Grants Awarded to Lawrence History Center

This year, 2009, is the 31th Anniversary of the Lawrence History Center - Immigrant City Archives It is with pride and pleasure we announce several grants awarded to the Lawrence History Center.

Webster Family Fund

December 2009 The Lawrence History Center has been awarded a three thousand dollar grant from The Webster Family Fund at the Essex County Community Foundation. Lawrence History Center will use the grant funds to continue critical repairs to the historic Essex Company complex located at 6 Essex Street which is the home of the Lawrence History Center.
Lawrence History Center~Immigrant City Archives was founded by German immigrant, Eartha Dengler in 1978 to preserve the history of Lawrence and her people. Settling in the greater Lawrence area--home to wave after wave of immigrants who had come first from Europe, then from the middle east, to work in the city’s mills--Dengler drew upon her own experience to reach out, discover, and preserve the larger story of Lawrence’s immigrants and the role they played in building what is still called “the Immigrant City.”

ECCF was established in January of 1999 to increase local philanthropy and provide support to non-profit organizations located in and serving Essex County. The Foundation offers the philanthropic, grant making, financial, and tax expertise needed to engage in effective, inspired charitable giving. ECCF stewards more than 80 charitable funds held in over $16 million in assets, and since its inception has awarded over $8 million in grants to local organizations. The Foundation’s mission is to “to help you help your community”.

The Webster Family Fund was formed in 2005 when the D.K. Webster Family Foundation transferred its assets into a field of interest fund at the Essex County Community Foundation. The Fund supports capital projects at nonprofit organizations serving the Greater Lawrence community.

To learn more about The Lawrence History Center, please visit www.lawrencehistory.org

To learn more about The Essex County Community Foundation, please visit www.eccf.org

The Stevens Foundation

The Lawrence History Center has received another two year grant from The Stevens Foundation for 2008-09. Their support is vital to the organization and growth of our institution. We are very grateful for this award and the valuable support the Center has received over the years from the Stevens Foundation. The Nathaniel and Elizabeth P. Stevens Foundation, P.O. Box 111, North Andover, MA 01845-0111, contact: Josh Miner, Executive Director, tel: (978) 688-7211.

Lawrence Development Fund

In September, 2009, The Lawrence Development Fund, a Donor Advised Fund administered by Essex County Community Foundation (ECCF) awarded the History Center funding to continue our vital capital improvements at our facility along Essex Street. We are sincerely grateful to Elton McCausland and the Trustees of the ECCF for their support of our projects and the development of historic Essex Street in Lawrence.

Charles G. Pringle Foundation

The Charles G. Pringle Foundation has assisted the History Center with a financial award to further our work with the youth in the City of Lawrence. We strongly believe the more youth know about their own city, the more involved they will become within their community. We are only able to continue our work with support such as this gift. We are very grateful.

The Sidell Family

As we plan our 31th Anniversary celebration, the Lawrence History Center has received a significant boost of support. The Chet and Faye Sidell Family has made a major contribution to this year's Dengler History Award Event, which honors Juan and Luis Ypez and, more importantly, to this organization. Chet Sidell was most instrumental in aiding Eartha Dengler, our Founder and first Director, in acquiring the Essex Company Complex. The Family continues to support our presence in the Lawrence community. For this financial support and for all the support over the years, the Lawrence History Center says Thank You!

Brooks Brothers

has provided generous support of the Lawrence History Center's mission of collecting and preserving Lawrence immigrant and manufacturing history. Brooks Brothers is the current owner of Southwick the clothing label started by Nicholas and Vito Grieco here in Lawrence, MA on April 23, 1929. Brooks Brothers was a major customer of Grieco Brothers - who manufactured the famous "346" Brooks Brothers suit.

Merrimack Valley Chapter of UNICO

The Merrimack Valley Chapter of UNICO has donated funds to help support documenting the history of the former Grieco Brothers/ Southwick Factory. The Italian community has a rich history in Lawrence. With this funding we will be better able to preserve the stories of the employees,the garment business and the Grieco Brothers story. We are very grateful for this support.
The Merrimack Valley Chapter of UNICO is part of UNICO National, the Largest Italian American Service Organization in the United States. "Service Above Self."

