Rolling Hills Asylum in Bethany, which operates now as a ghost tour venue, has been awarded a $50,000 grant to fund roof repair and replacement of the east wing of the main building and the ice/dairy house’s roof.
The asylum was constructed in 1827 and was once a county-owned building.
According to an announcement from the NYS Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Department, "The site has been determined to be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. The owner intends to rehabilitate the property and turn the buildings into an inn/restaurant while continuing to capitalize on its paranormal reputation."
The grant is part of $470,000 in federal grants and local matching funds in rural WNY announced this week by the agency.
From the press release:
Made under the Genesee Valley Rural Revitalization Grant Program (GVRR), this second round of funding will support such projects as structural repairs and restoration work of historic commercial buildings, ADA compliance upgrades to public spaces, and window improvements for a creative arts center. The first round of grants was announced in September 2021 and included over $300,000 to five awardees.
"These business owners, nonprofits, and local government units are deeply connected to the economic health of their rural communities, and all have historic assets that need support,” said Erik Kulleseid, Commissioner of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. “We are thrilled that these projects aim to increase accessibility and sustainability through preservation efforts and welcome the opportunity to demonstrate that investments in local historic resources can have a powerful impact for New York’s rural communities.”
GVRR is supported by a $750,000 award made to the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) through the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Fund as administered by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Another $43,250 in matching funds were provided by the Rochester Area Community Foundation, Letchworth Gateway Villages, and the Landmark Society of Western New York.
“The Landmark Society is thrilled to be assisting OPRHP in administering this grant program. We are currently working with Round 1 awardees and seeing the impact this funding has on their ability to complete important preservation, restoration, and repair work and are looking forward to starting the projects awarded in Round 2,” said Wayne Goodman, Executive Director of the Landmark Society of Western New York, which is co-administering the GVRR program. “This grant program has shed light on the need for this type of funding in our rural communities around the Genesee Valley.”
