Marklesburg Borough is a recent recipient of a Keystone Historic Preservation Grant from the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) in the amount of $8,000.
The borough is one of 48 grant recipients in 21 counties. A total of $2.58 million was awarded to municipalities throughout the state.
Marklesburg Borough Council member Cathy Failor told The Daily News council is very happy to be a grant recipient. The funds will be used toward the planning stage of improving the borough building/community post office.
Failor said the project involves replacing a ramp where the post office is and putting a new roof over it. The post office maintains one portion of the building, while the borough office is in the other.
The project also includes repointing of bricks in the building that was originally constructed in 1870 and was used for many years as a school house.
Failor said the Marklesburg Volunteer Fire Co. was once located in the building’s basement until it moved to its current location in 1954. Faior said there has been a post office in the James Creek area since 1840.
The fire company, continued Failor, used the area where the borough office is for functions. The borough purchased the building in 1954.
She said that the $8,000 is half the cost of the project’s $16,000 planning portion. The borough is providing an $8,000 match.
Failor said the building needs a lot of work. The borough, continued Failor, has tried unsuccessfully in the past to obtain grant funding from other sources to apply toward the building, but due to the fact the post office is in the building, is ineligible for many.
Like many other small Huntingdon County communities, Failor said Marklesburg Borough is small and often gets overlooked for needed grants. Additionally, she said, grant funds are getting few and far between and harder to find.
Failor said the ramp is the number one priority. She said the building’s brick is getting soft and crumbling and the roof will help its foundation.
She and council are hopeful the borough can apply for and receive other grant funding to do many other things to the building before it deteriorates even more. She said council and community members do what they can to maintain the building.
She said council is trying to maintain the historical authenticity of the building and keep the original architecture in tact. Unfortunately, the building’s original eaves were removed and likely destroyed and would have to be replicated.
The building, added Failor, was once a two and one-half story building. The borough office was once located in a tower part of the structure.
Failor said the borough is observing its 150th, or sesquicentennial, since first being incorporated as a borough in 1873.
She said borough officials are planning an anniversary celebration for some time in November. She said they are planning to have an open house and perhaps have a food truck and the community’s first Christmas tree lighting.
She said it is remarkable that Marklesburg was once an industrious part of the county with many businesses long gone.
Along with renovating the building, Failor said council is also interested in making additional improvements to its community playground as well as someday seeking grant funding for the addition of sidewalks.
By ADAM WATSON For The Daily New. Link to original article.
