Parsons Memorial Lodge
Credit: Yosemite Conservancy
Created by American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Program Celebrated the National Park Service Centennial
July 8, 2016 - San Francisco, CA — Yosemite Conservancy yesterday announced it will receive a $97,000 grant provided by American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Yosemite National Park qualified for the grant as one of the top nine most voted for parks in the Partners in Preservation: National Parks campaign.
Yosemite Conservancy will apply the grant to help restore Parsons Memorial Lodge to reverse damage to one of the earliest stone rustic buildings in a national park and a designated National Historic Landmark. The lodge is located in Tuolumne Meadows. It was originally built by the Sierra Club in 1915 and is the site of the annual Parsons Memorial Lodge Summer Series, a renowned forum for the arts and sciences featuring diverse presenters including photographers, writers, musicians and storytellers, as well as researchers, naturalists, historians, climbers, park planners and others. The Conservancy will receive the grant by September 2016. In partnership with the National Park Service in Yosemite, improvements to the lodge are expected to begin in 2017.
“The Partners in Preservation grant to restore Parsons Memorial Lodge will allow current and future generations to enjoy this historic landmark that serves as a site to inspire important connections to the park and to nature,” said Yosemite Conservancy President Frank Dean.
A decade after its inception, Partners in Preservation, a community-based initiative created to raise awareness of the importance of preserving historic places, honored the National Park Service Centennial by directing its efforts to historic sites within national park units in need of preservation support. Twenty different park sites with unique histories, reflective of the diverse communities and experiences that comprise our nation’s cultural fabric, participated in the campaign. The nine winning sites accumulated the most votes throughout the campaign, which was hosted by media partner National Geographic, from May 25 through July 5.
“We are thrilled with the response and support for Partners in Preservation: National Parks and are proud to be awarding $2 million in grants to extraordinary sites that tell the story of our national park system and reflect the rich cultural resources within it,” said Timothy J. McClimon, president of the American Express Foundation. “The campaign received more than 1.1 million votes. We thank everyone who voted and applaud all participants of the campaign, as each helped further the public dialogue about the National Park Service’s preservation needs.”
“Partners in Preservation: National Parks has shone new light on the importance of rehabilitating historic resources in national parks and provided much needed funding to make them more accessible to visitors for years to come,” said Stephanie K. Meeks, President and CEO, National Trust for Historic Preservation. “And through their participation in the campaign, more than 190,000 Americans have reaffirmed that these places matter – to our history, our nation, and our communities.”
“The Partners in Preservation program is an excellent example of the many ways private organizations have always been essential to the success and longevity of the National Park System,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. “These grants will enable our parks to restore and preserve priceless historical features that make a visit to a national park so unique.”
About Partners in Preservation
Partners in Preservation is a program in which American Express, in partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, awards preservation grants to historic places across the country. Through this partnership, American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation seek to increase the public's awareness of the importance of historic preservation in the United States and to preserve America's historic and cultural places. The program also hopes to inspire long-term support from local citizens for the historic places at the heart of their communities.
To date, Partners in Preservation has awarded $16 million in support of historic places across the United States.
About American Express
American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at americanexpress.comand connect with us on facebook.com/americanexpress, foursquare.com/americanexpress, linkedin.com/company/american-express,twitter.com/americanexpress, and youtube.com/americanexpress.
About the National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately funded nonprofit organization, works to save America’s historic places. www.savingplaces.org.
About Yosemite Conservancy
Through the support of donors, Yosemite Conservancy provides grants and support to Yosemite National Park to help preserve and protect Yosemite today and for future generations. Work funded by the Conservancy is visible throughout the park, in trail rehabilitation, wildlife protection and habitat restoration. The Conservancy is also dedicated to enhancing the visitor experience and providing a deeper connection to the park through outdoor programs, volunteering, wilderness services and its bookstores. Thanks to dedicated supporters, the Conservancy has provided more than $100 million in grants to Yosemite National Park. Learn more at yosemiteconservancy.org or call 1-415-434-1782.
Source: Yosemite Conservancy
