AUGUSTA, Maine - The National Park Service (NPS) notified the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) that it has earned a $500,000 grant to rehabilitate the Colburn House State Historic Site. Andy Cutko, DACF Bureau of Parks and Lands (BPL) Director, received news of the award. The Colburn House grant was included as part of the $7 million NPS Semiquincentennial Grant Program, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. Colburn House, built in 1765 and included in the National Register of Historic Places, is renowned for its ownership by the shipbuilder and friend of George Washington, Major Reuben Colburn. Colburn played a prominent role in Benedict Arnold's expedition to Quebec. One of seventeen BPL-owned Historic Sites, interior tours of Colburn House have been closed to the public since 2019 for needed renovations.

"We're grateful to NPS for helping DACF fund this important rehabilitation project that will ultimately allow us to reopen Colburn House and create rich visitor experiences," said DACF Commissioner Amanda Beal. "The NPS grant highlights the important role of federal support in preserving Bureau of Parks and Lands Historic Sites and helping us continue to tell the important stories about the significance of these sites."

"We are extremely happy and honored to have earned this NPS grant and to preserve this important historical jewel for generations to come," said BPL Director Andy Cutko. "Thank you to the Maine Historic Preservation Commission for identifying the NPS Semiquincentennial Grant Program and providing assistance and guidance throughout the application process."

"We prioritize every day and every year, and this generous grant will allow us to move forward with refurbishing this treasured destination," said BPL Southern Region State Park and Historic Site manager Gary Best.

Support for the Semiquincentennial Grant Program was also provided by Senators Collins and King and Representative Golden, as well as state Senator Craig Hickman and Representative Jeffery Hanley.

In the NPS award announcement Park Service Director Chuck Sams stated, "National parks and National Park Service programs serve to tell authentic and complete history, provide opportunities for exploring the legacies that impact us today, and contribute to healing and understanding. Through the Semi-quincentennial Grant Program, we are supporting projects that showcase the many places and stories that contributed to the evolution of the American experience."

The NPS Sem-quincentennial Grant Program was created by Congress in 2020 and funded through the Historic Preservation Fund. This round of grants supports 17 cultural resource preservation projects across 12 states.

Read the full text of the NPS">https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/national-park-service-awards-7-million-in-inaugural-semiquincentennial-grant-program.htm">NPS Grant Announcement.