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Contact:
Jerome Thompson, (515) 281-5627
Sarah Oltrogge,
(515) 281-4011
DES
MOINES, Iowa -
The State Historical Society of Iowa has received a
$144,000 Save America's Treasures grant to help fund
the Iowa Battle Flag Preservation Project.
The Iowa Battle Flag Project began in 1999, when a
study was conducted by the Iowa Department of Cultural
Affairs to evaluate the present condition of the flag
collection and provide long-term preservation
recommendations for the collection. In 2000, the Iowa
Legislature appropriated funding to begin work
stabilizing the 85 Civil War battle flags in the State
Historical Society's collection. In January, 2002,
the State Historical Society began the first phase of
removing 181 flags from the Civil War, Spanish
American War and World War I housed in the Capitol.
"I am pleased by the national recognition and
support for this important effort to preserve these
historical flags," said Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack.
"We are sending an important message by
preserving these valued treasures, which are part of
our heritage because they represent what is great
about our state and our country."
Save America's Treasures is a national effort to
protect America's threatened cultural treasures,
including historic structures, collections, works of
art, maps and journals that document and illuminate
the history and culture of the United States.
Dedicated to the preservation and celebration of
America's priceless historic legacy, Save
America's Treasures works to recognize and rescue
the enduring symbols of American tradition that define
us as a nation. This grant program is jointly funded
through the President's Committee on the Arts and
Humanities, the National Park Service, the National
Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the
Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library
Sciences. The Iowa Battle Flag Preservation Project is
one of 80 projects in 36 states, the District of
Columbia and Puerto Rico to be given a total of
$15,600,000 for critically needed repairs and
restoration efforts for some of the nation's most
threatened historic places, archives and artifacts.
"This funding will accelerate the stabilization
of the entire Civil War flag collection which is the
most endangered," said Jerome Thompson, museum
director at the State Historical Building. "Being
able to accomplish this work in two years as opposed
to four or five years reduces the threat to these
irreplaceable, historical flags."
For more information on the Iowa Battle Flag
Preservation Project, visit www.iowaflags.org.
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