SHERMAN – The Preservation League of New York State has awarded the village of Sherman a $4,000 Technical Assistance Grant to pay for a limited condition assessment of the Peter Ripley House at the Sherman-French Creek Yorker Museum.

“The TAG award will greatly contribute to the restoration and accessibility of the museum’s historic assets to be experienced and appreciated for generations to come,” said Colleen Meeder, Sherman mayor. “This is in line with the Village of Sherman’s vision of ‘Preserving our past, … while working toward our Future.'”

Heritage conservation specialists from Clinton Brown Company Architecture, pc, which has had a long association with renewing the Village of Sherman, will prepare an exterior building conditions summary report of the historic Peter Ripley House which was built in 1830.

“We are thrilled to work on protecting this signature home, now part of the Yorker Museum movement of the 1940s to educate about settler life, to reinvigorate its purpose for local students and regional visitors,” said Jill Nowicki, project manager.

The French Creek Yorkers established the museum in 1946, creating a collection of 6 original buildings and related artifacts dating back to 1750. This includes the Peter Ripley House, which is the oldest frame building in Sherman, depicting life in the mid-1800s.

“The targeted studies made possible by Technical Assistance Grants provide crucial support for strategic preservation planning as organizations look to the future,” said Preservation League President Jay DiLorenzo. “The League is proud to support so many worthwhile projects across the state through this partnership with the New York State Council on the Arts. And we are equally grateful for additional funding from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation on Long Island and the Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area, which allows TAG funding to go further.”

The Technical Assistance Grant program is a partnership between the New York State Council on the Arts and the Preservation League of New York state. The TAG program supports arts centers, historic sites, music halls, theaters, libraries, and other cultural nonprofit or municipal entities that steward historic buildings throughout New York state.

With the announcement of the 2024 awards, support provided by TAG since its launch in 2012 totals $743,970. These grants have directly advanced the efforts of 230 preservation projects.

“New York’s renowned arts and cultural sites not only benefit their communities today, but must plan to serve the residents, learners, and visitors of tomorrow,” said Erika Mallin, Executive Director of NYSCA. “NYSCA is proud to provide this key funding for organizations to identify their needs and proactively design their futures. Congratulations to all of this year’s grantees, we applaud your dedication and commitment to preserving the arts and culture of this great state.”