Washington, D.C. -– The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) announced today that the organization will be donating $10,000 to the Essex National Heritage Commission (Essex Heritage) for the restoration of the exterior of the lighthouse at Bakers Island, Salem, MA. Funding for this project was made possible through the sponsorship of the Colonel Timothy Pickering Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, located in Salem, MA.
The Bakers Island Lighthouse was built in 1821 and it was originally one of two lighthouses, nicknamed “Ma” and “Pa” Baker. The lighthouse is still in use today assisting sailors to navigate past the rocks and shoals guarding the entrance to Salem, Marblehead and Beverly harbors. The lighthouse tower was extensively rebuilt by the United States Coast Guard in 1996, but its masonry exterior is showing the signs of wear after almost 20 years of being buffeted by the sea. The lighthouse is part of the 10 acre Bakers Island Light Station which was deeded over, in August 2014, to the non-profit Essex Heritage organization. Essex Heritage works with residents and organizations to preserve and enhance the historic, cultural and natural resources within Essex County, MA. Essex County was designated a National Heritage Area by the US Congress in 1996 and the Area is affiliated with the National Park Service.
“We are extremely honored to receive this very generous donation from the DAR. We realize that there is competition from every state for these significant historic preservation grants, and we are thrilled that the lighthouse was selected in this very competitive process. The DAR grant will greatly assistance us in repairing the lighthouse’s masonry stucco exterior and the metal lantern room,” said Annie Harris, CEO of Essex Heritage.
The DAR grants program was started in 2010. Funding is awarded to support projects in local communities which promote the organization’s mission areas of historic preservation, education and patriotism.
The DAR receives hundreds of grants applications each year, making competition high for the funding through the non-profit organization. Interested groups must be sponsored by a local DAR chapter, submit a copy of their public charity 501(c)(3) IRS documentation, and include a narrative describing the need and urgency of the project as well as planned activities and benefits to the community which will result from the grant.
The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in 1890 to promote patriotism, preserve American history, and support better education for our nation’s children. Its members are descended from patriots who won American independence during the Revolutionary War. With 178,000 members in approximately 3,000 chapters worldwide, DAR is one of the world’s largest and most active service organizations. To learn more about the work of today’s DAR, visit www.DAR.org. For more about applying for a Special Projects Grant from DAR, visit www.dar.org/grants.
For more information, please contact Essex Heritage CEO Annie Harris at 978-740-0444 or visit www.essexheritage.org.
