Thursday, August 11, 2011

The End of Federal Grants for Antique Yacht Restorations

Coronet (yacht) at sail in 1894, digital file ...Image via Wikipediaby Malinda Winkle
Photo: The "Coronet" yacht at sail in 1894

Antique yachts with exceptional historical significance, such as the famous "Coronet," used to win government grant money to fund yacht restoration projects through the National Park Service, an arm of the U.S. Department of the Interior. It funded important yacht restorations through its Save America's Treasures program. This grant program helped make the conservation and preservation of nationally significant artifacts a reality.

The Coronet

The Coronet, a 133 foot yacht first launched in 1885, is an invaluable historical artifact. In October 2002, The Save America’s Treasures program awarded a $350,000 grant to the International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS) where the Coronet is being restored. The school's advanced students and its master shipwrights embarked on a multi-year project of restoring the yacht to its original splendor. The work was conducted on the school's waterfront campus, 2.5 acres in Newport, Rhode Island. The Coronet gained further attention in 2004, when it was named to the National Register of Historic Places.

The Closing of Save America's Treasures

Sadly, due to budget constraints, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has announced the closing of the  Save America’s Treasures office. These two organizations have worked together to save many important historic projects all across America. According to the Preservation Nation website, our U.S. Congress allocated no funding for Save America’s Treasures programs for 2011 or 2012. No future funding of planned.

References:

"Rhode Island Roads": Restoring A Legend: The IYRS Is Restoring the Classic Schooner Coronet
National Park Service: U.S. Department of the Interior: Save America's Treasures Grant Program

National Trust for Historic Preservation; Important Update About Save America's Treasures

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