

The certification allows Middletown to apply for construction grants that match 50 percent up to $100,000, and educational or social grants that match 50 percent up to $50,000.

According to city manager Andrew Bowen, Middletown has already begun to expand visitor parking behind the Central Maryland Heritage League, and has added Main Street Park benches, trash cans and historical plaques for walking tours.

According to Liz Shatto, the management plan’s director, Middletown did not immediately receive any grant money on Thursday, but can now submit project grant applications for next spring.

The Maryland Heritage Areas Authority only accepts grant applications in the spring.