The Sheridan Community Land Trust’s efforts to preserve places of historical importance will be bolstered thanks to a $20,000 grant from the 1772 Foundation.
Carrie Edinger, SCLT Historical Program Manager, explained that the organization is working to preserve the places and stories of Sheridan County’s past today so that they aren’t lost. However, a primary tool for preservation – a historical preservation easement – often limits preservation only to historical architecture.
Edinger explained that SCLT wishes to buck that trend so that important sites, markers and other historical objects are not lost forever.
“SCLT would like to expand the historic preservation easement program to consider historic sites beyond architectural structures, which is generally the traditional use of a historical preservation easement,” she said. “SCLT would include landscapes and markers or other historical objects. By expanding the program to include a variety of historical sites, it offers SCLT the opportunity to preserve more voices and more perspectives of Sheridan County’s history.”
The 1772 Foundation grant will allow SCLT to explore what approaches work well so SCLT can offer a more effective array of options for residents who wish to preserve their historical sites, structures, markers and other objects.
“We want to provide Sheridan County community members and interested parties with a larger number of options to choose from when they are considering historic preservation,” Edinger relayed.
In her time with SCLT and serving on the Sheridan County Historic Preservation Committee, Edinger said there is a lot of interest locally in historic preservation.
“We have been approached by private property owners about historic preservation projects and we are currently researching possible opportunities to either aid in the process of obtaining a historic preservation easement or for other maintenance and restoration projects,” Edinger explained.
She also explained that many people have a misconception about historic preservation, saying they often think an easement may mean they give up ownership, or open the doors to anyone from the public who wants to stop by.
Edinger clarified. “Property owners interested in preserving history can choose how to share it with others, whether through open doors or other options such as a video or a webpage. We keep the property’s owners’ interests at the forefront.”
Because of the grant, Edinger concluded, SCLT will be enabled “to be a knowledgeable source for future historic preservation in Sheridan County.”
If you or someone you know would like to learn how they can preserve their historic property, landscape, structure, marker, or other historical object, please contact Carrie Edinger by phone (307) 673-4702 or email: [email protected]. More information about SCLT’s history program can be found at https://SheridanCLT.org.
