A $40,000 federal Historic Preservation Fund grant is headed to Oak Grove Heritage House, Inc. in Benton County, Indiana, to support exterior masonry rehabilitation at the former Oxford Presbyterian Church, a brick and limestone landmark that now serves the Oxford community as Oak Grove Heritage House.
The scope of work focuses on hands-on masonry problems that show up on aging brick buildings. Plans include addressing missing or eroded mortar, step cracks in the brick walls, and damaged brick and limestone elements. The upper section of the bell tower is flagged as a public safety concern, and the project calls for limited brick replacement and repointing on the interior and exterior.
Built in 1902 in the Romanesque Revival style, the church became Oak Grove Heritage House in 1981 after a local nonprofit acquired it and converted it into a community center. Today, the building hosts events such as weddings, a history museum, workshops, and other local activities. The organization also plans to make the site fully accessible to the public.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology approved 12 projects across the state for this round of funding, totaling more than $656,000. In most cases, the grants require a dollar-for-dollar match, pushing the combined projected investment to more than $1.2 million. The state notes that all buildings included in the rehabilitation list are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Because Historic Preservation Fund projects are treated as federal undertakings, the article notes that consulting parties can comment under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. DHPA staff reviewed each scope of work and determined the projects will have no adverse effect on historic properties.
Read the full, original article from Newsbug.info here.