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Germantown Wins Grant To Preserve Historic Buildings

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Germantown has won first place in a national competition for historic preservation funds.

Germantown received $160,000 in grant money from the 2017 "Partners in Preservation: Vote Your Main Street" competition.

parker hall Germantown
A historic photo of Parker Hall (present day pictured above). (credit: Germantown United CDC)

Germantiown recieved the most votes, beating out 24 other cities and neigborhoods for first place.

Andy Trackman, Executive Director of The Germantown United Community Development Corp., says the facades of two historic buildings, Parker Hall and the John Trower building, will be preserved.

Trower building Germantown
(credit: Germantown United CDC)

"These are late 19th, early 20th century buildings that have significance in African American history, and the fact that they are located within the colonial Germantown national historic district really highlights the deep significance that Germantown has in the history of this country," Trackman said.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation and its partners awarded grants to 11 communities in the country, including Germantown, distributing a total of $1.5 million

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