April 17, 2025 12:01 pm
The Douglas County Heritage Conservation Council announces the recipients of the 2025 Natural and Cultural Heritage grant program after receiving approval from the Board of County Commissioners on April 16. A total of $210,000 was awarded to 12 projects.
The projects are expected to be completed within two years.
"These projects exemplify the diverse ways in which our heritage is celebrated, documented and shared in Douglas County," Heritage Conservation Coordinator Kaitlyn Ammerlaan said. "The Natural and Cultural Heritage grant program continues to be an impactful community resource that leverages local funds to support the conservation of the County’s tangible and intangible heritage."
The Natural and Cultural Heritage projects and the amounts awarded:
• University of Kansas Museum Studies Program, $27,500, to support a graduate student to document, rehouse and digitize the Haskell Cultural Center and Museum’s collection of approximately 3,000 Native American historical artifacts and photographs, as well as pieces of artworks, basketry, pottery and more. This project will both preserve the physical artifacts and make them more widely accessible to the larger community and scholars.
• Ducks Unlimited, Inc., $27,500, to revitalize 181 acres of critical wetland habitat through the Elk Creek Wetland Complex Restoration project at Clinton Lake Wildlife Area. This collaborative project will improve water quality flowing into Clinton Lake, improving drinking water and increasing outdoor recreational opportunities for area residents and visitors.
• Haskell Indian Nations University, $25,000, to initiate the first phase of a design process to construct a 420-foot, ADA-accessible boardwalk in the Haskell Wetlands.
• LRM Foundation, $25,000, to explore and document the arrival of African American and Native American families to Douglas County, Kansas, through a combination of historical research and artistic expression. The project will culminate in a video documentary premiere, archived raw footage for future reference, and an original stage play production that artistically captures these communities' lived experiences and heritage.
• Somos Lawrence (Ballard Center), $25,000, to enhance Somos Lawrence’s advocacy reach and continue to facilitate the socio-cultural and spatial integration of Spanish-speaking women, families and youth in our area. The project will expand the existing “cultural promoters” program and support a part-time community liaison who can facilitate further outreach efforts.
• Lawrence Juneteenth Organization, $20,000, to expand the Lawrence Juneteenth Celebration’s oral history storytelling, Underground Railroad tours, and Kids Corner educational programming to elevate under-told narratives of BIPOC individuals in Douglas County.
• Ecumenical Campus Ministries, $16,000, to restore the ECM’s main event hall space, including repairing broken windows and replacing the flooring on the stage. Renovating the event hall will allow the ECM to continue sharing an important and historic gathering space with the Lawrence and Douglas County community.
• Lecompton Historical Society, $11,000, to compile research and write a National Register nomination for the Lewis-Crowder Cemetery, a historic African American cemetery northeast of Lawrence, near Lake View Lake. The project will also include a public presentation at the Lecompton Historical Society and a cemetery tour to inform the public about the historical and cultural significance of the cemetery.
• Baker University, $10,000, to develop and install cohesive interpretive signage at existing cultural landmarks in Douglas County. The signs will help to create a network of historical landmarks in southern Douglas County to be used as part of direct and casual tours as well as class projects.
• Lawrence Branch, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), $10,000, to order, engrave and install granite markers on the graves of 30 African Americans buried in Potters Field at Oak Hill Cemetery. The markers would be a visual reminder of the presence of African Americans in Lawrence since the 1850s.
• Lumberyard Arts Center, $9,000, to mitigate water leakage and stabilize the historic Ives Hartley Lumberyard building in downtown Baldwin City. The project will support tuck pointing, weatherproofing and new guttering.
• Children's Learning Center, $4,000, to develop inclusive lesson plans and host school events that foster a safe and enriching environment where CLC families can learn, share and celebrate Hispanic culture and heritage.
For more information about these grants and the Douglas Heritage Conservation Council, visit: https://www.dgcoks.gov/hcc.
Contact: Karrey Britt, Communications and Media Coordinator, Media Contact Form