Since the organization’s acquisition in 2020 of an historic log cabin in historic Hagerstown, Preservation Maryland has been exceptionally busy laying the foundation for even more ambitious efforts throughout the community.
rehabilitation of 417 north jonathan street
Rehabilitation of 417 N. Jonathan Street in-progress, April 2021.
Rehabilitation work on Preservation Maryland’s property at 417 N. Jonathan Street has continued since the crew from Worcester-Eisenbrandt arrived in early February. To date, the structure has been lifted nearly a foot to facilitate the replacement of rotten sill logs as well as rebuilding the stone foundation. With the structure elevated and the foundation secure, the focus has turned to securing the envelope of the structure, including installation of a new roof sheathing system. The project is slated for completion in the early summer and will eventually be sold for owner-occupied affordable housing under a partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Washington County.
grant funding for future projects
Preservation Maryland’s efforts on Jonathan Street have been recognized and supported by several funders, including the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development as well as The 1772 Foundation.
Funding from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development is being provided to support Preservation Maryland’s diverse efforts throughout the broader Jonathan Street community. As a result of the funding award, Preservation Maryland extended an offer to the Doleman Black Heritage Museum to partner on the rehabilitation of the historic Coca-Cola Administrative building as well as providing the organization with significant capital funding for equipping the museum, which the museum board is currently considering. Additionally, Preservation Maryland is discussing opportunities for deploying grant funds to support necessary upgrades to the historic Robert W. Johnson Community Center building. In addition to Preservation Maryland’s grant award, the City of Hagerstown also received funding to support specific projects in the community — including the potential rehabilitation of a caretaker’s cottage in Wheaton Park, as well as investment in underutilized and vacant structures.
community asset planning & mapping
In order to make certain that projects slated to receive funding are supported by the members, residents and stakeholders in the Jonathan Street community, Preservation Maryland has secured funding to support a broad, community-focused planning effort which will engage the public around the places, stories and resources that matter. Preservation Maryland had intended on beginning this process prior to breaking ground on projects in the neighborhood, but due to COVID-19, in-person community engagement meetings were put on hold. Now, with the end of the pandemic in sight, Preservation Maryland hopes to launch the community-driven planning process in the late summer of 2021. A similar project was recently completed in Macon, Georgia, which is providing a roadmap for this effort.
archaeology & public television
Ongoing interest spurred by an archaeological excavation onsite in late 2020 resulted in a short documentary completed by Maryland Public Television on the project — generating widespread interest and more questions about the future of this significant site and broader community.
the future & the vision
As a statewide organization, Preservation Maryland works with local partners to help them preserve places and build stronger communities. On Jonathan Street, Preservation Maryland is optimistic about the future of the neighborhood — from partnering with the City of Hagerstown to potential partnerships with the Doleman Black Heritage Museum, Robert W. Johnson Community Center and many others, the organization is poised to make a difference and put history at the heart of community revitalization.
To support this work, click the link below to make a gift to our revolving fund which directly supports this critical and costly work.