LEBANON — Historic preservation of buildings can be an expensive and complicated mission, but Indiana's leading preservation non-profit group hopes to make it easier by awarding grants.
Indiana Landmarks is now taking applications for the Standiford Cox grant, which is awarded to buildings important to Indiana's Black history. The organization doled out more than $200,000 in Standiford Cox grants in 2024.
The program was planned by its namesake, who was Eli Lilly's first Black chemist. Cox passed away in 2019 and Indiana Landmarks handed out its first Cox grants in 2020.
"Stan was a tremendous person with a great deal of vision, and we are all benefiting from that today," said Mark Dollase with Indiana Landmarks. "If we can assist in that by fulfilling Stan's mission to aid Black heritage sites across the state, then we will try to make it happen."
Missy & Kevin Krulik received $30,000 from the program last year to restore a long-abandoned African Methodist Episcopal Church in Lebanon built in 1880.
"We would not have been able to do the project without the grant, it would have been too much for us," Missy Krulik said. "There was really bad rot along the foundation."
The Kruliks hope to reopen the church as a short-term rental option featuring a gallery honoring its past.
"Even in the shape that it's in with no paint, we still have people stop us and say it looks great," Krulik said.
Indiana Landmarks has awarded 74 Standiford Cox grants totaling more than $1 million since the program's inception.
This year's grant applications are due before April 1.
-
Texans need win over Colts and loss by Jags to win AFC South
The Colts will have a new quarterback Sunday with rookie Riley Leonard set to make his first NFL start, ending the short but remarkable comeback of Philip Rivers.
Indiana and Oregon to meet again at the Peach Bowl
The Hoosiers are the Big Ten champions now after they knocked off Ohio State last month. They've added their school's first Rose Bowl victory and its first Heisman Trophy.
These Noblesville goats will happily take your Christmas tree
The farm is currently asking the public to drop off their real Christmas trees and wreaths, as the goats find them delicious.
Indiana holds minimum wage at $7.25 for 16th straight year
Nineteen states chose to raise their minimum wages in 2026, but Indiana was not among them. The state chose to keep its wage at $7.25, the same as it's been for 16 years.