Community Day Charter Public School

The Lawrence History Center received support form the Community Day Charter Public School and the FY 2009 Community Service Learning Partnership Grant for the Summer Camp, History Is What You Are Doing Now. This camp had the students explore Essex Street today and research Essex Street back to its beginning, marking the changes over time through archival records, city directories, photographs and maps. The conclusion of th eproject will be an on-line exhibit hosted at the Charter School's website. This was a wonderful experience for everyone involved and an exciting way for the students to look at their "main street" changes over time.

Rosman Family Fund

As we approach the centennial anniversary of the Strike of 1912, the Rosman Family Fund, a Donor Advised Fund at Essex County Community Foundation (ECCF) Fund funded the History Center in archiving the Bread and Roses Heritage Festival records. This important work documents the commemoration of the Strike throughout the past 25 years. As we plan the centennial events for 2012, this is a vital addition to the historical recollection of the Lawrence nationally and internationally, important Strike. The History Center has a large repository of Strike related material and this collection is an important addition.

Catherine McCarthy Memorial Trust Fund

This summer the History Center has received funding from the Catherine McCarthy Memorial Trust Fund to document this history of the Catholic Cemeteries in Lawrence, St Mary's (1848) and Immaculate Conception ( 1847) today known as St. Mary's-Immaculate Conception Cemeteries and Mausoleum. This 40 page booklet will feature a description of the historical development of the cemeteries, from 1847 to the present. Unique sections of the cemeteries will be highlighted and historical interpretation of various monuments, representative of change over time will be also be mentioned. The booklet will include a fold-out map of the cemetery. This booklet is rich in Catholic history and and we are grateful to the McCArthy Trust for funding such an important historic record.

Massachusetts Preservation Project Fund

The Lawrence History Center is delighted to announce that on June 11, 2008 it has been awarded a significant Massachusetts Preservation Project Fund (MPPF) award to help the Center stabilize and repair our warehouse, stable, forge and carpenter shop. Awarded through Secretary Galvin's Office, this funding allows us to repair the historic Essex Compound buildings. The facility can be stabilized for future restoration of the compound, enhancing its use by the greater Lawrence community.

The Massachusetts Preservation Projects Fund (MPPF) is a state-funded 50% reimbursable matching grant program established in 1984 to support the preservation of properties, landscapes, and sites (cultural resources) listed in the State Register of Historic Places. Applicants must be a municipality or nonprofit organization. Historic cultural resources in public and nonprofit ownership and use frequently suffer from deferred maintenance, incompatible use, or are threatened by demolition. These important resources represent a significant portion of the Commonwealth’s heritage. By providing assistance to historic cultural resources owned by nonprofit or municipal entities, the Massachusetts Historical Commission hopes to ensure their continued use and integrity. The program is administered in accordance with 950 CMR 73.00.

We are very grateful to Secretary of Commonwealth William Galvin, Brona Simon, Director of the Massachusetts Historic Commission and all the legislators and community leaders who wrote letters of support for this very necessary funding. To all of you, Thank You! from a very grateful Lawrence History Center~Immigrant City Archives.

Lawrence Community Development Department

The Lawrence History Center is continuing its stabilization, repair and restoration work on the historic Essex Lawrence Community Development Department. The LHC was awarded a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG grant) in June, 2008 for $10,000.00 to continue its implementation of the Master Plan. The project will include removal and repair of rotted beams, roofing boards, floor boards, and roofing material of the compound buildings including the warehouse, carpenter shop, stable and the beloved forge. These monies will be used a Preservation Projects Fund (MPPF) Award. The project is funded with Community Development Block Grant money (CDBG) from the federal government department of HUD. The Lawrence History Center is very grateful for the Community Development support and appreciation of the historical significance of the Essex Company Complex. to For additional information on the CDBG program see the City of Lawrence Community Development Department.