Plymouth Lodge receives $30,000 grant for historic building restoration

Governor Mike Braun announced Friday that a Plymouth historic building will receive federal funding as part of more than $279,000 in Historic Preservation Fund grants awarded to five Indiana communities.

Plymouth-Kilwinning Lodge 149 will receive $30,000 to help restore the roof of the former United Telephone Building at 109 Water Street, which now serves as the fraternal organization's headquarters. The lodge will match the federal grant with $30,000 in local funds for the $60,000 roof replacement project.

The scope of work includes removing the existing rubber membrane roofing material, inspecting and adding to the insulation board, and installing a new rubber membrane roof.

The building was constructed in 1949 during downtown Plymouth's post-World War II expansion. It is a notable example of the Moderne architectural style, featuring a limestone façade with a distinctive pattern of stone courses separated by recessed channels that form bands extending vertically and horizontally across the building's front.

The building faces River Park Square, which regularly hosts community activities including the Mayor's Summer of Music, the farmer's market, and cultural events.

The Historic Preservation Fund is appropriated by Congress to the U.S. Department of the Interior's National Park Service, which provides funding to states, tribes, and territories for preservation activities. Funding comes from Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas lease revenues, not tax dollars. In Indiana, the program is administered by the DNR Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology.

To be eligible, properties must be listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Applicants must be non-profit/tax-exempt organizations, local governments, or educational institutions. Rehabilitation projects must meet the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.

Grants are awarded on a 50/50 matching basis, requiring recipients to provide equal funding for their projects.