Grant Awarded To Help Save Civil War Memorial

The Landmark Society of Western New York has awarded a $2,500 grant to promote an effort to save the Cattaraugus County Civil War Memorial & Historical Building in Little Valley, NY.  The grant was made to the Citizens Advocating Memorial Preservation (CAMP), a local citizen group formed to stop plans to demolish 100-year-old building dedicated to Civil War Veterans

The funds will be used to develop a preliminary preservation plan.  The work will be performed by Clinton Brown Company, which specializes in renewing historic buildings.

“CAMP is a fledgling historic preservation group with no experience in the field,” said Mark Dunkelman, a founding member of CAMP. “The Landmark Society grant along with ongoing advice and encouragement of the Landmark Society staff is an important first step toward our goal: the preservation, restoration, and reuse of the Cattaraugus County Memorial and Historical Building in Little Valley, the county’s most significant Civil War Memorial. And the Landmark Society’s interest in our project caused important elected officials to take another look at the decision to demolish this landmark.”

A $1,500 grant was also made to the Lyons Main Street Program (LMSP), a designated Main Street program in the Western Erie Canal Alliance (WECA) Main Street Program. Supported by the Town, Village and community, the program is working to preserve and restore the many historic buildings in the core of the Main Street area. Funds will be used to produce a feasibility study and architectural services for a downtown commercial building on Canal Street. The work will be performed by In.Site: Architecture.

The Landmark Society of Western New York Preservation Grant Fund provides resources for preliminary design and planning studies to help make positive improvements to at-risk buildings. The Landmark Society’s grant committee considers applications quarterly or as funding is available. Grants are used to help kick-start preservation projects that can have a positive impact on their surrounding communities.

Initial funding for the Preservation Grant Fund was made possible by a bequest from Elizabeth (Libby) Stewart. Stewart was a longtime Landmark Society staff member who was dedicated to the revitalization of neighborhoods and historic structures. Donations to The Landmark Society provide ongoing funding.

About The Landmark Society

The Landmark Society of Western New York, Inc. is one of the oldest preservation organizations in America, serving nine Western New York counties. Formed in 1937, The Landmark Society continues to protect the unique architectural heritage of our region and promote preservation and planning principles that foster healthy and sustainable communities.

For additional information about The Landmark Society, visit www.landmarksociety.org.

Photos: Above, the Cattaraugus County Civil War Memorial & Historical Building at the time of its dedication in 1914; and below, the same building today.