NEWS RELEASE: French Heritage Society’s Grant Ceremony at Historic Huguenot Street

NEW PALTZ, NY (October 23, 2015) – On Thursday, November 19, Historic Huguenot Street and French Heritage Society (FHS) are proud to organize a Grant Ceremony to celebrate FHS’ support to the restoration efforts of Historic Huguenot Street.

For over a decade, French Heritage Society has supported preservation projects at Historic Huguenot Street (HHS), encompassing 30 buildings across 10 acres that was the heart of the original 1678 New Paltz settlement. The support began in 2002 when FHS’ New York Chapter funded two years of exterior restoration work on the DuBois Fort Visitor Center. With assistance from both FHS and a National Park Service Save America’s Treasures Grant, the north wall of the Jean Hasbrouck House was reconstructed in 2008. Then in 2013, FHS’ Boston and New York Chapters supplemented funds contributed by the Deyo Family Association to repaint the Deyo House exterior, restoring the stately house to its original 1895 color scheme.

Most recently, FHS’ Atlanta and New York Chapters have pledged it support for yet another project – the restoration of the Jean Hasbrouck House timber-framed roof, a current preservation priority for HHS. The FHS grant matches support provided by the Brotherton Foundation and the Hasbrouck Family Association, as well as numerous private donations raised by HHS since 2012.  With additional funding in the pipeline, this project is anticipated to begin in 2016.

“French Heritage Society is pleased to visit Historic Huguenot Street, both to tour the houses and highlight the great preservation work being done there,” said FHS Board Chairman Elizabeth Stribling. “Franco-American initiatives to preserve cultural treasures in both countries are crucial.  It is clear that if future generations are to know the beauty of landmarks and historic monuments, it is our responsibility to act now to protect them.”

About 25-30 French and American representatives of FHS will be attending the November 19 Award Ceremony, including FHS Chairman of the Board Elizabeth F. Stribling, President Denis de Kergorlay, FHS Executive Director Isabelle Lefebvre-Vary, and Grants Committee Chairman Isabelle de Laroullière and Sarah de Lencquesaing as well as Atlanta Chapter Chairmen Suzy Wasserman and Liz McDermott, Boston Chapter Chairmen François Bardonnet and Francis de Marneffe and New York Chapter Chairmen, Guy N. Robinson and Odile de Schiétère-Longchampt along with HHS President Mary Etta Schneider, vice President Sanford A. Levy and other trustees.

“HHS is honored to host this commemoration by executives of French Heritage Society,” said Mary Etta Schneider, HHS Board Chair. “We are grateful for the Society’s support, which has enabled us to preserve so many of our important architectural assets at Historic Huguenot Street.”

A National Historic Landmark District, Historic Huguenot Street is a 501(c)3 non-profit that encompasses 30 buildings across 10 acres that was the heart of the original 1678 New Paltz settlement, including seven stone houses that date to the early eighteenth century.  It was founded in 1894 as the Huguenot Patriotic, Historical, and Monumental Society to preserve the nationally acclaimed collection of stone houses. Since then, Historic Huguenot Street has grown into an innovative museum, chartered as an educational corporation by the University of the State of New York, that is dedicated to protecting our historic buildings, conserving an important collection of artifacts and manuscripts, and promoting the stories of the Huguenot Street families, from the sixteenth century to today. 

French Heritage Society was founded in 1982 as a two way street for Americans and French to share their love of historic architecture. FHS has contributed to almost 500 restoration grants and helped secure almost $18 million dollars for historic monuments, buildings and gardens in every department in France and to properties in the United States that reflect France’s historic influence. In 2014, FHS awarded more than $530,000 in restoration grants. French Heritage Society intervenes to ensure that the treasures of our shared French architectural and cultural heritage survive to inspire future generations to build, dream and create. There are 10 Chapters of the Society throughout the United States and one in Paris.

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Contact
Kaitlin Gallucci
Communications & Marketing Manager
(845) 255-1660
media@huguenotstreet.org