$2 million in state grants helps preserve local history
Frank Lloyd Wright's signature Fallingwater home in Fayette County was among the area historical landmarks to receive grants recently from the state Historical & Museum Commission .
The $50,000 grant to Fallingwater will support its general operations, the commission said.
Nearly $2 million in grants were awarded to 142 museums and county historical societies in the latest round announced by the commission. Allegheny County institutions received a total of $271,915, while Westmoreland County institutions received $28,516.
The grant program is designed to support the general operations of eligible museums and official county historical societies that are not supported by other state agency funding programs, the commission said.
Award amounts are based on a percentage of the museum's previous year's operating budget. The maximum any museum can receive is $50,000. All official county historical societies receive a $4,000 minimum grant.
The other recipients in southwestern Pennsylvania were:
ALLEGHENY COUNTY
Carnegie Institute -- $50,000
Children's Museum of Pittsburgh -- $50,000
Frick Art & Historical Center -- $50,000
Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania -- $50,000
The Holocaust Center of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh -- $9,497
Rivers of Steel -- Steel Industry Heritage Corporation -- $35,250
Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum Trust Inc. -- $27,168
INDIANA COUNTY
Historical and Genealogical Society of Indiana County -- $4,000
SOMERSET COUNTY
Historical and Genealogical Society of Somerset County -- $4,000
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Pennsylvania Trolley Museum -- $8,818
WESTMORELAND COUNTY
Fort Ligonier Association -- $16,215
Ligonier Valley Historical Society -- $4,000
West Overton Museums -- $4,000
Westmoreland County Historical Society -- $4,301
Stephen Huba is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-850-1280, shuba@tribweb.com or via Twitter @shuba_trib.