Eagle Times Staff
DUMMERSTON, Vt. — The Landmark Trust USA (LTUSA) is the recipient of $401,274 awarded through the prestigious Save America’s Treasures Grant Program, funded by the Historic Preservation Fund and administered by the National Park Service (NPS), Department of the Interior. The funds, which will be matched by public and private donations, will support climate adaptation measures at Rudyard Kipling’s Naulakha, the former Vermont home of the famed English author.
Naulakha was built for Kipling in 1892, and it was here that the Nobel Prize winning author penned “The Jungle Books” and other acclaimed stories. The home today operates under LTUSA’s preservation stewardship model and is made available to the public for overnight rentals and small gatherings.
During the property’s 1993 restoration, cedar shingle roofs were installed on the buildings to match the original material. These roofs are now in need of replacement to protect the building from leakage and further deterioration. The funded project will repair or replace deteriorated sheathing and copper flashing, as well as address drainage issues at the entire site, creating a drainage system that better handles current and future rainfall and natural runoff and is part of a larger LTUSA project to preserve, protect and enhance the experience of the historic estate.
“Our mission is to preserve historic places in sustainable ways for the public to enjoy, learn from, and be inspired by,” said Executive Director Susan McMahon. “Ensuring our flagship property is set up for a resilient future in the face of changing weather patterns will allow this national treasure to enchant guests and strengthen the local economy for years to come.”
Naulakha joins 58 other projects nationwide receiving a cumulative $25.7 million to preserve nationally significant sites and collections, matched by almost $50 million in private and public investment. Since 1999, the Save America’s Treasures program has provided over $405 million to more than 1,400 projects to provide preservation and conservation work on nationally significant structures, sites, collections, and artifacts.
“The Save America’s Treasures program began 25 years ago and continues to enable communities across the United States to preserve and conserve their nationally significant historic properties and collections,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams. “It’s fitting to celebrate this milestone anniversary through a wide range of projects that help to pass the full history of America and its people down to future generations.”
For more information and a complete list of grant recipients, visit nps.gov/orgs/1207/national-park-service-and-partner-agencies-award-$25-7-million-to-preserve-significant-historic-sites-and-collections.htm
