Vanderveer/Knox Museum Receives
New Jersey Historic Trust Grant

Preparation and Determination leads the way to May 4 ratification by the Garden State Preservation Trust.

April 27,2011 - Trenton, New Jersey - The Christie Administration today announced that 58 projects at historic sites were recommended for 2010 Historic Preservation Grants by the New Jersey Historic Trust, an affiliate of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA). As one of only three grants awarded in Somerset County, the Vanderveer Knox House and Museum has been awarded a grant of $48,750 from the New Jersey Historic Trust.

The Friends of the Jacobus Vanderveer House, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion efforts of the Vanderveer/Knox house and the Pluckemin Artillery Cantonment, started preparation for the grant submission back in early 2010. "Everyone in our organization is ecstatic that we've won this grant", stated Leslie Mole, President of the Friends of the Jacobus Vanderveer House. " We are so grateful to have the support of our community, the board, and everyone who pushed to submit for this grant. We are very fortunate and grateful."

"The grant process is a very tricky endeavor, stated Leslie Mole, President of The Friends of JVH. "You have to have a very methodical and complete process, vision, and a dedicated group of people in order to even be selected for consideration for a NJHT grant."

The NJ Historic Trust has recommended a $48,750 grant to the Jacobus Vanderveer House for our planned heritage tourism and museum interpretation project.  This is the full amount we requested in the application we submitted last fall.  We are one of 58 projects on the Trust's grant list, which has been endorsed by Governor Christie. In this project "The Friends of JVH will conduct a comprehensive heritage tourism assessment and develop plans for interpretive products that build on our large archive of historical research. We will strengthen our docent program, expand partnerships with other history groups, and begin developing interpretive strategies to tell the stories of our historic site," noted Shapiro.

Excerpt from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs -

"Since 1990, the Historic Trust has awarded hundreds of grants to worthy preservation projects in every county in the state," said Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Commissioner Lori Grifa. "The investment reflected by these matching grants will not only save our significant history but create jobs, encourage economic growth and attract tourism.  Buildings and landmarks that might have otherwise faded are now actively used and contributing to our state's economy."

This 2010 Historic Preservation Grant Round is devoted to Historic Sites Management Grants and Capital Preservation Grants.  Historic Site Management Grants support non-construction activities such as conditions assessments, engineering reports, construction documents, archaeology investigations, use feasibility studies and heritage tourism initiatives. Capital Preservation Grants support 'bricks and mortar' repair, restoration and rehabilitation of historic resources for continued active use. The maximum award is $50,000 for planning and $750,000 for capital construction. Special initiatives this year highlighted industrial resources and projects associated with open space or farmland preservation. 

Read the entire Press Release - Click Here

Submitted: May 8, 2011