Morrison lands federal grant for historic preservation
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| Tim Slavin |
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MORRISON – Morrison is one of 13 Illinois towns and one county that have been awarded grants through the U.S. Department of Interior for historic preservation efforts.
Morrison will get $13,000, which will pay for a consultant to prepare the city's application to get the downtown listed on the National Register of Historic Places, said Tim Slavin, chairman of the city's Historic Preservation Commission.
The city must provide a $3,000 match for the grant, which the commission will handle by volunteering its services to provide research for the application. The research will involve as many as 85 buildings in the downtown, Slavin said.
"We can have some public information sessions to explain all of the advantages of this and alleviate any uncertainties," he said. "We'll explain how this is in individuals' and the community's best interest.
"The quality of life and economic benefits will far, far outweigh the costs of the grant."
All of the recipient communities have achieved Certified Local Government status. To earn that status, towns must have a historic preservation commission and enact a law that protects historic properties, among other things.
Morrison received the designation last July. At the time, officials said the new status would help the city get grants for historic preservation.
If Morrison makes the National Register of Historic Places, it would join Dixon, Oregon and Fulton.
