Last winter, one of the historic chimneys at Steppingstone Farm Museum in Susquehanna State Park collapsed due to wind and weather. Preservation Maryland issued an emergency Heritage Fund grant to address the immediate need.
Steppingstone Farm Museum is a collection of historic buildings on a 23-acre property that interprets the rural heritage of Harford County. One of those structures is the Foard’s Blacksmith Shop which served as a working blacksmith shop from 1882-1982, was brought to the Museum in 1983. It was one of those chimney’s that fell during a storm this winter.
The Museum was awarded a $10,000 Heritage Fund grant from Preservation Maryland and the Maryland Historical Trust, enabling them to be able to complete the work in time to have the forge operational for the upcoming season. The remainder of the funds needs came from the Museum’s Fix-our-Forge campaign. The $20,7000 project restored the fallen chimney and strengthen it’s sister to withstand future weather hazards. Foard’s Blacksmith Shop will be back in action this spring hosting blacksmith demonstrations and workshops.
MORE ABOUT THE HERITAGE FUND
The Heritage Fund, a cooperative effort of Preservation Maryland and the Maryland Historical Trust, provides direct assistance for the protection of historical and cultural resources and promotes innovative demonstration projects that can be successfully replicated to meet Maryland’s historic preservation needs. The Fund is intended to serve the needs of tangible cultural resources in Maryland. Historic sites, buildings, districts, objects, and archaeological resources are all eligible for funding.