Oregon Heritage -- a division of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department -- has awarded 18 grants totaling nearly $300,000 for historic properties and archaeology projects.
Six of the grants were awarded in the "Diamonds in the Rough" category, which funds façade improvements that restore the historic character of a property. The other 12 grants were in the "Preserving Oregon" category for properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places and for archaeology projects.
One of the archaeology projects being funded is a Southern Oregon University lab for study of the Maxville site in Wallowa County.
Local historic properties receiving grants include the Elks Lodge building in Medford, the Butler Perozzi Fountain in Ashland and Hanley Farm near Central Point.
These grants were approved by the State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation, a nine-member group that reviews nominations to the National Register of Historic Places. The members are professionally recognized in the fields of history, architecture, archaeology and other related disciplines.
For more information about the grants program, visit "oregonheritage.org."