American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation to Award $1 Million in Grants to Washington, D.C. Metro Area Historic Places

Community Will Help Determine Which Projects Receive Funding

NEW YORK - History will come alive as American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation bring their Partners in Preservation community-based initiative to raise awareness of the importance of historic preservation to the nation’s capital. This first-of-its-kind preservation effort will enlist the help of Washington, D.C. Metro area residents, and anyone who loves the Capital Region, to help choose which of 24 historic buildings, icons and landmarks will receive a portion of the $1 million in preservation funding.

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Beginning today through May 10, Partners in Preservation invites the public to visit www.PartnersinPreservation.com to help their favorite historic place earn points by voting online and via mobile, sharing with friends via Twitter, checking in on Foursquare and capturing images using Instagram. The historic place that receives the most points is guaranteed full funding of their preservation project. Full details on the program terms and how to earn points for historic places can be found at www.PartnersinPreservation.com.

At the end of the program, a Partners in Preservation advisory committee comprised of Washington-area civic and preservation leaders will recommend how the remainder of the preservation grants will be awarded. District of Columbia Mayor Vincent C. Gray, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley and Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell are the honorary chairs for the Partners in Preservation advisory committee.

“Washington’s historic sites reflect not only important chapters in our nation’s history, but also the diversity and unique character of our city,” Mayor Gray said. “Partners in Preservation celebrates these places by encouraging the public to support their preservation and providing grants to help ensure the sites can be enjoyed by Washingtonians and visitors to the city for generations to come.”

“I am delighted that American Express and The National Trust have chosen to bring Partners in Preservation to the Washington, D.C. metro area,” said Governor O’Malley. “Maryland is rich with historic buildings and monuments that are part of the fabric of our culture and history. Partnerships between public, private and non-profit sectors, like this one, will ensure that these treasures continue to be a vital part of our communities in the future.”

“American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation have selected a community for Partners in Preservation that is intertwined with our nation’s historic and cultural heritage - I couldn’t be more excited to welcome them to Northern Virginia,” said Governor McDonnell. “Each of the participating historic places in Virginia has helped to define the personality of our community, sustain our economic vitality, and draw people from around the country to experience our shared culture and history.”

“Great cities are a reflection of their neighborhoods and landmarks,” said Kenneth I. Chenault, chairman and chief executive officer of American Express. “The places where people work, worship and reflect often define those neighborhoods, and our work with Partners in Preservation has taught us that maintaining local historic places for future generations is one of the best ways to make great cities even greater.”

“We are excited to bring this year’s Partners in Preservation program to the National Trust’s hometown,” said Stephanie Meeks, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “Since its inception in 2006, the campaign has not only provided valuable visibility and resources to historic sites, but also presented a platform for the public to support their favorite historic places in their community. With many diverse places of local and national significance in the Washington, D.C. metro area, Partners in Preservation will enable local preservationists and visitors to the Capital Region to experience historic sites as they never have before.”

The 24 historic places in the greater Washington, D.C. Metro area competing for the $1 million in grants are:

• Abner Cloud House at the C&O Canal, Georgetown, D.C.
• All Souls Church Unitarian, Adams Morgan, D.C.
• Arlington House, Arlington, Va.
• The Athenaeum, Alexandria, Va.
• Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site, Shaw, D.C.
• Clara Barton’s Missing Soldiers Office, Penn Quarter, D.C.
• Colvin Run Mill, Great Falls, Va.
• Congressional Cemetery, Barney Circle, D.C.
• Darby Store, Beallsville, Md.
• Dumbarton Oaks Park, Georgetown, D.C.
• The GALA Hispanic Theatre at The Tivoli, Columbia Heights, D.C.
• George Mason Memorial, National Mall, D.C.
• Greenbelt Theatre, Greenbelt, Md.
• Heyden Observatory, Georgetown, D.C.
• The Kennel at Aspin Hill Memorial Park, Silver Spring, Md.
• LAMB at Military Road School, Brightwood, D.C.
• Living Classrooms of the National Capital Region, Anacostia, D.C.
• Meridian Hill Park, Columbia Heights, D.C.
• Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church, Scott Circle, D.C.
• Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon, Va.
• National Museum of Women in the Arts, Franklin Park, D.C.
• Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, Mount Vernon Square, D.C.
• U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial, Arlington, Va.
• Washington National Cathedral, Tenleytown, D.C.

On May 4-5, the 24 historic places will host an open house weekend for the public to visit, learn more about and cast votes for the participating historic places. Admission will be free or discounted, and sites will be campaigning for votes with on-site activities highlighting their rich histories.

About Partners in Preservation
Partners in Preservation is a program in which American Express, in partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, awards preservation grants to historic places across the country. American Express has made grants worth nearly $9 million through Partners in Preservation, helping historic places in seven cities to date, including San Francisco, Chicago, New Orleans, Boston, Seattle, Saint Paul/Minneapolis and New York, and has engaged more than a million people.

Through this partnership, American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation seek to increase the public’s awareness of the importance of historic preservation in the United States and to preserve America’s historic and cultural places. The program also hopes to inspire long-term support from local citizens for the historic places at the heart of their communities. For more information, visit PartnersinPreservation.com or Facebook.com/PartnersinPreservation, or follow us on Twitter at Twitter.com/PartnersinPres.

About American Express
American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at americanexpress.com and connect with us on facebook.com/americanexpress, foursquare.com/americanexpress, linkedin.com/companies/american-express, twitter.com/americanexpress, and youtube.com/americanexpress.

Key links to products and services: charge and credit cards, business credit cards, travel services, gift cards, prepaid cards, merchant services, business travel, and corporate card.

About the National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately-funded nonprofit organization, works to save America’s historic places to enrich our future. Learn more at www.PreservationNation.org and connect with us on www.facebook.com/NationalTrustforHistoricPreservation and www.twitter.com/PresNation.


Abbreviated Rules
Program starts 12:01AM ET 4/24/2013, ends 11:59PM ET 5/10/2013. Must be at least 13 to participate. See Terms of Participation, which govern, for complete details. Void where prohibited.