Department of Historic Resources (www.dhr.virginia.gov) For Immediate Release June 15, 2021

Contacts: Randy Jones, DHR Public Information Officer randy.jones@dhr.virginia.gov 540-578-3031 Caitlin Sylvester, DHR ESHPF Grant Project Coordinator caitlin.sylvester@dhr.virginia.gov 804-482-6461

—First batch of funds will support projects in Mathews, Pittsylvania, and Halifax Counties, the towns of Pulaski (Pulaski Co.), Keysville (Charlotte Co.), and Montross (Westmoreland Co), the City of Richmond, and projects that span multiple localities—

RICHMOND – Virginia’s Department of Historic Resources (DHR) has released the first batch of survey and planning projects funded though the National Park Service’s (NPS) Emergency Supplemental Historic Preservation Fund (ESHPF) disaster assistance program for Hurricane’s Michael and Florence. The projects were selected on a competitive basis and, in addition to fully funding the projects, DHR will provide the necessary administrative services. This first round of ESHPF grants will fund projects in Mathews, Pittsylvania, and Halifax Counties, the towns of Pulaski, Keysville, and Montross, the City of Richmond, and projects that span multiple localities. DHR anticipates that these projects will result in new and/or updated information for over 1,400 historic and cultural resources in the Commonwealth. These ESHPF Survey and Planning projects will support and enable—

• A reconnaissance-level architectural survey of approximately 600 properties and preparation of a form to nominate the Gwynn’s Island Historic District in Mathews County to the Virginia Landmarks Register (VLR) and the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), to be completed by DATA Investigations, LLC;
• A selective reconnaissance-level architectural survey of approximately 250 properties within the City of Richmond as well as the preparation of a report outlining opportunities for further survey and preservation projects, to be completed by 106 Group;
• A reconnaissance-level architectural survey of approximately 15 properties within a proposed historic district on the east end of the Town of Pulaski focusing on a historic African American neighborhood and preparation of a Preliminary Information Form (PIF) for the historic district; a PIF is the first step in securing a nomination to the VLR and NRHP, to be completed by Hill Studio;
• A reconnaissance-level architectural survey of approximately 100 properties and preparation of a form to nominate the Keysville Historic District in Charlotte County to the VLR and the NRHP, to be completed by Iron Dog Preservation, LLC;
• The planning and development of the first phase of a Virginia Indian Tribal Historic Preservation Training Program in partnership with the seven federally and four state recognized Tribes of Virginia, to be completed by Kenah Consulting LLC;
• The preparation of a form to nominate the Montross Historic District in Westmoreland County to the Virginia Landmarks Register (VLR) and the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), to be completed by Debra McClane.

Three of the projects involve archaeological surveys by water and by land along portions of rivers to record potential new archaeological sites and revisit previously recorded sites:

• An approximately 22-mile stretch of the Dan River where it crosses Pittsylvania County will be surveyed by Dovetail Cultural Resource Group;
• An approximately 35-mile stretch of the Dan River where it crosses Halifax County will be surveyed by Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc.; and
• An approximately 20-mile stretch of the Banister River where it crosses Pittsylvania County will be completed by Hurt & Proffitt, Inc.

The NPS awarded DHR $4.7 million in funding to provide recovery assistance to historic resources damaged by hurricanes Florence and/or Michael in September and October 2018 that are listed or are eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The award from the Emergency Supplemental Historic Preservation Fund (ESHPF) administered by the NPS enables DHR to contract projects and make sub-awards to historic resources in the 52 eligible counties and cities in Virginia that were identified in FEMA major disaster declarations 4401 and 4411.