Essex National Heritage photo YMCA grant recipient

From their release:

20 Grants Awarded to Local Organizations

 May 18, 2017 – The Essex National Heritage Commission (Essex Heritage), in keeping with its long tradition of supporting the region’s unique cultural heritage, announced the 2017 Essex Heritage Partnership Grant Program recipients at the Commission’s spring meeting in Methuen on May 18. Over the next year, the 20 grant recipients will be working to implement a diverse range of educational, interpretive, and preservation projects throughout Boston’s North Shore and the Merrimack Valley.

“We recognize the importance of supporting local organizations and we are proud that we are able to award twenty partnership grants again this year” said Annie Harris, Essex Heritage CEO, “Over the 19-year life of the program we have provided grants to every community in Essex County – and we know that this seed money greatly impacts the region by leveraging more investments in the Essex National Heritage Area.”

Gloucester

Cape Ann YMCA

The Cape Ann YMCA is partnering with Maritime Gloucester and others to pilot Maritime Discovery Camp, a six-week summer youth program. Based on Gloucester’s historic working waterfront, the program will inspire learning, leadership and personal growth through sailing activities, marine science and maritime heritage explorations, both on and off the water. Approximately 120 campers ages 8 to 13 will participate in the hands-on experiences. Funding from the Essex Heritage Partnership Grant Program will enable the Cape Ann Y to provide scholarships to economically disadvantaged youth who could not otherwise afford to attend camp.

Manship Artists Residence and Studios

Best known for his Prometheus Fountain at Rockefeller Center, sculptor Paul Manship developed a 15-acre site for his home and studio in the Gloucester village of Lanesville. Purchased in 1944, the property includes two relocated 19th-century buildings, a culturally significant landscape, and two water-filled quarries. The property and its occupants were central figures in Lanesville’s well-known art colony. The grant project entails the engagement of specialists who will document the site’s existing conditions and research its history. The resulting information will be incorporated into the group’s nomination to the National Register of Historic Places and a master plan for the creation of a culture center with an artist residency program.

Rocky Neck Art Colony

Since its rollout in 2008, the Rocky Neck Historic Art Trail has become an unparalleled interpretive tool for researchers and visitors seeking to experience Rocky Neck’s rich cultural heritage. Over the years, the art trail has served to further the Colony’s mission, foster the economic and cultural vitality of the Rocky Neck community, and undoubtedly helped Rocky Neck become one of the earliest state-designated cultural districts in the Commonwealth. Recognizing the need to remain relevant in 2017 and beyond, the Colony is using its Essex Heritage grant to make significant updates to its Art Trail materials, including a redesigned map and new racks cards.

Sargent House Association

Prominently situated in downtown Gloucester, the Sargent House was built in 1782 for Judith Sargent Stevens Murray, a celebrated philosopher, writer and an early advocate of women’s equality. The house contains an exceptional collection of 18th and 19th century furniture, objects and documents. Last year’s annual inspection revealed that a number of the building’s cedar roofing shingles had fallen off due to corroded nail heads – a growing problem within the New England historic house community. The all-volunteer association, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary, will use its Essex Heritage grant to restore the most compromised sections of the roof.