The memory of the former Brooklyn Township School building (top) will be preserved when bricks from the building demolished in 2022 are used by the Brooklyn Historical Society to build a memorial pedestal thanks to an EMHR Partnership Mini-Grant a mini grant. The Endless Mountains Heritage Region is a regular visitor to the French Azilum Historic Site in Bradford County, and two sizable grants from the EMHR will help cover costs for major improvements to the interior of the 1836 LaPorte House (above).
The Endless Mountains Heritage Region (EMHR), which serves Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna, and Wyoming counties, will award just under $51,000 in Partnership Mini-Grant funding to eight different entities for 10 projects spread across all four counties. The initiatives vary greatly from restoration and enhancements of recreation areas and historic venues to programs and projects focused on education and nature.
“The EMHR is awarding $50,700 in Partnership Grant program funding this year, across the four counties we serve,” said EMHR executive director Cain Chamberlin. “Our grants review committee did an outstanding job scoring the 13 applications we received, and we’re thrilled to be able to provide funding to 10 of them so we can continue to preserve and promote our region’s history as well as foster and create outdoor recreation opportunities for our area’s residents and visitors.”
Chamberlin emphasized the many hours and due diligence of the Partnership Grants Review Committee, the members of which individually scored the applications and selected the projects that best represented the mission and goals of the EMHR.
Traditionally, much of the available funding has gone to historical societies and other heritage organizations, and they fared well again in 2025. Awards averaged around $5,000 each this year with all successful applicants meeting or exceeding the requirement for a 50-percent cash or in-kind match for their projects.
The Eagles Mere Presbyterian Church in Sullivan County was awarded $10,000 to replace the south-facing windows of the 138-year-old house of worship, the largest single grant winner among this year’s applicants.
“We don’t always get a lot of applications from Sullivan County, because it’s the smallest of the four counties and much of it is state-owned land, so we love when we get to support projects there,” Chamberlin noted. “We’re happy to be able to help with the restoration of this historic structure in Eagles Mere.”
The French Azilum Historic Site was the biggest winner overall this year, receiving two grants totaling $16,463 to make significant repairs to the LaPorte House that anchors the attraction. Project lead Deborah Courville noted that time has been unkind to the 1836 structure, leading to smoke damage, cracks in the walls, fading paint, and sagging, especially in the foyer. The foyer will be returned to its original splendor, and an air system will be installed to help preserve the LaPorte House and its extensive collection.
The Wyoming County Cultural Center was another double-winner. Grants totaling $6,727 will be used to offset costs for staging Tunkhannock’s River Day celebration in 2026 and to update the Wyoming County Heritage Signage on the Dietrich Theater grounds to reflect the addition of Wyoming County’s first state park and state forest land. Additionally, the Cultural Center will work with DDH Designs to update signage at the Nicholson Tourism Center at the Historic DL&W Railroad Station.
Susquehanna County scored three successful applications this year, with the Rail Trail Council leading the pack with a project to construct a D&H Rail Trail access point near Thompson. A new parking area for 20 vehicles, plus paved ADA parking spots. towards which the EMHR will award $4,125.
The Susquehanna County Historical Society will receive $3,402 to microfilm 208 county newspapers dating back to 1816 that are believed to be the last original copies. The physical papers will be protected as well by storing them in acid-free boxes.
The Brooklyn Historical Society has a $2,347 project on tap to use bricks salvaged from the demolition of the former Brooklyn Township School building to construct a memorial monument. The EMHR awarded a $1,000 grant for the endeavor.
Keystone College in Factoryville will receive a $5,590 grant towards the development and launch of a three-part “Living With the Land” series and two stand-alone programs: The Honey Bee Lecture and Wilderness First Aid Training. The programs are designed to provide educational experiences that preserve and promote the natural features of the Woodland Campus Trails at Keystone College.
The Sayre Historical Society was another winner in Bradford County this year, netting a $3,393 mini-grant to replace its main entrance sign as well as eight pedestal interpretive signs that present a comprehensive timeline of Sayre’s history. According to project lead Steve Bowen, the current signs are deteriorating quickly.
“Since its inception, this grants program has brought well over $3 million in state funding to our four counties for various outdoor recreation and historic preservation projects, as well as educational programming,” Chamberlin related. “While these are called ‘mini grants,’ the work done with this funding has an immensely positive impact on our communities and we will continue to offer this program for as long as we possibly can. We very much appreciate the longtime support of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, which is the primary funding source for the Partnership Grants program.”
A Partnership Mini-Grant from the Endless Mountains Heritage Region will be used to update the Wyoming County Heritage sign on the green next to the Dietrich Theater. Signage at the Nicholson Tourism Center at the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad Station (not pictured) will also be updated as part of the same project.
Windows on the south side of the 1887 Eagles Mere Presbyterian Church will be replaced with a Partnership Mini-Grant from the Endless Mountains Heritage Region.