Clinton Church Restoration Receives NPS Grant

Congratulations to our friends at Clinton Church Restoration (CCR) in Great Barrington! The National Park Service African American Civil Rights Grants Program has awarded a grant of $388,508 to Housatonic Heritage for the initial phase of restoration work on Great Barrington’s historic Clinton Church.

The grant is part of $12.6 million awarded to 51 projects in 24 states that preserve sites and highlight stories related to the African American struggle for equality in the 20th century. The Phase I work on Clinton Church will focus on areas of the building that most urgently need attention, as identified in a newly completed Historic Structures Report; work will include a new wood shingle roof, abatement of mold and mildew, improved drainage, replacement of the basement floor slab, raising the building to make the basement useable, and repair or modification to the parsonage to prepare it to be used for programming and interpretation.

This project will turn an historic African American church building into a center for African-American culture and local heritage. Work for the first phase of the restoration project is expected to begin by early summer.

More information about CCR can be found in our March 1 Storytellers’ Feature and at www.GBClintonChurch.org