Press Release
November 24, 1998
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Brian Vattimo
518/486-1868
PARKS COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCES GRANTS TO ENHANCE MARITIME HERITAGE EFFORTS
(Albany, New York, November 24, 1998...) New York State Parks Commissioner Bernadette Castro today announced that seven state organizations will receive more than $60,000 in federal National Maritime Heritage grants to help enhance public awareness and the appreciation of the maritime heritage in the U.S.
"Whether we are talking about our world port in Manhattan, the remote lakes in the Adirondacks, the engineering feats on the Erie Canal or the courage of the U. S. Lifesaving Service, these grants celebrate New York's extraordinary maritime heritage," said Commissioner Castro.
Commissioner Castro noted seven of the 39 grants awarded nationwide were awarded to organizations in New York State.
"To have so many successful applicants from New York is a tribute to the professionalism and commitment of our preservationists and educators," she said.
The grant recipients are:
Adirondack Museum, $10,000, to restore the 1881 steam launch Osprey, built for sightseeing and transportation in one of the nation's premier wilderness resorts and now on permanent exhibit at the museum.
The Conservancy for Historic Battery Park in New York City, $11,350, to fabricate a series of interpretive panels chronicling the history of the Battery and New York Harbor from the glacial period to modern times. A 1,500 foot railing will also be installed along the newly-reconstructed seawall in the park.
The Hudson Waterfront Museum, $7,000, to develop a historical and educational curriculum for middle-school students visiting the historic 1914 Lehigh Valley Railroad Covered Barge #79 and the New York Harbor.
Local Television, Inc. (LTV), $20,750, for production and distribution of a 55-minute documentary film entitled Storm Warriors: The Story of the U.S. Lifesaving Service.
New York State Divers Association, $3,100, to prepare and distribute a short, comprehensive guide to visiting New York's underwater maritime resources entitled "Diving Historical Sites in New York State."
Niagara County Department of Planning, Development and Tourism, $2,500, to document the appearance, construction and specifications of Erie Canal Locks 67 through 71 in Lockport, as a first step toward restoring the "Flight of Five" to its original, 1859 condition.
South Street Seaport Museum, $7,500, to translate the comprehensive exhibit World Port, New York into an internet-delivered, web-based, interactive curricular experience for college level students, secondary school teachers and the public.
Authorized by the National Maritime Heritage Act of 1994, the grant program is administered by the National Park Service and the state Historic Preservation Offices. Funding derives from the sale and scrapping of obsolete vessels in the National Defense Reserve Fleet.