PUBLIC NOTICE

Regarding the National Endowment for the Humanities’ Section 106 Review of the Trumbull County Historical Society (TCHS) Morgan History Center in Warren, Ohio.

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has offered the TCHS in Warren, Ohio, an Infrastructure and Capacity Building Grant (CHA-284452) for supporting a new construction expansion to the Morgan History Center, a historic home built in 1894. The Morgan House, located at 328 Mahoning Ave NW, Warren, OH 44483, is a contributing resource to the Mahoning Avenue Historic District (NR Ref. #78003115) listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The current building was completed in a mixed Queen Anne style, featuring a turret, is three stories tall, and currently includes 2,158 square feet of usable space.

NEH is an independent grant-making agency of the United States government dedicated to supporting research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities. This public notice is issued as part of NEH’s responsibilities under 36 C.F.R. Part 800, the regulations which implement Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966, as amended, 54 U.S.C. 306108.  NEH, a funding agency, is required by regulation to identify and assess the effects of any proposed actions on historic properties. If any proposed action will have an adverse effect on historic resources, NEH works with the appropriate parties to seek ways to avoid, minimize, or mitigate any adverse effects. Additionally, the Section 106 regulations require NEH to consider the views of the public on preservation issues when making final decisions that affect historic properties.

Under the National Endowment for the Humanities grant, the TCHS is proposing to expand the Morgan History Center with a 2,000 square foot, two -story structure, with basement, that will connect to the back, northeast side, of the Morgan House. TCHS requests funding to add a museum quality collections storage facility, collections training center, research room, welcome center/gift shop and rotating exhibit gallery to the Morgan History Center. Funds will be used for the following items: construction of the building addition, consultant fees for two conservators (one collections, one facilities) to oversee this work, and exhibit equipment for the rotating exhibit gallery.

The new construction will consist of a limestone foundation, hardiboard siding, wood railing to match that on the existing front porch, a roof ridge that will match the existing second floor roof ridge, and Belmont luxury roof shingles to match the shingles to be installed on the existing Morgan History Center. The exterior of the existing Morgan House is to be painted. Additionally, coniferous shrubs/bushes will be planted and maintained along the southeast side of the “welcome center” wall.    

On November 28, 2022, the Ohio State Historic Preservation Officer indicated in a letter to the TCHS that, based on available information, they determined the planned work if completed as proposed would have No Adverse Effect on the historic property or neighboring historic properties. Subsequently, NEH has determined that the project would have No Adverse Effect if the conditions listed by the SHPO are met.

* Installing shrubbery or trees on the side of the building to mitigate the viewshed that will be lost with the addition.
* Stopping work and contacting NEH and SHPO to determine if the discovery qualifies as historic property if there are any inadvertent or unanticipated discoveries during construction.

As required by Section 106, NEH is providing the public with information about this project, as well as an opportunity to comment on any knowledge of, or concerns with, historic properties in the proposed project area, and issues relating to the project’s potential effects on historic properties. Comments may be submitted to the NEH by e-mail to FPO@neh.gov. The deadline for submitting comments is Monday, December 26^th, 2022.