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Happy 4th of July! We are pleased to announce that Westcott received a $12,500 Buckeye Impact Grant from the America 250-Ohio Commission for our upcoming project titled “Frank Lloyd Wright’s Westcott House – Past, Present & Future of an
American Icon.” The celebration of America 250-Ohio will coincide with the 20th anniversary of the completion of the major restoration and public opening of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Westcott House. We plan to produce a mini documentary that reflects on our site’s fascinating and dramatic past; its significance and impact at the present, and the aspirations for this landmark’s ongoing relevance for future generations.
The Westcott House is one-of-a-kind Ohio treasure brought to life by visionary people and shaped by a creative mind ahead of his time. Frank Lloyd Wright is a quintessential American artist. His career span over 70 years, and both his private and public buildings tell the story of American dream through the prism of design and architecture. His persistent rebuttal of European ideals of design led to highly original work that inspired generations of artists and architects, as well as the general public. One of his major contributions was his success in making architecture more human-centric and highly relatable, and therefore popular. There is no other architect in the entire world with over 50 public sites dedicated to interpretation of one designer’s life and work. In 2019, “The 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright” was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This rare recognition of a creative individual on an international scene is an affirmation of his profound impact, and, by extension, a uniquely American contribution to the world’s cultural heritage.
We are extremely fortunate to tell this fascinating and important American story through the Westcott House. Through our proposed project, we will draw attention to an extraordinary story of innovation pursued by the trailblazers of the era.
The Buckeye Impact Grants were awarded to projects with a statewide, regional, or significant local impact. These projects include significant exhibitions, regional commemorative activities, substantial digital and documentary media projects and signature public events.
“The America 250-Ohio Commission congratulates Westcott House on this grant award. Their efforts in educating the public and honoring Ohio’s illustrious history are deeply appreciated,” said Doug Preisse, co-chair of the America 250-Ohio Commission. “As we near America’s 250th anniversary, these projects will play an essential role in elevating our state’s history and bolstering our communities' efforts to execute impactful initiatives during such a monumental celebration.”
Westcott House Foundation was one of the 61 recipients chosen from the more than 170 statewide applications during the grant program’s spring 2024 funding cycle. Another Springfield-based awardee is the Hartman Rock Garden. In total, America 250-Ohio, awarded approximately $600,000 in grants to communities and organizations across Ohio as part of the commission’s second funding cycle. Combined with the approximately $400,000 in grants awarded in January 2024, the America 250-Ohio Commission grants program has worked with Ohio Humanities to distribute $1 million in grants to 84 organizations across the state. The grant program was designed to showcase the achievements, struggles, honors, innovations and significance of all people in Ohio since before its founding to the present day. Themes identified for Ohio’s commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary programming include:
● Celebrations and Signature Events: Impacting tourism and economic development
● Ohio Originals: Highlighting points of pride and unity
● Engaging Youth and Lifelong Learners: Education and scholarship
● Inclusive Statewide Engagement: Museums, arts and culture
● Telling Ohio Stories: Highlighting stories of Ohioans past and present
To learn more about the America 250-Ohio Commission’s grants program visit America250-Ohio.org/grants/.
About America 250-Ohio
In 2026, the United States will celebrate its semiquincentennial, which is the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Each state has been encouraged to create a celebration and commemoration of this anniversary to reflect the unique character and contributions of each state to the nation over the past 250 years. Ohio is fully embracing this opportunity. The Ohio Commission for the Semiquincentennial (aka America 250-Ohio Commission or AM250-OH) was created by the Ohio legislature and launched on March 1, 2022. The charge of the AM250-OH Commission is to “…to plan, encourage, develop, and coordinate the commemoration of the two hundred fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the United States and the impact of Ohioans on the nation’s past, present, and future.” — Ohio Revised Code (149.309). More information can be found at America250-Ohio.org.
About Ohio Humanities
Ohio Humanities is a statewide nonprofit that shares stories to spark conversations and inspire ideas by hosting programs and awarding grants that support storytellers statewide, from museums to journalists to documentary filmmakers. For more information, please visit our website at OhioHumanities.org.
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