The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission is pleased to announce the selected projects for the 2025-2026 Keystone Grant program. The grant program again saw an 8% increase in the number of applications over last year with requests over $7,561,262.52. This funding furthers our partner’s efforts to preserve and celebrate tangible history for the future.
PHMC’s initiative in this Keystone round focused on projects that were connected to this Summer’s 2026’s Semiquincentennial celebrations in all four corners of the commonwealth. America250 and the Keystone Historic Preservation Grant Program hoped to foster heritage programming from the colonial era to the modern age as part of America250PA celebration. Our applicants shared their unique lectures, exhibits, events and projects that explore themes of democracy, innovation, place, and history.
PHMC received projects from replacement of a hand split oak roof using traditional methods to studying potential impacts of installation of solar and green technology to a municipal building all which will preserve and encourage responsible stewardship as part of Pennsylvania’s America 250 celebration. This year’s awardees include 38 projects that are as diverse as the varied historic resources that local communities value in their everyday lives and feel should be preserved for future generations.
West Park Bandshell, Allentown, Lehigh County (PA-SHARE Resource #: 2026RE01628), photo from West Park Civic Association
These grantees also fulfill objectives of Historic Preservation: the Keystone of Community, Pennsylvania’s Statewide Historic Preservation Plan. This year’s recipients highlight projects that preserve character-defining features, improve visitor experience at historic museums, return properties to period-appropriate appearance or document properties within the National Register program and within our PA-SHARE system.
Below, please find descriptions of some of the projects from a select few of this year’s funded applications.
The City of Erie – Bureau of Planning & Zoning
The City of Erie – Bureau of Planning & Zoning will hire an architectural firm to create a plan on how to green and solar the roofs of the City of Erie’s Municipal Building (PA-SHARE Resource #: 2025RE02877) while maintaining the integrity of historically significant, character-defining features.
Erie Municipal Building, Photo by Clio Consulting
National Road Heritage Corridor
National Road Heritage Corridor (Fayette, Somerset, and Washington Counties) will document historically and culturally significant buildings, structures, landscapes, and intangible heritage, deepening understanding of how people have shaped and experienced this historic corridor over time. The National Road offers a lens into more than two centuries of migration, commerce, and innovation. While individual sites have been documented, no comprehensive inventory was completed in 40 years.
Borough of Greenville
Borough of Greenville (Mercer County) will prepare a Historic Structure Report for the Erie Lackawanna Railroad Depot (PA-SHARE Resource #: 2022RE10801), a contributing resource to the National Register–eligible New York, Lake Erie & Western Railroad corridor. The project will document historic significance, assess existing conditions, and develop treatment recommendations consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards to guide future rehabilitation and preservation of this important transportation landmark.
Erie Lackawana Railroad Depot, Photo by PHMC staff
Morgan Log House Historical Society
Morgan Log House Historical Society (Towamencin Township, Mongomery County) will replace the historic German oak sidelap roof on the Morgan Log House, a 1774 Germanic log home (PA-SHARE Resource #: 1967RE00001). The project will replace damaged lath and re-stabilize historic rafters, continue traditional roofing practices, preserve a structure inhabited from 1774 to 1964 on land settled in 1708 by the Morgan family, grandparents of Daniel Boone, and inspire future generations to engage in historic trades. This project follows up a comprehensive Preservation Assessment that was recently funded by the Keystone grant program.
Morgan Log House, Photo by PHMC Staff
City of Easton
City of Easton (Northampton County) will rehabilitate and restore the Hooper House, one of the oldest residences in the City, dating to 1761. Since 2012, the Hooper House (PA-SHARE Resource #: 1995RE28120) has been deemed blighted, requiring major repairs to its roof and windows, as well as needing to be repointed and weatherized. Upon completion, the City hopes to return the Hooper House to its historically accurate state and utilize it as an educational and historical resource for residents and visitors.
The Keystone Grant program is a dedicated revenue stream to assist local communities and organizations in preserving their character and maintaining historic fabric. Connecting Keystone Grant funding to the America 250 celebration showcases the Commonwealth’s key role in American History and ensures this legacy will remain until the Tricentennial in 2076.
Be sure to check out PHMC’s own Pennsylvania 250: The Keystone of American History programming as you plan your Summer adventures. Keep an eye out in your social media feeds for more information about these and other Keystone funded projects in your communities.
Congratulations to our recent recipients. The whole list of this year’s recipients is available on the Commission’s website at: Newsroom.
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