Rep. Howard: State Grant Will Help Preserve Archives In Chesco

MALVERN, PA — State Rep. Kristine Howard (D-167th) announced today $3,645 in state Historical and Archival Records Care grants was awarded to The Mill at Anselma Preservation and Educational Trust Inc.

The grant will help the Trust to scan and provide archival preservation of The Mill’s historical collection of original manuscripts from previous owners, oral histories, photographs, newspaper clippings, books recording daily sales, and other materials illustrating life in an important rural community centered on a colonial-era grist mill.

“I am very pleased that the Mill’s efforts at preserving our colonial past are being supported by the HARC,” Howard said.

“The Mill represents an important part of our cultural heritage, giving us rare insights into local colonial history. This grant money will help the Trust increase access to our heritage through the preservation and digitization of their treasure trove of written records," said Howard.

The Mill at Anselma Preservation Trust is an independent non-profit historic site open to the public. Its intact 18th-century mill and its homestead setting showcase Pennsylvania’s cultural history.

“To have a sense of ourselves as a community today, it is critical that we know who we were yesterday,” Howard added.

Historical and Archival Records Care (HARC) awards are designed to improve the preservation and accessibility of historically significant records maintained by local governments, historical societies, and academic institutions. Projects may include initiatives such as digitization; arranging, describing, and rehousing collections into appropriate formats, containers, and environments; collection assessment; records surveys; and disaster planning. All grants must concern the care of historical records.

The grants are administered on a competitive basis. Funding for the awards spans two years, according to a news release from Howard's office.

Howard represents Pennsylvania's 167th Legislative District, which includes parts of Charlestown, East Whiteland, Easttown, West Pikeland, West Whiteland, Willistown Township, and Malvern Borough.

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