Iowa Arts Council gives a total of $50,000 in grants to Winneshiek County organizations

The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs has awarded $50,000 in grants to three Winneshiek County organizations—part of more than $2 million in grant funding announced Tuesday to 159 organizations statewide.

The Decorah Historic Preservation Commission is receiving a $25,000 grant to cover the consultant's costs for preparing a National Register of Historic Places nomination for Decorah's central business district.

Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum will receive a $20,000 grant through Iowa Arts Council's Cultural Leadership Partners program, for demonstrating "an exemplary record of programming and managerial excellence and community service."

The Winneshiek County Historical Society will get a $5,000 grant to help rebuild the east wall of the Locust School Museum and stabilize the foundation under that wall. This includes tearing out the old stone, cleaning the stone, digging along the foundation and pouring concrete to stabilize the foundation under the wall and finally, rebuilding the wall. When the work has been completed, three new windows will be installed.