DES MOINES — Eight rural Iowa historic properties will share $750,000 in preservation grants aimed at restoring old landmarks, strengthening local business districts and keeping community gathering places alive for future use.
The Iowa Economic Development Authority’s State Historic Preservation Office announced the Iowa Rural Heritage Revitalization Grants on June 22, 2026. The grants will support projects in Atlantic, Beaconsfield, Bentonsport, Fairfield, Fort Dodge, Harcourt, Lime Springs and Wapello.
The money is being administered through Iowa’s preservation office and funded by the National Park Service’s Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant Program. State officials said this is Iowa’s first award through the competitive federal program since 2020.
“Historic buildings help tell the story of a community, but they’re also part of its future,” said Debi Durham, director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority and Iowa Finance Authority. “By investing in their preservation, we’re helping communities create opportunities for businesses, residents and visitors while keeping these places active and relevant for future generations.”
The program provides grants of up to $150,000 for preservation work at properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The State Historic Preservation Office received 13 applications seeking more than $1.4 million, nearly twice the amount available.
The grants are aimed at communities with fewer than 50,000 residents and outside urbanized areas. Eligible applicants included nonprofits, local and county governments and federally recognized tribal councils in Iowa.
The eight funded projects are:
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Depot, Atlantic — $71,609 to Atlantic Rock Island Society Enterprise in Cass County. The project will repair water infiltration affecting the building envelope and interior finishes. The depot helped shape Atlantic’s growth as a railroad center and now serves as home to the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce and a community event venue.
Beaconsfield Supply Store, Beaconsfield — $150,000 to the City of Beaconsfield in Ringgold County. The former commercial landmark will undergo exterior and interior rehabilitation guided by a historic property planning report. The building is notable as the site of the first Hy-Vee store, tying the small southern Iowa community to one of the Midwest’s best-known grocery chains.
Presbyterian Church, Bentonsport — $75,690 to the Bentonsport Improvement Association in Van Buren County. Planned work includes masonry restoration, window repairs, creation of an accessible entrance and life safety improvements in the balcony.
Bonnifield Log House, Fairfield — $150,000 to the Jefferson County Supervisors in Jefferson County. The project will provide structural stabilization and historic rehabilitation to address advanced deterioration.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Fort Dodge — $82,782 to Holy Trinity Parish of Webster County. The project will address clay tile, flat and asphalt roofing systems, along with drainage improvements intended to stop water from entering the building. The vacant Romanesque Revival church was designed by Iowa architect William L. Steele and served the community for nearly a century before closing in 2019.
Harcourt Community Center, Harcourt — $61,059 to the City of Harcourt in Webster County. Grant funding will help install a new roof on the historic school gymnasium to stop water intrusion. The building is tied to the former Harcourt Consolidated School and remains a local gathering place.
Lidtke Mill Complex, Lime Springs — $83,860 to the Lime Springs Lidtke Mill Historic Site in Howard County. The project will stabilize the mill complex, repair mill components and restore dam gates and related systems. The site is one of Iowa’s last intact water-powered grist mills and remains a historic attraction along the Upper Iowa River.
Fairview Church, Wapello — $75,000 to Hometown Pride of Louisa County in Louisa County. The project will restore interior walls and the ceiling while also adding insulation and heating, ventilation and air conditioning improvements.
The grants require a 30% cash match and must follow federal historic preservation rules, including The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation.
All funded projects must be completed by July 31, 2027.
The investment reflects a broader economic development strategy in rural Iowa: using preservation not only to save historic buildings, but also to support tourism, downtown activity, local identity and future business use.
Previous Iowa Rural Heritage Revitalization Grants have helped preserve historic properties including the Inn at Motor Mill near Elkader, the Winneshiek County Courthouse in Decorah, Creston’s Restored Depot, the Keokuk Union Depot and Muscatine’s historic Japanese Garden.