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National Trust for Historic Preservation
SOUTHERN FIELD OFFICE WILLIAM AIKEN HOUSE 456 KING STREET CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA 29403	(803)	722-4151
November 22, 1978
Ms. Margaret M. Gibbens Historic Sites Chairman Hancock County Historical Society, Inc.
P.O. Box 1340
Bay St.l_0uis, Mississippi 39520 Dear Ms. Gibbens:
Your letter to the Washington headquarters of the National Trust for Historic Preservation has been referred to this office. The Southern Field Office was established in September 1977 to provide assistance to individuals, organizations and communities in ten southern states.
I was glad to learn of your work in Bay St. Louis. When I visited Mississippi last spring I did not have a chance to visit your community, but many of the people I met with in Gulfport and Pass Christian mentioned what a fine building resource you had in Bay St. Louis. Hopefully,I can visit your community on a trip in the future.
The Preservation Press does not have more copies of the supplement Preservation and the Tax Reform Act of 1976 available. I have enclosed five copies for you immediate use and if you need more you can obtain additional copies through the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Services and your state historic preservation officer, Mr. Elbert Hilliard, Director, State of Mississippi Dept, of Archives and History, P.O. Box 571, Jackson, MS 39206; (601) 354-6218. For more information I suggest you contact Mr. Hilliard's staff or you can contact Mr. Ward Jandl, HCRS Technical Preservation Services, OAHP, U.S. Dept, of the Interior, Washington, DC 20240.
I am enclosing information on sources of funding that may be available to you for the development of museum space, a tourist inf/^nation center and an historical society library. As you can see many of the available programs fund the adaptive use of older buildings. Of particular interest to you might be the Planning, Research and Design grants available on a competetive matching basis from the National Endowment for the Arts, Public Information Office, 2401 E. Street, NW, Washington,
DC 20506. The NEA grants can fund planning and design for the adaptive use of older buildings for cultural uses, but there is not money available for acquisition costs or capital improvements.
The National Trust also has a similar program which may be of interest to you. Through the Consultant Service Grant program, funds are available to help local groups pay for consultants needed to complete feasibility, planning or design
Headquarter* Office: 740-748 Jacluon Place, N.W., Washinfton, D. C 20006 (202) 63A-S200