Hancock Cemetery Awarded $7K Preservation Grant

FLORHAM PARK, NJ — The Hancock Cemetery has been awarded a $7,140 historic preservation grant from the Morris County Historic Preservation Trust Fund. It was one of 21 county sites to receive a grant this round.

Officials will use the grant to prepare a plan to treat and restore individual grave markers.

The cemetery was first used in 1781, and is associated with Rev. John Hancock, a member of the state legislature and a father of Methodism. It's listed on both National and State Historic Registries.

A total of $2.1 million in grants were awarded this round. This year, all the applications were approved for grants.

“This historic preservation grant program, which was overwhelmingly approved by county voters, helps to finance the protection our county’s heritage, and helps to ensure that we maintain important links to our past,’’ said Freeholder Director Doug Cabana.

“The dedicated people working to preserve our links to the past, provide lessons for the present and ensure an inheritance for the future deserve our sincere thanks,’’ said Ray Chang, Historic Preservation Program Coordinator for Morris County. “Their efforts, supported by these grants, ensure that our county’s heritage and architectural legend are sustained.”

To receive a grant, projects just promote preservation activity, represent innovative design, reach new audiences, offer significant contributions to the advancement of historic preservation; and restoration, rehabilitation, and adaptive use plans of historic buildings and cultural landscapes.

Since the grants began in 2003, 98 sites in 32 towns have received funds.

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